Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From Period start date To Period end date
25[th] October 2023 24[th] October 2024
Charity name: Horizon Legal Advice Clinic
Charity registration number: 1165006
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference |
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|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | For the public benefit, the relief of individuals in need by reason of financial hardship (clients) through the provision of free legal advice. Financial hardship for the purposes of this Annual Report means those individuals who would not otherwise have the financial means to obtain legal advice. Horizon Legal Advice Clinic (“Horizon LAC”) provides its service to clients for free and focuses on the disability impact assessment elements of Personal Independence Payment, Employment and Support Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Universal Credit (collectively referred to as “Disability Related Benefits”). |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
In furtherance of Horizon LAC’s stated purpose, teams (of one or more volunteer advisors supervised by one or more volunteering solicitors) undertake various activities including: the interviewing of, and liaison with, clients to review, gather evidence for and assess the facts of a Disability Related Benefits claim; and the drafting, by such teams, of advice letters to clients and the preparation of claim forms and appeal tribunal submissions on behalf of clients. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The main activity undertaken by Horizon LAC is the provision of legal assistance to those eligible for Disability Related Benefits. The Trustees have regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. |
| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
|---|---|---|
| SORP reference |
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| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | N/A |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | N/A |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | All of the work of Horizon LAC is conducted by volunteers. The: client team volunteers, case managers, and Trustees, respectively: 1. provide Horizon LAC’s service directly to clients; 2. coordinate and facilitate the provision of that service; and 3. oversee the provision of Horizon LAC’s service. For consultancy fee costs, Horizon LAC engages a specialist welfare benefits solicitor to supervise the legal aspects of the provision of its service to clients. |
| Other | N/A |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference |
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|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | Helping clients obtain the Disability Related Benefits they are entitled to has a personal, direct and significant positive on their financial circumstances and the alleviation of the impact of their disabilities. Clients also report that Horizon LAC’s work leads to the intangible benefits of clients feeling listened to and supported in a complex and often impersonal claims procedure and at a time when their own personal resources may be under strain. Horizon LAC contributes to a wider social benefit in helping to ensure that the intended distribution of benefits to those most in need and as enacted in the public welfare benefits system, is effected. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference |
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|---|---|---|
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | The objectives of Horizon LAC focus on the individual needs of its clients and servicing as many clients as volunteer, administrative and funding resources permit. |
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | As the cash balance carried over from the previous financial reporting period was adequate for its purposes, Horizon LAC minimised fundraising activity over this financial reporting period. |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | |
| Other |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| SORP reference |
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| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | The amount of £13,656.94, is in the bank at the end of this financial reporting period. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Horizon LAC does not hold reserves. |
| Amount of reserves held |
Para 1.22 | None. |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | Horizon LAC does not hold reserves. Monies held in its bank account are used to fund ongoing or future costs. This includes purchase of legal resources (and subscriptions), registered office costs, insurance and advance agreed clinic legal supervisor consultancy fees. |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | Horizon LAC is dependent upon: discretionary financial contributions for its income, and volunteer commitments for human resources, but mitigates these risks by managing its client commitment undertakings on an ongoing basis. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference |
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|---|---|---|
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | As the cash balance carried over from the previous financial reporting period was adequate for its purposes, Horizon LAC minimised fundraising activity over this financial reporting period. A small private charitable grant was however gratefully received during this financial reporting period. |
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | Horizon LAC is dependent upon: discretionary financial contributions for its income, and volunteer commitments for human resources, but mitigates these risks by managing its client commitment undertakings on an ongoing basis. |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| SORP reference |
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|---|---|---|
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
N/A | |
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Constitution |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | During this financial reporting period, Horizon LAC’s trustees were re-appointed on the basis of their ability to help Horizon LAC fulfil its purpose. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference |
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|---|---|---|
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | |
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Horizon Legal Advice Centre |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | Horizon LAC |
| Registered charity number | 1165006 |
| Charity’s principal address | 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE, UK |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity (during the period)
| 1 2 3 4 5 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karolin Abbas | Digital Services Lead |
Quorate Trustee board |
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| Paul Matthews | Vice Chair/ now Chair |
Quorate Trustee board |
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| Neil McKnight | Secretary | 25 October 2023 to 2 April 2024 |
Quorate Trustee board |
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| George Kassimos | Fundraising Lead | Quorate Trustee board |
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| Swaz Sinha | Treasurer | Quorate Trustee board |
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved Director name N/A
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
| Trustee name | Dates acted if not for whole year | |
|---|---|---|
| N/A |
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity
Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects
Details of arrangements for N/A safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
N/A
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) SWAZ SINHA
Full name(s) SWAZ SINHA
Position (eg Secretary, Treasurer Chair, etc)
Date
22 August 2025
| Financial accounts: Horizon Legal Advice Clinic (Charitynumber: 1165006) (2023 - 2024) | Financial accounts: Horizon Legal Advice Clinic (Charitynumber: 1165006) (2023 - 2024) | Financial accounts: Horizon Legal Advice Clinic (Charitynumber: 1165006) (2023 - 2024) | Financial accounts: Horizon Legal Advice Clinic (Charitynumber: 1165006) (2023 - 2024) | Financial accounts: Horizon Legal Advice Clinic (Charitynumber: 1165006) (2023 - 2024) | Financial accounts: Horizon Legal Advice Clinic (Charitynumber: 1165006) (2023 - 2024) | Financial accounts: Horizon Legal Advice Clinic (Charitynumber: 1165006) (2023 - 2024) | Financial accounts: Horizon Legal Advice Clinic (Charitynumber: 1165006) (2023 - 2024) | Financial accounts: Horizon Legal Advice Clinic (Charitynumber: 1165006) (2023 - 2024) | Financial accounts: Horizon Legal Advice Clinic (Charitynumber: 1165006) (2023 - 2024) | Financial accounts: Horizon Legal Advice Clinic (Charitynumber: 1165006) (2023 - 2024) | ||
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| INCOME | ||||||||||||
| PERIOD (amounts in(£)) | ||||||||||||
| Financial accounting period:25 October 2023 - 24 October 2024(inclusive) | ||||||||||||
| 2023-2024 Accounts | ||||||||||||
| Details | 25 October - 24 November 2023 |
25 November - 24 December 2023 |
25 December 2023 - 24 January 2024 |
25 January - 24 February 2024 |
25 February - 24 March 2024 |
25 March - 24 April 2024 |
25 April - 24 May 2024 |
25 May - 24 June 2024 |
25 June - 24 July 2024 |
25 July - 24 August 2024 |
25 August - 24 September 2024 |
25 September - 24 October 2024 |
| Money in | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £10,000 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £2.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | |
| TOTAL | £0.00 |
£0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £10,002.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
Balance carried forward from previous reporting period (25 October 2022 - 24 October 2023):
£13,222.24
| EXPENDITURE | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PERIOD(amounts in (£)) | ||||||||||||
| Financial accounting period:25 October 2023 - 24 October 2024 (inclusive) | ||||||||||||
| 2023-2024 Accounts | ||||||||||||
| Details | 25 October - 24 November 2023 |
25 November - 24 December 2023 |
25 December 2023 - 24 January 2024 |
25 January - 24 February 2024 |
25 February - 24 March 2024 |
25 March - 24 April 2024 |
25 April - 24 May 2024 |
25 May - 24 June 2024 |
25 June - 24 July 2024 |
25 July - 24 August 2024 |
25 August - 24 September 2024 |
25 September - 24 October 2024 |
| HSBC bank charges (maintenance of the HSBC bank account) |
£5.00 | £5.00 | £5.00 | £5.00 | £5.00 | £5.00 | £5.00 | £5.00 | £5.00 | £5.00 | £5.00 | £5.00 |
| Horizon LAC Clinic Supervising Solicitor | £400.00 | £400.00 | £400.00 | £400.00 | £400.00 | £400.00 | £400.00 | £500.00 | £500.00 | £500.00 | £500.00 | £500.00 |
| Rent for Mansfield House(previous premises) | £120.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Green Sand Health | £55.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Hostegator (operator of the Horizon LAC website) | £0.00 | £113.62 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £110.68 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Hostegator transaction fee (related to the operation of the Horizon LAC website) |
£0.00 | £3.12 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £3.31 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Access underwriter(insurance - Advice UK) | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £3,164.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Hoxton Mix(virtual PO box) - transaction shows up as GoCardless |
£0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £18.00 | £18.00 | £18.00 | £18.00 | £18.00 | £18.00 |
| Notion(adminstrative database) | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £9.74 | £9.67 | £25.41 | £18.77 | £115.40 | £74.02 | £89.22 |
| Notion(adminstrative database) -non-sterling transaction fee |
£0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.29 | £0.29 | £0.76 | £0.56 | £3.45 | £2.21 | £2.67 |
| 123 Reg Limited (website domain name) | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £83.11 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Gocardless | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £24.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| TOTAL | £580.00 | £521.74 | £405.00 | £405.00 | £405.00 | £415.03 | £432.96 | £632.28 | £542.33 | £3943.84 | £599.23 | £614.89 |
£100.00 for bank charges -
£70 left by the end of the reporting period (expense)
Balance at end of the reporting period as at 24 October 2024:
£13,656.94
Horizon Legal Advice Clinic ("Horizon LAC"): Statement of Financial Activities (accounts)
Financial reporting period : 25 October 2023 - 24 October 2024
| Unrestricted funds (£) Restricted funds (£) Endowment funds (£) Total funds (£) Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies 10,000.00 0.00 0.00 10,000.00 Charitable activities 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Other trading activities 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Investments 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Other 2.00 0.00 0.00 2.00 Total 10,002.00 0.00 0.00 10,002.00 Expenditure on: Raising funds 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Charitable activities 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Other 9,567.30 0.00 0.00 9,567.30 Total 9,567.30 0.00 0.00 9,567.30 Net gains/(losses) on investments 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Net income/(expenditure) -434.70 0.00 0.00 -434.70 Transfers between funds 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Other recognised gains/(losses): Gains/(losses) on revaluation of fixed assets 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Actuarial gains/(losses) on defined benefit pension schemes 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Other gains/(losses) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Net movement in funds 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward 13,222.24 0.00 0.00 21,593.82 Total funds carried forward 13,656.94 0.00 0.00 22,028.52 |
Additional notes(if any) AG Donation MetroBank test payments See tab entitled'Accounts breakdown' : Payments relating to HSBC bank charges (maintenance of the HSBC bank account), Horizon LAC Clinic Supervising Solicitor, Rent for Mansfield House (previous premises), Green Sand Health, Hostegator & related transaction fee (operator of the Horizon LAC website), Access underwriter (insurance - Advice UK), Hoxton Mix (virtual PO box) - transactions shows up as GoCardless, Notion & related transaction fee (administrative database),123 Reg Limited (provider of the website domain name) |
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