Annual Report for the Year Ended 31 October 2025
Reg. Co. 07826095 Reg. Charity. 1144669
The LifeHouse Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) for the Year Ended 31 October 2025
| Note Incoming resources from generated funds VoluntaryIncome 2 |
Total Funds year ended 31st October 2025 £ £157,861 |
Total Funds year ended 31st October 2024 £ £118,612 |
|---|---|---|
| Total incomingresources | £157,861 | £118,612 |
| Resources expended Cost of generating funds Resources expended 3 |
£133,808 | |
| Total resources expended | £133,808 | £111,927 |
| Net Income Reconciliation of funds Total Funds brought forward |
£24,053 £59,523 |
£52,838 |
| Total Funds carried forward | £83,576 | £59,523 |
Page 1
The Lifehouse Registration number: 7826095 Balance Sheet as at 31st October 2025
| 2025 Notes Current Assets £ Cash at bank and in hand 7 £83,576 Net Assets The funds of the charity Unrestricted Funds £83,576 Total Charity Funds |
2024 £ £83,576 £83,576 £83,576 |
£59,523 |
|---|---|---|
| £59,523 | ||
| £59,523 | ||
| £59,523 | ||
| £59,523 |
These accounts have been approved by the Trustees and signed on its behalf by:
Mr Michael Morell Trustee and Treasurer Date: 05/07/26
The notes on pages 1 to 12 form an integral part of these financial statements.
Page 2
The LifeHouse
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 October 2025
1. Accounting policies
Basis of preparation
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2005)', issued in March 2005, the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective April 2008) and the Companies Act 2006.
Fund accounting policy
Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the Trustees' discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose.
Page 2 Incoming resources
Donations are recognised where there is entitlement, certainty of receipt and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.
Incoming resources from tax reclaims are included in the statement of financial activities at the same time as the gift to which they relate.
2 Voluntary Income
| General Funds Appeals and Donations Grants Interest Gift Aid Tax reclaim |
Total Funds Year Ended 31st Oct 2025 £ £72,606 £84,806 £150 £299 |
Total Funds Year Ended 31st Oct 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| £ £64,589 £52,536 £617 £870 |
||
| £157,861 | £118,612 |
Resources expended
Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to the expenditure.
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
Page 3
3 Total Resources Expended
| Notes Charitable Activities Activities Undertaken Directly 4 Support Costs 5 4 Activities Undertaken Directly Salaries & Wages Volunteer Expenses Rent and Venue Hire Ministry Gifts & Donations Light & Heat LifeHouse Food Maintenance& Refurbishment Other LifeHouse Costs Client Help Equipment Vehicle Expenses 5 Support Costs Insurance General Expenses Office Cost, Stationery, postage Repairs & renewal Bank Charges Books & Subscriptions Conference Costs Auditing & Accountancy Fees Legal & Professional |
Total Funds Year Ended 31st Oct 2025 £127,418 £6,390 |
Total Funds Year Ended 31st Oct 2024 |
|
| £127,418 £6,390 |
£103,560 £8,367 |
||
| £133,808 | £111,927 | ||
| Total Funds Year Ended 31st Oct 2025 £16,386 £3,599 £22,553 £2,661 £8,366 £33,648 £29,938 £1,947 £2,819 £1,734 £3,767 |
Total Funds Year Ended 31st Oct 2024 |
||
| £13,676 £3,018 £25,505 £3,184 £8,815 £26,092 £3,290 £1,703 £4,131 £13,690 £456 |
|||
| £127,418 | £103,560 | ||
| Unrestricted Funds 2025 |
Total Funds Year Ended 31st Oct 2024 |
||
| £978 £272 £1,904 £414 £120 £707 £1,296 |
£1,631 £645 £2,496 £517 £148 £216 £260 £1,296 |
||
| £699 | £1,158 | ||
| £6,390 | £8,367 |
Page 4
Page 4
Restricted funds have been given for specifically use in refurbishment and re-equipment, e.g. purchasing of new fridges and freezers. For the running of the LifeHouse Homeless Food Kitchen, e.g. specifically for food purchasing. These are in addition to grants and funding that is unrestricted.
| 6 Analysis of Funds General Funds 7 Net Assets by fund Current Account 1 Current Account 2 Savings Account 1 Savings Account 2 Savings - Aldermore |
2024 £59,523 |
£133,808 Income Expenses £157,861 £133,808 |
£133,808 Income Expenses £157,861 £133,808 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £59,523 | £157,861 £133,808 £83,576 |
||
| Total Funds 31st October 2025 £7,825 £58,503 £4,163 £2,173 £10,912 |
Total Funds 31st October 2024 £6,602 £37,703 £4,163 £2,163 £8,892 |
||
| £83,576 | £59,523 |
Taxation
The LifeHouse is a registered charity and is, therefore, exempt from taxation.
Page 5
The LifeHouse Reference and Administrative Details
| Charity name | The LifeHouse |
|---|---|
| Charity registration number | 1144669 |
| Company registration number | 07826095 |
| Principal Office | 153 Albert Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO4 0JW |
| Registered Office | 153 Albert Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO4 0JW |
| Trustees | Mr Peter John Robinson, (Appointed 13 November 2016 – Chair of Trustees) |
| Mr Helen Robinson, (Appointed 16 December 2021) | |
| Mrs Susan Billingham (Appointed 23 July 2025) | |
| Mr Michael Morell, (Appointed 6 September 2016) | |
| Bankers | CAF BANK |
| 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, | |
| West Malling, Kent, | |
| ME19 4JQ | |
| Independent Examiner | Jeremy Brown |
| 14 Marion Road | |
| Southsea | |
| Portsmouth | |
| Hampshire | |
| PO4 0QX |
Page 6
The LifeHouse
Trustees' Report
The Trustees present their report and accounts for the period ended 31 October 2025.
The LifeHouse was incorporated on 27th October 2011 and granted charitable status on 15[1h] November 2011.
Structure, governance and management
The company is a company limited by guarantee. The liability of the members is limited by their guarantee. In the event of the company being wound up during the period of their membership (or within a year following), members undertake to contribute such amounts as may be required, up to a maximum of £1.
Objectives and activities
The company's charitable objects are:
-
a) to relieve hunger, sickness and financial hardship and to promote and preserve good health by the provision of funds, goods or services of any kind, including through the provision of counselling, training in life skills and support in such parts of Portsmouth, the United Kingdom or the world as the trustees from time to time may think fit.
-
b) to provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their conditions of life.
Overview
Our year has been one of considerable change and growth at the LifeHouse. With the substantial help of supporters and sponsors we have completely refitted our kitchen to a fully fitted, commercial, steel one with many new features like a large, steam, condensing oven that can cook much quicker and in larger quantities. A range of equipment that will enable us to produce the ever-greater number of meals being demanded by the public in need.
We have been looking to expand our services to meet the needs of our guests and potential guests and have booked visits from the Dentaid Charity and their team top run a mobile dental clinic for many who simply don’t go to a dentist, many in pain and not able to eat well. We now have a second set of hairdressers helping us monthly on a voluntary basis giving a greater capacity to serve people in this way.
We have now employed a regular van driver from our volunteers ten hours paid at just over National Minimum Wage to guarantee our collections of food donations.
We have expanded the cheffing team to seven to cover our three days of opening each week and have people experienced in customer services and blue-light services on the welcome/security team on our door.
Again, this year, we have recruited many excellent volunteers during this year, many specialising in specific roles, spreading responsibilities amount the team and less on part-time paid staff and manager.
Page 7
The LifeHouse
Trustees' Report Continued….
We continue to offer a choice of food at our public meals on Wednesdays and Thursdays to 100+ guests each time, our food parcel and ready meals deliveries to those who can’t or shouldn’t come out, food parcel service on our kitchen door three days a week, free clothes, bedding and camping equipment, as well as care services for hair, feet, ears and pets.
In addition, we have the service offered by Advice Portsmouth on a Wednesday morning, during our breakfast, for a myriad of concerns and problems our guests may have, including rent, benefit and financial issues.
The LifeHouse also continued to provide financial support to Compassion International (child schooling sponsorship in Togo) to express in a small way our wider vision to care for those that are poor.
Other Achievements
The LifeHouse supports and encourages other Food Kitchens and Parlours across the City, working with them to help care for those that are hospitalised, rough sleeping, vulnerable and mentally ill. We share food and resources with other Charities and Food Centres to do this and minimise food wastage.
The Trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity and company should undertake.
Financial review
Financially the charity is secure. The unrestricted fund balance has increased considerably this year, due to bequests and grants, by some 75% to £91k which includes £26k of our medium and long-term saving in the Hampshire Trust Bank and Aldermore Business Savings. These exceed the reserves policy of three months' expenditure as agreed by the Trustees, and reflects both stability in the charity finances and vigilance by the Trustees. We are looking to achieve six month’s reserves as a regular standard as we do hold a 10-year commercial lease with our landlord.
The Trustees continue to review the major risks to which the company is exposed in order to establish systems to manage those risks. Our Safeguarding and other Policies and Risk Assessments continue to be reviewed.
Small company provisions
This report has been prepared in accordance with the small company regime under the Companies Act 2006.
Approved by the Board of Trustees for The LifeHouse on its behalf by:
Date: 05/07/26
Page 8
The LifeHouse
Trustees' Responsibilities in relation to the Financial Statements
The Trustees (who are also Directors of The LifeHouse for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and the United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
-
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
-
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
-
make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
-
state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
-
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Page 9
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of
The LifeHouse
I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 October 2025, which are set out on the preceding pages.
Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
The Trustees (who are also the Directors of the Company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
-
i. examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
-
ii. follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145 (5) (b) of the 2011 Act; and
-
iii. state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of Independent Examiner's Report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent Examiner's Statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
- (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities
have not been met; or
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
88 Jeremy Brown Independent Examiner
Date: 24/07/2026
Jeremy Brown
14 Marion Road
Southsea
Portsmouth
Hampshire PO4 0QX
Page 10