2023-01-01-accounts

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1170984

----- Start of picture text -----
Report of the Trustees and
----- End of picture text -----

Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st December 2022

for

Community Integration & Advocacy Centre

Smailes Goldie Chartered Accountants Regent's Court Princess Street Hull East Yorkshire HU2 8BA

Community Integration & Advocacy Centre

Contents of the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2022

		Page
Report of the Trustees	1	to	4
Independent Examiner's Report		5
Receipts and Payments Account		6
Statement of Assets and Liabilities		7

Community Integration & Advocacy Centre

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31st December 2022

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31st December 2022. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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) (effective 1 January 2019).

After the operational challenges of 2021, the year 2022 was very much a year of continued rebuilding and re-establishment of services on a physical level, whilst retaining the advantages and flexibility of online services. Despite still emerging from the long-shadow of Covid, we also saw a considerable strengthening in our output and the scale and impact of our services.

First and foremost, 2022 saw us retain our much-coveted WISC Level 3 status, thereby maintaining the ambition and high standards that we have set for ourselves. As a consequence, we remain the only regulated charitable L3 immigration advisor operating within an unfeasibly large patch. Although this brings significant challenges, it also underlines our uniqueness as a service. Whilst I would encourage others services to develop on a similar level it order to meet demand, it is nonetheless a great source of pride for a Chair of Trustees to be able to say that we are the only charity offering regulated L3 advice in the 148 miles between Peterborough and Middlesborough and also within a 50 mile westward line to Leeds. This is a tribute to the hard work, vision, determination and ambition of our staff, trustees and volunteers in taking such a comprehensive approach to our rights-based mission.

This was a marked feature of our development in 2022; boosted by significant grants from Justice Together Initiative and National Lottery we were able to strengthen our offer by obtaining office space for the first time, hiring additional staff, and recruiting additional volunteers.

This led to considerable strides in our drop-in service provision which assisted an incredible 1049 clients with initial immigration advice, up from 384 in 2021. Within this, we completed 91 pro bono applications, 29 domestic violence applications, 3 appeals, 5 bail applications, and challenged 3 deportations.

Our income generation arm completed 121 fee-paying applications, earning a healthy £22,957 that can be reinvested in our services. Overall, 2022 was a year of expansion across the board and of greatly improved financial sustainability. With a dedicated team of 11 volunteers speaking 8 languages, we continue to provide quality accessible immigration services to support the migrant community in Hull and beyond.

Once again, I'd like to thank the trustees, volunteers and staff of CIAC for their hard work and their determination to strengthen the work of CIAC. We remain extremely proud of the impact of our work on individuals and families in the region.

Dr Ben Butler Chair of the Board of Trustees

Page 1

Community Integration & Advocacy Centre

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31st December 2022

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Mission statement: Supporting emerging communities to contribute fully to life in the UK as committed and active citizens.

CIAC's charitable objectives are:-

To advance education and relieve financial hardship amongst Emerging Communities in the Humber Region through the provision of legal and other advice and by any other means as the trustees may determine. (Emerging communities are defined as refugees, asylum seekers, EEA migrants and other migrants)

The CIAC Trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission guidance on the Public Benefit Requirement (Reg. 40(2)(c)(ii)).

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

CIAC participates in the Hull Welcome Project in partnership with Open Doors and Hull City of Sanctuary. CIAC provides generalist and specialist immigration advice, Open Doors provides orientation activities and Hull City of Sanctuary offers cultural activities and coordinates Hull Refugee Week.

CIAC has successfully maintained regulation with OISC at Level Three(L3) and is gradually developing the skills and experience to provide high quality immigration advice for increasingly complex matters including appeals, bail applications and deportation challenges. CIAC's specialist immigration team includes one OISC L3 advisor and three OISC L1 advisors.

Our unique position in the region is underlined by the fact that we are the only charity offering regulated L3 advice in the 148 miles between Peterborough and Middlesborough and also within a 50 mile westward line to Leeds.

CIAC did not seek any grant funding until after the successful outcome of the immigration law exams in July 2021. Upon becoming fully operational at OISC L3, CIAC partnered with Manuel Bravo Project and Leeds Refugee Forum, achieving a successful outcome at the end of 2021 for funding which started in April 2022, supporting a very different financial position for the 2022 annual review, which builds very substantially for 2023.

Funding from Justice Together Initiative enabled CIAC to obtain an office with interview space for complex, face to face client interactions plus covers 3 people on a 0.4 FTE basis (1.2 FTE). This is for the Principal Immigration Advisor, Legal Caseworker and Legal Assistant providing pro bono advice. Attendance at the office is on a strictly pre-arranged basis to minimise disruption with the main points of contact being the drop in, email and telephone. Extensive use of remote appointments remains vital for providing advice conveniently for many clients and also extends our geographical range. The discovery of remote service provision through Zoom and Teams is a positive legacy of the difficult Covid times.

Starting in May 2022, CIAC has provided second stage advice to the Pathway team dealing with vulnerable people with issues with their immigration status putting them at risk of homelessness and destitution.

Success with a National Lottery bid in November 2022 enabled the recruitment of a part time Advice Coordinator to support the operation of the direct access drop in and volunteer management.

Two University of Hull law students completed a year-long internship with CIAC in 2022. This was funded by Ian Pittaway. The skills and experience gained have proved invaluable with both obtaining full time employment with CIAC in 2023.

Although in July 2021, CIAC returned to limited attendance at the Open Doors drop-in on Thursdays, the effect of Covid was still felt. Two crucial members of the team had managed to avoid catching the disease until the Summer of 2022. Recovery for both took quite some time, impacting capacity and performance.

During 2022, at the Open Doors drop in, CIAC provided initial advice to 1049 people across 49 drop-in sessions. This compares with a total of 384 clients in 2021, but, due to Covid restrictions, face to face services only operated from July to December that year.

Page 2

Community Integration & Advocacy Centre

Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31st December 2022

Issues dealt with at the drop-in included advice on the asylum process, victims of slavery and trafficking, access to asylum support, accommodation issues, access to welfare benefits, family reunion, access to Legal Aid funded lawyers, signposting and access to health services as well as initial advice on other applications.

CIAC completed 91 pro bono (free) applications. Pro bono immigration applications ranged from further asylum submissions, human rights applications, EUSS applications with additional vulnerabilities, family reunion in special circumstances, removal of British Citizenship. In 2021 48 pro bono applications were submitted, including domestic violence applications.

In addition, on a pro bono basis, CIAC submitted 29 domestic violence applications for people residing across five Local Authorities. In 2021, 27 domestic violence applications were submitted.

CIAC's L3 advisor lodged 3 appeals with advice given on a further 19 appeal enquiries, submitted 5 bail applications and challenged 3 stage 1 deportation notices.

CIAC's income generation model is based on low cost, ethical immigration advice to people with recourse to public funds and/or the right to work supplementing our pro bono (free) immigration advice to people without recourse to public funds and without the right to work as a long term, sustainable route out of destitution. CIAC's Income Generation arm submitted 121 fee paying immigration applications realising an unrestricted income of £22,957. In comparison, 80 fee paying applications were completed generating an income of £15,470 in 2021.

CIAC s making significant progress financially and is outgrowing certain procedures. One of our funders has generously offered to provide a financial consultant in 2024 to enable a full revaluation of all relevant procures including identifying alternative banking arrangements with card reader to enable smoother payments for client invoices.

CIAC's ability to provide advice and services is greatly enhanced by our volunteer team of eleven people, representing nine nationalities and speaking eight languages. Fortnightly training in immigration law is provided to the team, increasing skills and employability.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Reserves policy

CIAC aims to allocate one month's operating costs per year to its reserves until six month's operating costs are held in reserve. The reserve fund will be capped at a maximum of £500,000. Reserves are defined, in line with Charity Commission guidance, as that part of a charity's unrestricted funds that is freely available to spend on any of the charity's purposes. It has not been possible to realise this aim for 2022.

Funds in deficit

The unrestricted fund is in deficit as a 31 December 2022 £1,208, 2021 (£6,720. As the charities operations complete after the successful gaining of OISC tier 3 status by key members of staff, it is expected that unrestricted income will increase and this fund will cease to be in deficit.

The accounts are prepared under the Receipts and Payments basis as allowed for under section 133 of the Charities Act 2011.

Page 3

Community Integration & Advocacy Centre

Report of the Trustees

for the year ended 31st December 2022

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust and constitutes an unincorporated charity.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

Trustees are recruited as the existing Board of Trustees identify skills gaps and decide on suitable people who will complement and enhance the skills and experience profile of the current Board.

Organisational structure

CIAC is managed by our Chief Executive Officer, Jayne Mercer. Jayne is responsible for the day to day management of the service.

CIAC would like to thank Diana Johnson MP for being our first patron.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity number

1170984

Principal address

c/o 69 Ella Street Hull HU5 3AJ

Trustees

Benjamin Butler Peter Burgess Angela Murden Lama Orabi Anna Grzybowska

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Independent Examiner

Smailes Goldie Chartered Accountants Regent's Court Princess Street Hull East Yorkshire HU2 8BA

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 31st October 2023 and signed on its behalf by:

Dr Benjamin Butler Trustee

Page 4

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Community Integration & Advocacy Centre

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Community Integration & Advocacy Centre

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Community Integration & Advocacy Centre (the Trust) for the year ended 31st December 2022.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under Section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all 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 Trust as required by Section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

2. the accounts 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.

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.

Stephen T Bramall BSc., FCA

Smailes Goldie Chartered Accountants Regent's Court Princess Street Hull East Yorkshire HU2 8BA

Date: 31 October 2023

Page 5

Community Integration & Advocacy Centre

Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31st December 2022

CIAC Accounts 2022

Income	Restricted	Unrestricted	Total	2021
	£	£	£	£
Grants	47,060	10,000	57,060	-
Donations	-	3,000	3,000	1,000
Fees from Chargeable Services	-	22,957	22,957	15,470
Miscellaneous	-	90	90	51
Total	47,060	36,047	83,106	16,521
Expenditure	Restricted	Unrestricted	Total	2021
	£	£	£	£
Sessional Worker	23,517	20,667	44,184	12,736
Supervision	-	-	-	-
Training	1,714	3,400	5,114	5,728
OISC registration	-	1,646	1,646	1,290
insurance	-	694	694	694
Legal resources	-	991	991	524
IT & communication - equipment	2,015	-	2,015	-
IT & communication - development & resources	-	1,229	1,229	1,157
Volunteer expenses	-	-	-	-
Travel	-	45	45	95
Post and stationery	-	107	107	92
Premises	2,913	-	2,913	-
Destitution	-	280	280	140
Miscellaneous	-	1,479	1,479	2015
Total	30,160	30,538	60,698	23,182
Excess of receipts over payment	16,900	5,511	22,412	(6,661)
Balance brought forward	9,380	(6,721)	2,659	9,320
Balance carried forward	26,280	(1,210)	25,071	2,659

Page 7

Community Integration & Advocacy Centre

Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31st December 2022

Assets: five laptops and three mobile phones

The cash balance at the year end was £25,071 (2021: £2,659).

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 31st October 2023 and were signed on its behalf by:

Dr Benjamin Butler Trustee

Thank you

The continuing success of CIAC would not be possible without help from the people and organisations named below:

Brid, Jane, Karen, Rosemary, Sana, Laszlo, Ayobami, Fiza, Hadeel, Ahmad, Faiqa and Tarek. Open Doors

Penny Edgar Pippa Robson Naomi Rosenberg British Red Cross University of Hull Ian Pittaway Hull City Council Hull CVS National Lottery Pathway Dame Diana Johnson MP and team Emma Hardy MP and team Karl Turner MP and team

Page 7