Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
Merton Centre
Independent
Llvlng
MERTON CENTRE FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING
(MERTON CIL)
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 312024
Registered Charity Number 1152825
Registered Company NumI￿r 7645926

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
col￿rE￿rS OF FINANCIAL sfATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 312024
Legal and administrative information
Report of the Board of Trustees
IndetEfKlent ExamitErfs Re￿rt
Page
10
ststement of finanaal attivities
12
BalarKe sFEet
13
Notes to the financial statements
15

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Constitution
Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL) is a company limited by
guarantee and a registered charity governed by its memorandum and articles
of association.
Charity number 1152825 - Company number 7645926
Directors and Trustees
The dirertors of the charitable company are its trust&s for the purposes of
charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the
trUSt￿s. As *t out in the Articles of Association the Management Board
comprises the Chair, the VI￿ Chair and the Treasurer supported by up to nine
trustees. At each Annual General Meeting one~third of the direttors must
retire from office and may be re-elected at the recommendation of the
board. The trustees serving during the year and since the year-end are as
follows:
Co-chair: Giovanna Vett* & Amanda Edwards
Ice Chair: EstifarK)s Habtsellasie
Trustees Claire Benjamin, Sarah Henley, Raheema Olajide, Chris Bull,
Kirstin Hellard, Daniel Beglin
Senior Management
Joint ￿0,$. Charfet Wilson & David Jenkirs
Senior Man¥rs: Stuart Buder & Pippa Maslin
Registered Office and Principal Office
Vestry Hall, 336 London Road, Mitcham, CR4 3UD
Independent Examiner
Lesley Cornwell FCCA, Cornwell & Cornwell, 194 Stsnley Road, Teddington,
TWII 8UE
Principal Bankers
HSBC Bank, 5 Wimbledon Hill Rd, Wimbledon, London, SW19 7NF

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRusfEES FOR YEAR END
31 MARCH 2024
The Board presents the report and financial statements of Merton Centre for
Independent Living (Merton CIL) for the year ended 31 March 2024. The
statements appear in the format required by the Ststement of Recommended
Prartice for Accounting and Reporting by Charities (revised March 2005). The
report and statements comply with Companies kt 2006.
Strurture, Governance and Management
History
The organisation was originally started as a steering group in 2008, it was
incorporated as a company in 2011 and registered as a charity in 2013.
Goveming D(Kument
Merton CIL is a company limited by guarant&, having no share capital
governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated June 2013 and
Special Resolution dated Ottober 2016. The liability of the Trustees is limited
to £1 in the event of the charity winding up.
Appointment of Trust&s
The Board of Trustees is made up of not less than three and no more than
twelve people. Trustees are elected from the membership at the AGM or co-
opted during the year by agreement of the Board and confirmed at the AGM.
Trustees must be aged 16 years or older. At least 75 % of trustees must be
Deaf or Disabled. All trust&s give their time voluntarily and receive no
financial benefits from the organisation. New trustees are given induttion on
their roles and responsibilities and are offered additional training where
necessary.
Organisation
The Board of Trust&s administers the charity. The Board m￿ts quarterly.
The Joint CEO is appointed to manage the day-to-day operations of the
organisation. To facilitate effective operations, the Joint CEO has delegated
authority, within the terms of the delegation approved by the Trustees, for
operational matters including finan￿, employment, and operations.

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Mertoii CIL)
Risk Management
The Directors have reviewed the risks to which the charity is exposed and
maintsin a risk'register. Risks are ameliorated by the implementstion of
procedures and policies, with a regular review of these to ensure current
good prattice.
Objertives and Activities
A summary of the objects as *t out in the charitys Governing document:
'To relieve the n￿dS of Disabled persons in Merton and the surrounding areas
by providing support and ser￿iceS to enable them to live as full and equal
citizens in all aspects of life."
Our Vision: To enable Deaf and Disabled people to take control over their lives
and achieve full participation in Merton and wider society.
Our Aims:
To promote the independence and inclusion of Deaf and Disabled people in
Merton.
To identify and challenge discrimination faced by Deaf and Disabled people
in Merton.
To encourage Deaf and Disabled people and supporters to achieve charKJe
l(xally.
Key Activities:
Independence and Inclusion: An AQS accredited Information & Advice
service supporting issues relating to welfare benefits, debt and low
income, social care, concessionary travel, grant applications, aids and
adaptations and housing. We also run a small speaking up services that
supports Disabled people to navigate barriers to health care and services.
Challenging Discrimination: Social polio/ work that aims to improve
policies and procedures relating to social care, housing and health. As well
as exploring and better understanding the intersectional experiences of
Disabled people.
Achieving Change Locally: Collorative work with local Disabled people to
creatively push for societal change. This includes monthly Craftivism &
Chat sessions using disability arts to addre55 isolation and loneliness and
increase participation and connection, events, debates, and member led

Merton Centre for Independent Livino imerton CIL)
policy work on key issues raised by local Disabled people using lived
experience to influ&2nce positive cliange within our community.
Summary of Achievements
Independence and Inclusion: Our AQS accredited information & advice
seniice and advocacy pilot (new 'sppaking up, service) provided support in
252 cases. We supported 289 servicp users with 1,210 of person-centred
and accessible support sessions. We also supported wellbeing, guidance,
signposting and connettion in further 288 cases. 61 % of service users saw
improved resilience, confidence and wellbeing after using our services. Our
work over the past year contributed £487,715 to the local economy.
Challenging Discrimination: Our organisation spent 466 hours condutting
policy work that identified and challenged discrimination. We saw great
outcomes such as supporting the ASC team to develop a new evaluation
tool, involvement in the local authorities, new EDI strategy and more. We
continued to support .members to speak up and use their lived experiences
to influence changes to local policies and procedures around social care,
housing and health that impatt our ability to live independently. We
responded to local consultations and shared feedback on the council's
budget setting process.
Achieve Change Locally: We now have 415 members - the majority being
local Disabled people or individuals with a long-term health condition and an
additional 78 being supporters of our work and values. We have a growing
group of Access Charrpions condurting member-led policy work powered by
lived experience to make Merton accessible for all. We delivered 22 events,
including My Voice Matters and Craftivism & Chat. We engaged with 141
people through events and outreach and a further 3035 people across our
social media platforms. 100 % of attendees rated our events good or great.
Volunteers provided 232 hours of support, and we hosted 3 M&E steering
groups where members, volunteers, staff and trustees donated time to help
improve the organisation and its work.
Please see our 2023-24 Impart Report for further detsils of the year's
achievements.

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The results for the year and financial position of the Charity are shown in the
annexed statements. The charity brought forward unrestricted funds of
£84,300 and restritted funds of £52,610 from the previous accounting period.
During the current accounting period, the net surplus is £152,472 of which
£46,027 is unrestricted and £106,445 restricted. This leaves final balances to
carry forward of £130,327 unrestricted and £159,055 restricted funds.
EVENTS AFfER THE BALANCE SHEEf DATE
The Charity continues to rely on grant applications and fundraising to fund
its activities. The Trustees are confident that these grants will continue to be
available for the valuable work the charity is doing. During the year, the
Charity's Trustees have monitored the financial position of the organisation
to ensure that the charity's funds, both restricted and unrestricted, are
correctly applied, and accounted for.
PLANS FOR FimiRE PERIODS
Throughout 2023-24, we continued our work with local Disabled people to
navigate the complex and growing issues that we faced. Our organisation
had limited capacity throughout the year due to stsff retention and
recruitment issues. We used this struggle to inform learning around
developing our staff and to influence internal policy and culture changes.
Our team, however, still managed to achieve great outcomes, which you
can read about in our impact report. We pulled together f￿dback from
staff, service users, members, supporters and more to help develop our new
strategy that will be implemented from April 2024. Over the next year we
plan to:
Launch our new co-produced and evolving strategy.
Begin work to start an organisational rebrand including a name
change.
To rethink the strutture of the organisation to allow for more routes
into leadership for Disabled people or individuals with long term health
conditions.
Continue to provide accredited, free and person-centred information
and advice to local Disabled people.
To launch our new'speaking Up, service that works with local Disabled
people to address barriers in a holistic manner and with the aim of
increasing access to health care and servI￿s.

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
To conclude our SVRR trainee programme and establish our new
propel trainee programme that aims to build skills and knowledge in
Disabled people as well as leadership skills.
To increase our capacity for policy work relating to social care to see
improved outcomes for local Disabled people.
To increase engagement with local council officers, councilors and
local partners with the aim of more collaborative approaches and co-
produttion work.
To begin to explore intersettionality and how our organisation can
better understand how social issues care intersett for some Disabled
people to improve our work and *rvices.
To build skills and confidence with our members leading our member
led policy work to further strengthen and mobilize our membership to
push for change.
To continue our work improving our strategic communications work to
ensure that our aims, values, mission and impatt are evident.
To continue to deliver Craftivism & Chat and support more Disabled
people to build skills and confidence to host sessions.
To reinstate volunteering opportunities for local Disabled people.
Expand capacity around fundraising to bring in multi-year funding to
support sustainability and unrestritted income to allow for growth and
creativity.
Continue work to strength and develop our organisational culture.
RESERVES POLICY
Merton CIL will maintsin sufficient reseNes to allow it to cover known liabilities
and contingencies, absorb setbacks and tske advantsge of change and
opportunity.
Merton CIL will hold unrestritted fvnds to rn￿t at least 2 month's running
costs and aims to hold 5 months running costs by 2025. This will enable
Merton CIL to provide reliable services over the long term, and to provide a
safety net against dramatic swings in income or costs, and sufficient time to
replace lost income, through fundraising.
TRusfEES' RESPONSIBILMES
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each
financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing
those financial statements, the trustees are required to select suitable
accounting policies and then apply them consistently; make judgments and
estimates that are reasonable and prudent and prepare the financial
statements on a going con￿rn basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that
the company will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, which
disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the
organisation and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements
comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for
safeguarding the assets of the organisation and hence for tsking reasonable
steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Amanda Edwards (Co-Chair/Secretsry)
Giovanro Vette* (Co-chair)
Date: .7
10 IOILk

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE
MERTON CENTRE FOR INDEPENDENT UVING
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024 set out on pages
13 and 14 which have b￿n prepared under the accounting policies set out on
page 16.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The Charity's trust&s are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The
charity's trUSt￿S consider that an aud5t is not required for this year under
ttion 144 (2) of the Charities Att 2011 (the 2011 Att) and that an
independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Att;
Follow the prO￿dureS laid down in the general directions given by the
Charity Commission under section 145 (5)(b) of the 2011 Art; and
State whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiners, report
My examination was carried out in accordan￿ with the general direttions given
by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the
accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts
presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual
items or disclosures in the accounts, and the seeking of explanation from you
as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not
provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently,
no opinion is view given as to whether the accounts present a "true and fair"
view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the ststement below.
020 3397 3119
@MertoraL
Mertoncil
E¥&y merton.cll
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Merton CIL is a company limrted by guarantee,
Registered Company No. 7645926
Registered Charity No. 1152825
li

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
Independent examiners, statement
In connettion with my examination, no matter has come to my attention
to indicate that:
accounting records have not been kept in accordance with settion 386
of the Companies Att 2006.
the accounts do not accord with such records..
where accounts are prepared on an accruals basis, whether they fail
to comply with relevant accounting requirements under section 396
of the Companies Att 2006, or are not consistent with the Charities
SORP (FRS102)
any matter which the examiner believes should be drawn to the
attention of the reader to gain a proper understanding of the accounts apart
from that set out below:
Lesley Cornwell FCCA of Cornwell & Cornwell 194 Stsnley Road Teddington
TWII 8UE
Date...EO Ockowlc)
020 3397 3119
MertonCIL
Mertoncll
mertoncil.ory.uk
Merton CIL 15 a company limthd by guarantee.
Registered Company No. 7645926
fte9tstere¢ Chanty No. 1152825
ww.mertontll.oro.uk
¥* merton.cii
12

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AcfIvITIES FOR YEAR ENDED MARCH
312024-
Restricted Totsl Funds Totsl Funds
Funds
2024
2023
Funts
Incoming
Resources
Incoming Resour
from Charitsble
Activitses
Voluntsry income
Other Income
2b
27,970
420,712
448,682
325,843
3b
5,280
12,645
5,280
12,645
6,863
2,063
Interest
Totsl Incoming
Resour￿$
3d
334,769
47,295
420,712
468,007
2c
ExP￿d
Charitsble Actsvibes
G0Veman￿ Costs
1,268
305,+19
8,014
306,717
8,014
318,221
9,072
TOTAL RESOURCES
EXPENDED
Net Incoming
l(Outgoing)
1,268
314,267
315,535
327,293
46,027
106,445
151472
7,476
Total Funds Br(xJght
Forward
84,300
52,610
136,910
129,434
Totsl Funds
Carried Forward
130,327
159,055
289,382
136,910
There are no recognised gains and losses other than those in the ststement of financial
activities. Therefore, no statement of total recognised gains and losses has been prepared.
All the above amounts relate to continuing activities. The notes on pages 16-19 form part
of these acC￿nts.
020 3397 3119
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Mertoncil
oZ>p merton.cil
lnfo@mertoncll.org.uk
wth.mertoncil.org.uk
Merton CIL is a company limited by guarantee.
Registered Company No. 7645926
Registered Chaiity No. 1152825
13

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
BALANCE SHEEf AT 31 MARCH 2024
2024
2023
Cash at bank arKI n harxl
3162(
5,922
321122
151,222
28,312
179,534
Creditors.. amounts falling due
within one year
32,740
42,624
289W2
TOTAL ASSEfs LESS CURREKr
LIABILMES
289W2
134910
Unrthtsf
130,327
159,055
52,610
289W2
For the year ending 31 March 2023 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under
section 477 of Companies Act 2006.
The members have not ￿qUired the company to obtsin an audit in accordance with section
476 of the Companies Act 2006. The Directors, acknowledge their responsibility for complying
with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation
of accounts. The financial statements were approved by the Board on October 31st 2024 and
signed on its behalf by:
Amanda Edwards (Co-Chair/Secretary) .1¥￿K￿
Giovanna Vettese (Co-chair)
020 3397 3119
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MertoraL
Mertoncll
mctron.cii
mertoncll.org.uk
www.mertoncll.oro.uk
Mertor* CIL is a company limited by guarantee,
Reg￿tered Company No. 7645926
Re9￿￿red Charw NO. 1152825
14

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
The notes on pages 16-19 fom part of these accounts.
020 3397 3119
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Merton¢il
merton.cll
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mertoncll.org.uk
w¢•w.mertoncll.org.uk
Merton CIL ￿ a company limrted by guarantee,
Registered Company No. 7645926
Registered Charity No. 1152825
15

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL sfATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
l. These Notes form part of the financial ststements.
2. Accounting Policies
2a Basis of Accounting: The financial statements have been prepared under the
historical cost convention, in accordance with the Companies Att 2006, and in
compliance with 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Ststement of
Recommended prattl￿ (FRS 102) ("the SORP").
2b Income: from grants, donations and contributions represents the amounts
re￿1vable in respect of the year.
2c Expenditure.. is recognised in the year in which it is incurred.
2d Fixed Assets should be capitslised and written off over their useful lives on
a straight line basis if their purchase value is over £1,000.
2e Voluntsry Help: No amounts have b￿n included in these financial
statements to reflett the value of services provided fr￿ of charge to the
charity by volunteers.
2f Pension Costs and other post-retirement benefits: The Company contributes
to NEsf on behalf of eligible employees.
3. Income
3a Incoming Resources from Charitsble Attivity means grants and fees received
on the understanding that they will be used to undertake attivities to fvrther
the charity's objetts.
3b Voluntsry Income means donations or grants given with no expettation of
a specific Servi￿ in return.
3c Other income is funds received for consultstion contributions, co-produttion
work and compensation for involvement in meetings.
3d Interest earned on cash deposits
3e Funds brought forward means fvnding retsined from 2022-23 for use
during 2023-24.
3f Funds carried forward means funding re*rved for 2024-25.
3g The organisation has taken advantage of the exemption in FRS 102 from
producing a cash flow statement on the grounds that it is an exempt entity.
020 3397 3119
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MertonCIL
Mertoncll
Merton CIL is a company limited by guarantee.
Registered Company No. 7645926
Reg￿tered Chartty NO. 1152625
V4¥wI.tV￿rè0nC￿1.￿Vg.Uk
merton.cii
16

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
Note
Unrestrirted Restricted
Funds
Funds
Totsl Funds
2024
Charitable Activities
Henry Smith Charity
3h
Henry Smith Covid Fund 31
City Bridge Trust
3j
The London Community 3k
Foundation
60,000
39,200
49,500
60,000
39,200
52,470
2,970
9,775
9,775
Lloyds Banking
Foundation
31
25,000
25,000
NHS SW London
3m
37,200
37,200
London B of Merton
3n
49,416
49,416
Wimbledon Foundation
30
12,490
12,490
Evening Stsndard
Trust for London
TFL SVRR
3p
31,250
31,250
3q
76, 148
27,029
76,148
27,029
Inclusion Bamet
Total Income from
Charitable Activities
3s
3a
27,970
420,712
448,682
Voluntary Income
Other income
Interest
3b
5,280
12,645
1,400
5,280
12,645
1,400
3d
Totsl Incoming
Resources
2b
47,295
420,712
468,007
3h Henry Smith Charity - core funding to support the organisation.
31 Henry Smith Covid Funding - funding to help us increase our capacity in
response to needs emerging from the pandemic.
020 3397 3119
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w￿.mert¢n¢Il.¢yg.uk
Y @MertonCIL
Mertoncll
merton.dl
Merton CIL is a comp•ny limited by guarantee.
Registered Company No. 7645926
Registered Charity No. 1152825
17

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
3j City Bridge Trust - funding to support the information and advice service.
3k The London Community Foundation - funding to support the running of
our organisation.
31 Lloyds Banking Foundation
organisation.
funding to support the running of our
3m NHS SW London - funding to support with a health advocacy pilot.
3n London Borough of Merton- funding to support our information and
advice *rvice.
30 The Wimbledon Foundation funding to support with a health advocacy
pilot.
3p Evening Standard - funding to support our work achieving change locally.
3q Trust for London - funding to support our policy and campaigns work.
3r Trust for London SVRR - funding to support our trainee caseworker
programme.
3s Inclusion Barnet- funding to support the development of our trainee
programmes.
4. Expenditure
4a No trustee or any other person related to a trust￿ had any personal interest
in any contratt or transartion entered into by the Charity during the year.
4b The Trustees have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Att
2006 to have regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charities
commi￿10n.
4c Salaries and as￿)CIated costs of £243,324 includes: Salaries and Employers,
NIC £212,767, Pensions £9,839, HR Costs £10,200, Other (DBS checks, Travel,
Development, Recruitment) £10,518.
The number of emploY￿S who* emoluments amounted to over £60,000
during the year was nil.
4d Costs Allocated to Actsvibes 2024
Note
Cost of Charitable Activities
Independence and Inclusion
Challenging Discrimination
Achieving Change Locally
Total Cost of Charitable Activities
4e Independence and Inclusion Project- Information and Advice support for
local Disabled people to resolve issues around benefits and low income, social
209,563
38,185
4f
4g
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Merton CIL is a company limited by quarantee.
Registered Company No. 7645926
Reg$tered Charrty No. 1152825
wAw.mertonell.org.uk
MeTton.ui
18

Merton Centre for Independent Living (Merton CIL)
care, housing, concessionary travel, and grant applications. In 23-24, an
advocacy pilot supporting Disabled people to navigate issues around health
care and servI￿s.
4f Challenging Discrimination Projett - Social policy work relating to social
care, housing and health.
4g Achieve Change Locally Project - Member led policy work, Craftivism and Chat
group, events, consultstions, and Vol￿ activity with local Disabled people.
4k Liabilities on balance sh￿t relates to income received in advan￿, expenses
accrued and accounting fees.
41 Governan￿ costs include accounting and audit costs, Annual General M￿ting
costs, insuran￿, trust￿ expenses.
5. Reserves
These funds have been designated to cover future running costs in the event
of lack of funding, in accordance with the reserves policy. According to the
business continuity plan £13,600 of reserves is designated to secure
immediate business continuity and the Board has approved this to be set aside
in a Designated Fund.
2024
2023
13,6(K)
116 727
13,fAX)
C£rEr31 FurK
unr￿K￿l
130,327
159,055
52,610
289,382
136,910
020 3397 3119
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1 s%MY.rnertoncll.org.uk
Merton CIL 15 a company limited by guarantee,
Registered Company No. 7645926
RegiSte￿d Charity No. 1152825
19