1st Floor, 8 Castle Square, Wind Street Swansea, SA1 1DW Tel: 01792 485151 Email: info@kincymru.org.uk Registered Charity in England and Wales (1150035)
Annual Report April 6 2022-April 5 2023
Overview of the year
This year was an even more productive year.
During the first half of the year Helen (part time coordinator) and Steve (DLA Specialist) continued helping our usual client base,( parents with children with special needs/ disabilities), via the telephone , face to face office sessions and where necessary in client’s homes.
In August, we were offered another chance to run a telephone advice line by the Local Authority. The offer was again a short term advice line project covering all benefits, from September 22 to the end of March 23. This time the advice line was to cover 4 days a week. The offer again came quite close to the required start date however, this time we managed to recruit two law graduates and to get them fully trained and in post by the start of the advice line in September 2022. Our part time IT assistant Rob Lane provided valuable support setting up equipment for the new staff, as well continuing to monitor our IT/telephony/electronic infrastructure, to ensure that data is held securely and all our systems continue function effectively.
The Local Authority also offered a project for us to run some benefit awareness sessions amongst the local advice agencies and community groups. We struggled to find some one with sufficient benefit and training experience (and time !) to deliver these sessions. In the end our chair of Trustees took on the role and delivered the agreed 10 advice and training sessions over the period of the project.
The advice project overall was very successful, possibly because we had raised our profile in the previous pilot and partly because the benefit awareness sessions also signposted a lot of people to the advice line.
The advice line ran 4 times a week and received an increasing number of enquiries per a session. Sadly, it once again ended in March, but it gained us sufficient funding to enable us to run for the remainder of the year carrying out our usual advice work.
Registered Charity in England and Wales (1150035), Registered office- Suite 48, Floor 3, Orchard House, Orchard street. Swansea, SA1 5AS
It also gave our two law graduates valuable experience which they will take forward into their future careers.
On top of the general advice given in each telephone session, we took on 45 long term files during the 7 month project, where we provided and continue to provide advice and support with ongoing claims, reviews and appeals.
Assisting clients with DLA and PIP claims is a long term commitment. Claims take several months to be decided and reviews and appeals can take over a year to be decided. We recently conducted a review of all the cases and outcomes for the past 2 years to give a longer view of our effectiveness. Overall in the last 2 years between (01/07/2021 – 30/06/2023), 99 new DLA cases were opened. These cases helped carers of children with psychological, behavioural, neuro-developmental and physical conditions. Of the 99 cases:
51% of the cases have already been successful and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) has been awarded to carers. The value of these DLA awards amounts to £881,834.
26% of the cases are awaiting decisions and DLA is likely to be awarded in due course. The value of these awards is likely to amount to a further £400,000.
Total financial DLA gains for carers, across the 2 year project is therefore likely to amount to between £1.2 million and £1.3 million, once all the DLA claims and appeals made have been decided.
More than 75% of all claims and appeals we have assisted with in the last two years are likely to be successful.
Where a DLA claim has been awarded, it is generally for a fixed period and the values of the DLA awards already allowed (as detailed above) currently exceed £881,000. As stated, this figure does not include claims and appeals which are yet to be considered and so this figure is likely to increase beyond £1.2 million, once the outstanding claims and appeals have been determined.
When DLA is awarded there are additional benefits for carers, as follows:
-
Carers on Tax Credits (TC) or Universal Credit (UC) can claim additional disabled child allowances in their TC or UC awards, once a DLA award is in place.
-
If middle rate or high rate care component of DLA is awarded, carers can claim an additional stand alone benefit namely Carers Allowance and additional carers elements in their UC awards.
-
Being accepted as a carer by the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) also removes jobseeking requirements and reduces the risk of sanctions upon carers.
-
Where the high rate mobility component of DLA is carers can claim a reduction in road tax via a vehicle tax exemption, blue disabled parking badges and / or benefit from the Motability vehicle scheme, which provides a vehicle to a family for transport.
Overall we feel that our work in the past two years, has brought enormous benefits to the families of children with disabilities/ and special needs.
Feedback from carers has included the following comments :
“We have received a decision from the DLA regarding S. and he has been awarded the higher rate for two years…..Thank you for your help with the claim, it is massively appreciated and will make a massive difference to S’s quality of life for the next two years”
“Just want to say a massive thank you for all your help, support and valued advice. It has been very much appreciated”.
Finances
We were very grateful to receive a second grant from the Waterloo foundation and a lottery grant.
The Local Authority advice pilot also brought in the bulk of out income plus we had some individual payments for representation with adult appeals.
At the end of year 22/23 we had £ 47089.50 in the bank which is very welcome as it allows us to continue our work despite the very alarming rise in our utility bills.
A copy of the draft accounts is attached.
Conclusion
Overall we have had another successful year having helped even more people and made more useful links with other organisations, which has brought us more clients.
We are not anticipating obtaining any large scale funding from the Local Authority again, as following the last two pilots, they have now set up their own advice line. We hope however, to continue to attract sufficient funding to enable us to continue doing our “usual” work of
assisting the families of children with special needs/disabilities to successfully claim DLA. We see time after time how vital our work is to the people we help. DLA is not a fortune, but is sufficient to effectively change the life chances of children who need extra care and therapy and to alleviate the financial pressures on their families to give them the space to care.
| Kin Cymru | 1150035 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts andpayments accounts | CC16a | |||
| For the period from |
6/4/2022 | To | 5/4/2023 |
Section A Receipts and payments
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 280 9,550 |
Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 280 9,550 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ 280 - 9,550 5,000 88,995 - - - - 103,825 |
Total funds to the nearest £ 280 - 9,550 5,000 88,995 - - - - 103,825 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | 280 | - | - - |
280 | 10,000 | |||
| - | - | |||||||
| LotteryGrant | 9,550 | 9,550 | ||||||
| Grant -Waterloo | 5,000 | - | - | 5,000 | 5,000 | |||
| Receipts - advice & Rep | 88995 # - - 103,825 - - 103,825 5,500 36,930 6,312 2,550 3,210 451 1,337 1,103 198 728 58,320 - - - 58,320 45,506 - 1,584 47,090 |
- - - - - |
88,995 | 14,872 | ||||
| - | - | |||||||
| Moondancegrant | - | - | 13,018 | |||||
| - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
103,825 |
- | 103,825 | 42,890 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||||
| - | - - |
- | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | |||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
||||||||
| - | 103,825 | 42,890 | ||||||
| 5,500 36,930 6,312 2,550 3,210 451 1,337 1,103 198 728 58,320 - - - 58,320 45,506 |
||||||||
| Rent | 5,500 | - - - - - - - - - - |
5,500 | 6,490 | ||||
| Wages &pension | 36,930 | 36,930 | 26,398 | |||||
| Tax & NI Contributions | 6,312 | 6,312 | 5,989 | |||||
| External fees | 2,550 | 2,550 | 3,800 | |||||
| Uilitiesgas /Electric /water | 3,210 | 3,210 | 2,433 | |||||
| Pettycash/consumerables | 451 | 451 | 472 | |||||
| Telephone/intenet | 1,337 | 1,337 | 1,434 | |||||
| Insurance | 1,103 | 1,103 | 992 | |||||
| training | 198 | 198 | ||||||
| Library/subscriptions /books | 728 | 728 | 1,006 | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 58,320 | 58,320 | 49,014 | |||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
||||||||
| - | - - - |
- | ||||||
| - | - | |||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | - | |||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||||||
| - | 58,320 | 49,014 | ||||||
| - | - | 45,506 | - 6,124 | |||||
| - | - - |
- | - | |||||
| - | 1,584 | |||||||
| - | - | 47,090 | - 6,124 |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories B1 Cash funds |
Bank Balance at Year End Details Total cash funds |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 47,090 |
Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | |||
| - - |
- | - | ||
| - | - | |||
| 47,090 | - | - |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
02/11/2023
1
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B5 Liabilities |
Details Details Signature Details Details (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Lisa Reese L.Reese Print Name |
OK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Date of approval |
|||
| Lisa Reese | |||
| L.Reese | 02/11/2023 |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
02/11/2023
2
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustèèsl members of Kin Cymru On accounts for the year fjnded 0510412023 Charity no (If any) 1150035 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ('the Trust") for thè year ended 0510412023. Responslbllltle8 and As the charlty trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation ba81s of rèport of the accounts in accordance with th8 requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("Ihe Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention lolher than that disclosed below ') in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent axaminerfs statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please d818te the words in the brackets if they do nol apply. Slgned,. Date: 31110123 Name.. Jessica Ros8 Relevant prof0881onal qualificatlonlsl or body (if any): ICAEW Address: 1 Woodside Close, Bishopston, Swansea, SA3 3DF IER October 2018
Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concem (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief detsils of any Items that Ihe examlner wlshes to disclosè. IER October 2018
Detailed Independent Examinatlon Report Kin Cymru 06104122 to 05104123 Kin Cymru is a small charity with 3 Iru51ees. The charitable aims and oblectives are the relief of poverty and education. Requlrement for Independent Examlnatlon Kin Cymru is required to have an independent examination as the revenue has exceeded £25.000. The total r8venu8 is £103,825 and therefore is in no danger of exceeding the limit of £250,000 lo require a full audit. The charity prepares accounts on the receipts and payments basis and is in no dang&r of exceeding the limit of £250,000 lo require accruals accounts. Confllct of Interest The examiner is eligible to carry out the examination with 11 years accounts experience and 8 qualified member of the ICAEW. The examiner is completely independent from the charity and Is not providing any other services lo the charity. The examiner has followed th8 recommended Checklist for examiners as provlded by the charity commission. The Independent Examlnatlon Detailed working papers are available for review with back up documentation. Kin Cymru is a small charity with 3 Iruslees. The charitable aims and objectives are the relief ol povety and education. Recelpts The iricome of the charity exceeded £25,000 in the period lo 6th April 2023 which requires an independent examination. The accounts are prepared on a CeIptS and payments formal. The Receipts of £103,825 con515t of donations ané receipts from various provider5. These donations have been agreed to supporting documentation which can be found in the working papers and have been agreed lo the bank slalemenls.
A review of the bank statements has identified there are no other me8ns of income and all is rgcorded. No financial risk of the receipts being misslaled has been identified. Payments Paymènts of £58,320 have been made during the year in comparison lo £49,014 in the prior year. Th8 additional spends mostly Came from wages wllh an increase of £10,000 and an increase in Utilities of £800. Kin Cymru r8cruiled Iwo law graduates to support the telephone advice line this year. There were no other large movements in éxpenditure for the year. A sel&clion of payments on the bank slalemenl have been selected and agregd lo supporting invoices to confirm that the purchases are wholly for the purpose ol the charity, Ihe values ar6 correct and payment made to the correct company. Thè Receipts and Payments accounts have been produced directly from the bank slalemenls. The spreadsheet used to create the accounts has been cross r819renced to the bank slalemenls and agreed lo the final accounts. No financial risk from the payments has been identified. Cash Funds The Cash Funds on the accounts agree lo th8 bank slal8menl at the ye8r end. The "Cash funds this yèar end" plus the opening b81ance of £1,584 total the bank statement balance of £47,090 which has been agreed lo the actual bank slalement. Assets & Llabilltlès The Irust88s have confirmed there are no assèts or liabilities to report. No 8ssels have been identified as purchased throughout the year. The financial activity throughout the year does not sug98St that there should be any assets or liabilities. Charity Accounts Records The Trustees calculate the receipts and payments using Excel spreadsheets created from an gXPOrt of the bank statements.
This spreadsheet has been checked for accuracy and agreed to the bank statements and back 19 the final accounts. On first review there werg missing items ol expendrtU which were adjusted swiftly by the trustees. Final Concluslon The charity keeps up to date re¢or(Is and accurately records all transacllons. The use of excel is reasonable for the current number of transactions. Should the charity grow significantly in size it is r8commended a financial software to be used for accuracy and ease of recording transactions and keeping a digital audit trail of dooumentalion. Th8 accounts are approved by the ind8pendenl examiner and there has been no financial risk identified.