1
## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT**
**1[st] April 2023 – 31[st] March 2024**
_Celebrating 28 Years of Helping to prevent homelessness_
**The Office 2[nd] Floor, The Hub, Easton Street, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP11 1NJ**
**EMAIL: info@wycrent.org.uk TELEPHONE: 01494 528557 www.wrdgs.org.uk**
**Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation - No. 1171222**
## **1 Objectives and Activities**
The Wycombe Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme (WRDGS) is a charity set up for the relief of poverty amongst people who are homeless or inadequately housed in the Wycombe area. The Scheme provides guarantees for rent deposits, and other assistance on behalf of said persons who are in need of accommodation and who would otherwise be unable to secure accommodation in the Wycombe area.
The actions taken by the Scheme to meet its objectives include:
**1.** Providing a guarantee as an alternative to the cash deposit normally required by a landlord to secure a tenancy. The landlords can claim against the guarantee if they would be entitled to make deductions from a pre-paid deposit. This can help those who are able to pay rent, for example if they qualify for Universal Credit Housing Costs, but who cannot afford a deposit.
2. Maintaining and sustaining existing tenancies by liaising with tenants, landlords, benefits agencies and other support bodies to pre-empt and address issues threatening a tenancy.
3. Giving free, confidential advice on housing-related matters.
## **2 Background**
The early planning stages of the Scheme were started in 1995 by a partnership between the members of The Wycombe District Council Housing Forum and The Source Group - a lay ecumenical Christian covenant community based in High Wycombe.
The Charity was registered in 1996 as a charitable trust but converted to being a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) for the year 2017-18. The charitable objects, staff and trustees remained the same, but a CIO is the recommended legal structure for a small charity like WRDGS.
At WRDGS’ inception it was agreed that Wycombe District Council (WDC) would provide an annual grant to pay for on-costs (the costs of employing staff), the churches of High Wycombe would contribute towards running costs and The Guinness Partnership Limited would set aside £30,000 to cover the guarantees.
WRDGS applies for an annual grant from the Council (which is now Buckinghamshire Council (BC)). The Council grant no longer fully covers on-costs, so the Scheme has to raise money from other grants, donations and fund-raising activities.
## **3 Achievements and Performance in 2023-24**
In our area, the last 3 years have seen a rise in private rental prices of 31%. As Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates have been frozen for 3 years, the gap between LHA rates and private sector market rents has grown even wider.
This, together with the rise in the cost of living, has meant that our clients have really struggled to source affordable accommodation. Although we still managed to house 52 households, we have seen a large increase in our tenancy sustainment and rescue work.
We are helping Buckinghamshire Council implement their Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy. Our Operations’ Manager is Chair of the Rough Sleepers Core Group, which is a multi-agency group that meets fortnightly and assists rough sleepers to access suitable and
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appropriate housing. Using funds from the Rough Sleepers Initiative (a grant provided to BC by the Government), we assisted rough sleepers on their homelessness journey by either paying a month’s rent in advance or repaying previous arrears so they can access our local hostels. After a period of stability, we can then help them to find an affordable property in the private sector and can pay their first month’s rent and deposit. We also offer ongoing support to help them maintain their tenancy.
We also continued to provide specialist advice at Wycombe Homeless Connection’s weekly Legal Housing Clinic.
## **4 People helped by the Scheme in 2023-24**
By the end of 2023-2024, the Scheme had HOUSED 1792 households, a total of 1965 adults and 759 children housed. Of these, 38 households (38 Adults and 2 children) were new to the Scheme and 12 households (12 Adults and 0 children) renewed their tenancies with the help of the Scheme.
By the end 2023-2024, the Scheme had RESCUED 706 clients’ tenancies. Of these 23 were new in 2023-2024. We have also helped to SUSTAIN 62 tenancies in order to keep clients in their accommodation who would have been at risk of becoming homeless.
## **The following case studies are based on real people, although names and details have been changed to preserve anonymity. Much of the work that we do is more complicated than simply housing someone:**
## Housed
A client was verified as sleeping rough due to a relationship breakdown. He was placed in emergency accommodation where he managed his tenancy really well. He was referred to us as he had a bad credit rating and was in receipt of benefits. He had proved that he was ready to live independently but kept failing referencing checks. We persuaded a landlord to give him a chance and, using funds from the Rough Sleepers Initiative, paid his first month’s rent in advance, covered his deposit and bought him some furniture. The landlord is very pleased with him and has just renewed his tenancy.
## Housed Twice
We housed a client from a local hostel into a studio flat. Unfortunately, her Universal Credit claim was unfairly restricted which led to substantial rent arrears. We reassured her landlord that we would resolve the situation, so he postponed her eviction. After 9 months of negotiations, the DWP finally reassessed her claim and backdated her housing costs, which cleared her arrears. She then had a child and as the studio was now unsuitable, we helped her successfully apply for social housing. The landlord then re-let the property to another of our homeless clients.
## Rescued Housed and Employed
A recently unemployed client was referred to us from the local Job Club as it appeared that her landlord was trying to illegally evict her. We supported her to claim Universal Credit and negotiated with her landlord to stop the illegal eviction. This gave us time to help her find a new property. We also heard of a local job vacancy that may suit her. She successfully applied for the job and is now no longer claiming benefits.
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## **5 Organisations who referred Clients to WRDGS during 2023-24**
Buckinghamshire Council Housing Options Team
Buckinghamshire Council Customer Services Centre
Buckinghamshire Social Care
Citizens Advice Bureau
Connection Floating Support and RESET Services
Chiltern Adult Mental Health Team GP Surgeries - Social Prescribers
H.M. Prison
Job Centre Plus Oasis Partnership
Old Tea Warehouse
One YMCA
Padstones Probation
Private Sector Landlords
P3 Housing Support Service Saunderton Lodge Hostel Thames Valley Police
Wycombe Homeless Connection Wycombe Women’s Aid
Youth Enquiry Service
## **6 Organisations to whom WRDGS referred clients to during 2023-24**
Buckinghamshire Council (buckinghamshire.gov.uk)
Central Aid Society (central-aid.org.uk)
Wycombe Homeless Connection (www.wyhoc.org.uk)
P3 - Changing lives every day (p3charity.org) Connection Support (connectionsupport.org.uk)
Vicars Relief Fund - St Martin-in-the-Fields | Supporting people away from homelessness (smitfc.org)
One YMCA High Wycombe Hostel (oneymca.org.uk)
Old Tea Warehouse (riverside.org.uk)
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## **7 Financial Review**
In the 2023-24 financial year the total value of new guarantees written by the scheme was £8,333.44. By the end of 2023-24 the total value of Guarantees written by the Scheme since its inception was £ 440,594.48 with a total claim pay out of £4,863.26. This makes the Scheme’s average claim rate 1.10%
## **Review of the Charity’s Financial Position at the end of the Period**
During 2023-24 the Scheme’s operation was financed by grants from:
- Buckinghamshire Council
- National Lottery Community Fund
- Albert Hunt Trust
- Rothschild Foundation (£10,000 per year for 3 years)
- Leathersellers Foundation
- Squared Up – matched funding
- Downley Parish Council
- local churches
- private donors
- fund-raising events.
We are very grateful to all of our donors and the effort people put in to raising funds for us. One lady made glass angels and sold them at craft fayres, others helped with our Tombola at a local fair (Downley Day) and many people kindly gave us extra donations around Christmas.
Apart from the funding which we needed in order to keep running, Buckinghamshire Council passed on to us money from a restricted grant which they had received from the Government to help to house those who are particularly difficult to house (the Move on Prevention Fund). We already received a restricted fund in 22-23 from the Council from the Rough Sleepers’ Initiative fund and we spent £19,315 of this during the year. Amongst other things, this has enabled us to pay off people’s rent arrears, give them money for their first month’s rent in advance, pay cash deposits if required and to buy essential furniture (eg. beds).
WRDGS has the following funds ear-marked for specific uses. These are documented on the Balance Sheet of the annual accounts.
- a) Restricted fund from the Deposit Protection Service for rent in advance payments and other expenses needed to help people into housing.
- b) Restricted fund from the Move on Prevention Scheme to be used to house those who are particularly difficult to house.
- c) Restricted fund from the Rough Sleepers Initiative to be used to house people.
- d) Fund to cover our statutory redundancy liabilities if our staff had to be made redundant.
- e) Fund to cover 26 weeks statutory sick pay.
- f) £2,000 given to the Scheme by Guinness Partnership Ltd in the early days to alleviate cash flow problems. It is kept aside to enable a quick payout of a claim on a deposit guarantee while the Scheme waits for Guinness to pay the claim. It is not restricted.
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## **Funding for the Future**
It is estimated that WRDGS will need £88,500 to run during the year 2024-25 (including money required to top-up its statutory liabilities for possible redundancy and sick pay).
Before the end of 2023-24, WRDGS had secured a grant from Buckinghamshire Council of £62,500 for 2024–25. This grant has remained the same since 2014 so a request for an increase will again be made during the next financial year.
Our fundraising was very successful towards the end of 23-24 and we secured some large grants as well as receiving much support from our local community which was very heartening. This means that we had £41,932 undesignated reserves at the end of 23-24 which meant that we could start 2024 in a more comfortable position than we started 2023.
WRDGS was noted as a key partner in Wycombe District Council’s Homelessness Strategy and has continued to collaborate with Buckinghamshire Council as it did with Wycombe District Council.
## **Policy for holding reserves and amounts at end of 2023–24**
WRDGS has the following reserves:
- Liability for Statutory Redundancy Pay if staff had to be made redundant: £35,728
- Liability for 26 weeks’ Statutory Sick Pay for one member of staff: £2,844
- Money from Guinness Partnership - reserved for guarantees: £2,000. (Guinness Partnership Ltd holds a further £28,000 for guarantees in its bank account)
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## **8 Structure, Governance and Management**
WRDGS is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) whose governing document is a constitution. As well as individual people applying to be trustees, the following organisations can nominate trustees for the charity:
- Buckinghamshire Council,
- Guinness Partnership Ltd.,
- Churches Together High Wycombe,
- The Youth Enquiry Service,
- The Citizen’s Advice Bureau.
The Scheme is managed by a steering committee comprising the trustees and its two members of staff.
## **The Scheme’s Steering Committee during 2023-24**
**Catriona Plummer** Trustee nominated by Churches Together High Wycombe (Chair of trustees) **Cllr. Paul Turner** Trustee nominated by Buckinghamshire Council **Nancy Bradshaw** Trustee (Fundraising) **Clive Bradshaw** Trustee (Secretary) **Eddie Maguire** Trustee (Treasurer) **Phil Thomas** Operations Manager (paid member of staff) **Tracey Thomas** Client Servicing Officer (paid member of staff).
The trustees would like to thank the following people who donated their services free of charge:
**Anthony Pearmain** – Web site design and IT Consultant @ StratMetrix
**Sharon Marshall -** Keeping Books 4 U (Payroll)
**Steven Potts –** Independent Examiner of End of Year Accounts
We are very grateful to our many donors during 2023-24 who continued to support us in spite of the cost-of-living crisis.
## **9 Future Aims of the Scheme**
- To recruit more accommodation providers.
- To secure permanent long-term funding to ensure a more secure financial position; to increase our general unrestricted reserves.
- To improve the conditions in private rented accommodation, especially Houses of Multiple Occupation, by ensuring that reasonable standards are met.
- To recognise that, when seeking accommodation, certain groups and individuals are discriminated against and to oppose such discrimination.
- Through good management to maintain our low claim rate.
- To strive to improve our service.
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## **THE WYCOMBE RENT DEPOSIT GUARANTEE SCHEME STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31st MARCH 2024**
|**INCOME AND EXPENDITURE**
**Note**
**INCOME**
Donations inc Lotto
2
Gift Aid Tax Refund
BC Grant
3
Other Income & Grants
4
COIF Deposit Interest
Bank Interest
**TOTAL INCOME (To Run The Organisation)**
Restricted Funds for Housing People
7
**TOTAL OVERALL INCOME**
**EXPENDITURE**
Salaries & On-costs
Printing, Postage & Stationery
Telephone / IT
Travel & Parking
Subscriptions
Bank Charges
Rent
Insurance
PPE Equipment
Other
**TOTAL EXPENDITURE (RUNNING COSTS)**
Payments from Restricted Funds for Housing People
**TOTAL OVERALL EXPENDITURE**
**NET SURPLUS (DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR (RUNNING COSTS)**
**OVERALL NET SURPLUS (DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR**|**Total**
**31-Mar-24**
9,321
80
62,500
42,000
476
533
**114,910**
31623
**146,533**
75,683
96
1,057
129
295
120
3,960
684
0
46
**82,070**
19,315
**101,385**
**32,840**
**45,148**|**Total**
**31-Mar-23**
2,380
782
62,500
0
176
135
**65,973**
53590
**119,564**
71,563
87
884
127
295
121
3,810
860
0
66
**77,813**
16,359
**94,172**
**(11,840)**
**25,392**|
|---|---|---|
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 30.11.2024
and signed on its behalf by C.A.Plummer - Chairman
WRDGS Accounts 2023/24
Page 1 of 5
## **THE WYCOMBE RENT DEPOSIT GUARANTEE SCHEME**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31st MARCH 2024**
|**BALANCE SHEET**
**Note**
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Current Account
COIF Deposit
RIA Account
Debtors & Prepayments
5
**CURRENT LIABILITIES**
Creditors & Accruals
6
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**NET ASSETS**
**FUNDS**
Guinness Fund
Redundancy Reserve
SSP Reserve
Other restricted funds (Move on Prevention)
7(b) & 8
(Rough Sleepers Initiative)
7(b) & 8
(BGS)
7(b) & 8
DPS fund
7(b) & 8
Undesignated Reserves
7(a)|**£**
**£**
73,388
10,000
46,116
0
129,504
124
124
129,380
129,380
2,000
35,728
2,844
31,547
14,351
0
978
41,932
129,380
**31-Mar-24**|**£**
**£**
30,019
10,000
45,803
280
86,102
1,869
1,869
84,233
84,233
2,000
31,700
2,583
33,591
11,235
978
2,146
84,233
**31-Mar-23**|
|---|---|---|
WRDGS Accounts 2023/24
Page 2 of 5
## **THE WYCOMBE RENT DEPOSIT GUARANTEE SCHEME**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31/03/2024**
## 1) **ACCOUNTING POLICIES General**
These accounts have been prepared under the historic cost convention and in accordance with applicable accounting standards and Statement of Recommended Practice on Accounting by Charities
## 2) **DONATIONS (Incl Lotto)**
|Total Donations
Lotto
Donors
S.Connolly
Anon
N Hanbury
St Peter's Church Loudwater
W&C Plummer
Anon
M Sylvester
P Neale
K Russell
Union Baptist Church
St Augustine's Church
St Anne's Church
Downley Day
St Wulstan
Our Lady of Grace
C&W Bunting
P.Hogwood
J.Briggs
M.Bull
Downley Parish
Anon
P.Priestley
Collection at Wycombe Swan Theatre
Anon
V.Brewster
Anon
E.Ball
G&H Dodgson
EASY FUNDRAISING
Amazon
Gallagher
P.Crotty
Giveasyoulive
Online Giving (Kanadoo & Goodhub)
**TOTAL**
* **Breakdown of online giving**
Squared Up match funding
E. Maguire
V. Barkaway
Anon
Anon
P. Priestley
B. Daly
D. Harvey
M. Patterson
J.Moore
Platform charges
**Actual Received**|**£**
9277
44
9321
150
100
120
450
1490
20
20
100
10
1000
556
500
385
236
203
240
240
180
100
100
100
120
75
50
50
50
70
60
84
28
700
20
17
1653 *
**9277**
1350
100
90
50
60
30
20
15
12
10
-84
**1653**|
|---|---|
WRDGS Accounts 2023/24
Page 3 of 5
## **THE WYCOMBE RENT DEPOSIT GUARANTEE SCHEME**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31/03/2024**
|3)
**BC GRANT**
Used towards staff salaries and on costs.|**62500**|
|---|---|
|4)
**OTHER INCOME & GRANTS**
The Albert Hunt Trust
Rothschild Foundation
The National Lottery Community Fund
The Leathersellers Foundation
**Total**
5)
**DEBTORS**
6)
**CREDITORS**
P Thomas Expenses|£
7000
10000
20000
5000
**42000**
£
0
0
**£**
124
124|
|---|---|
WRDGS Accounts 2023/24
Page 4 of 5
**7) MOVEMENTS IN FUNDS AND RESERVES**
## **THE WYCOMBE RENT DEPOSIT GUARANTEE SCHEME**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31st MARCH 2024 Notes**
|7(a)
7(b)
7(c)|**Designated Reserves**
**O/Bal 1 April 2023**
Movement in reserves / designated funds in the year
**C/Bal 31 Mar 24**
**Restricted Funds**
Presented combined in 22/23 accounts …....**O/Bal 1 April 2023**
Receipts 23/24
Payments 23/24
Movement in reserves / designated funds in the year**Note 8(a)**
**C/Bal 31 Mar 24**
**Undesignated Funds**
**O/Bal 1 April 2023**
Net surplus for year
Movement to Statutory Redundancy and SSP reserves
Movement to undesignated reserve from BC Grant Scheme|**SSP**
**Redundancy**
**Guinness**
**Total**
**2,583**
**31,700**
**2,000**
**36,283**
261
4,028
0
**4,289**
**2,844**
**35,728**
**2,000**
**40,572**
**BGS**
**DPS**
**MOP**
**RSI**
**Total**|
|---|---|---|
|||**11,235**
**978**
**33,590**
**45,804**|
|||
31,547
76
**31,623**
(19,315)
**(19,315)**
(11,235)
**(11,235)**|
|||**0**
**978**
**31,547**
**14,351**
**46,876**|
|||**2,146**
32,840
(4,289)
11,235
**41,932**|
|**RESTRICT**
8(a)
8(b)
8(c)
8(d)|**ED FUNDS - GRANTS, PURPOSES & HISTORY**
Grants to relieve homelessness, for specific actions or with specific constraints (i.e. not for running the charity)
BC Grant Scheme: restricted fund received from Buckinghamshire Council, primarily to pay rent in advance.**Restrictions removed by the**
**Council in 23-24 and fund transferred to undesignated reserves.**
DPS - Restricted fund donated by the Deposit Protection Service to assist with housing homeless people.
BC MOP - Move on Prevention fund with restrictions defined by the Government and has to be used to house people who are particularly difficult
to house.
RSI – Rough Sleepers Initiative funding allocated to WRDGS by Buckinghamshire Council from a restricted grant which they received from the
Government to be used to house people who are homeless.|**Receipts**
**Spend**
50,000
(45,551)
10,000
(9,022)
**81 Payments**
**2018-21/22**|**Receipts**
**Spend**
23,147
(16,360)
33,590
**47 Payments**
**Years**
**2022/23**|**Receipts**
**Spend**
31,547
76
(19,315)
**42 Payments**
**2023/24**|**Remaining**
**11,235**
**978**
**31,547**
**14,351**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
## 8) **RESTRICTED FUNDS - GRANTS, PURPOSES & HISTORY**
WRDGS Accounts 2023/24
Page 5 of 5
CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's report on the
accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
Report to the trusteesl
members of
Wycombe Rent Deposit Guarantee S¢heme
On accounts for the year
ended
31 March 2024
Charity no
(if any)
1171222
Set out on pages
I report to thè trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity (Ihe TrusVI for the year endeil 3110312024.
Responslbllltlos and
basis of report
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for th8 preparation of th8
accounts in accordance wilh the requireménts ofth8 Charities Act 2011
{he Act").
I report in resp8Ct of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of tho 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I
have followed all th8 applicable Directions giv8n by th8 Charity Commission
under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent I hav& completed my 8xamination. I confirm thal no material matters have
examiner's statement com8 to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me
cause to believe that in, any material respect:
the accounting records were not k8Pt in accordance with section 130
of the Charities Act. or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or
the accounts did not comply with the applicablé requiremants
conceming the fomi and wntent ofaccounts Set out in the Challties
(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any rèquirement
thal the accounls give a 'true and fair view which is not a matter
oonsidered as part of an indep8nd8nt examination.
I have no COnm8 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 th8 accounts to be reached.
Please delete the words in the brackets il they do not apply.
Slgned:
Date:
li
Nam•:
Steven Robert Potts
Relevant professlonal
quallficatlon(s) or body
(rf any):
FCCA
Address:
15 Hylton Road, High Wycombe, Bucks HP12 4BZ
IER
Oct 2018