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2024-03-31-accounts

Trustees Annual Report 2023-24 Prepared by Jared Hodgson, CEO

2023-2024 PAGE 1

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

INTRODUCTION FROM CHAIR

BY STEVE WATSON, CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

It is with great pride and a profound sense of responsibility that I introduce the 2023-2024 Annual Report for Hope at Home. When I joined Hope at Home last year, I was impressed with the quality of the governance, the structure, the processes and the plan. It quickly became clear to me that Hope at Home ‘punched well above its weight’, as demonstrated through its impact.

The hidden crime of modern slavery continues to affect thousands within our communities; many of them risk moving back into exploitative situations, or un-safe accommodation. It falls on all of us to act on our moral responsibility; to not only talk or campaign or tweet – but to actually do something about this. Hope at Home believes that no survivor of slavery should have to sleep on the streets. Hence, we act.

However, I was most impressed by the heart, compassion, and determination of its people. From the leadership team to the staff, to the trustees, to the volunteer hosts – there was something in the DNA of the organisation that caught my attention.

Hope at Home was founded on the belief that everyone deserves a safe place to call home, free from the fear and trauma of exploitation. Our mission is to provide safe, stable, and supportive environments for survivors of Modern Slavery. Despite the increasing awareness of Modern Slavery in the UK, and government funded support in many places, the sad fact is survivors of Modern Slavery still regularly become homeless.

Since Hope at Home’s inception, we’ve acted on this through our dedicated network of hosts. These compassionate individuals open their homes and hearts to survivors, offering them the stability they need to rebuild their lives and regain their autonomy. Their unwavering support and compassion has been instrumental in helping survivors transition from lives overshadowed by fear to futures filled with promise.

However, we need to do more.

2023-2024 PAGE 2

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

This year has been a ‘mixed bag’. Hope at Home is in a strong position, and we continue to take steps towards sustainability. Our trustee board has strengthened, our strategic plan moves forward, and we have continued to host increasing numbers of survivors while recruiting and training even more hosts. We have also forged new partnerships with local authorities, businesses, and other charities, creating a robust support network that enhances the services we provide.

At the same time, governmental actions and legislation have made things much more challenging for survivors. Practical and political changes in the asylum system led to thousands of refugees (including survivors of modern slavery) being evicted from government accommodation, with little notice, onto the streets – and this was after their right to refugee status being acknowledged.

Our strategy also focuses on ‘Stronger Voice’. Over the next year we will be launching our Guest Voices group where survivors’ views can be heard, and we will continue to advocate for systemic changes that protect and support survivors, working closely with policymakers and stakeholders to drive meaningful change.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to our dedicated team, our generous supporters, our partners, and our incredible hosts and volunteers. Your contributions make this important work possible, and your commitment inspires us every day.

Thank you for being part of this vital journey. Together, we will continue to create safe homes and brighter futures for survivors of modern slavery.

All organisations in our sector were overwhelmed with referrals – ours increased by 47% year on year and more than tripled during the period from August to December 2023. Despite our host network continuing to grow and many of our hosts accommodating more guests than usual, we still sadly had to say ‘no’ to homeless survivors referred to us. We’ve always known hosting isn’t the only way to provide a safe home. This difficult year has made that even more clear to us.

So, this is a pivotal moment in our journey. Our ambitious three-year strategy (23-26) focuses on ‘Safe Homes’ – our plans are in full swing to increase our innovative accommodation options for survivors. Following a detailed feasibility study this year, we are now working with partners to fund and launch specialist accommodation for those who have no other option. It’s a bold step. But with excellent and detailed planning and strong partnerships, bold steps are needed.

STEVE WATSON, CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

2023-2024 PAGE 3

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

Trustee Report Overview OBJECTIVES

The objective of the charity is to relieve the needs of people who are at risk of, or who have been subject to, modern slavery or human trafficking by providing access to safe housing within the community and by assisting in the provision of all the necessary support designed to enable individuals to rebuild their lives and become independent individuals and members of society.

VISION & MISSION

VISION Safe homes for all survivors of Modern Slavery.

MISSION Providing safe homes for survivors of modern slavery by offering a range of innovative accommodation options in collaboration with other organisations.

VALUES

Excellence: We strive to be professional, honourable and full of integrity in our work.

Person focused: We will always value the needs of individuals and care for them in a way that seeks to meet those needs.

Pioneering & Ambitious: We are innovative and will seek new solutions until our aims are achieved.

Honouring: We will always think the best of others and will be respectful in the way we treat and speak about them, understanding they are valued and bring a unique contribution.

Collaborative: We recognise the benefits of building partnerships with others in order to end human trafficking. Their expertise and input are important to us and we actively seek them out.

PUBLIC BENEFIT

The Trustees have referred to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity's aims and objectives and planning its activities. Addressing modern slavery through providing accommodation, ensuring appropriate support, educating and influencing society and ensuring organisational sustainability are in the public interest as they:

support the most vulnerable in our society and help to tackle some of the core reasons that slavery exists

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HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

CASE STUDY Aamaal*

Aamaal was referred to us when she was living in her “friend’s” private accommodation that was unsuitable and unsafe due to it triggering the trauma of her previous exploitation. She needed to be in another area of the country so that she could keep herself safe and well and until the local authority flat she had been offered was ready to move into.

Aamaal moved in with her host and the two immediately hit it off. Both women shared a love of books, poetry, films and walking and they shared many happy experiences together. They went to the cinema together, attended local cultural celebration events and, due to the warmth and hospitality of her host, Aamaal started to make her own friends in the area and developed the confidence to make her own arrangements and go out with her friends independently.

The placement lasted for three months, after which Aamaal moved into her local authority flat and started work in local shop. At the end of the placement Aamaal sent all her thanks to the Hope at Home team, she said that the placement with her host had given her a new beginning and she had moved into her flat and new job feeling completely healed. She said it was an honour to meet her host and her friends.

*Guest names are changed for confidentiality purposes.

2023-2024 PAGE 5

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

2023-2024 ACHIEVEMENTS

This year has been year one of our three year strategy. Below we will address our achievements so far.

Figure 1: Hope at Home’s strategy map

SAFE HOMES

guests 18

10 female 8[male]

2023-2024 PAGE 6

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

2023-2024

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AT POINT OF REFERRAL

Survivors’ reported country of origin at point of referral to Hope at Home.

----- Start of picture text -----
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
EnglandBarbadosAlbania IraqCameroonIndiaEthiopiaNamibiaSudanEritreaRomaniaNot Known
----- End of picture text -----

UK National Asylum seeker

IMMIGRATION STATUS

Refused asylum seeker Discretionary Leave to Remain Indefinite Leave to Remain EEA Pre Settled

Survivors’ reported immigration status at point of referral to Hope at Home.

ACCOMMODATION AT POINT OF REFERRAL

Survivors’ reported accommodation status at point of referral to Hope at Home.

3

asylum accommodation

5

homeless/rough sleeping

3

friends/family

5

safehouse

2

other

6

0

2

8

4

2023-2024 PAGE 7

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

MOVE ON DESTINATIONS

Survivors’ reported move-on destination when exiting Hope at Home hosting.

NRM safehouse Asylum Other charity Local Authority Housing Privately Rented Housing Rough sleeping Family/friends Other Continued into next FY

----- Start of picture text -----
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0
----- End of picture text -----

CHANGE IN REFERRAL TYPES

In August 2023, the Home Office changed the way they evict people from asylum accommodation. This meant that people were being evicted 7 days after receiving their refugee status, without any time to apply for benefits, find employment or housing. During this time, not only did our referrals triple but the type of referral changed too. Rather than people needing somewhere to live after moving on from a safehouse, we were receiving referrals for newly recognised refugees who were also survivors of modern slavery.

Most of these referrals were for men and 32% of them were already rough sleeping, compared to 15% the previous year.

The reasons for some referrals not translating into placements included no available hosts in the required areas, possible guests changing their minds and choosing not to join us and unsuitable referrals which did not meet our eligibility criteria.

2023-2024 PAGE 8

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

GUEST COMMENTS

I'm living with the most beautiful family and I see how they work, love and pray together. They are all so full of love and respect, this has shown me how families can be and it has taught me so much"

“There was never a time when I wasn't made to feel welcome, it was such a safe place, nothing was expected of me and my host was such a kind and incredible person”

“My friends can see a difference in me since my stay. I have now got my own flat, a job and have learned so much about healthy relationships and myself”

“I feel that I have got my identity back and have my own interests and passions again (reading, walking)”

2023-2024 PAGE 9

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

WHAT HAVE GUESTS BEEN DOING?

Having the stability of a home has meant that guests have been able to think about rebuilding their lives. Over this year, these are some of the activities our guests have taken part in:

GUEST WELLBEING

January 2024 saw us begin a six month wellbeing package pilot. This package offers guests gym membership, destitution payments, travel passes and therapy sessions. It has been well received with two guests learning to swim at the gym and three guests accessing therapy sessions. We are continuing to monitor the outcomes from this project.

2023-2024 PAGE 10

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

HOSTS

Recruiting new hosts continues to be impacted by the cost of living crisis, the Homes for Ukraine scheme and the political narrative around migrants. However, we have trained 13 new hosts this year. 17 hosts opened their homes to guests this year, with some welcoming more than one guest.

HOST QUOTES

“Positive experience, more emotional than expecting but overall one of the best things I've done with my life.”

“Extremely good experience, guest was very easy company and a delight.”

HOST TRAINING & SUPPORT

Hosts are offered three initial training sessions which cover Modern Slavery, the UK Asylum system, safeguarding, setting boundaries, cultural differences, trauma and self care.

“I found the training very informative, given by Charlotte and Ruth in an excellent manner. They were very friendly, professional, honest and made me feel that I could ask anything I was unsure about.”

Hosts have regular calls with one of the Hosting Team for support as well as bi-monthly host zoom calls and a host WhatsApp group.

2023-2024 PAGE 11

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

STRONGER VOICE

As the only national hosting scheme specifically designed for survivors of modern slavery in the UK, we have unique data which can be used to influence wider systems such as the suitability of accommodation provision for survivors. As such, this year we have taken part in research conducted by Modern Slavery Policy & Evidence Centre, the Modern Slavery Roundtable facilitated by the Everything network and the Trauma Informed Hosting Coalition facilitated by Trauma Treatment International. We have also used our data to contribute to several media articles on the refugee evictions and homelessness crisis, including the Big Issue and the Independent.

In March we began working with the Anti Trafficking Monitoring Group to gather data from over 40 Local Authorities on homelessness assessments for survivors of modern slavery, including whether they are assessed as having priority need for housing.This work is ongoing and will form the basis for a briefing to be presented to the Modern Slavery Unit and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

In the development of our work we have valued the input of current and previous guests with staff recruitment, developing evaluation tools, developing our hosts training and inputting into our current 3 year strategy. We believe that learning from survivors and being directed by them adds immense value and sustainability to our work.

This year we have been developing a proposal for a Guest Steering Group to improve our effectiveness and ensure we are listening to our guests and providing opportunities to not just input into Hope at Home but also offer progression and employability pathways. The group will begin in the summer of 2024 and we will be monitoring outcomes for this project.

STRATEGIC ENABLERS

Our strategic enablers are the substantial in-house, behind the scenes activities and people which assist & and ensure sustainable delivery of our services.

This year we have strengthened internal systems, including monitoring and evaluation processes as well as ensuring data protection and safeguarding policies and procedures are up to date.

2023-2024 PAGE 12

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

PARTNERS

We work in partnership with agencies who refer into us and provide casework support for our guests. Feedback from partners has been overwhelmingly positive:

“I wanted to say a big ‘thank you’ for your partnership, but also to recognise the really important way in which you operate. There is so much about the journey of victims of modern slavery where they are so denuded of agency, and continue to move in a journey about which they have no control or say and do not know what is coming next. I think the very simple step that you take to emphasise the fact that hosting options are choices for both them, and the hosts, is a real step to treat service users with dignity and give them agency. Even if they never say ‘yes’ to a host, the very fact that you are making clear that this next step is up to them and not to anybody else, just sets the support that you provide apart from so much of their experience. I think a lot that services working with vulnerable people could learn from this very simple step.”

Service Manager, Migrant Help

“Thank you for all your support and a great thank you to the hosts as well. We really appreciate this much needed service that often fills in the gap for our clients to avoid homelessness, destitution and in some situations also re-trafficking as they feel stable and encourages to continue to engage with the service.”

Service Manager, Black Country Women’s Aid

2023-2024 PAGE 13

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

FUTURE PLANS

2024 – 2025 sees us enter the second year of our three year strategic plan.

As well as continuing to add and train more new hosts, we are excited to be starting our Guest Voices Group, beginning a Supported Housing pilot, looking at ways to help our guests move on from hosting, exploring the development of Refugee Lodgings for those able to pay rent and continue to use our data to ensure survivors of modern slavery have a safe home.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

Hope at Home was constituted using our governing document as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), registered with the Charity Commission in January 2018.

Our trustees come from a wide range of backgrounds, with expertise and experience in areas of : housing, financial, charity, corporate, immigration, legal and HR.

Our fantastic Board of Trustees gather for Board meetings four times each year, along with various sub-committee meetings outside of these main Board meetings.

These meetings cover various topics including:financial oversight, operational updates and decision making, ensuring that we continue to deliver the best possible services for our beneficiaries in line with Charity Commission guidance, risk management, HR reviews, ensuring we remain true to our charity objectives and vision, and that we deliver these things in line with our 5 core values:

(Excellence / Person Focused / Honouring / Collaborative / Ambitious and Pioneering).

Trustees are appointed by a resolution at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.

2023-2024 PAGE 13

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

RISK MANAGEMENT & SAFEGUARDING

Our principal risks in 2023-24 were:

Inappropriate hosts and placements.

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibility for the management and control of the organisation and are involved in the key aspects of the risk management process, identifying risks and taking these into consideration when making decisions.

An overall risk review activity is included in the Charity's annual governance calendar and is reviewed at each trustees meeting. The major risks, as above, to the Charity have been reviewed during the year, and control systems and policies are in place to ensure that risks are appropriately identified and managed at all levels of the organisation. No serious incidents have been reported in this financial year.

Under the direction of the Trustees, the CEO has reviewed appropriate insurance and ensured that the cover provided is adequate for the services provided by the organisation. This will be revisited each year as the policies in place come up for renewal. In addition, we have outsourced HR to a third party who provides relevant expertise. As a result, the Trustees are confident that the organisation complies with current legislation and effectively manages the related risks.

2023-2024 PAGE 14

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

RESERVES POLICY

The trustees annually review the reserves policy and determined to maintain a level of unrestricted reserves of £60,000 within this financial year. This amount was reached to ensure the balance between having enough if needed but not too much that as an organisation we could not secure future funding. This amount also equates to roughly 3 months of running costs.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES INFORMATION

----- Start of picture text -----
Name Start date
Steve Watson (Current Chair) May 2023
Kate Garbers (Outgoing Chair) January 2018 - Resigned July 2023
Tina Davies (Treasurer) May 2019
January 2020 - Resigned December
Steven Mennear (EDI Lead)
2023
Shayne Tyler (Risk Lead) January 2020
Jill Pargeter (Safeguarding Lead) May 2020
Helen Lambert (Vice Chair) May 2023
Joanne Badger July 2023
Louise Calvey Due to start July 2024
----- End of picture text -----

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Charity Number: 1176802 Registered Address: PO Box 17404, Bromsgrove, B60 9NL

Bankers details: CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ / Unity Trust Bank, PO Box 7193, Planetary Road, Willenhall, WV1 9DG

Accountant details: Ian Jarvis, Vertis Accounting, 2nd Floor, Independence House, 16 Queen Street, Worcester WR1 2PL

Independent examiner: It Doesn't Have to Cost the Earth Ltd, 47 St Dunstans Close, Worcester, WR5 2AJ

2023-2024 PAGE 15

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES IN RELATION TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The charity trustees are responsible for preparing a trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, of the charity for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website in accordance with legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements.

The trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees Annual Report.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees: S.Watson Signature: _______ S.Watson (Nov 14, 2024 13:17 GMT)

Stephen David Watson Full name: _______

Chair of Trustees Position: _________ 14/11/2024 Date: ______

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the applicable Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations, and the provisions of the Trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

2023-2024 PAGE 16

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Receipts and Payment Accounts

2023-2024 2022-2023
Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total Total
Receipts
Donations &
Fundraising £50,215 £8,775 £58,990 £47,377
Grants Received £181,540 £181,540 £165,300
Training & Other
Receipts
£1,013 £1,013 £3,200
Total
Receipts
£50,215 £191,328 £241,543 £215,877
Payments
Cost of Raising
Funds
£1,039 £15,876 £16,915 £16,703
Charitable
Activities £50,231 £170,457 £220,688 £171,561
Governance
Costs
£40 £6,491 £6,531 £3,756
Total
Payments
£51,310 £192,824 £244,134 £192,020
Net of
Receipts /
(Payments)
(£1,095) (£1,496) (£2,591) £23,857

2023-2024 PAGE 17

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

----- Start of picture text -----
2023-2024 2022-2023
Unrestricted Restricted
Total Total
Funds Funds
Cash Funds
Cash Funds
Brought £167,467 £5,203 £172,669 £148,812
Forward
Surplus
(Deficit) For (£1,095) (£1,496) (£2,591) £23,857
Year
Cash Funds
Carried £166,372 £3,707 £170,078 £172,669
Forward
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Bank
£167,276 £3,707 £170,983 £173,602
Balances
Other
Monetary £172 £172
Assets
Liabilities £1,077 £1,077 £933
----- End of picture text -----

Use of surplus funds

We are aware that we have an excess of unrestricted reserves of around £110K at the end of this financial year. Along with maintaining our ringfenced reserves at £60K or around 2.5 months of running costs, moving forwards into the year head, we intend to use these funds as below;

Make an intentional loss of around £25K to £30K to spend down some of these reserves.

Signed on behalf of the Trustees:

S.Watson

14/11/2024

S.Watson (Nov 14, 2024 13:17 GMT)

2023-2024 PAGE 18

HOPE AT HOME: TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF HOPE AT HOME (‘THE CHARITY’)

I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31st March 2024.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF REPORT

As the charity trustees of the Charity 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 2011 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 Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. The accounts do not accord with those records.

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.

Teresa Fennell, ACMA CGMA It Doesn’t Have to Cost the Earth Ltd 47 St Dunstans Close, Worcester, WR5 2AJ

15/11/2024

Date: _______

2024-11-15

Trustee Annual Report 6.0 23-24

Final Audit Report

Created: 2024-11-07 By: Teresa Fennell (teresa@itdoesnthavetocosttheearth.co.uk) Status: Signed Transaction ID: CBJCHBCAABAA0O8uTqwdRKU0vEXyBpss0emUwrIjRl2g

"Trustee Annual Report 6.0 23-24" History

Document created by Teresa Fennell (teresa@itdoesnthavetocosttheearth.co.uk) 2024-11-07 - 11:46:15 AM GMT

Document emailed to Steve Watson (steve.w@hopeathome.org.uk) for signature 2024-11-07 - 11:46:30 AM GMT

Email viewed by Steve Watson (steve.w@hopeathome.org.uk) 2024-11-07 - 11:47:14 AM GMT

Email viewed by Steve Watson (steve.w@hopeathome.org.uk) 2024-11-14 - 1:14:26 PM GMT

Signer Steve Watson (steve.w@hopeathome.org.uk) entered name at signing as S.Watson 2024-11-14 - 1:17:22 PM GMT

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Agreement completed.

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