**CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1162438**
# **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney Unaudited financial statements**
**30 June 2025**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Financial statements**
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
||**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' annual report|**1**|
|Independent examiner's report to the trustees|**14**|
|Statement of financial activities|**16**|
|Balance sheet|**17**|
|Notes to the financial statements|**18**|
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Trustees' annual report**
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
The trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 June 2025.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in notes to the accounts and comply with the charity's governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: 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 published in October 2019.
## **Reference and administrative details**
**Registered charity name** Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney **Charity registration number** 1162438 **Principal office** Wood Farm Itteringham NR11 7BG
## **The trustees**
The trustees who served during the year and at the date of approval were as follows:
Mrs T Sismey (Chair) Mr J Keeble (Treasurer) Mrs L Bonshor Mr D Hughes **Independent examiner** Mark Proctor FCA DChA Lovewell Blake LLP Chartered accountants Bankside 300 Peachman Way Broadland Business Park Norwich NR7 0LB **Bankers** National Westminster Bank Plc 2 Tavern Street Ipswich Suffolk IP1 3BD
**- 1 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
**Trustees' annual report** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **Objectives and activities**
The object of the Charity is to improve the health and well-being (where well-being means mental and physical health and the ability to live a full and active life) of the lives of unpaid Carers throughout Norfolk and Waveney.
**Our Vision** is to ensure that unpaid Carers throughout Norfolk and Waveney are valued, recognised and supported with equal access to a good quality of life that is not prejudiced by their caring role.
The guiding principle that informs what we do is expressed in our mission statement:
**Our Mission** is to improve the health and wellbeing of all Carers in Norfolk and Waveney. Through partnership working we will ensure that the voice of Carers is heard and listened to, enabling support and services to be designed and delivered that reflect Carers' needs and interests.
Our core work drives change and enables development of cost-effective projects that make a significant and tangible difference to Carers throughout Norfolk and Waveney, supporting their health and wellbeing and reducing risk of falling into crisis.
Within the Integrated Care Board (ICB) Quality Strategy for the Integrated Care System (ICS), Carers Voice has been identified as providing the Carers objective of co-producing a local framework which brings Carers experience into the ICS quality assurance, oversight, and governance approach. Carers Voice has been identified by the ICB as ensuring that Carers experience is considered a core element of the ICS quality.
Carers Voice supports a membership of over 2,500 Carers with an additional reach to over 80 peer-led Carers Groups together with a core team of Carers Ambassadors who ensure meaningful participation in co-producing our work with our members.
We work extensively with health and social care services across all strands of the Integrated Care System, specifically with Adult Health and Social Care, Children's Services, NHS England, Norfolk Community Health and Care Trust, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Foundation Trust, East Coast Community Health Care, Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust, Norfolk County Council and the Integrated Care Board.
During this year we also engaged with Carers Matter Norfolk, Healthwatch Norfolk, Healthwatch Suffolk, Caring Together, Norfolk Older People's Strategic Partnership Board, Later Life Provider Network, Autism Board, Learning Disability Partnership Board, Equal Lives, Opening Doors, WI, Norfolk Carers Partnership, Community Action Norfolk, Voluntary Norfolk, Carers Trust, Carers UK, Suffolk Family Carers, Suffolk County Council, Family Voice, Alzheimer's Society, Young Carers Matter, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Young Carers, Norfolk Young Carers Forum and other organisations and groups to ensure the voice of Carers is heard and listened to.
Through co-production Carers Voice develops the intelligence and capacity to give an evidence base for specific projects.
Our key delivery method is through co-production ensuring this takes place at the beginning of any project and that everyone has an equal voice.
**- 2 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
**Trustees' annual report** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **Objectives and activities** _**(continued)**_
**Local Carer Involvement Meetings** - At the core of what we do are the five Local Carer Involvement Meetings where Carers meet with those who provide services to have a true voice. These groups cover North Norfolk, South Norfolk, West Norfolk, East Norfolk and Waveney and Norwich and Central Norfolk. These meetings are for Carers and people working with Carers to come together and share information about services and support for Carers. Carers are able to say what matters to them and they are an oppo rtunity to identify what could be improved or is working well, and to co-produce solutions to gaps in support.
We also produce a comprehensive and highly valued bi-monthly newsletter for our networks together with additional involvement opportunities and information for Carers. These are available online and we periodically send out postal copies.
**Norfolk and Waveney Strategic Partnership Meetings** - We hold Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney Strategic Partnership meetings every quarter where Carers work in partnership with commissioners, service providers and other agencies to design and deliver the services that meet the needs of Carers of all ages, ensuring Young Carers, Young Adult Carers and Parent Carers are included.
**Our volunteers** - We are committed to being an organisation of Carers not just for Carers. We believe that Carers (including past Carers) themselves are the best people to represent the voice of Carers. We facilitate Carers taking part in the following voluntary roles:
- Carers Ambassadors promote the voice of Carers and Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney and seek to find and support hidden Carers.
- Promoting the commissioned support service for Carers - Carers Matter Norfolk and support available from Norfolk County Council and other organisations.
- Locality representatives - as the link between Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney and smaller local Carers groups.
- Membership of ongoing involvement forums (e.g. in NHS or social care).
- Membership of review oversight body looking at local Carer support provision.
- Temporary involvement forums (e.g. associated with the commissioning or procurement of a specific public service).
- Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney structures - including the Board of Trustees.
- A volunteer trustee also has the role of Treasurer and manages the organisation's finances jointly with the Chief Officer.
We ask that Carers who take on these voluntary roles seek to represent the experience and needs of all Carers in Norfolk, not solely their own experiences. Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney is committed to ensuring that its own understanding of Carers needs is up to date and relevant and to sharing that insight with organisations and individuals whose decisions affect the lives of Carers across Norfolk and Waveney. To allow our volunteers and officers to speak authoritatively and compellingly we are committed to gathering and sharing information on an ongoing basis.
**- 3 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
**Trustees' annual report** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **Objectives and activities** _**(continued)**_
## **Public benefit**
The Board of Trustees confirm that they have had due regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit.
The charity considers that it provides a benefit to the general public by providing the independent voice of Carers into the design and delivery of services that support unpaid Carers and those they care for in Norfolk and Waveney.
- In Norfolk and Waveney, there are over **95,000** Carers (Census, 2021)
- There are **5.8 million** people providing unpaid care in the UK (Census, 2021)
- Within the NHS, **1 in 3** staff members are also unpaid Carers (Carers UK, 2021)
- The economic value of unpaid care is **£184 billion** (£500 million per day) a year, roughly **equivalent to Government spending on the NHS** (Carers UK, 2025)
- Young Carers are missing on **average 23 days** of school every year - that's more than a month in total (Carers Trust).
- Findings from the Co-produced Engagement with All Age Carers in Norfolk and Waveney Report 2022 state that almost **half of respondents (47.5%) provide more than 50 hours** of care per week
**- 4 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Trustees' annual report** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **Achievements and performance**
The Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney Partnership Board champions key issues for Carers across the geographical area and across health and social care, working to ensure there is a joined-up service that Carers can access through only telling their story once. The co-produced All Age Carers Strategy was endorsed by the Integrated Care Partnership in December 2024.
Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney has continued to work closely with Adult Health and Social Services to ensure that there is a real understanding of the needs and pressures for Carers. It continues to demonstrate the need for co-production which must start at the beginning of any project and to educate those within the health and social care sector across the Integrated Care System for Norfolk and Waveney of this need.
Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney entered its tenth year as an independent charity. During the first part of the year it focused on consolidating the work of the strategy and the co-produced All Age Carers Strategy was endorsed by the Integrated Care Partnership in December 2024. The work has been in depth and wide ranging, endeavouring to ensure that all Carers in Norfolk and Waveney have the opportunity to be involved in the development of this key strategy.
Carers Voice continued facilitating regular phone and online contact reaching our members, Carer-led groups and people across Norfolk and Waveney. Our members prefer to meet online although we offered additional F2F meetings.
**Carers Ambassadors** - We have been able to further develop our Carers Ambassador role - using the wealth of experience, knowledge and dedication that our Carers have, to raise the profile of carers and the support they can expect. Our Carers Ambassadors:
- Have personal lived experience of caring.
- Recognise the value of Carers being involved in services.
- Are members of Carers Voice Norfolk & Waveney.
- Regularly contribute to the development and design of services used by Carers e.g. Adult Social Services, NHS etc.
- Have experience to link in and be familiar with services for Carers across Norfolk.
## **Our Carers Ambassadors:**
- Listen to and offer support to fellow Carers.
- Try to find hidden Carers (Carers who don't necessarily recognise they are Carers and the support there is available for them).
- Let Carers know about Carers Voice and the Carers Matter Norfolk Service.
- Represent Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney at events and meetings.
- Relay any feedback to Carers Voice about what is working well and what needs improving.
- Feedback progress to Carers.
**- 5 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
**Trustees' annual report** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **Achievements and performance** _**(continued)**_
**Carers Matter Norfolk** - Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney continue to promote the commissioned Carers Matter Norfolk service, particularly at external events where there is no representation from the Carers Matter service itself. Carers Voice has worked to ensure any feedback from Carers about the service is fed back directly to help improve support for Carers.
The Programme Director for Bridges Outcomes Partnership, which delivers the Carers Matter Contract, and the Operational Lead for Carers at Norfolk County Council are both invited to attend the Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney quarterly strategic meetings to be part of what matters to Carers and to give service information and updates. They are also invited to attend the Carers Voice Local Involvement meetings which take place 20 times throughout the year to hear first-hand from Carers on their experience of the service.
**Key Themes** - A Key Themes and Activity Report is developed every quarter capturing these themes together with action taken and the impact on Carers Matter Norfolk. The reports are shared with commissioners and key operational staff within Adult Social Services and across the Integrated Care Board. Engagement with Carers at Local Carer Involvement Meetings enables Carers Voice to identify key areas of concern for Carers. Suggestions for improvement were made and additional key themes included: Carers Voice Projects including: All Age Carers Strategy, Carers Identity Passport, Hospital Booklet and All Age Carers Handbook. Carers Voice Carer Involvement Meetings key themes included the following: Wellness Activities, Home Care and Principal Provider Model, Cost of care, Hospital discharge, Carers Assessments including Parent Carers Needs Assessments, Parent Carers, Young Carers, Carers Groups, Peer support groups, Adult Carers and recommissioning of the support service in Norfolk, Information for Carers, Experience of Carers in hospital, Carers cost of living, Training for Carers, Housing Support, Stepping back, Trust and communication with services, Long term care planning, Carers' mental health and wellbeing, Adult Social Services Programme of Change, Real Care Deal and ethical framework, CQC Inspection of Norfolk County Council, Carers Assessments, Identifying Carers, Continuing Healthcare Funding, Vaccinations, Benefits Migration and Dementia Support.
The close links with Adult Social Services were key to ensuring that Carers' concerns could be actioned swiftly despite the background of reduced care packages and lack of respite. Carers Voice have continued to work with the Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board to identify and support those experiencing abuse/harm and to look at co-producing awareness for Carers.
Carers continued to be actively involved in the development of services giving their voice to ensure that services are designed and delivered according to their changing needs.
**Peer Support** - A high level of peer support has been delivered and valued. Carers stated that they did not know what they would have done without the support of Carers Voice. There has been constant interaction with health and social services to ensure there is as much support in place as possible. Key to this has been disseminating accurate and timely information in diverse and accessible ways. Carers have told us that they value the support and information they have together with the ability to to have their voice heard and the assurance that their voice is not only heard but is listened to and acted upon. Strategic links with our partners in Norfolk and Waveney have been essential to ensure Carers are able to access relevant services. We continue to produce the bimonthly newsletter which is so invaluable for Carers.
**- 6 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
**Trustees' annual report** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **Achievements and performance** _**(continued)**_
**Events** - Carers Voice attended many events throughout the year including the annual event at the forum in Norwich for Carers Week together with the Integrated Care System Conference, Family Voice Event, Palliative Care Day at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norfolk and Waveney Dementia Conference, North Norfolk Occupational Therapy Networking Event, Grief Awareness Day at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, Carers UK Poverty Coalition Westminster Event, Norfolk and Waveney Later Life Network, Hoveton Positivitea, SMI Health and Wellbeing Event, Acle Social Health and Care Event, WI Norfolk Annual General Meeting, North Norfolk District Council Dementia Event, Advance Care Planning Day Event, Dying Matters Event, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Dementia Fayre, North Walsham Volunteer Event, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Patient Experience Event, Care for Carers and NSFT Carers Day Event and the Priscilla Bacon Carers Week Event.
**Carers Identity Passport** - The demand for the Carers Identity Passport has been nothing short of extraordinary, with over 5,000 Carers in Norfolk and Waveney applying. This overwhelming response underscores the urgent need for such a resource, demonstrating the significance of recognising and supporting the vital role played by unpaid Carers. Unpaid Carers are now able to be recognised and are included in conversations about the health and wellbeing of the person they care for through this coproduc ed project.
Carers and Carers Voice continue to coproduce information and leaflets for staff and Carers with awareness training also being delivered. The Carers Identity Passport is endorsed by the Integrated Care Board and is linked by a QR code to the Integrated Care Board's information on advice and support for all age Carers in Norfolk and Waveney. Carers tell us that they are identified, respected and valued and empowered by having the Carers Identity Passport.
Such is the interest in the coproduction and innovation that discussions continue with NHSE both nationally and regionally.
**All Age Carers Strategy for Norfolk and Waveney** - The All Age Carers Strategy for Norfolk and Waveney was endorsed by the Integrated Care Partnership in December 2024 and the Monitoring Group met in the first part of 2025 to scope out future work. It was agreed that all members of the Integrated Care Partnership would be asked to provide baseline information on their current work with Carers and what work they have planned for Carers. This information is being collected and collated in order to be nchmark the work of the Strategy going forward increasing ownership and responsibility for the next steps.
**- 7 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
**Trustees' annual report** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **Achievements and performance** _**(continued)**_
**Norfolk County Council** - Carers Voice has continued to work closely with Norfolk County Council (NCC). Regular meetings are held with the Chief Officer of Carers Voice and the Director of Adult Social Care, the Assistant Director, the Commissioning Manager for Carers and the Operational Business Lead for Carers. The Commissioning Manager and the Operational Lead attend the Strategic Carers Voice Partnership Meetings.
**Young Carers and Parent Carers** - Carers Voice continue to work with Children's Services to promote and develop services for Young Carers and Parent Carers. Carers Voice is keen to co-produce all work with Carers of all ages.
**Group Grants** - The group grants continued to be decided by a panel of Carers giving local Carers with their lived experience the ability to assess and award grants to groups of Carers.
**Waveney** - Carers Voice continues to support Carers in Waveney and works collaboratively and in partnership with Suffolk Family Carers and Suffolk County Council.
**All Age Carers Handbook for Norfolk and Waveney** - Carers Voice has consistently championed the publication of an All Age Carers Handbook. The last handbook for adults was published in 2020/21 and Carers Voice are delighted to be coproducing the first All Age Carers Handbook for Norfolk and Waveney. We continue to attend and host events where Carers are asked what they would like to see in the new Handbook. Carers have told us this is their 'Bible'. We will be producing hard and digital copies ensur ing it encompasses Young Carers and Parent Carers - initial launch of hard copies is planned for Carers Rights Day 2025.
**Working with Hospitals** - Carers Voice have continued their work supporting the identification of Carers in acute and community hospital settings (including mental health). We have been continuing the work with the co-produced booklet to inform and empower Carers of the information they may need and the questions they can ask when the person they care for is admitted to hospital, their journey through hospital to discharge and home or an alternative setting. Carers have raised the huge worry and anx iety experienced when either the Carer or the person they are caring for is admitted to hospital and the lack of long term care planning. We are exploring what information can be held for long term care planning and a 'Carers Record'.
**- 8 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
**Trustees' annual report** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **Achievements and performance** _**(continued)**_
**Buddies Scheme** - Following on from the successful Buddies Project in the East, Carers Voice have been delighted to develop a similar project in the West of the County. This project will enable a network of Buddies to be co-ordinated who, following training, are knowledgeable and aware of the support that is able to be offered to unpaid Carers. The Buddies will be able to make meaningful and sustainable connections with Carers in their local area, reducing loneliness and overcoming barriers identified by Carers living in King's Lynn and West Norfolk.
The networking of Buddies has reached out to existing groups and organisations ensuring there is partnership working for Carers across health and social care and into the community.
Carers will be able to access good quality advice and support that is critical to Carers and receive information about accessing key services such as the Emergency in my Place scheme and the Carers Identity Passport.
Buddies and Carers are part of an ongoing network feeding into the development of the All Age Carers Strategy for Norfolk giving them a real voice in the development of services that Carers want and need with the recognition that their voice can be heard and listened to with change possible. Carers are keen to be the voice on the ground feeding into the monitoring of the new strategy.
**Carers in Employment** - Carers Voice has completed the project working with Carers and Employers to demonstrate the benefits of supporting Carers into and maintaining their employment. This project has identified that unpaid Carers do not recognise the transferable skills that they have through their experience as Carers. Neither do employers recognise such skills. Carers told us of the importance of the language being used to identify them as a Carer - Are you looking after someone - and being iden tified as a Carer by themselves and other people, particularly by employers. This is crucial so that Carers and employers are aware of Carers Rights such as the Carers Leave Act 2024 and the right to flexible working.
A training guide has been co-produced, listing the types of Carers, their different roles, examples of activities, responsibilities and support leading to an increased awareness of the role of a Carer and the transferable skills that Carers have. The guide covers the challenges and barriers that Carers can face gaining and maintaining employment and is supported by evidence from the All Age Carers Engagement Report for Norfolk and Waveney and nationally by Carers UK. The training lists the organisational benefits of identifying and employing Carers as well as supporting Carers to access work with examples of how to support Carers in the workplace.
**Hardship Support** - This project focussed on households at heightened risk from the cost of living. Unpaid Carers are frequently lonely and isolated, with a lack of access to wider support networks including nearby family, meaning they are unable to leave the home to access support services, which is compounded when living in a rural area. Our budgeting conversations helped Carers identify the problems faced by their household and to articulate areas that have been put on hold, such as reviewing benefit entitlements or reapplying for benefits or grants. The group were also identified as being at risk from scams and high interest loans. The project enabled assurance that Carers had the access to the information and financial support they need. Carers told us how they valued the dedicated time with some Carers feeding back that this project had been a 'game changer' giving them support to access Pension Credit for the first time which has enabled access to the Winter Fuel Payment and other benefits.
**Supporting Older Carers** - Building on the hardship project Carers Voice were able to develop this work by focusing on older Carers. We provided extra focus on older Carers looking after someone with Dementia or who were caring for their older, adult children with additional needs, acknowledging the specific anxieties and disconnect felt by these groups. Carers told us that they were better informed and aware of services, local groups and networks reducing their isolation enabling them to plan for the future. Detailed one to one conversations were 'invaluable' and ensured Carers were aware of the support available for finances through benefits and community schemes and help at home and support to reduce social isolation. Carers,, with clear signs of 'burn out and social isolation who were struggling to continue their caring role said contact was 'just in time'.
**Making it Real Board** - The Chief Officer and a Carers Ambassador are part of the Making it Real Board working on co-production training for staff and are part of the subgroup ensuring representation and recruitment of people with disabilities and lived experience on the Board.
**- 9 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
**Trustees' annual report** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **Financial review**
Total income amounted to £152,938 (2024: £225,618) and, after incurring expenditure of £135,388 (2024: £146,419), net income amounted to £17,550 (2024: £79,199).
## **Reserves policy**
In view of the unpredictable nature of charitable income, it is the Trustees' policy to hold free reserves in the region of one year's predicted running costs, which amounts to approximately £146,000.
Free reserves amounted to £163,431 at 30 June 2025. Of this amount, £18,794 was designated towards the payment of grants to carers groups, leaving £144,637 available to the charity, which is close to the reserves target.
It is the Trustees' intention to invest any excess reserves in more officer time to support carers, together with increased investment in technology.
Restricted funds totalled £33,789 at 30 June 2025 (2024: £12,998).
## **Principal funding sources**
The Charity's principal funding sources consist of charitable grants.
**- 10 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
**Trustees' annual report** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **Plans for future periods**
Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney continues to be proud of what we have achieved so far. We are the Voice of Carers in Norfolk and Waveney which is respected and valued by Carers and practitioners. We enable Carers to be at the heart of the design and delivery of services for Carers. We are keen to ensure that we reach as many diverse Carers as possible so that Carers have a real voice in the services they receive. We have continued to work with Norfolk County Council and the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board, to ensure that all Carers in Norfolk and Waveney (as well as those within the commissioned service) are supported to receive the services they want and need.
We continue to develop a framework where the voice of Carers is heard at local level and escalated to strategic level through meaningful engagement with health and social care at countywide partnership and national level. We want to continue to support Carers so that they are a dynamic driving force in shaping services that support themselves and those they care for. We will continually work for the improvement of the commissioned support service for Carers, Carers Matter Norfolk and for services to all Carers across the region. Our volunteers, Trustees and officers are committed to holding ourselves to the highest possible standard, to ask ourselves continually "Is there something more that we could do to make a difference to Carers in Norfolk and Waveney?"
The key piece of work that Carers Voice takes forward is the first All Age Carers Strategy for Norfolk and Waveney. Working with Carers to coproduce the 'As a Carer Statements' and the priority focus areas for the first stage of the strategy has been fundamental to ensuring the foundations are laid for a meaningful framework for future support and services that support Carers and those they care for. We will continue to coproduce this work with Carers and all members of the Integrated Care Partnership together with organisations within the Integrated Care System that support Carers.
The co-production of the first All Age Carers Identity Passport for Carers in Norfolk and Waveney through the Integrated Care Board for Norfolk and Waveney for use in healthcare settings continues to be exceptionally well received. Work will continue on the increased roll out of the All Age Carers Identity Passport which is having increasing momentum. Increased reach has taken place with recognition in GPs, Pharmacies, Occupational Therapists, Social Prescribers, Dentists and Optometrists.
Carers Voice is firmly committed to working to clarify and support the Carer's journey through hospital with the person they look after. Whilst we cannot fix a nationwide problem, we can do our best to move this forward and ensure Carers Voices are heard and listened to within Norfolk and Waveney and across borders.
With the coproduction of the All Age Carers Handbook, Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney will continue to coproduce tangible projects for all age Carers that are meaningful to them. A key element going forward is the work Carers Voice has achieved regarding Carers into employment and maintaining their employment. We know how important flexibility of work is to Carers not only on a financial level but in terms of selfesteem, self confidence and reducing social isolation. We will work with Carers to to highlight their transferable skills and with employers to ensure recognition of these.
We will ensure that work on Co-Production continues and is joined up between organisations such as Making it Real and Carers Voice. Key issues raised by Carers are included in our Key Themes report every quarter which is shared with both health and social care.
Mental Health services have particularly been of concern and Carers Voice are working with the Norfolk and Waveney Health and Care Partnership and Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust to improve services to Carers.
**- 11 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
**Trustees' annual report** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **Plans for future periods** _**(continued)**_
Future work will continue to widen the reach to Carers, including hidden Carers and those difficult to engage. Our primary aim is to ensure that the voice of Carers is at the heart of services ensuring improvements in the health and wellbeing of the lives of unpaid Carers of all ages. We will increase our membership and continue to explore key areas of concern for carers identified through all our work.
We never lose sight of the fact that our mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of all Carers in Norfolk and Waveney. Receiving feedback from Carers that they don't know what they would have done without us ensures we maintain this commitment to our Carers who do so much to support the people they care for.
## **Structure, governance and management**
## **Governing document**
Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney is a foundation registered CIO, registered on 26 June 2015, number 1162438.
## **Recruitment and appointment of Trustees**
Every trustee must be appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.
In selecting the individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
## **Induction and training of Trustees**
All new Trustees will be provided with copies of:
- the constitution of the CIO;
- the latest accounts of the charity;
and encouraged to read Charity Commission guidance notes CC3 - "The Essential Trustee: What you need to know, what you need to do".
In addition, Trustees are encouraged to read Charity Commission and other newsletters and to attend courses designed to keep them abreast of their duties and responsibilities.
## **Risk management**
The Trustees have examined the major strategy, business and operational risks which the charity faces and confirm that systems have been established to enable regular reports to be produced so that the necessary steps can be taken to lessen these risks.
## **Organisational structure**
The Trustees administer the charity and meet at least quarterly to discuss and approve forthcoming charitable expenditure.
**- 12 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
**Trustees' annual report** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
The trustees' annual report was approved on 28 April 2026 and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by:
Mrs T Sismey Chair
**- 13 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 June 2025 which comprise the statement of financial activities, balance sheet and the related notes.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity's financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
3. the financial statements do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair' view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
**- 14 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Carers Voice Norfolk and**
**Waveney** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Your attention is drawn to the fact that the Charity has prepared the accounts (financial statements) in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: 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) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has since been withdrawn.
I understand that this has been done in order for the accounts to provide a true and fair view in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015.
Mark Proctor FCA DChA Independent Examiner
Lovewell Blake LLP Chartered accountants Bankside 300 Peachman Way Broadland Business Park Norwich NR7 0LB
29 April 2026
**- 15 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Statement of financial activities**
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
||||**2025**||2024|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||Unrestricted|Restricted|||
|||funds|funds|**Total funds**|Total funds|
||**Note**|**£**|**£**|**£**|£|
|**Income and endowments**||||||
|Donations and legacies|**4**|202|–|202|984|
|Charitable activities|**5**|85,768|66,087|151,855|223,690|
|Investment income|**6**|881|–|881|944|
|||``|``|``|``|
|**Total income**||86,851|66,087|152,938|225,618|
|||``|``|``|``|
|**Expenditure**||||||
|Expenditure on charitable activities|**7**|90,092|45,296|135,388|146,419|
|||``|``|``|``|
|**Total expenditure**||90,092|45,296|135,388|146,419|
|||``|``|``|``|
|**Net income and net movement in funds**||(3,241)|20,791|17,550|79,199|
|**Reconciliation of funds**||||||
|Total funds brought forward||167,058|12,998|180,056|100,857|
|||``|``|``|``|
|**Total funds carried forward**||163,817|33,789|197,606|180,056|
|||``|``|``|``|
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 18 to 25 form part of these financial statements.**
**- 16 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Balance sheet**
## **30 June 2025**
|||**2025**||2024||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Note**|**£**|**£**|£|£|
|**Fixed assets**||||||
|Tangible fixed assets|**12**||386||–|
|**Current assets**||||||
|Debtors|**13**|11,393||13,826||
|Cash at bank and in hand||188,519||177,439||
|||``||``||
|||199,912||191,265||
|**Creditors: amounts falling due within**||||||
|**one year**|**14**|(2,692)||(11,209)||
|||``||``||
|**Net current assets**|||197,220||180,056|
||||``||``|
|**Total assets less current liabilities**|||197,606||180,056|
||||``||``|
|**Net assets**|||197,606||180,056|
||||``||``|
|**Funds of the charity**||||||
|Restricted funds|||33,789||12,998|
|Unrestricted funds|||163,817||167,058|
||||``||``|
|**Total charity funds**|**15**||197,606||180,056|
||||``||``|
These financial statements were approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on 28 April 2026, and are signed on behalf of the board by:
Mrs T Sismey Chair
**The notes on pages 18 to 25 form part of these financial statements.**
**- 17 -**
**Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **1. General information**
Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is given in the Charity information on page 1 of these financial statements. The nature of the Charity’s operations and principal activities is to improve the health and well-being (where well-being means mental and physical health and the ability to live a full and active life) of the lives of unpaid carers throughout the county of Norfolk.
## **2. Statement of compliance**
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: 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 issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
The financial statements have been prepared to give a 'true and fair' view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a 'true and fair view'. This departure has involved following the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: 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 issued in October 2019 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.
## **3. Accounting policies**
## **Basis of preparation**
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity and rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity.
## **Going concern**
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist. The trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure is sufficient with the level of reserves for the charity to be able to continue as a going concern.
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees to further any of the charity's purposes.
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.
**- 18 -**
**Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
**Notes to the financial statements** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
**3. Accounting policies** _**(continued)**_
## **Income**
All income is 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.
- 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.
## **Expenditure**
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, non-charitable 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 apprortioned 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 and impairment losses. Any tangible assets carried at revalued amounts are recorded at the fair value at the date of revaluation less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses.
## **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 - 33% straight line
**- 19 -**
**Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
**Notes to the financial statements** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **3. Accounting policies** _**(continued)**_
## **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.
## **4. Donations and legacies**
||Unrestricted|**Total Funds**|Unrestricted|Total Funds|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Funds|**2025**|Funds|2024|
||£|**£**|£|£|
|**Donations**|||||
|Other donations|202|202|984|984|
||``|``|``|``|
|**Charitable activities**|||||
|||Unrestricted|Restricted|**Total Funds**|
|||Funds|Funds|**2025**|
|||£|£|**£**|
|Health Watch||–|–|–|
|Main grants||–|–|–|
|Postcode Places||15,990|–|15,990|
|Dial GY||–|–|–|
|LDMS||–|–|–|
|Norfolk County Council||63,650|–|63,650|
|NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB||6,128|–|6,128|
|National Lottery Awards For All||–|19,865|19,865|
|Norfolk Community Foundation||–|46,222|46,222|
|||``|``|``|
|||85,768|66,087|151,855|
|||``|``|``|
|||Unrestricted|Restricted|Total Funds|
|||Funds|Funds|2024|
|||£|£|£|
|Health Watch||8,900|–|8,900|
|Main grants||501|18,418|18,919|
|Postcode Places||19,690|–|19,690|
|Dial GY||–|1,784|1,784|
|LDMS||4,950|–|4,950|
|Norfolk County Council||146,318|–|146,318|
|NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB||7,828|–|7,828|
|National Lottery Awards For All||–|–|–|
|Norfolk Community Foundation||–|15,301|15,301|
|||``|``|``|
|||188,187|35,503|223,690|
|||``|``|``|
## **5. Charitable activities**
**- 20 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Notes to the financial statements** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **6. Investment income**
||Unrestricted|**Total Funds**|Unrestricted|Total Funds|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Funds|**2025**|Funds|2024|
||£|**£**|£|£|
|Bank interest|881|881|944|944|
||``|``|``|``|
|**Expenditure on charitable activities by fund type**|||||
|||Unrestricted|Restricted|**Total Funds**|
|||Funds|Funds|**2025**|
|||£|£|**£**|
|Staff costs||71,059|45,296|116,355|
|Telephone||467|–|467|
|Professional fees||183|–|183|
|Postage and stationery||10,100|–|10,100|
|Consultancy fees||3,390|–|3,390|
|Insurance||822|–|822|
|Grants payable||2,065|–|2,065|
|Training||–|–|–|
|Governance costs (see below)||2,006|–|2,006|
|||``|``|``|
|||90,092|45,296|135,388|
|||``|``|``|
|||Unrestricted|Restricted|Total Funds|
|||Funds|Funds|2024|
|||£|£|£|
|Staff costs||90,578|17,886|108,464|
|Telephone||636|–|636|
|Professional fees||–|–|–|
|Postage and stationery||7,958|2,835|10,793|
|Consultancy fees||15,227|–|15,227|
|Insurance||680|–|680|
|Grants payable||(1,201)|4,950|3,749|
|Training||4,950|–|4,950|
|Governance costs (see below)||1,920|–|1,920|
|||``|``|``|
|||120,748|25,671|146,419|
|||``|``|``|
|**Analysis of governance costs:**|||||
|||Unrestricted|Total Funds|Total Funds|
|||Funds 2025|2025|2024|
|||**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Independent examination fees||2,006|2,006|1,920|
|||``|``|``|
## **7. Expenditure on charitable activities by fund type**
**- 21 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Notes to the financial statements** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **8. Grants payable**
|||**2025**|2024|
|---|---|---|---|
|||£|£|
||Dove Dementia|300|–|
||GYGYC Strategy|–|100|
||Dereham MH Group|24|120|
||Norwich MH Group|289|141|
||Great Yarmouth Carers Group|240|280|
||Asperger East Anglia|–|145|
||Mind Grant|–|175|
||Care4Us|330|260|
||Carers Grant|–|580|
||Cup of Caring|–|500|
||Fakenham Carers|230|350|
||Group Grant|112|169|
||Happy Memories Grant|–|500|
||Hellesdon Dementia|–|223|
||Support With Sound|–|206|
||West Norfolk Carers|240|–|
||Myeloma|300|–|
|||``|``|
|||2,065|3,749|
|||``|``|
|**9.**|**Net income**|||
||Net income is stated after charging/(crediting):|||
|||**2025**|2024|
|||**£**|£|
||Depreciation of tangible fixed assets|84|–|
|||``|``|
**10. Staff costs**
The total staff costs and employee benefits for the reporting period are analysed as follows:
||**2025**|2024|
|---|---|---|
||£|£|
|Wages and salaries|111,931|102,543|
|Pension costs|4,424|5,921|
||``|``|
||116,355|108,464|
||``|``|
The average head count of employees during the year was 5 (2024: 4). No employee received employee benefits of more than £60,000 during the year (2024: Nil).
## **11. Trustee remuneration and expenses**
No Trustees received any remuneration or were reimbursed any expenses during the year or the previous year.
**- 22 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Notes to the financial statements** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **12. Tangible fixed assets**
||||**Equipment**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**£**|
||**Cost**|||
||At 1 July 2024||1,300|
||Additions||470|
||||``|
||**At 30 June 2025**||1,770|
||||``|
||**Depreciation**|||
||At 1 July 2024||1,300|
||Charge for the year||84|
||||``|
||**At 30 June 2025**||1,384|
||||``|
||**Carrying amount**|||
||**At 30 June 2025**||386|
||||``|
||At 30 June 2024||–|
||||``|
|**13.**|**Debtors**|||
|||**2025**|2024|
|||**£**|£|
||Prepayments and accrued income|11,393|13,826|
|||``|``|
|**14.**|**Creditors:** **amounts falling due within one year**|||
|||**2025**|2024|
|||**£**|£|
||Accruals and deferred income|2,006|1,920|
||Other creditors|686|9,289|
|||``|``|
|||2,692|11,209|
|||``|``|
**- 23 -**
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Notes to the financial statements** _**(continued)**_
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
## **15. Analysis of charitable funds**
Year ended 30 June 2025
|||||||**At 30 June**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||At|1 July 2024|Income|Expenditure|Transfers|**2025**|
|||£|£|£|£|**£**|
|**Unrestricted funds**|||||||
|General funds||146,199|86,851|(88,027)|–|145,023|
|Designated fund - Group grants||20,859|–|(2,065)|–|18,794|
|||``|``|``|``|``|
|||167,058|86,851|(90,092)|–|163,817|
|||``|``|``|``|``|
|**Restricted funds**|||||||
|Norfolk Community Foundation||3,243|46,222|(35,541)|–|13,924|
|National Lottery Community|||||||
|Fund||9,755|–|(9,755)|–|–|
|National Lottery Awards for All||–|19,690|–|–|19,690|
|||``|``|``|``|``|
|||12,998|66,087|(45,296)|–|33,789|
|||``|``|``|``|``|
|||``|``|``|``|``|
|Total funds||180,056|152,938|(135,388)|–|197,606|
|||``|``|``|``|``|
|Year ended 30 June 2024|||||||
|||||||**At 30 June**|
||At|1 July 2024|Income|Expenditure|Transfers|**2025**|
|||£|£|£|£|**£**|
|**Unrestricted funds**|||||||
|General funds||73,083|190,115|(116,999)|–|146,199|
|Designated fund - Group grants||24,608|–|(3,749)|–|20,859|
|||``|``|``|``|``|
|Total funds||97,691|190,115|(120,748)|–|167,058|
|||``|``|``|``|``|
|**Restricted funds**|||||||
|Norfolk Community Foundation||4,950|15,301|(17,008)|–|3,243|
|National Lottery Community|||||||
|Fund||–|18,418|(8,663)|–|9,755|
|Dial Great Yarmouth||(1,784)|1,784|–|–|–|
|||``|``|``|``|``|
|||3,166|35,503|(25,671)|–|12,998|
|||``|``|``|``|``|
|||``|``|``|``|``|
|Total funds||100,857
``|225,618
``|(146,419)
``|–
``|180,056
``|
The Trustees have designated a fund to make grants to carers groups.
Norfolk Community Foundation provided funding for the Love Norfolk project, the Apollo Grant, Hardship Fund, Connecting Older People, the Love Norfolk project, and the Smoking Cessation project. £4,999 was carried forwards on the Love Norfolk project to be spent in 2025/26. £8,925 was carried forwards on the Smoking Cessation project to be spent in 2025/26.
National Lottery Awards For All provided funding for the Postcodes Places project to be spent in 2025/26.
The charity received a restricted grant from the National Lottery Community Fund in 2023/24.
**- 24 -**
**Notes to the financial statements** _**(continued)**_
## **Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney**
## **Year ended 30 June 2025**
The charity entered into a partnership with DIAL Great Yarmouth for which DIAL Great Yarmouth were the lead partner. This expenditure was incurred in 2022/23, and DIAL Great Yarmouth made a payment to clear the costs in 2023/24.
## **16. Analysis of net assets between funds**
||Tangible fixed|Net current||
|---|---|---|---|
||assets|assets|**Total 2025**|
||£|£|**£**|
|Unrestricted Income Funds|386|163,431|163,817|
|Restricted Income Funds|–|33,789|33,789|
||``|``|``|
||386|197,220|197,606|
||``|``|``|
||Tangible fixed|Net current||
||assets|assets|**Total 2024**|
||£|£|**£**|
|Unrestricted Income Funds|–|167,058|182,971|
|Restricted Income Funds|–|12,998|12,998|
||``|``|``|
||–|180,056|195,969|
||``|``|``|
**- 25 -**