COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 08002509 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1147913
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited Company Limited by Guarantee
Financial Statements
31 March 2025
WALTER HUNTER & CO LIMITED
Chartered accountants & statutory auditor 24 Bridge Street Newport South Wales NP20 4SF
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Financial Statements
Year ended 31 March 2025
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Trustees' annual report (incorporating the director's report) | 1 |
| Independent auditor's report to the members | 17 |
| Statement of financial activities (including income and | |
| expenditure account) | 21 |
| Statement of financial position | 22 |
| Statement of cash flows | 23 |
| Notes to the financial statements | 24 |
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Reference and administrative details
| Registered charity name | Rights of Women Incorporated | Limited |
|---|---|---|
| Charity registration number | 1147913 | |
| Company registration number | 08002509 | |
| Principal office and registered | 52-54 Featherstone Street | |
| office | London | |
| EC1Y 8RT | ||
| The trustees | ||
| Annie Hedge - Chair | ||
| Aramide Ogunlana - Treasurer | ||
| Elisha Augustin | ||
| Laura Bennett | ||
| Olivia Dehnavi | ||
| Kristina Glenn | ||
| Kat Hacker | ||
| Katherine Minett | ||
| Victoria Poku-Amanfo | (Resigned 11 September 2024) | |
| Hannah Phillips | ||
| Fiona Turnbull | ||
| Director (Staff team) | Estelle du Boulay | |
| Auditor | Walter Hunter & Co Limited | |
| Chartered accountants & statutory auditor | ||
| 24 Bridge Street | ||
| Newport | ||
| South Wales | ||
| NP20 4SF | ||
| Bankers | Unity Trust Bank plc | |
| Four Brindley Place | ||
| Birmingham | ||
| B1 2JB | ||
| Lloyds Bank | ||
| 31/33 Holloway Road | ||
| London | ||
| N7 8JP | ||
| Triodos Bank | ||
| Deanery Road | ||
| Bristol | ||
| BS1 5AS |
1
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
1 Chair's report
This year marks a major milestone in the history of Rights of Women as we celebrate our 50th anniversary. Since 1975, our organisation has been at the forefront of advancing women's legal rights and tackling the injustices women face within the law. From our early campaigns for criminalisation of rape in marriage and lesbian mothers' rights, to today's advocacy for survivors' rights in digital immigration systems and family courts, our consistent vision has been to achieve equality, justice and safety in the law for all women.
This year has been one of both transformation and impact for Rights of Women. Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, a shifting political landscape, and increasing demand for specialist legal support, we have continued to provide free, confidential, essential, high-quality legal advice, information and advocacy for women navigating violence and abuse.
We are proud that over 3,100 women accessed our free legal advice services this year - services which are a lifeline for those facing the justice system without support. Our legal advice lines, training programmes, and publications are informed by the lived experience of survivors and guided by our expert women staff and volunteer lawyers.
Our campaigning and influencing work has secured major wins, including the 2024 Employment Rights Bill providing greater protections against workplace sexual harassment, progress toward independent legal advice for survivors of sexual violence and a commitment to review cohabitation laws. We have also successfully challenged harmful digitisation processes affecting migrant survivors of abuse.
Our 50th year has also been a time of reflection and renewal. We have strengthened internal staff wellbeing and professional development structures, expanded our lived experience panel, and invested in new communications partnerships to amplify women's voices. In an increasingly complex legal and political landscape, our mission feels more urgent than ever.
We would like to thank all our staff, trustees and volunteers for the time and commitment they have given over the past year to helping women through the law. To everyone who has stood with Rights of Women across the decades or joined us more recently: thank you for helping build a future where the law serves all women equally.
Dr Annie Hedge
1.1 About Rights of Women (ROW)
Rights of Women (established 1975) is a women's legal rights organisation which specialises in supporting women who are experiencing - or at risk of experiencing - all forms of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), including domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Our purpose is to increase women's understanding of their legal rights and improve their access to justice so that they can live free from abuse and oppression and can make informed choices about their safety. We increase their skills to overcome problems so they can navigate the law and legal processes with confidence.
Our core provision is free specialist confidential legal advice given directly to women throughout England and Wales via telephone advice lines covering family, immigration and asylum, employment law (sexual harassment at work) and criminal law.
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
1.2 Vision and Mission
In accordance with the objectives of Rights of Women, the vision and mission are as follows:
Vision
Equality, justice and safety in the law for all women
Mission
Rights of Women advises, educates and empowers women by:-
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Providing women with free, confidential legal advice by specialist women solicitors and barristers
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Enabling women to understand and benefit from their legal rights through accessible and timely publications and training
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Campaigning to ensure that women's voices are heard and law and policy meets all women's needs
1.3 Strategic Priorities
Our strategic priorities are set out in our Strategic Plan 2023-25:
Priority 1: Sustainability - Preserve Rights of Women's unique services
Priority 2: Advice - Provide legal advice services to meet women's changing needs
Priority 3: Policy - Change laws, legal procedures and systems to benefit women
1.4 Theory of change
A theory of change underpins the priorities within our Strategic Plan.
We have identified the following changes as priorities for our organisation to work towards:
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Law and policy better reflect women's needs relative to our VAWG focus and legal specialisms
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• More women than ever are able to access our expert legal advice
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Women who need our advice services know we exist
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Women (or their supporters) can access legal advice and support with the law through a range of channels or models
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The end of VAWG is brought nearer by ensuring that women know their legal rights before they experience VAWG
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Women have access to legal advice on a range of issues that affect them adversely and diminish their equality and safety
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Providers who are committed to justice and safety for women see the value and relevance of our work
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
2 Structure, governance and management
2.1 Objectives and activities
The Memorandum and Articles of Association of Rights of Women state the objects of the organisation to be restricted to:-
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(a) the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of gender;
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(b) advancing the education of women and raising awareness of equality and diversity;
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(c) commissioning and conducting research on gender equality and diversity issues and publishing the results to the public;
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(d) cultivating a sentiment in favour of equality of women and diversity;
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(e) campaigning in relation to gender equality and diversity issues and in furtherance of the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of gender;
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(f) conducting policy work in relation to gender equality and diversity issues.
2.2 Public benefit
We have referred to the advice contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aims and objectives and in planning our future activities.
Our objects (set out above) are carried out for the public benefit as follows:-
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Our services are restricted for the benefit of women and are available to all women in England and Wales.
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Women experience many barriers to accessing the law and their legal rights. Existing or proposed new law and legal policy often discriminates against or disadvantages women as a whole or as members of a particular group. In our approach, we recognise the additional barriers posed by the intersection of gender-based abuse, racism, structural inequality and other forms of discrimination and oppression that impact on women's vulnerability, exclusion and marginalisation. For example, we recognise and seek to make a contribution through our work towards ending discrimination within the law towards Black and minoritised women; migrant women including refugees and asylum-seeking women; disabled women; women with low socio economic status; lesbian and bisexual women; trans women; women with no recourse to public funds.
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Through all our services and activities we aim to ensure that all women have equal access to the law, their legal rights and justice. In this way we aim to ensure that women enjoy a more equal role in society.
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Through our advice lines and publications women benefit from increased knowledge and understanding and increased confidence in using the law enabling them to overcome the disadvantages they experience. In particular our services focus on supporting women affected by violence - recognised by the UN as one of the most significant discriminations faced by women.
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
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Through our training for professionals who support women we aim to increase awareness and understanding of the law as it relates to women, enabling these professionals to better support women.
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Through our policy work we aim to ensure that the law and legal policy meets the needs of women and does not disadvantage them. We undertake research to demonstrate the impact of law and legal policy developments on women in order to raise awareness and lobby for changes which will ensure greater equality for women. Our research and policy documents are disseminated to local and national Government, policy makers, statutory and voluntary sector organisations. We regularly meet with law and policy makers to discuss the impact on women and campaign for developments which ensure greater equality for women.
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Through our communications work we aim to advance the education of women, raise awareness and public support of our policy and campaigning work, and shift public attitudes to promote equality and diversity.
2.3 Structure
Rights of Women is a company limited by guarantee, Rights of Women Incorporated Limited (number 08002509) and a registered charity (number 1147913) with the Charity Commission.
2.4 Governance
The Board of Trustees met four times during the year on a hybrid basis. The Chair continues a process of Board development for new and established Trustees.
The day-to-day management of the organisation continues to be delegated to the Director, Estelle du Boulay, who was assisted during this period in the delivery of the organisation's services by our Senior Leadership team comprised of Mary McGloin (Operations Manager) and Senior Legal Officers (SLOs) Jasbindar Bhatoa, Hannah Couchman, Olive Craig, Mandip Ghai, Nicole Masri and Deeba Syed.
Throughout the year, the Board engaged an external financial consultant to provide management accounting. After year end, this arrangement was replaced by the appointment of a part-time in-house Management Accountant, offering dedicated support to meet the needs of the organisation’s growth.
The Finance Subgroup met virtually 4 times throughout the year, chaired by the Treasurer.
Our direct services for women continue to be supported by our team of 50 active volunteer women barristers and solicitors. The Board of Trustees would like to acknowledge the very significant commitment and energy of the Rights of Women staff team and volunteers in the delivery of our vital services for women.
Away Day
On 18th October 2024 the Board of Trustees and staff team attended an away day. The sessions for the day focused on:
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A strategic review of our advice services
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A strategic review of our legal education services
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Considering how we can strengthen our internal communications and meetings structure
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
2.5 Risk Management
The charity trustees have given consideration to the major risks to which the charity is exposed and satisfied themselves that systems or procedures are established in order to manage those risks. The charity has established and maintains a detailed risk register including, but not limited to: governance, operations, finances, compliance with law and the external financial and political climate. This is reviewed at every Board meeting by the trustees. In addition to this, the charity maintains and regularly reviews a wide range of organisational policies and procedures that address mitigating risk.
Strategic report
The following sections for achievements and performance and financial review form the strategic report of the charity.
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
3 Achievements and performance
3.1 Strategic Priority 1: Sustainability - Preserve ROW's unique services
Income Diversification
We raised funds from an increasingly diverse range of sources outside our primary grant funding income stream. This included the third annual legal fundraising dinner, a crowdfunding campaign linked to the Cohabitation Rights influencing campaign, and a matched fund campaign through the Big Give.
We also engaged in email-based fundraising appeals and continued work growing the number of regular and individual donors to the organisation.
Partnerships
During the financial year, we partnered with three law firms to work jointly on pro-bono activities and fundraising - Slaughter & May, Clifford Chance and Sharpe Pritchard. These partnerships have significantly strengthened our capacity to support women in need and reflect the commitment within the legal sector to social justice.
Staff & Volunteer Update
We are indebted to the women who volunteer their time and expertise to support our work. During the year, ROW had 61 volunteers, the majority of whom are working solicitors or barristers. They provided free legal advice to women on our advice lines who would otherwise be unable to access any advice from a lawyer.
This year we welcomed over 23 new volunteers and provided six induction days to support their onboarding. Our volunteers also contribute beyond providing advice - 11 supported us at our annual legal dinner and several joined us on our annual legal walk.
At our 2024 away day, staff agreed to improve internal communication and information flow across meetings. Monthly all-staff meetings now include regular items on welfare and thematic learning, helping to build cross-team connection.
Welfare topics have included increasing everyday activity and movement when working from home, best practice approaches to lone working, and a buddy system to support hybrid working. Learning sessions have covered CPR, pensions, and trauma-informed practice on which we are commissioning specialist staff training and developing a self-assessment wellbeing tool.
A new CPD and Training Policy launched this year gives all staff access to financial and other support for professional development. Existing staff support mechanisms continue to evolve, with work underway to formalise a wellbeing framework. EDI and anti-racism work update
We continued to strengthen our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and anti-racism. We built on the work carried out at the 2023 EDI-focused Away Day to further embed this work across all areas of the organisation. We remain committed to ensuring that our services, workplace culture, and policy advocacy are inclusive, anti-racist, and shaped by the diverse, intersectional experiences of the women we serve. Throughout the year, a staff and Board-led EDI working group has been monitoring implementation of a 5-year plan to increase equity, diversity and inclusion goal within all aspects of our work.
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
3.2 Strategic Priority 2: Advice - Provide legal advice services to meet women's changing needs
Advice Services
We continued to provide free legal advice to women who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing VAWG. In the past year our legal advice services have supported a total of 3,162 callers.
| Immigration | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Law | Criminal Law | Employment | & Asylum | ||
| Advice | Advice | Law Advice | Law Advice | Professionals | |
| Services | Services | Services | Services | Advice Line | |
| Number of callers | |||||
| advised | 1,888 | 437 | 297 | 485 | 55 |
FLOWS (Finding Legal Options for Women Survivors)
FLOWS is a partnership with RCJ Advice, that utilises transformative digital tools to improve access to legal advice and guidance for survivors of domestic abuse and the professionals who support them across England and Wales enabling safer pathways and best practice delivery.
As part of our delivery, we run the online FLOWS Forum, which is an unreplicated online community for legal professionals and frontline domestic abuse service professionals to share expertise and seek advice on family and criminal law issues. The forum provides expert guidance and updates on the law through posts and free training sessions from Rights of Women; responses to specific queries from professionals on supporting women survivors and peer-to-peer engagement. Our delivery also incorporates a criminal law advice service for women survivors including FLOWS Answers, an online tool that provides answers in writing to women.
As a result of FLOWS successful growth strategy, membership of the forum for professionals grew by 21% from 1639 to 1977 during Apr 24 - Mar 25. We also hosted 9 events on relevant law and policy to support members in their work. A survey of members showed that 98% of respondents found FLOWS Forum posts to be useful in their work.
Publications
In 2024-25 95,863 legal guides, handbooks, reports, briefings, consultation responses and publications were downloaded from our website.
Examples of publications included three new immigration law guides relating to domestic abuse immigration policies, which together form a comprehensive library of materials for migrant victims of domestic abuse.
Training
Through our training we provide professionals with a practical understanding of the legal rights and remedies available to the women they work with. This, in turn, helps ensure that more women have access to the knowledge and information they need.
In total this year we delivered training and events to over 1,400 professionals throughout England and Wales.
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
Training covered topics including:
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Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse Concession (MVDAC)
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The rules on mediation in family cases for survivors of domestic abuse
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Domestic Abuse Act 2021 - Injunctions and powers for dealing with domestic abuse
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Preventative Culture for Sexual Harassment - The Worker Protection Act 2023 compliance
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Sexual Harassment Law for Employers: Handling Disclosures and Conducting Trauma-Informed Investigations
Voices of Women panel
To increase access to our work and ensure it meets the evolving needs of diverse women, we work with a group of women with lived experience of the issues we focus on to advise and inform our activities - called the Voices of Women (VOW) panel.
This year we convened a small working group of staff to produce a workplan and progress our activity with the VOW panel.
We also expanded membership of the panel to include more women with lived experience of the immigration system, and we are looking forward to working with our new panel members across the different areas of our work.
3.3 Strategic Priority 3: Policy - Change laws, legal procedures and systems to benefit women
Strategic Communications
Public legal understanding and education
At the end of the year our combined social media audience exceeded 69,000 across Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. We regularly publish legal and policy information to increase women's understanding of the law and VAWG.
Our newsletter now reaches over 5,700 subscribers, providing key information on our campaigns, services, legal resources, and impact.
Developing our relationships with the media
As part of our strategic communications work, we have been developing and solidifying new and existing relationships with key journalists and publications and taking proactive approaches to increasing women's understanding of VAWG and the justice system.
A new partnership was established with Fresh Communications to assist us in dissemination of key information and messaging to the public through the media which will be implemented from 2025/26.
We engaged with media outlets including the BBC, ITV, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Marie Claire, Glamour UK, Smiley News, Tortoise Media, and The Independent to provide direct quotes and interviews, as well as research input to ensure VAWG and the law are accurately reported on.
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
Policy influencing and campaigning
Family Law
Domestic Abuse Injunctions
We contributed to the development of the new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) by participating in the official Sector Reference Group, where we raised concerns about gaps in existing protective measures and emphasised the need to prioritise survivors' voices.
We also supported the sector's readiness for the upcoming pilot schemes by sharing information with frontline organisations and responded to consultations on the draft statutory guidance and proposed Family Procedure Rules for DAPOs.
Family Court Reform
Our family court policy work focuses on improving how survivors and children are treated in child arrangements cases, particularly in relation to domestic abuse.
This year, we advanced this work on a three-year local pilot focused on building best practice domestic abuse responses in one family justice area. We look forward to sharing learnings and outputs in due course.
We also wrote to the new Secretary of State for Justice regarding the need for family court reform and met with ministers and parliamentarians to raise our concerns. We drafted potential amendments to legislation which we hope to take further in the future.
We supported survivors and the professionals that support them through strategic litigation, for example supporting a refuge to challenge an order to facilitate contact between a child and the other parent, which was against their safeguarding policy. We continued to support a very small number of clients through our project on parental alienation through its winding down phase and worked on a final report.
We also continued to contribute to the President of the Family Division's Transparency Implementation Group.
Rights of Cohabiting Partners
Our work helped secure a commitment to reform cohabitation law reform for cohabiting couples in last year's Labour Manifesto. This year, we engaged with civil servants on the commitment with a government consultation expected later in 2025.
We also participated in a workshop with leading academics and lawyers, highlighting the need for any reform to protect and centre the needs of survivors.
In collaboration with Surviving Economic Abuse we explored how work on these issues can be carried out with experts by experience and the VAWG sector. We have also examined how cohabitation laws operate internationally and how reform could better reflect the needs and realities of survivors in England and Wales. This work will continue next year.
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
Criminal Law
Independent legal advice ("ILA") for survivors
This year, we continued to call for independent legal advice for survivors of sexual violence - a campaign that has been well received by the new Government and resulted in tangible steps towards the introduction of ILA. Working together with sister VAWG organisations, we secured a high-level meeting with the Ministry of Justice to discuss models of delivery. This year also saw a pilot scheme introduced, due to be evaluated later this year.
Bad character campaign
This year saw the initial stages of our joint campaign with sister VAWG organisations around past disclosures of sexual violence and how these can be used against survivors of sexual violence in court. We worked together on a briefing with case studies and contributed our proposals to the Law Commission.
Keep Counselling Confidential
This year we completed the final stages of our Keep Counselling Confidential campaign. We were successful in our work to change the law around requests for survivors’ counselling notes.
Employment Law
Improved Legal Protections
In 2023-24, we celebrated the successful passage of the Worker Protection Act 2024, following four years of campaigning with the #ThisIsNotWorking alliance. While the new duty on employers to prevent workplace sexual harassment marks a major win, the removal of protections against third-party harassment remains a key priority which we continue to support through the passage of the Employment Rights Bill, announced in October 2024.
We provided our response to the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) consultation on the technical guidance on sexual harassment at work following the passage of the Worker Protection Act 2024.
Immigration & Asylum Law
Digital immigration status
This year saw the roll-out of digital immigration status, or 'eVisas'. We collaboratively raised concerns about the impact on vulnerable migrants, including survivors of VAWG, during our engagement with government as a member of the Home Office's User Experience Advisory Group.
This led to improvements including government investing in a community support initiative to provide free assistance to vulnerable groups. The Home Office further responded to our concerns relating to the unique challenges facing long-term migrants without modern immigration documents, by introducing significant changes reducing the barriers this vulnerable cohort faces in transitioning to digital status.
As the only women's organisation on the Home Office's User Experience Advisory Group, we have led on advocating for changes to digital status to better meet the needs of survivors while also holding government to account where technical errors have arisen.
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
Challenging harmful immigration barriers for survivors
We raised concerns through multiple stakeholder forums about rising refusals, delays and increased evidence requests in Domestic Abuse settlement applications. We also challenged the Home Office's approach to counter allegations made by perpetrators, co-authoring a briefing with Project Resist which was endorsed by multiple VAWG organisations and submitted to the Home Office.
To support frontline practitioners, we developed guidance for lawyers on how to respond to counterallegations in immigration applications.
We continued to advocate for expanded eligibility under domestic abuse immigration policies, including access to public funds and leave to remain for all survivors. In October 2024, we participated in a Ministerial roundtable and have since held follow-up discussions with the Home Office.
EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
We continued to address barriers for survivors under the EUSS, including supporting strategic litigation brought for survivors with pre-settled status, engaging through the Home Office's EUSS Safeguarding User Group and jointly through an EUSS Civil Society Alliance. We challenged the Home Office's new policy of cancelling EUSS status following relationship breakdowns.
Despite Home Office confirmation of automatic 2-year status extensions for Pre-Settled Status holders, we learned that curtailment action was being taken in some cases where non-EU nationals had separated from EU national partners. We raised our concerns jointly with ILPA, the EUSS Civil Society Alliance, and other stakeholders, calling for a coordinated NGO and ILPA approach to prevent further harm.
Immigration Advice Authority fee consultation
We responded to Immigration Advice Authority proposals to introduce included both organisational and adviser-level fees for not-for-profit organisations registered with them. We raised serious concerns about the impact on NFP's ability to continue providing free immigration services, particularly during a cost-ofliving crisis and ongoing challenges in accessing early legal advice and legal aid. Our joint VAWG sector response highlighted the significant risk this policy poses to vulnerable migrants and the organisations that support them and the importance of the issue to the sector.
Organisational Policy Priorities
Access to Legal Aid
We submitted a letter to the Lord Chancellor recommending reforms across immigration, family and employment law legal aid. These included how to address barriers to legal aid for survivors, and highlighted delays to means test reform, the inaccessibility of the exceptional case funding scheme and the importance of access to early legal advice. Our legal teams jointly submitted evidence to the Review of Civil Legal Aid, following which the Government agreed to raise legal aid fees in immigration and housing. We also hosted a FLOWS Forum event to discuss challenges faced by frontline domestic abuse services in evidencing domestic abuse for legal aid.
Key advisory and expert stakeholder groups
This year we sat on a range of key groups including the EU Delegation's Monitoring Network, Home Office EU Settlement Scheme Safeguarding User Group, Home Office User Experience Advisory Group (Future Border & Immigration System), Welsh Government's VAWDASV
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
Workplace Harassment workstream, and the NHS England sexual misconduct and domestic abuse group.
Partnerships
Family and Criminal Law
We worked in close partnership with key organisations across the VAWG sector, including Rape Crisis England & Wales, Imkaan, the End Violence Against Women Coalition and the Centre for Women's Justice, collaborating on joint policy work and campaigning to strengthen legal protections and improve justice outcomes for women. We also co-chair the Family Courts and VAWG Working Group with Women's Aid. The group discusses emerging issues in the family courts in the context of VAWG, shares updates from across the sector and explores opportunities for collaborative action.
Sexual Harassment in the workplace
We partnered with the #ThisIsNotWorking alliance (comprising women's organisations and the trade union movement) and supported the #CantBuyMySilence campaign, working collectively to advance protections against workplace sexual harassment and the misuse of NDAs.
Migrant rights sector
We continue to work in close collaboration with organisations at the forefront of advocacy on issues relating to migrant rights. We liaise closely with the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association informing and supporting their advocacy and working alongside each other in collaboration on a wide variety of issues relating to migration and access to justice. We joined a new 'No Recourse to Public Funds' partnership, a collective impact initiative founded by Migration Exchange, Citizens UK and Praxis to help build a movement for change addressing the harms caused by excluding migrants from public funds like benefits and social housing. We also worked closely with the 3million charity to amplify our recommendations to address the gaps in protection for victims of domestic abuse under the EU Settlement Scheme.
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
4 Financial review
In this period Rights of Women has had two major sources of income:
Grants and donations from a broad range of sources including major grant givers such as AB Charitable Trust, Access to Justice Foundation, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Henry Smith Charity, Firebird Foundation, Indigo Trust, Justice Together Initiative, Legal Education Foundation, Sam and Bella Sebba Foundation and Trust for London. Our FLOWS partnership with RCJ Advice has been funded by the Ministry of Justice. As part of the London Violence Against Women and Girls Consortium we have received fundi ng for the Ascent project from London Councils and the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC). We also received public donations and smaller grants from partners such as Garden Court Chambers, Mishcon de Reya LLP and Sharpe Pritchard LLP.
Income generating activities included training courses, both bespoke for individual organisations and more general.
Fundraising activities included holding our third annual fundraising dinner for members of the legal community. Income generating activities included delivering bespoke training courses, conducting digital fundraising campaigns, a matched funding campaign through the Big Give, as well as an ongoing crowdfunding campaign raising funds to support our work seeking additional legal protection for cohabiting women.
Fundraising Practice
Fundraising was conducted entirely in-house by the Director and the Fundraising Development Manager. All fundraising is carried out in accordance with the Fundraising Regulator guidelines, as well as Rights of Women's Ethical Fundraising Policy.
Reserves
ROW’s Reserves Policy aims to maintain a sufficient level of reserves to ensure robust organisational management in relation to sustainability, risk and growth. The policy is updated annually.
ROW has successfully ensured that it has maintained sufficient funds in this financial year.
The Board ringfences designated funds to meet contractual obligations in respect of redundancy and winding up costs in the event of loss of funding. The amount is recalculated regularly and forms part of the annual update of the Reserves Policy.
Designated fund reserves at the end of this period were £318,217.
ROW also maintains a general reserves fund to enable normal operating activities to continue over a period of between 3 and 6 months should a shortfall in income occur and to take account of potential risks and contingencies that may arise from time to time. The general fund reserves at the end of this period were £339,038 that represents just over 3 months running costs.
In order to demonstrate transparency, accountability and sound financial management the ROW Reserves Policy clearly justifies the amount of reserves held each year. In order to make a judgment on the amount of reserves, the Trustees have considered the risks in respect of expenditure, unrestricted income and where appropriate
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
Review of the charity's financial position at the year end
The Board have reviewed the charity's financial position at year end and are satisfied the charity continues to be in good financial health.
Post balance sheet events affecting the charity
There are no significant post balance sheet events affecting the charity to note.
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Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees' Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
Trustees' responsibilities statement
The trustees, who are also directors for the purposes of company law, are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, for that period.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the applicable Charities SORP;
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make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity 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 charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Auditor
Each of the persons who is a trustee at the date of approval of this report confirms that:
-
so far as they are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charity's auditor is unaware; and
-
they have taken all steps that they ought to have taken as a trustee to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity's auditor is aware of that information.
The trustees' annual report and the strategic report were approved on 17 September 2025 and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by:
Annie Hedge - Chair Trustee
16
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Year ended 31 March 2025
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Rights of Women Incorporated Limited (the 'charity') for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the statement of financial activities (including income and expenditure account), statement of financial position, statement of cash flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion the financial statements:
-
give a true and fair view of the state of the charity's affairs as at 31 March 2025 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;
-
have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice;
-
have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Conclusions relating to going concern
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
17
Year ended 31 March 2025
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Rights of Women Incorporated Limited (continued)
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
-
the information given in the trustees' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
-
the trustees' report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees' report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
-
adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
-
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
-
certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
-
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
Responsibilities of trustees
As explained more fully in the trustees' responsibilities statement, the trustees (who are also the directors for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
18
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Rights of Women Incorporated Limited (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:
-
By enquiring with senior management and those charged with governance all area of risk identified were considered and any potential litigation or claim, if any, were noted
-
Ensuring by enquiry that there were no issues of non-compliance with laws and regulations relating to tax and compliance
-
By obtaining an understanding of the company's policies and procedures on compliance with laws and regulations, and with best accounting practice
-
Noting issues discussed with Directors and the Senior Management Team as this relates to risks faced by the company
-
Reviewing information received from the company's solicitors, if any and discussing their contents with the Directors
-
Reviewing disclosures in the financial statements and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations
-
Auditing the risk of management overrides of controls including testing journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness and evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business
Through these procedures, we did not become aware of any actual or suspected non-compliance.
As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK), we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:
- Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
19
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of Rights of Women Incorporated Limited (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
-
Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the internal control.
-
Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the trustees.
-
Conclude on the appropriateness of the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the charity to cease to continue as a going concern.
-
Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the charity's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
J Rhodes
Jonathan Rhodes BSc BFP FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor)
For and on behalf of Walter Hunter & Co Limited Chartered accountants & statutory auditor 24 Bridge Street Newport South Wales NP20 4SF
17 September 2025
20
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Statement of Financial Activities (including income and expenditure account)
Year ended 31 March 2025
| 2025 | 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | ||||
| funds | funds | Total funds | Total funds | ||
| Note | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Income | |||||
| Donations and legacies | 5 | 57,508 | – | 57,508 | 80,358 |
| Charitable activities | 6 | 118,638 | 880,810 | 999,448 | 845,974 |
| Other trading activities | 7 | 55,418 | – | 55,418 | 27,457 |
| Investment income | 8 | 3,342 | – | 3,342 | 2,990 |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------- | ||
| Total income | 234,906 | 880,810 | 1,115,716 | 956,779 | |
| ================================= | ================================= | ========================================== | ================================= | ||
| Expenditure | |||||
| Expenditure on raising funds: | |||||
| Costs of other trading activities | 9 | 25,916 | – | 25,916 | 15,995 |
| Expenditure on charitable activities | 10,11 | 80,495 | 890,127 | 970,622 | 910,310 |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ||
| Total expenditure | 106,411 | 890,127 | 996,538 | 926,305 | |
| ================================= | ================================= | ================================= | ================================= | ||
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ||
| Net income and net movement in funds | 128,495 | (9,317) | 119,178 | 30,474 | |
| ================================= | ================================= | ================================= | ================================= | ||
| Reconciliation of funds | |||||
| Total funds brought forward | 528,760 | 63,027 | 591,787 | 561,313 | |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ||
| Total funds carried forward | 657,255 | 53,710 | 710,965 | 591,787 | |
| ================================= | ================================= | ================================= | ================================= |
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The notes on pages 24 to 41 form part of these financial statements.
21
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Statement of Financial Position
31 March 2025
| 2025 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Note | £ | £ | |
| Fixed assets | |||
| Investments | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| Current assets | |||
| Debtors | 18 | 89,438 | 151,121 |
| Cash at bank and in hand | 893,026 | 643,567 | |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ||
| 982,464 | 794,688 | ||
| Creditors: amounts falling due within one year | 19 | 271,500 | 202,902 |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ||
| Net current assets | 710,964 | 591,786 | |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ||
| Total assets less current liabilities | 710,965 | 591,787 | |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ||
| Net assets | 710,965 | 591,787 | |
| ================================= | ================================= | ||
| Funds of the charity | |||
| Restricted funds | 53,710 | 63,027 | |
| Unrestricted funds | 657,255 | 528,760 | |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ||
| Total charity funds | 22 | 710,965 ================================= |
591,787 ================================= |
These financial statements were approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on 17 September 2025, and are signed on behalf of the board by:
Aramide Ogunlana
Annie Hedge - Chair Trustee
Aramide Ogunlana - Treasurer Trustee
The notes on pages 24 to 41 form part of these financial statements.
22
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Statement of Cash Flows
Year ended 31 March 2025
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Cash flows from operating activities | ||
| Net income | 119,178 | 30,474 |
| Adjustments for: | ||
| Other interest receivable and similar income | (3,342) | (2,990) |
| Accrued expenses | 3,661 | 18,989 |
| Changes in: | ||
| Trade and other debtors | 64,147 | (55,912) |
| Trade and other creditors | 62,473 | 153,230 |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |
| Cash generated from operations | 246,117 | 143,791 |
| Interest received | 3,342 | 2,990 |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |
| Net cash from operating activities | 249,459 | 146,781 |
| ================================= | ================================= | |
| Net increase in cash and cash equivalents | 249,459 | 146,781 |
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year | 643,567 | 496,786 |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |
| Cash and cash equivalents at end of year | 893,026 | 643,567 |
| ================================= | ================================= |
The notes on pages 24 to 41 form part of these financial statements.
23
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements
Year ended 31 March 2025
1. General information
The charity is a public benefit entity and a private company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales and a registered charity in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is 52-54 Featherstone Street, London, EC1Y 8RT.
2. Statement of compliance
These financial statements have been prepared in compliance with FRS 102, 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland', the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Companies Act 2006.
3. Accounting policies
Basis of preparation
The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity, rounded to the nearest pound.
Going concern
A review of the organisation is undertaken annually in line with ISA (UK) 570 to assess the going concern status of the organisation. The assessment is undertaken as part of the budget setting process for the following year in the light of the forecast financial statements for the current year. The assessment considers key forecasts for income generation, expenditure, planned activities, risk register, cashflow, organisational performance, external factors and contingencies required to secure the future business operations of the organisation.
Trustees consider that, having reviewed the management assessment, that Rights of Women Incorporated Limited can be considered a going concern for the foreseeable future and that suitable risk mitigations and contingencies are in place.
Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty
The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.
Income tax
As a registered charity, the charity is exempt from income tax to the extent that its income and gains are applicable to charitable purposes only. Value added tax is not recoverable by the charity and is therefore included in the relevant costs in the Statement of Financial Activities.
24
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
3. Accounting policies (continued)
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees to further any of the charity's purposes.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular future project or commitment.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure declared by the donor or through the terms of an appeal, and fall into one of two sub-classes: restricted income funds or endowment funds.
Incoming resources
All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when entitlement has passed to the charity; it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the charity and the amount can be reliably measured. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:
-
income from donations or grants is recognised when there is evidence of entitlement to the gift, receipt is probable and its amount can be measured reliably.
-
legacy income is recognised when receipt is probable and entitlement is established.
-
income from donated goods is measured at the fair value of the goods unless this is impractical to measure reliably, in which case the value is derived from the cost to the donor or the estimated resale value. Donated facilities and services are recognised in the accounts when received if the value can be reliably measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers.
-
income from contracts for the supply of services is recognised with the delivery of the contracted service. This is classified as unrestricted funds unless there is a contractual requirement for it to be spent on a particular purpose and returned if unspent, in which case it may be regarded as restricted.
25
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
3. Accounting policies (continued)
Resources expended
Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is classified under headings of the statement of financial activities to which it relates:
-
expenditure on raising funds includes the costs of all fundraising activities, events, noncharitable trading activities, and the sale of donated goods.
-
expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs incurred by a charity in undertaking activities that further its charitable aims for the benefit of its beneficiaries, including those support costs and costs relating to the governance of the charity apportioned to charitable activities.
-
other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities.
All costs are allocated to expenditure categories reflecting the use of the resource. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs are apportioned between the activities they contribute to on a reasonable, justifiable and consistent basis.
Tangible assets
Tangible assets are initially recorded at cost, and subsequently stated at cost less any accumulated depreciation.
Depreciation
Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost or valuation of an asset, less its residual value, over the useful economic life of that asset as follows:
Equipment
- 25% p.a. straight line
Investments
Unlisted equity investments are initially recorded at cost, and subsequently measured at fair value. If fair value cannot be reliably measured, assets are measured at cost less impairment.
Impairment of fixed assets
A review for indicators of impairment is carried out at each reporting date, with the recoverable amount being estimated where such indicators exist. Where the carrying value exceeds the recoverable amount, the asset is impaired accordingly. Prior impairments are also reviewed for possible reversal at each reporting date.
26
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
Financial instruments
A financial asset or a financial liability is recognised only when the entity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at the amount receivable or payable including any related transaction costs, unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where it is recognised at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument.
Current assets and current liabilities are subsequently measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be paid or received and not discounted.
Defined contribution plans
Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as an expense in the period in which the related service is provided. Prepaid contributions are recognised as an asset to the extent that the prepayment will lead to a reduction in future payments or a cash refund.
4. Limited by guarantee
The charity is incorporated under the Companies Act 2006 and is limited by guarantee, each member having undertaken to contribute such amounts not exceeding one pound as may be required in the event of the company being wound up whilst he or she is still a member or within one year thereafter.
There are 10 members of the company (2024: 11).
5. Donations and legacies
| Unrestricted | Total Funds | Unrestricted | Total Funds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | 2025 | Funds | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Donations | ||||
| City of London Solicitors’ Company’s | ||||
| Charitable Fund | 6,642 | 6,642 | – | – |
| Crowd Justice: Help Women Escaping | ||||
| Domestic Abuse secure the right to | ||||
| their home | 3,884 | 3,884 | – | – |
| Garden Court Chambers Limited | 4,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| Gift Aid | 2,363 | 2,363 | 1,619 | 1,619 |
| Impact 100 | – | – | 35,000 | 35,000 |
| Just Giving - The Last Leg's | ||||
| Fundraiser | – | – | 88 | 88 |
| London Legal Support Trust | 1,018 | 1,018 | 1,081 | 1,081 |
| The Big Give Trust | 10,978 | 10,978 | 5,480 | 5,480 |
| Other donations under £2000 | 28,623 | 28,623 | 33,090 | 33,090 |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- | |
| 57,508 | 57,508 | 80,358 | 80,358 | |
| ============================ | ============================ | ============================ | ============================ |
27
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
| 6. | Charitable activities | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total Funds | ||
| Funds | Funds | 2025 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | ||
| AB Charitable Trust | 15,000 | – | 15,000 | |
| Access to Justice Foundation (HALS) | – | – | – | |
| Access to Justice Foundation (ILTA) | – | 100,000 | 100,000 | |
| Access to Justice Foundation (IOTLS) | – | 109,613 | 109,613 | |
| Ascent (London Council's A & C) | – | 74,775 | 74,775 | |
| Ascent (London Council's ASSO) | – | 38,200 | 38,200 | |
| Ascent Plus | – | 28,992 | 28,992 | |
| Crucible Foundation | – | 50,000 | 50,000 | |
| Esmee Fairbairn | 40,000 | – | 40,000 | |
| Esmee Fairbairn Family Justice | – | 50,000 | 50,000 | |
| Esmee Fairbairn Wellbeing | 5,000 | – | 5,000 | |
| Firebird Foundation | – | 40,000 | 40,000 | |
| GMIAU | – | 8,327 | 8,327 | |
| Henry Smith | – | – | – | |
| Henry Smith (Covid 19) | – | 40,000 | 40,000 | |
| Home Office (EUSS) | – | 33,333 | 33,333 | |
| Indigo Trust | – | – | – | |
| Justice Together Initiative | – | 69,367 | 69,367 | |
| Ministry of Justice (FLOWS) | – | 133,303 | 133,303 | |
| The Legal Education Foundation | – | 15,000 | 15,000 | |
| The Roddick Foundation | – | 15,000 | 15,000 | |
| The Sam & Bella Sebba Charitable Foundation | – | 45,000 | 45,000 | |
| Treebeard (PA) | – | – | – | |
| Trust for London | – | 29,900 | 29,900 | |
| Training income and speakers' fees | 58,247 | – | 58,247 | |
| Miscellaneous Income | 391 | – | 391 | |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ||
| 118,638 | 880,810 | 999,448 | ||
| ================================= | ================================= | ================================= | ||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total Funds | ||
| Funds | Funds | 2024 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | ||
| AB Charitable Trust | – | – | – | |
| Access to Justice Foundation (HALS) | – | 37,500 | 37,500 | |
| Access to Justice Foundation (ILTA) | – | 8,333 | 8,333 | |
| Access to Justice Foundation (IOTLS) | – | 79,387 | 79,387 | |
| Ascent (London Council's A & C) | – | 73,309 | 73,309 | |
| Ascent (London Council's ASSO) | – | 31,292 | 31,292 | |
| Ascent Plus | – | 27,611 | 27,611 | |
| Crucible Foundation | – | – | – | |
| Esmee Fairbairn | 40,000 | – | 40,000 | |
| Firebird Foundation | – | 60,000 | 60,000 | |
| GMIAU | – | – | – | |
| Henry Smith | – | 60,000 | 60,000 | |
| Henry Smith (Covid 19) | – | 40,000 | 40,000 | |
| Home Office (EUSS) | – | 61,000 | 61,000 | |
| Indigo Trust | 25,000 | – | 25,000 | |
| Justice Together Initiative | – | 79,000 | 79,000 |
28
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
| Ministry of Justice (FLOWS) | – | 150,863 | 150,863 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Legal Education Foundation | – | – | – | ||
| The Roddick Foundation | – | – | – | ||
| The Sam & Bella Sebba Charitable | Foundation | – | – | – | |
| Treebeard (PA) | – | 35,000 | 35,000 | ||
| Trust for London | – | 29,900 | 29,900 | ||
| Training income and speakers' fees | 6,758 | – | 6,758 | ||
| Miscellaneous Income | 1,021 | – | 1,021 | ||
| ---------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |||
| 72,779 | 773,195 | 845,974 | |||
| ============================ | ================================= | ================================= | |||
| 7. | Other trading activities | ||||
| Unrestricted | Total Funds | Unrestricted | Total Funds | ||
| Funds | 2025 | Funds | 2024 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Fundraising events | 55,418 | 55,418 | 27,457 | 27,457 | |
| ============================ | ============================ | ============================ | ============================ | ||
| 8. | Investment income | ||||
| Unrestricted | Total Funds | Unrestricted | Total Funds | ||
| Funds | 2025 | Funds | 2024 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Bank interest receivable | 3,342 | 3,342 | 2,990 | 2,990 | |
| ======================= | ======================= | ======================= | ======================= | ||
| 9. | Costs of other trading activities | ||||
| Unrestricted | Total Funds | Unrestricted | Total Funds | ||
| Funds | 2025 | Funds | 2024 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Costs of other trading activities - | |||||
| Staging events | 25,916 | 25,916 | 15,995 | 15,995 | |
| ============================ | ============================ | ============================ | ============================ |
29
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
10. Expenditure on charitable activities by fund type
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total Funds | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | Funds | 2025 | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Core Costs | 151 | – | 151 |
| AB Charitable Trust | 15,000 | – | 15,000 |
| Access to Justice Foundation (HALS) | – | – | – |
| Access to Justice Foundation (ILTA) | – | 100,000 | 100,000 |
| Access to Justice Foundation (IOTLS) | – | 109,613 | 109,613 |
| Ascent (London Council's A & C) | – | 74,775 | 74,775 |
| Ascent (London Council's ASSO) | – | 38,200 | 38,200 |
| Ascent Plus | – | 28,992 | 28,992 |
| Crucible Foundation | – | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Esmee Fairbairn | 39,031 | – | 39,031 |
| Esmee Fairbairn Family Justice | – | 19,787 | 19,787 |
| Esmee Fairbairn Wellbeing | 3,256 | – | 3,256 |
| Firebird Foundation | – | 40,000 | 40,000 |
| GMIAU | – | 3,815 | 3,815 |
| Henry Smith | – | 30,000 | 30,000 |
| Henry Smith (Covid 19) | – | 40,305 | 40,305 |
| Home Office (EUSS) | – | 33,248 | 33,248 |
| Indigo Trust | 12,484 | – | 12,484 |
| John Ellerman | – | – | – |
| Justice Together Initiative | – | 72,641 | 72,641 |
| Ministry of Justice (FLOWS) | – | 133,302 | 133,302 |
| The Legal Education Foundation | – | 2,172 | 2,172 |
| The Roddick Foundation | – | 15,000 | 15,000 |
| The Sam & Bella Sebba Charitable Foundation | – | 42,808 | 42,808 |
| Treebeard (PA) | – | 17,501 | 17,501 |
| Trust for London | – | 36,278 | 36,278 |
| Support costs | 10,573 | 1,690 | 12,263 |
| ---------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |
| 80,495 | 890,127 | 970,622 | |
| ============================ | ================================= | ================================= | |
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total Funds | |
| Funds | Funds | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Core Costs | 63,279 | – | 63,279 |
| AB Charitable Trust | – | – | – |
| Access to Justice Foundation (HALS) | – | 39,540 | 39,540 |
| Access to Justice Foundation (ILTA) | – | 4,088 | 4,088 |
| Access to Justice Foundation (IOTLS) | – | 79,387 | 79,387 |
| Ascent (London Council's A & C) | – | 73,457 | 73,457 |
| Ascent (London Council's ASSO) | – | 31,339 | 31,339 |
| Ascent Plus | – | 27,613 | 27,613 |
| Crucible Foundation | – | – | – |
| Esmee Fairbairn | 46,236 | – | 46,236 |
| Esmee Fairbairn Family Justice | – | – | – |
| Esmee Fairbairn Wellbeing | – | – | – |
| Firebird Foundation | – | 59,485 | 59,485 |
| GMIAU | – | – | – |
| Henry Smith | – | 64,754 | 64,754 |
30
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
| Henry Smith (Covid 19) | – | 36,384 | 36,384 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Office (EUSS) | – | 61,000 | 61,000 |
| Indigo Trust | 12,516 | – | 12,516 |
| John Ellerman | – | 139 | 139 |
| Justice Together Initiative | – | 82,936 | 82,936 |
| Ministry of Justice (FLOWS) | – | 151,129 | 151,129 |
| The Legal Education Foundation | – | – | – |
| The Roddick Foundation | – | – | – |
| The Sam & Bella Sebba Charitable Foundation | – | – | – |
| Treebeard (PA) | – | 33,533 | 33,533 |
| Trust for London | – | 26,006 | 26,006 |
| Support costs | 15,128 | 2,361 | 17,489 |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |
| 137,159 | 773,151 | 910,310 | |
| ================================= | ================================= | ================================= |
11. Expenditure on charitable activities by activity type
| Activities | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| undertaken | Support | Total funds | Total fund | |
| directly | costs | 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Core Costs | 151 | 10,539 | 10,690 | 71,372 |
| AB Charitable Trust | 15,000 | – | 15,000 | – |
| Access to Justice Foundation (HALS) | – | – | – | 39,540 |
| Access to Justice Foundation (ILTA) | 100,000 | – | 100,000 | 4,088 |
| Access to Justice Foundation (IOTLS) | 109,613 | – | 109,613 | 79,387 |
| Ascent (London Council's A & C) | 74,775 | – | 74,775 | 73,457 |
| Ascent (London Council's ASSO) | 38,200 | – | 38,200 | 31,339 |
| Ascent Plus | 28,992 | – | 28,992 | 27,613 |
| Crucible Foundation | 50,000 | – | 50,000 | – |
| Esmee Fairbairn | 39,031 | 34 | 39,065 | 53,271 |
| Esmee Fairbairn Family Justice | 19,787 | – | 19,787 | – |
| Esmee Fairbairn Wellbeing | 3,256 | – | 3,256 | – |
| Firebird Foundation | 40,000 | – | 40,000 | 60,000 |
| GMIAU | 3,815 | – | 3,815 | – |
| Henry Smith | 30,000 | – | 30,000 | 65,112 |
| Henry Smith (Covid 19) | 40,305 | – | 40,305 | 36,505 |
| Home Office (EUSS) | 33,248 | 85 | 33,333 | 61,000 |
| Indigo Trust | 12,484 | – | 12,484 | 12,516 |
| John Ellerman | – | – | – | 619 |
| Justice Together Initiative | 72,641 | 85 | 72,726 | 83,461 |
| Ministry of Justice (FLOWS) | 133,302 | – | 133,302 | 151,129 |
| The Legal Education Foundation | 2,172 | 1,215 | 3,387 | – |
| The Roddick Foundation | 15,000 | – | 15,000 | – |
| The Sam & Bella Sebba Charitable | ||||
| Foundation | 42,808 | 305 | 43,113 | – |
| Treebeard (PA) | 17,501 | – | 17,501 | 33,895 |
| Trust for London | 36,278 | – | 36,278 | 26,006 |
| --------------------------------- | ---------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |
| 958,359 | 12,263 | 970,622 | 910,310 | |
| ================================= | ============================ | ================================= | ================================= |
31
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
12. Analysis of support costs
| Core Costs | Esmee Fairbairn |
Home Office (EUSS) |
Justice Together Initiative |
The Legal Education Foundation |
The Sam & Bella Sebba Charitable Foundation |
Total 2025 | Total 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Board Meeting Costs | – | – | – |
– | – | – | – | 292 |
| Legal & Professional Fees | 4,859 | 34 | 85 | 85 | 1,215 | 305 | 6,583 | 11,737 |
| Audit | 5,680 | – | – |
– | – | – | 5,680 | 5,460 |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- | |
| 10,539 | 34 | 85 | 85 | 1,215 | 305 | 12,263 | 17,489 | |
| ============================ | ============================ | ============================ | ============================ | ============================ | ============================ | ============================ | ============================ |
32
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
13. Net income
Net income is stated after charging/(crediting):
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Audit fee | 5,680 | 5,460 |
| ======================= | ======================= |
14. Staff costs
| The total staff costs and employee benefits for the reporting period are analysed as | The total staff costs and employee benefits for the reporting period are analysed as | follows: |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Wages and salaries | 699,282 | 682,425 |
| Social security costs | 68,350 | 63,048 |
| Employer contributions to pension plans | 22,574 | 20,646 |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |
| 790,206 | 766,119 | |
| ================================= | ================================= |
The average head count of employees during the year was 21 (2024: 21). The average number of full-time equivalent employees during the year is analysed as follows:
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| No. | No. | |
| Number of staff involved in charitable activities | 12 | 12 |
| Number of administrative staff | 3 | 3 |
| Number of management staff | 2 | 2 |
| -------------- | -------------- | |
| 17 | 17 | |
| ============== | ============== |
No employee received employee benefits of more than £60,000 during the year (2024: Nil).
Key Management Personnel
Key management personnel include all persons that have authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of the charity. The total compensation paid to key management personnel for services provided to the charity was £65,310 (2024: £61,737).
15. Trustee remuneration and expenses
No remuneration or other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity were received by the trustees (2024: nil).
During the year there were no expenses reimbursed to trustees (2024: nil).
33
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
16. Tangible fixed assets
| Equipment | ||
|---|---|---|
| £ | ||
| Cost | ||
| At 1 April 2024 | 67,814 | |
| Disposals | (67,814) | |
| ---------------------------- | ||
| At 31 March 2025 | – | |
| ============================ | ||
| Depreciation | ||
| At 1 April 2024 | 67,814 | |
| Disposals | (67,814) | |
| ---------------------------- | ||
| At 31 March 2025 | – | |
| ============================ | ||
| Carrying amount | ||
| At 31 March 2025 | – | |
| ============================ | ||
| At 31 March 2024 | – | |
| ============================ | ||
| 17. | Investments | |
| Other | ||
| investments | ||
| £ | ||
| Cost or valuation | ||
| At 1 April 2024 | 1 | |
| Additions | – | |
| -------------- | ||
| At 31 March 2025 | 1 | |
| ============== | ||
| Impairment | ||
| At 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 | – | |
| ============== | ||
| Carrying amount | ||
| At 31 March 2025 | 1 | |
| ============== | ||
| At 31 March 2024 | 1 | |
| ============== |
All investments shown above are held at valuation.
Investments represent 1 ordinary share held in Tindlemanor Limited, company number: 01380213, registered office 52/24 Featherstone Street, London, EC1Y 8RT.
34
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
18. Debtors
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Trade debtors | 84,760 | 148,907 |
| Prepayments and accrued income | 4,678 | 2,214 |
| ---------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |
| 89,438 | 151,121 | |
| ============================ | ================================= | |
| Creditors: amounts falling due within one year | ||
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Trade creditors | 21,627 | 7,618 |
| Accruals and deferred income | 246,457 | 173,791 |
| Social security and other taxes | 3,415 | 19,509 |
| Other creditors | 1 | 1,984 |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |
| 271,500 | 202,902 | |
| ================================= | ================================= | |
| Deferred income | ||
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | |
| At 1 April 2024 | 156,667 | – |
| Amount released to income | (156,667) | – |
| Amount deferred in year | 223,208 | 156,667 |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |
| At 31 March 2025 | 223,208 | 156,667 |
| ================================= | ================================= |
19. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
20. Deferred income
21. Pensions and other post retirement benefits
Defined contribution plans
The amount recognised in income or expenditure as an expense in relation to defined contribution plans was £22,574 (2024: £20,646).
35
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
22. Analysis of charitable funds
Unrestricted funds
| At | At 31 March | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 April 2024 | Income | Expenditure | Transfers | 2025 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| General funds | 249,622 | 234,906 | (106,411) | (39,079) | 339,038 |
| Designated Fund - see | |||||
| below | 279,138 | – | – | 39,079 | 318,217 |
| --------------------------------- | ───────── |
───────── |
──────── |
───────── |
|
| 528,760 | 234,906 | (106,411) | – | 657,255 | |
| ================================= | ================================= | ================================= | ============================ | ================================= | |
| At | At 31 March | ||||
| 1 April 2023 | Income | Expenditure | Transfers | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| General funds | 234,454 | 183,584 | (153,154) | (15,262) | 249,622 |
| Designated Fund - see | |||||
| below | 260,000 | – | – | 19,138 | 279,138 |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ---------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |
| 494,454 | 183,584 | (153,154) | 3,876 | 528,760 | |
| ================================= | ================================= | ================================= | ============================ | ================================= |
The General Fund is to support any short term shortfall, for example a gap between grants, or to cover specific expenses where grant or other funding is not available.
The following unrestricted Grants/Awards received are included within the General fund:
AB Charitable Trust: A grant to support access to justice for women facing VAWG through specialist legal advice services and policy influencing.
Big Give: This money was raised from donations from the public through an online crowdfunder to support women experiencing VAWG through provision of legal advice.
Esmee Fairbairn: This is a grant for unrestricted core costs to increase access to justice for women experiencing gender-based violence. It is focused on strategic immigration and asylum law policy influencing work to create system change in England and Wales.
Garden Court: This small grant covers core costs associated with the charity's work to support the delivery of access to justice.
Impact 100: This is a core grant from Impact100 London which is a philanthropic impact fund to give transformative grants to local charities that primarily benefit women and girls in London.
Indigo Trust: This is a core grant to support our work on access to justice in the UK.
Designated Funds are reserves ringfenced by the board to meet redundancy and winding up costs in the event of loss of funding.
| Staff redundancy & notice period payments | £172,545 (2024: £178,178) |
|---|---|
| Wind up costs of business | £145,672 (2024: £100,960) |
| At 31 March 2025 | £318,217 (2024: £279,138) |
36
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
22. Analysis of charitable funds (continued)
Restricted funds
| Restricted funds | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At | At 31 March | ||||
| 1 April 2024 | Income | Expenditure | Transfers | 2025 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Access to Justice | |||||
| Foundation (HALS) | – | – | – | – | – |
| Access to Justice | |||||
| Foundation (ILTA) | 4,245 | 100,000 | (100,000) | – | 4,245 |
| Access to Justice | |||||
| Foundation (IOTLS) | – | 109,613 | (109,613) | – | – |
| Ascent (London | |||||
| Council's A & C) | – | 74,775 | (74,775) | – | – |
| Ascent (London | |||||
| Council's ASSO) | – | 38,200 | (38,200) | – | – |
| Ascent Plus | – | 28,992 | (28,992) | – | – |
| Crucible Foundation | – | 50,000 | (50,000) | – | – |
| Esmee Fairbairn Family | |||||
| Justice | – | 50,000 | (19,787) | – | 30,213 |
| Family Rights Group | – | – | – | – | – |
| Firebird Foundation | – | 40,000 | (40,000) | – | – |
| GMIAU | – | 8,327 | (3,815) | – | 4,512 |
| Henry Smith | 30,000 | – | (30,000) | – | – |
| Henry Smith (Covid 19) | 982 | 40,000 | (40,305) | – | 677 |
| Home Office (EUSS) | – | 33,333 | (33,333) | – | – |
| John Ellerman | – | – | – | – | – |
| Justice Together | |||||
| Initiative | 3,921 | 69,367 | (72,726) | – | 562 |
| Ministry of Justice | |||||
| (FLOWS) | – | 133,303 | (133,302) | – | 1 |
| The Legal Education | |||||
| Foundation | – | 15,000 | (3,387) | – | 11,613 |
| The Roddick Foundation | – | 15,000 | (15,000) | – | – |
| The Sam & Bella Sebba | |||||
| Charitable Foundation | – | 45,000 | (43,113) | – | 1,887 |
| Treebeard (PA) | 17,501 | – | (17,501) | – | – |
| Trust for London | 6,378 | 29,900 | (36,278) | – | – |
| ---------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | -------------- | ---------------------------- | |
| 63,027 | 880,810 | (890,127) | – | 53,710 | |
| ============================ | ================================= | ================================= | ============== | ============================ |
37
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
22. Analysis of charitable funds (continued)
| At | At 31 March | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 April 2023 | Income | Expenditure | Transfers | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Access to Justice | |||||
| Foundation (HALS) | 106 | 37,500 | (39,540) | 1,934 | – |
| Access to Justice | |||||
| Foundation (ILTA) | – | 8,333 | (4,088) | – | 4,245 |
| Access to Justice | |||||
| Foundation (IOTLS) | – | 79,387 | (79,387) | – | – |
| Ascent (London | |||||
| Council's A & C) | 148 | 73,309 | (73,457) | – | – |
| Ascent (London | |||||
| Council's ASSO) | 47 | 31,292 | (31,339) | – | – |
| Ascent Plus | 2 | 27,611 | (27,613) | – | – |
| Crucible Foundation | – | – | – | – | – |
| Esmee Fairbairn Family | |||||
| Justice | – | – | – | – | – |
| Family Rights Group | 6,065 | – | – | (6,065) | – |
| Firebird Foundation | – | 60,000 | (60,000) | – | – |
| GMIAU | – | – | – | – | – |
| Henry Smith | 35,112 | 60,000 | (65,112) | – | 30,000 |
| Henry Smith (Covid 19) | (2,513) | 40,000 | (36,505) | – | 982 |
| Home Office (EUSS) | – | 61,000 | (61,000) | – | – |
| John Ellerman | 619 | – | (619) | – | – |
| Justice Together | |||||
| Initiative | 8,382 | 79,000 | (83,461) | – | 3,921 |
| Ministry of Justice | |||||
| (FLOWS) | 11 | 150,863 | (151,129) | 255 | – |
| The Legal Education | |||||
| Foundation | – | – | – | – | – |
| The Roddick Foundation | – | – | – | – | – |
| The Sam & Bella Sebba | |||||
| Charitable Foundation | – | – | – | – | – |
| Treebeard (PA) | 16,396 | 35,000 | (33,895) | – | 17,501 |
| Trust for London | 2,484 | 29,900 | (26,006) | – | 6,378 |
| ---------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ---------------------------- | |
| 66,859 | 773,195 | (773,151) | (3,876) | 63,027 | |
| ============================ | ================================= | ================================= | ======================= | ============================ |
38
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
22. Analysis of charitable funds (continued)
Access to Justice Foundation Improving Lives Through Advice (ILTA): This grant is part of a grant programme that aims to demonstrate how multi-year advice funding builds sustainability, infrastructure, connections and best practice EDI approach in the delivery of frontline legal advice.
Access to Justice Foundation Improving Outcomes Through Legal Support (IOTLS): This grant is to support our frontline specialist legal advice delivery and ensure beneficiaries can access timely advice and support throughout their legal journey. It primarily funds the costs frontline advisers.
Access to Justice Foundation Help Accessing Legal Support (HALS): This is a grant to support our frontline specialist legal advice delivery and ensure beneficiaries can access timely advice and support throughout their legal journey. It primarily funds the costs frontline advisers.
Ascent (Advice and Counselling): This grant is from London Councils is for the Ascent project which tackles VAWG in London. This strand is delivered by a cohort of organisations working together from the London VAWG Consortium and the lead partner is Solace Women’s Aid. Our delivery focuses on advice, training for professionals and legal publications to support women survivors in London. It primarily covers staffing and direct delivery costs.
Ascent (Support Services to Organisations): This grant is from London Councils is for the Ascent project which tackles VAWG in London. This strand is delivered by a cohort of organisations working together from the London VAWG Consortium and the lead partner is Women’s Resource Centre. Our delivery focuses on strengthening VAWG professionals and their organisations in London through training and capacity building. It primarily covers staffing and direct delivery costs.
Ascent Plus: This grant is for the Ascent Plus project which is an additional grant to extend the reach of the London Councils Advice and Counselling Ascent project. It is a consortium grant from MOPAC and Solace Women’s Aid is the lead partner.
Crucible Foundation: This donation is from a Charitable Trust to fund project work in relation to our Sexual Harassment in the Workplace and Family Law areas.
Esmee Fairbairn Wellbeing: This grant is in addition to the main Esmee Fairbairn grant and is to enable us to provide extra support towards staff, volunteer or trustee wellbeing.
Esmee Fairbairn Family Justice Transformation: This grant is to support learning and evaluation of an enquiry site in Surrey to improve the culture of the Family Court in relation to domestic abuse.
Firebird Foundation: This grant funds staffing and project costs for an influencing and practicebased project focused on transforming the family justice system response to women survivors of domestic abuse.
FLOWS: This grant is for a partnership project with RCJ Advice called FLOWS (Finding Legal Option for Women Survivors) covering staffing costs and project costs. The project focuses on using tech and digital solutions to assist individual women survivors and professionals to access support with family law and criminal legal issues.
39
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
22. Analysis of charitable funds (continued)
GMIAU: This grant is for a partnership project led by Greater Manchester Immigration and Asylum Unit (GMIAU), with funding coming Greater Manchester Combined Authority. The partnership provides immigration advice to people experiencing domestic abuse in Greater Manchester. The aim is to ensure that people fleeing domestic abuse have access to high quality immigration advice regarding their options and are helped to gain access to public funds where this is possible.
Henry Smith: This is a grant towards the staffing and project costs of our immigration and asylum law legal advice team to strengthen the legal advice and support available to vulnerable migrant women at a critical point in their lives.
Henry Smith Covid 19: This is a grant towards running costs of a project providing legal advice, advocacy and support for women who have experienced or are at risk of Violence Against Women and Girls across England and Wales.
Home Office EUSS grant: This grant funds a new immigration law legal advice line for women survivors of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) who are making applications to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) and training for professionals working with women survivors of VAWG supporting them to make EUSS applications. It primarily covers staffing, training and project costs.
Justice Together Initiative (JTI): This grant is for policy influencing work carried out in the area of immigration and asylum law in relation to access to justice for migrant women survivors with insecure immigration status. It funds policy work and the associated delivery of advice work that produces an evidence base for this work. It primarily funds staffing and project costs.
Legal Education Foundation (LEF): This grant is influencing work to transform the family justice system to meet the needs of women survivors of VAWG.
PA Project: This grant funds delivery work to develop an understanding of the experiences of women victims of domestic abuse who are accused of parental alienation through work directly with those victims and the provision of advice in relation to their circumstances. It is funded by Treebeard Trust and The Roddick Foundation. It primarily covers staffing costs.
Sam & Bella Sebba Charitable Foundation: This grant funds staffing, evaluation and project costs for an influencing and practice-based project focused on transforming the family justice system response to women survivors of domestic abuse.
TFL 2018: This is a grant Trust for London towards the staffing and project costs of our Athena project (Phase 2) to strengthen the legal advice and support available to vulnerable migrant women.
40
Rights of Women Incorporated Limited
Company Limited by Guarantee
Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)
Year ended 31 March 2025
23. Analysis of net assets between funds
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total Funds | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | Funds | 2025 | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Investments | 1 | – | 1 |
| Current assets | 928,754 | 53,710 | 982,464 |
| Creditors less than 1 year | (271,500) | – | (271,500) |
| --------------------------------- | ---------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |
| Net assets | 657,255 | 53,710 | 710,965 |
| ================================= | ============================ | ================================= | |
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total Funds | |
| Funds | Funds | 2024 | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Investments | 1 | – | 1 |
| Current assets | 731,661 | 63,027 | 794,688 |
| Creditors less than 1 year | (202,902) | – | (202,902) |
| --------------------------------- | ---------------------------- | --------------------------------- | |
| Net assets | 528,760 | 63,027 | 591,787 |
| ================================= | ============================ | ================================= | |
| Analysis of changes in net debt | |||
| At | |||
| At 1 Apr 2024 | Cash flows | 31 Mar 2025 | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Cash at bank and in hand | 643,567 | 249,459 | 893,026 |
| ================================= | ================================= | ================================= |
24. Analysis of changes in net debt
25. Limitation of auditors liability
By way of a members' resolution dated 11th September 2024, the company has agreed to enter into a limited liability agreement with its auditors whereby their exposure to legal claims is limited to £50,000 per claim.
26. Related parties
The charity holds three ordinary shares valuing at £1 in Tindlemanor Limited, which owns the property occupied by the charity. The only transactions with the company during the financial year was for the payment of service charges, room hire and storage space, which amounted to £19,621 (2024: £16,878).
41