2024-06-19-accounts

ANNUAL REPORT For the period of 20.06.2023 to 19.06.2024

Introduction

1. TLC was founded in July 2013, by Leanne Targett-Parker, a family barrister, in response to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO), which ended much of the legal aid provided to persons within, among other areas, the family law arena. In January 2017, TLC was granted charitable status.

2. Temple Legal Centre (TLC) is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) (charity registration number 1171331 registered on 26.01.2017) with the following objectives:

3. a. To promote, for the public benefit, the sound administration of the law particularly, though not exclusively, by providing legal advice and assistance in family matters to individuals who are unable to secure such services from their own resources; and

4. b. To provide, for the benefit of the public, assistance through conciliation and mediation for families whose relationships appear to be breaking down, and where such relationships have already broken down, to advise and help in the settlement of differences or potential differences over associated matters such as custody and access to children, and other family matters.

Head Ofce/Venues

1. From 2013-2017, TLC was based at 10KBW Chambers in Inner Temple, London. In 2017, TLC moved to The Honourable Society of Inner Temple (Inner Temple), London. In early 2018, the Benchers of Inner Temple voted to provide TLC with a home in perpetuity. From 2019, due to Inner Temple’s building work, TLC held clinics at Lincoln’s Inn and Middle Temple both in London. From November 2019, TLC also held clinics at 7HS in Liverpool. In late March 2020, when the pandemic struck, TLC become an online service to ensure that services remained available. From September 2021, TLC joined forces with Spire Chambers based in Leeds, which not only provides a base for TLC in the North East but members of Spire provide legal advice at the weekly clinics. Therefore, TLC is now based in London, Liverpool and Leeds.

2. At the end of the pandemic restrictions, the trustees agreed to maintain TLC as an online service (appointments via Zoom or telephone), which enables TLC to provide a national service – having a base in Leeds has extended TLC’s geographical reach with clients having a base in the North East if any face-to-face appointments are considered more appropriate. Therefore, TLC has a face-to-face reach in the North West, North East and London as well as having a national reach remotely.

3. TLC had aimed to extend its reach in 2022-2023, however this was not realised due to the focus on appointing new trustees, which has been achieved. TLC has made attempts to have bases in each of the 6 legal circuits in England & Wales. In the period of 2022-2023 report, the aim was to achieve this within 2 years.

4. Unfortunately, despite attempts to extend TLC’s reach nationally, this has proved difficult on the grounds that TLC has approached, but not yet been able to secure the support of, prominent Chambers within the 3 remaining circuits (South West, Wales and the Midlands). The difficult appears to be securing the commitment from barristers to engage with TLC and provide legal advice to TLC. If this cannot be achieved, the Chambers’ clerks have difficulty in supporting TLC. The aim in 2024-2025, is to continue to engage with Chambers in those 3 remaining regions to establish TLC more nationally.

5. However, by TLC remaining as an online service, either telephone or video platform, as well as providing a face-to-face service when required, TLC is able to offer services from more advisors, to accommodate the needs of the clients individually and to a wider geographical area. By being online, TLC is able to provide services to clients with childcare and/or caring responsibilities, those who are particularly vulnerable and unable to travel either due to mental or physical disabilities or those who find it difficult to travel to clinics due to work commitments. It is clear that an online service is providing a more convenient and beneficial service for TLC’s clients. However, the online service and any need to hold in person sessions is regularly reviewed and often on a case-by-case basis by the Director.

6. In the relevant period, TLC reviewed whether reverting to a face-to-face service would be more accessible to clients especially those whose first language is not English, who are particularly vulnerable, or who would

just prefer face-to-face appointments. There have been no enquiries from clients in this period indicating that they are unable to attend an appointment unless it is face-to-face. However, if any enquiry were made for a face-to-face appointment, it would be facilitated in London, Liverpool or Leeds – the most convenient for the client. Further extension of the geographical reach of TLC (as set out above) will also assist clients requiring a face-to-face meeting.

Personnel

1. The patrons, trustees, advisors and volunteers are dedicated individuals who give up their own time to support and assist TLC. The Chair, on behalf of TLC, wishes to thank them all for their dedication, time and support.

Patrons

1. TLC has 2 patrons; Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss GBC, PC as its legal patron and Gillian Anderson as its non-legal patron.

Trustees

1. The trustees of TLC (unremunerated) in the relevant period are:

2. Leanne Targett-Parker (Chair and Treasurer);

3. Karina Fleet;

4. Michael Edwards; and

5. Celestine Greenwood.

6. Trustees are recruited through websites and personal recruitment by the existing trustees.

7. TLC is concerned – as are many charities – with the recruitment process and is aware that the current board remains small. An objective within 2024-2025, as it is every year, is to recruit at least 3 more trustees with appropriate skills particularly financial so that the Chair is not both the Chair and the Treasurer. Unfortunately, further trustees have not been able to be recruited and therefore there remains a constant campaign to recruit new trustees with a wide bank of skills.

8. Full trustee meetings are quarterly (March, June, September and December) with an AGM annually (January). Due to the size of the Board of Trustees, all issues and discussions are covered by all trustees including the representation panel. Leanne Targett-Parker oversees the running of TLC and liaises with the director on a regular basis particularly with regard to triaging clients. Karina Fleet oversees administration, Celestine Greenwood (and Vice-Chair) oversees IT and Michael Edwards oversees advisor and volunteer recruitment. All other roles are shares between the trustees. This will be further reviewed once new trustees have been appointed. All meetings are convened remotely due to the geographic spread of the trustees.

Director

1. TLC has a director, Andrew Brown[1] , who is also a volunteer (up to July 2020 was a paid on a contract of services basis). Andrew donates approximately 5 hours per week to TLC. This includes the day-to-day administration of TLC and running the clinics on Monday evenings.

2. TLC is immensely grateful for his dedication and hard work.

3. A programme of further recruitment and for funding for TLC was in place however has not been particularly successful within the relevant period and the trustees are planning to reinvigorate this programme of funding and recruitment in the period of 2024-2025.

Advisors

1. All advisors are unremunerated.

2. All advisors are qualified solicitors or barristers experienced in family law.

3. Advisors provide the legal advice to clients on a weekly basis, supported by volunteers and the Director.

4. In the relevant period, TLC had 17 advisors providing weekly advice sessions (an increase of 1 (6.25%) from the period of 2022-2023.

1 Andrew Brown was appointed interim director in July 2018. As set out in the annual return for 2018-2019, Andrew Brown is Leanne Targett-Parker’s husband. This was disclosed at the meeting when Andrew was appointed interim director.

1. TLC is immensely grateful to all advisors who give their precious time freely to support TLC. Without them, TLC would only be able to function with a very limited service.

2. Further recruitment of advisors is ongoing. The premise being the more advisors available the less onerous the commitment, which should be an incentive to new advisors when everyone’s free time is so precious.

3. There is a distinct shortage of advisors who are able to advise on financial matters or on both children and financial matters causing a burden to the ones who are able to offer this advice or alternatively, clients have to wait a longer period for a session to obtain the most relevant advice.

Volunteers

1. All volunteers are unremunerated.

2. All volunteers are persons interested in the law and in particular family law. They are students, paralegals, trainees or pupils.

3. The volunteers attend each clinic supporting an advisor by taking notes of the instructions provided and advice given, researching relevant forms, information or legal issues and other assistance required by either the advisor or the Director. Save for attending the clinics, the volunteers do not interface with the clients. Permission is always sought from the client that they are consent for the volunteer to attend the session guaranteeing the same client confidentiality as the advisor gives.

4. TLC provides hands on training and mentoring to its volunteers including reviews of the clinics where unusual or complex issues are raised. TLC is proud of the number of volunteers who wish to assist the clinics and hopes that this mentoring programme can develop and expand attracting and assisting lawyers in training.

5. In the relevant period, there were 26 volunteers assisting TLC. This is a significant increase from 20222023 when there were 19 (increase of 7 or 36.8%). Predominantly, the source of volunteers is through universities as part of their pro bono programmes including the University of Law and Liverpool University (School of Law). Some volunteers attend for one session as part of their course (the pro bono element) and others volunteer on a long-term basis.

Banking

1. TLC banks with Lloyds Bank (Account number 27364568 sort code 30-99-15) and has done so since 15.01.2018. The signatory is Leanne Targett-Parker as the Chair and Treasurer. Once a trustee is appointed as Treasurer the banking mandate will be varied to include the Treasurer as the primary signatory with Leanne Targett-Parker remaining a secondary signatory.

2. Online banking is used. In February 2020, a debit card for Leanne Targett-Parker was applied for. There is no overdraft facility and TLC has no debts.

3. Lloyds bank now provides the facility of an accounting app as part of their provision for a business account, which will be used in future. This is a true asset as other apps would have to be paid for (approximately £36pm) and therefore outside TLC’s budgetary constraints.

Funding

1. Funding is from individual donations and grants.

2. Stage 3/3 of the grant from the Eleanor Rathbone Trust of £2,000 was received on 03.11.2023.

3. The accounts set out how this funding has been spent (see Annex 2).

4. The balance of TLC’s bank account as at 19.06.2024, was £1,619.50. The accounts reflect the expenses to be paid to Leanne Targett-Parker (for the payment to EcoHosting and Advice UK membership) but which have not been claimed/paid in the relevant period and so are not reflected in the bank account (see P&L Account).

5. TLC does not have a savings account or investments due to the low balances in the bank account and the need to make payments on a monthly basis for disbursements.

6. TLC is insured for professional indemnity insurance with AdviceUK. TLC is a member of AdviceUK[2] . 28. TLC is registered and fully paid up with the ICO[3] .

2 htps://portal.adviceuk.org.uk/s/searchdirectory?id=a2n4J0000002KtY

3 htps://ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/Entry/ZA459307

1. TLC is exceptionally proud that it managed financially throughout the period of the pandemic and beyond without a loss of service to its clients – new and existing – and continues to do so without a stable income stream. The trustees considered that this was a major achievement for TLC in the circumstances and all involved with TLC should be proud of their contributions.

2. Funding is the joint most important issue, along with trustee recruitment, for 2024/2025.

Website

1. The website designed (by Citrus Suite) and activated in 2021, continues to work. It does requires some updating. However, in November 2023, Citrus Suite was commissioned to include a database on the grounds that the previous database used namely Intralinks, provided as part of the membership of LawWorks, was no longer being supported by LawWorks and no longer available to TLC. Citrus Suite proceeded with this database however there have been difficulties in this database. The database held TLC’s data however the director did not consider that it was user friendly for the advisors and volunteers and therefore was not fit for purpose. This is working progress to rectify this.

2. TLC considers that there should be a further review of its IT provision.

3. Part of the website upgrade, clients are able to complete the online application form for an appointment. However, clients without access to or the ability to access the internet or have other vulnerabilities preventing them accessing the online application form are supported by the Director. Assistance is provided by phone or in person (though rare) to assist with the application process. TLC does

everything it can to enable all clients, whatever their skills, resources and position to access advice through TLC.

Clinics

1. Before, throughout and post-pandemic, TLC has provided weekly clinics to ensure that the service has been uninterrupted. Due to staffing, TLC does not hold clinics during the school holidays. However, this is something TLC is considering when securing further administrative services.

2. All clinics are held on Monday evenings from 6pm to 9pm with each client being given an appointment for 30 minutes. No ‘turn-up’ clinic is run as this is technically impossible (unlike pre-pandemic when clinics were face-to-face) and ensures that all clients are appropriately advised especially as TLC has some advisors who advise on financial issues and others who advise on children matters (only a few advisors are prepared to advise on both areas of law). Without triaging the clients and booking them onto the correct session, clients could attend and not be provided with adequate advice, which is too stressful for the clients to contemplate and a waste of time for the advisors.

3. Each client spends up to 30 minutes with an advisor to give instructions and be provided with advice. This advice can take the form of supporting and advising on upcoming hearings, advising on and assisting with applications, assisting with responding to documents either from the other party/ies and/or court orders and general advice for potential situations such as relationships ending, how issues such as finances and the children are resolved without resulting to court proceedings and seeking ‘contact’ (spending time with) with their children. Further appointments are offered on a necessary and proportionate basis. There is a 3

sessions limit however TLC seeks to advise clients in their best interests and this is often overruled to ensure that the clients’ needs are met throughout their issue/proceedings.

1. It is always considered by TLC that a client should be taken through the procedure, particularly if within proceedings, stage by stage and this works better if appointments are given at each stage of the proceedings to go over what has happened at the last hearing and to prepare the client for the next hearing. Depending on the number of hearings listed this cannot be completed within 3 sessions and would leave the client without advice towards the end, and often the more complicated part, of proceedings.

2. The 3 sessions moratorium is often implemented if clients are returning to TLC when they have not applied the advice given at the previous appointment (and therefore the same advice is being provided again and again) or where an appointment has been given when at triage is it considered that this client may not meet TLC’s eligibility criteria but the benefit of the doubt is given and they do not apply either regarding the means testing or the advice being sought.

3. Although there is a policy of providing up to 3 sessions to a client, this is always undertaken on a pragmatic basis. TLC has the policy that it would rather provide advice when a client does not always meet the criteria rather than not give advice to a client who needs it and may have otherwise ‘slipped through the net’.

4. Clients are referred to TLC from other agencies such as Support Through Court, Citizens’ Advice, other legal advice/law centres, court publicity and through the website/internet. TLC aims to increase its visibility in 2024/2025 especially with a presence in the other 3 legal circuits.

5. In the relevant period, TLC held 39[4] sessions, a significant increase on the previous year of 18.2%. However, the period of 2021/2022 was an exceptional year with an increase of 66% on the year 2020/2021. Therefore, the period of 2023-2024 is an increase on the fabulous year of 2021/2022 (which included the expansion to Spire Chambers in Leeds) of 11.4%. Despite the difficulties TLC has had with expanding across the regions, securing additional trustees and advisors and securing additional funding, TLC continues to service more and more clients. In a ratio of funding to client, TLC is hugely efficient. In securing funding in the future will only show how many clients TLC can service and the positive impact TLC can make.

6. In previous report, TLC has segregated clients for the 3 regions. However, as TLC works more holistically and nationally, this is no longer recorded. TLC provides a service on a national basis with its 3 current bases; London, Liverpool and Leeds.

7. During those 39 sessions 128 clients were provided with advice. This is again an increase on 2022/2023 of 12.3%. There was a decrease in 2022/2023 of 29 clients/20% in clients from the period of 2021/2022[5] . TLC has not returned to the height of the number of clients seen in 2020/2021 (during the pandemic/exceptional circumstances) but it is slowly increasing again.

4 In 2020/2021 TLC held 21 sessions; 2021/2022 held 35 sessions and in 2022/2023 held 33 sessions.

5 In 2022/2023 TLC saw 114 clients, in 2021/2022 TLC saw 143 clients and in 2020/2021 TLC saw 154 clients.

1. All of the clients seen are considered to be vulnerable in light of having, at the least, disputes with partners/ex-partners. Clients also present with other vulnerabilities including but not exhaustively disabilities, mental health and homelessness. Further, a considerable number of TLC’s clients do not have English as their first language. Consideration is to be given to working or setting up an interpretation service to assist clients with language barriers to access advice.

2. TLC monitors its clients’ diversity factors, which are as set out at Annex 1. There are no significant changes in the diversity monitoring, which would give TLC concerns save for the following commentary:

3. a. Gender – an increase in not disclosing gender (in % over the last 3 years 14, 11 and 7);

4. b. Age – little change in that most age groups seeking advice are 25-34; 35-44 and 45-54 – the times when couples have children and when relationships break down. In 2023/2024 there has been an increase in the age groups 35-44 and 45-54 seeking advice and a decrease in the 25-34 and 55-64 age groups;

5. c. Income – as expected in that clients on benefits/low incomes are most vulnerable but there is a year-on-year increase in those earning above £30k, which could be explained by the possibility that those of (relatively) higher salaries are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis (in % over the last 3 years 18, 8 and 2);

6. d. Disability – an increase in those who consider they are disabled (from 13& to 20%) but still a decrease since 2021/2022 of 23%. However, this is only slightly above the national average of 17.7% in 2021[6] . This is not of concern considering TLC services clients who are vulnerable and on

6 htps://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulatonandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandwellbeing/bulletns/disabilityenglandandwales/census2021#:~:text=In %20England%2C%20in%202021%2C%20a,(23.4%25%2C%20696%2C000).

low incomes and as this is a means tested resource and it is not surprising that the disability rate/vulnerable persons is higher than the national average.

Aims and Objectives

1. TLC’s objectives and aims for the relevant period were as follows:

2. a. Increase funding – not achieved;

3. b. Set up a dedicated mediation programme – work-in-progress;

4. c. Increase advisors – additional advisors secured;

5. d. Increase volunteers – additional volunteers secured;

6. e. Increase clients seen – 90[7] new clients seen with 38 existing client a total of 128 clients. This is an increase in new clients of 2.3%.

7. f. decrease of new clients on 2021/2022 by 27% (see paragraph 38 above) but an increase of 13% on existing clients. This may be reflective of the increase in the length of time to reach a final order in private law family matters[8] .

8. g. Increase sessions – this is currently under review as this would mean increasing the nights sessions are undertaken as sessions are already every Monday. A recruitment campaign of advisors and volunteers is required before the increase in sessions can be successful.

9. h. Increase clinics geographically – not achieved.

10. i. Appointment of a Vice-Chair – achieved.

7 In 2022/2023 88 new clients were seen. 8 htps://www.gov.uk/government/statstcs/family-court-statstcs-quarterly-july-to-september-2022/family-court-statstcs-quarterly-july-to-september-2022#childrenact---private-law

1. The aims and objectives for 2023/2024 are as follows:

2. a. Increase the number of trustees with wide ranging skill sets;

3. b. Appointment of a Treasurer;

4. c. Secure funding in grants and donations;

5. d. Expand TLC into the 3 remaining legal circuits namely Wales, Midland and Western;

6. e. Increase advisors and volunteers;

7. f. Increase TLC’s national visibility;

8. g. Increase number of new clients;

9. h. Mediation programme – in collaboration or set up within TLC;

10. i. Research and consider an interpretation/translation service; and

Leanne Targett-Parker

Chair of the Board of Trustees

13.04.2025

Annex 1 - Diversity Monitoring Records for the period of 20.06.2023 to 19.06.2024

(Comparison 2023/2024; 2022/2023; 2021/2022)

In %

Description	Ethnic Origin	Age	Gender	Income	Disability
Mixed Race	1, 0, 4
Asian	3, 1, 0
White Other	9, 4, 8
Arab	2, 0, 1
Bangladeshi	0, 2, 0
Black	9, 11, 7
White UK	59, 63, 63
Indian	1, 4, 2
Latin American	1, 0, 0
Pakistani	1, 0, 2
Other	1, 0, 1
Did Not Declare	13, 13, 12	15, 18, 13	14, 11, 7	12, 12, 13	11, 11, 15
18-24		2, 5, 2
25-34		19, 29, 27

35-44		28, 20, 24
45-54		28, 16, 24
55-64		7, 11, 7
Over 65		1, 1, 3
Female			40, 55, 55
Male			46, 33, 38
Below £17k				53, 57, 62
£17k-£20k				7, 4, 8
£21k-25k				6, 9, 9
£26k-£30k				4, 5, 6
£30k +				18, 8, 2
Disabled					20, 13, 23
Not Disabled					69, 76, 62
Total %	100, 100, 100	100, 100, 100	100, 100, 100	100, 100, 100	100, 100, 100

Annex 2 – Financial Accounts for the period of 20.06.2023 to 19.06.2024

(Comparisons with 2020/2021, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023)

	Description	20.06.2020- 19.06.2021	20.06.2021- 19.06.2022	20.06.2022- 19.06.2023	20.06.2023- 20.06.2024
INCOME
	Donations	200.00	0	0	0
	Grants	7,000.00	0	2,000.00	2,000.00
	Total	7,200.00	0	2,000.00	2,000.00
EXPENDITUR E
	Administrative Services (Director’s Salary)	550.00	0	0	0
	Bank charges	1.01	1.93	2.03	0
	Mobile Phone	169.96	185.91	199.70	211.80
	Insurance	753.00	0	828.00	1,656.00
	IT & Technical Provisions	63.72	320.87	655.10	843.86

	Membership (Advice UK & ICO)	129.00	167.00	174.00	181.00
	Subscriptions	71.88	0	0	0
	Website	3,600.00	0	0	0
	Total	5,338.57	675.71	1858.83	2,892.66
	PROFIT/LOSS	1,861.43	-675.71	141.17	-892.66