# **Annual Report** 2023 l e v e l p l a y i n g f i e l d . o r g . u k A n n u a l R e p o r t |Contents|| |---|---| |President's foreword|3| |Chair's report|5| |About Level Playing Field|9| |Knowledge centre|13| |Campaigns|19| |Fan engagement|23| |Club resource|26| |Lobbying|29| |The staff team|33| |A word from the Chief Executive|43| A n n u a l R e p o r t ## **President's foreword** ## David Bernstein CBE Welcome to the 2023 Level Playing Field Annual Report. First of all, my thanks go to the Level Playing Field members of staff. Their efforts throughout this year have brought about many successes for the charity. Our team is small in number, but continuously makes a dramatic impact on driving standards forward. Their commitment and expertise have resulted in significant improvements to the experiences of many disabled sports fans across England & Wales. I would also like to recognise the contributions of our Trustees. They each care so deeply about the charity’s work, with the advice and consideration they offer proving invaluable. Those contributions, combined with the staff team’s pursuits, make Level Playing Field a formidable force for change. To vice president Lord Faulkner of Worcester and my other fellow honorary officers, particularly, I remain grateful for your vital input. Since the turn of the year, we have been saddened by the passing of Lord Rosser of Ickenham, and our thoughts have been with his wife, Sheena, and the rest of the family. He made a tremendous contribution to the standing of Level Playing Field and we will reflect on that further in our next annual report. A significant change in our approach this year, came in the form of our ‘Unite For Access’ campaign, which was rebranded from its previous name of ‘Weeks of Action’. This helped strengthen the connection to access and inclusion as the focus of our annual period of celebration. Record breaking levels of participation, mean the campaign outperformed all previous years and realised the potential of the rebrand to its fullest, in helping our team raise awareness and drive equality, to bring about more inclusive experiences for disabled sports fans. I look forward to seeing the campaign evolve in the coming years and am excited to see what strides we can make through it. P a g e 3 A n n u a l R e p o r t Relationships with other organisations have been a key area of development throughout the course of the year. Governing bodies and major venues across a range of sports acknowledge the value which Level Playing Field can offer, when addressing access and inclusion for disabled spectators and that is testament to our track record as the leader in this field. We have also strengthened our ties with a number of other charities, with knowledge sharing to strengthen knowledge bases across the board. 2023 has also raised challenges and our team have worked tirelessly to support disabled fans. This encompassed combatting issues on a national level, but crucially involves representing individual supporters to help bring about direct improvements to their matchdays. The coming year will undoubtedly raise new challenges, but I am confident that we are equipped to continue deal with them. I look forward to another year Level Playing Field making a meaningful impact on the experiences of disabled sports fans, by leading on access and inclusion. With best wishes, **David Bernstein CBE** P a g e 4 ## **Chair's report** ## Tony Taylor On behalf of the Board of Trustees at Level Playing Field, I am delighted to welcome you to our Annual Report for the year ending 31st December 2023. We would particularly like to send our thanks to President, David Bernstein CBE, who has shared his comments above, as well as our Vice Presidents Lord Faulkner of Worcester and Lord Rosser of Ickenham, for all the support they have offered to the charity throughout the course of this year. Very sadly, Lord Rosser passed away in 2024 after a courageous battle against illness and we send our deepest condolences to his wife Sheena, his friends and colleagues. His wise counsel and dedication to the work of Level Playing Field will be missed. There will, of course, be a more detailed obituary to Lord Rosser in our report for the year ending 31 December 2024. This year was an important milestone for one member of the team, with our General Manager & Head of Access & Development, Ruth Hopkins, celebrating a decade at Level Playing Field. Ruth has made an immense contribution to the work of the charity and for disabled supporters across England and Wales. Her technical expertise has been instrumental in building the organisation into the leader in our area of operation. The loyalty she has shown to the charity, its principles and objectives, as well as to me and my fellow trustees, is something that I greatly value. I am proud to call her a colleague and friend and look forward to many more years working together with Ruth. The staff team Level Playing Field also saw new introductions this year. Joseph Crabtree joined as Media & Communications Officer in the spring and then later in the year, Mark Phillips was appointed in the newly formed Fan Engagement & Enquiry Officer role. These appointments have brought new ideas and additional expertise to the team. The expansion of our staff has also provided us with increased capacity, so that we can better represent disabled fans, as well as enabling us to respond to increasing demands for our support and guidance. All of our staff have made huge contributions throughout 2023 and I am grateful for their work to elevate access and inclusion for disabled fans. The passion they each have for making a difference combines with their individual skillsets to P a g e 5 A n n u a l R e p o r t bring us repeated success. They are also supported locally by disabled supporters’ associations doing terrific work to directly improve experiences at their clubs, which I am again hugely grateful for. In 2023, there were more clear reminders of the importance of our work to have access at the top of the agenda. Failures to accommodate disabled fans at another UEFA Champions League Final was a prominent example of this, with Manchester City supporters sharing troubling reports from the event. Level Playing Field staff were in discussions with individual disabled fans, the club and Manchester City's disabled supporters association. Accounts gathered were then brought to UEFA and the Government, with Level Playing Field demanding accountability. Fans’ stories also received prominence through the media, bringing an important spotlight on the accessibility aspect of the showpieces’ unacceptable organisation. Following repeated failures by UEFA, it vital that the planning is rectified with the final set to be held at Wembley in 2024. Beyond sporting events, Level Playing Field was pleased to join other charities and organisations dedicated to accessibility, to campaign against proposals on rail ticket office closures. The inaccessibility of public transport has risen yearon-year as barrier to attending live sport, according to the 2023 Level Playing Field Annual Fan survey, and it was therefore important to be part of the campaign, which resulted in the biggest response to a public consultation in British history. I am grateful to Transport For All on their leadership on this issue, where we ultimately saw a reversal from the Government. We will continue to do our duty in making the voices of disabled sports fans heard and representing their interests on matters of more general accessibility, as the leaders in this space. Action in the political sphere has often been important in furthering access and inclusion for disabled fans. 2023 marked five years since the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s final report on Premier League clubs’ accessibility and the positive legacy from that emphasises an urgent need for a permanent mandate. It has been deeply concerning to see without that, momentum has been lost in relation to clubs promoted since then and we will therefore continue to push for increased oversight. A large amount of focus this year was on the rebranding of our campaign to ‘Unite For Access’ from its previous name of ‘Weeks of Action’. The Trustees took the view that the transition may results in a year of reduced or stagnant impact, but that this would then be outweighed by subsequent growth. I am delighted to P a g e 6 A n n u a l R e p o r t report that, to the contrary, this change saw an immediate, positive impact, with record-breaking participation levels. Involvement from 100% of Sky Bet Championship clubs helped take the total number of teams beyond 120, which was a phenomenal achievement and displays the potential for the future of the campaign. Beyond the figures, real change took place at stadiums across England and Wales, with some transformative initiatives introduced. Another evolution this year, came in the form of the Level Playing Field Annual Fan Survey. Now in its third edition, the survey was able to display year-on-year trends for the first time; this presented some concerning data on barriers which are impacting increasing proportions of disabled fans and has helped us to make specific plans to effectively target our efforts. There were 1791 responses to the survey, across 115 different clubs. The response rate was therefore up 37% on the previous year and created a sample size to provide us with unquestionable evidence to utilise in discussions with key stakeholders. This year’s targeted survey was focused on women’s football, with a need for more detailed knowledge in that area of rapid growth and where we recognised that minimal data existed. The results raised some interesting points of difference from the men’s game, which have formed key parts of our follow up work. Level Playing Field is committed to putting disabled supporter voices at the centre of improving the access and inclusion for disabled fans attending women’s football and will continue to consult with fans as more work is done there. The feedback from disabled supporters in our 2023 surveys is something I value and appreciate. The data gathered provide us with essential, informed evidence to enhance our advocacy for improvements in accessibility and inclusion. The need for us to be able to present the collective voice of disabled fans was made clearer by the Government’s response to the consultation on the Football Governance White Paper, which confirmed the scope of an independent regulator would not include equality, diversity and inclusion. The lack of consideration for disabled fans was, we believe, shameful. The introduction of the Regulator was described as a once in a generation opportunity, but the decisions on implementation have squandered the opportunity to improve the experiences of disabled fans. There were accompanying requirements on fan engagement, but these had no measures on accessibility. Instead, it promoted hollow discussion, which previously resulted in a neglection of disabled fans over the course of the process and I saw no evidence for why that would change with no set standards and less public attention. The need for the Regulator to be concerned with P a g e 7 A n n u a l R e p o r t accessibility matters is something we will continue to campaign for as it heads towards implementation. Elsewhere, we are grateful to have had more positive engagement with our funders, particularly the Premier League and the EFL. The financial support they provide is essential to the work of the charity. We are also pleased to have regular discourse with them on projects to improve access and inclusion. Finally, I would like to place on record my appreciation of the work of my fellow trustees. In the past year, Joanna Deagle stepped down from the board and we are extremely grateful for the contribution she made to Level Playing Field. The relentless work of all our trustees is important to everyone at the charity and is especially valued by myself. I know that the knowledge they are contributing to the continued development of access and inclusion leaves them each with a great sense of satisfaction, although we all recognise that there is still so much to be done. Our aim remains to make constant improvements to the experiences of disabled fans attending live sport and 2024 will be no different. ## **Thank you all for your support.** ## **With best wishes.** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Tony Taylor
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P a g e 4
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A n n u a l R e p o r t # **About Level Playing Field** A n n u a l R e p o r t Level Playing Field is a registered charity in England and Wales, which acts as a campaigning and advisory organisation to its membership and other parties across all sports. We have a team of dedicated staff with specialist knowledge, skills and experience around issues concerning access and inclusion. Level Playing Field embraces ’the social model of disability’ and promotes the removal of barriers that might prevent a disabled spectator from attending or enjoying a live sports event. We want to ensure that disabled people enjoy an equality of experience as they attend live sport. Level Playing Field is driven to address the current inequality of experience for disabled fans attending live sport. Whether it's lack of choice, availability of tickets or a second-rate experience we use a proactive and constructive approach to tackle these and other issues. ## Our mission ## Our aims Level Playing Field promotes a positive, inclusive experience for disabled sports fans ## Our vision A world in which all disabled fans can freely access and enjoy live sporting events. - Providing support and advocacy for disabled sports fans. - Offering advice, access audits and training to sports clubs and governing bodies. - Working with architects and design teams to ensure an inclusive and accessible physical environment at live sporting events. - Building relationships and partnerships with sports clubs, DSAs, fans and sector organisations. - Campaigning to keep the disability agenda top of mind for the government. P a g e 1 0 A n n u a l R e p o r t Level Playing Field delivers its work through four key pillars: **----- Start of picture text -----**
For the Fans
For the Clubs
Knowledge Centre
Campaigns
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Putting it simply, Level Playing Field campaigns and works towards improving the matchday experience for disabled fans by driving an equal matchday experience. ## Why we do what we do ## It is estimated that 50% of disabled people don’t take part in recreational or physical activity. The barriers to why a disabled fan chooses not to attend live sport can be addressed through training, raising awareness, and updating facilities and services. Last year, Level Playing Field received hundreds of enquiries and complaints and we aim to address these common recurring issues. P a g e 1 0 A n n u a l R e p o r t ## Level Playing Field are guided by the following principles: - Anti-discrimination – so that disabled people do not face discrimination arising from poor or misinformed practice. - Equality of opportunity or making things fairer – for disabled people in every aspect of their contact with sports clubs and venues. - Increasing the independence and choices that disabled people have. - Individual requirements / diversity – recognising that a disabled person is an individual who, like all others, has his or her own requirements, abilities, human rights and responsibilities. - Integration/inclusion – such that services are made accessible to disabled people and offer choice. - Involvement in decision-making – so that disabled people, and/or their advocates, are consulted before decisions that affect them are made. - The social model of disability, which explains that it is social and physical ‘barriers’ that cause ‘disability’, not impairments. Level Playing Field is working to remove the barriers that currently exclude disabled people. These barriers can be prejudice and stereotypes, the way things are organised and run, along with little to no access to information, buildings and transport. Annual Report Knowledge centre ## Women’s football survey Women's football has grown significantly in popularity over recent years, both in terms of those participating and those watching the sport. The average attendance at matches this season has more than trebled compared to the previous season. With so many fans now eager to watch their women's team play live in stadiums across the country, Level Playing Field decided to conduct a first-of-its-kind survey to find out about the experiences of disabled supporters as they attend women's football. The survey was sent out to disabled supporters through club contacts and via social media. It was live for two months, running from Friday 10th February through to Friday 7th April 2023, and responses were anonymous unless the respondent chose to give their name. Comparisons were made with data from the 2022 Level Playing Field Annual Fan Survey, which provided a baseline for the experiences of over 1300 disabled fans across all sports. The survey was answered by 190 disabled sports fans who between them supported 33 different women's teams. . P a g e 1 4 A n n u a l R e p o r t ## **Key findings** ## Lack of information Over a quarter of disabled fans (26%) stated that ‘lack of information' is a barrier for them when attending women's football matches. This figure is significantly higher than the 16% of fans who said this was a barrier in our most recent Annual Fan Survey 2022 (AFS). ## Attitude and anxiety barriers Over 28% of disabled fans said that 'anxiety or lack of confidence' was a barrier for them attending women's football. One of the contributing factors to this anxiety is likely to be 'the attitudes of others' which 24% of respondents identified as a barrier. This is very similar to our AFS, where the figures were 26% and 28% respectively. ## Attending matches In general, disabled fans attended women's football matches less frequently, with only 34% attending 'most weeks', compared to 50% of fans in the AFS. One issue highlighted by several fans was that the 'home' ground wasn't always the same venue, making planning difficult. However, the cost of tickets was less of a barrier for disabled fans attending women's football. P a g e 1 5 ## Annual fan survey One of the key ways that Level Playing Field is able to improve access and inclusion at live sporting events, is by engaging with disabled spectators to better understand their experiences and to ask what they require on matchdays. The annual survey helps us to gather this information and is the most significant survey in our calendar. This is the third year we have run the survey, and with almost 1800 responses from disabled sports fans, it is our biggest one to date. The survey was conducted online and was sent out to disabled supporters through disabled supporters’ associations (DSAs), club contacts and also via social media. The survey was live for a month, running from Thursday 25th May through to Friday 30th June 2023. Responses were anonymous unless the respondent chose to give their name. This report summarises the results of the survey and compares many of these results with the last two years’ findings. Throughout this report, the term 'pp' will be used as an abbreviation for percentage points when comparing percentages. For example, an increase from 10% last year to 15% this year would be 'Up 5pp'. The results of the survey will be used to advise clubs on how best to improve the matchday experience of disabled fans. It will also be used to advise governing bodies, DSAs and non-disabled supporter groups on disability access & inclusion. P a g e 1 6 A n n u a l R e p o r t ## **Key findings** ## Travel barriers The percentage of disabled fans for whom ‘inaccessible public transport is a barrier to attending live sport’ has increased year-on-year, from 16% to 17.5% to 20%. This is similar to the year-on-year trend for those who said that being ‘unable to travel to stadiums’ was a barrier:- 15.5% of fans in 2021, now up to 18% in 2023. ## Disability Abuse Another year-on-year increase is the number of disabled fans who said that 'disability abuse is a barrier when attending live sport' - from 5.5% to 6.5% to 7% this year. The ‘attitudes of others’ remains a significant barrier to disabled fans, with 25.5% of respondents saying it was a barrier to them attending. ## Additional disability-related costs We asked respondents if there were any additional costs for them when attending live sport, because of their disability. Over 53% of fans identified additional costs, including equipment, support, and appropriate travel. For those who did have additional disability-related costs, they averaged £66 for home games and £111 for away matches. P a g e 1 7 A n n u a l R e p o r t ## **Club ratings - nationwide** We asked respondents "Overall, how would you rate sports stadiums / clubs in England and Wales on access and inclusion?" The chart below shows the results. ## **Figure 9: Accessibility ratings for stadiums in England and Wales** Non-existent **– 0.5%** (Unchanged) - Very poor **– 4%** (Down 0.5pp) - Poor **– 17%** (Down 1.5pp) Adequate **– 34%** (Up 0.5pp) Good **– 29%** (Unchanged) Excellent **– 8%** (Unchanged) Don't know **– 7.5%** (Up 2pp) Encouragingly, there was a slight decrease in the number of supporters who rated accessibility as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’, with a slight increase in those rating it ‘adequate’. The biggest change from last year is the increase in supporters who selected ‘Don’t know/prefer not to say’. It’s not immediately obvious what the reason for this is, but it may be linked to the reduced frequency of attendance highlighted on page 7. P a g e 1 8 Annual Report Campaigns A n n u a l R e p o r t ## Unite For Access A record-breaking number of clubs participated in Level Playing Field’s Unite For Access campaign. Involvement from 100% of Sky Bet Championship clubs, helped take the total number of teams beyond 120. The campaign, which was rebranded for 2023, ran from February 25 to March 12 and focused on raising awareness and driving equality, to bring about more inclusive match day experiences for disabled sports fans. A n n u a l R e p o r t ## The rebrand Sport in England and Wales plays a vital role in the nation’s culture. It has the ability to drive social change and unites a community, ensuring it reflects its diverse make-up. This is why charities and equality groups use sport as a way to raise awareness. Disabled people are the largest minority group in any population with over 16 million disabled people in the UK, yet disability is underrepresented. Over the years the campaign has had year-on-year success, with more: - Clubs backing the campaign - Dedicated ‘Weeks of Action’ matchdays - Social media activity - National press recognition Despite this, it was felt that the campaign was not fulfilling its potential and was not being directly associated with disabled supporters. After liaising with sports clubs and supporters, the feedback received highlighted that the previous name was confusing, lacked clarity and purpose. After a lengthy consultation and working with creative agencies, we have decided that the new name of the Level Playing Field flagship campaign would be ‘Unite For Access’. The intention was to give Level Playing Field a proactive and powerful message, along with a direct link to disability. The aim was to: Continue to raise awareness across all sport - To raise the profile of the real-life matchday experience of disabled fans Improve disability access and inclusion on a matchday ## A n n u a l R e p o r t ## Across the divisions The ‘Unite For Access’ campaign saw participation from the Premier League, right through to non-league clubs. At the top level, Manchester City celebrated 25 years of providing audio descriptive commentary, while in Sky Bet League Two, Stevenage gave a young disabled supporter the opportunity to lead the team out. One of the most memorable moments of the campaign, came when the national anthem was once again performed alongside a British Sign Language Interpreter, ahead of the Carabao Cup Final at Wembley. Annual Report Fan engagement ## Forums The Level Playing Field South Forum welcomed disabled fans, club representatives and other key stakeholders from across sports, to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 100 guests attended the charity’s first regional forum since the pandemic, with different experiences of accessibility from across all levels of professional sport represented in the room. Discussions took place on enhancing fan engagement for disabled sports fans and evolving perspectives on disability language, as well as a guest talk from the Royal National Institute of Blind People. Spurs provided a tour of the stadium’s accessible facilities and disability access officer, Simon Blewett, joined SpursAbility’s Dee Bright and the legendary Gary Mabbutt, for a conversation on relationships between clubs, disabled supporters’ associations and wider fanbases. Beyond that, there was an opportunity to network and further sessions catered specifically for disabled supporters’ associations and staff working for clubs, venues or other organisations. The Level Playing Field South Forum marked the start of a tour, which will take regional forums to the Midlands, North and Wales. Online forums have continued, allowing more regular discussion with disabled fans and other stakeholders. They also presented opportunities to bring more guest speakers to the fore. P a g e 2 4 A n n u a l R e p o r t ## New disabled fan groups 2023 saw an increased appetite from disabled fans to organise into groups, which could help improve standards of accessibility and inclusion at their clubs. Fans Liaison Officer at Level Playing Field, Liam Bird, regularly assisted supporters with their initial meeting and the process of establishing their groups. In some cases, these have gone on to become formalised disabled supporters’ associations (DSAs). It is encouraging that emerging groups were spread across a wide range of levels and locations. The timelines have also had a positive impact for knowledge sharing on the unique landscape to navigate, when starting out in 2023. The development of new disabled supporters’ associations highlights the effectiveness of many existing DSAs across England and Wales. Level Playing Field is proud to support their efforts at a local level and is a huge advocate of the differences made by raising disabled fans’ voices as collective. Annual Report Club resource A n n u a l R e p o r t ## Training & Engagement Facilitating discourse between club staff and disabled fans through forums is a key service to inform clubs, as is survey data which allows them to see their specific circumstances alongside the context of sport as a whole. Many clubs also make use of Level Playing Field’s in-person staff training, as well as attending remote sessions and receiving bespoke guidance on a range of topics. The charity was delighted by feedback from the first EFL Disability Access Officer Conference. Disabled fans, organisations, Level Playing Field officials, club representatives and EFL staff shared their perspectives in panels hosted across the day, at the Poundland Bescot Stadium. The all-new conference forms part of the EFL’s ‘Together’ strategy, which was launched last summer, to improve equality, diversity and inclusivity over a fiveyear period. The day headed up by Level Playing Field in Walsall featured guest speakers from Colostomy UK, RNIB and Tourettes Action. ## Centre of Excellence Award Level Playing Field’s expert auditing team have been able to offer practical advice on existing stadia and planning. In 2023, the auditing process saw Cardiff City Football Club become the first club in Wales and only the sixth club to achieve this award. The Cardiff City Stadium now sits alongside Wembley Stadium, The Etihad Stadium (Manchester City FC), Pride Park (Derby County FC), The American Express Community Stadium (Brighton & Hove Albion FC) and The Emirates Stadium (Arsenal FC), as the only football grounds to have reached this standard. The “Level Playing Field Centre of Excellence Award” is presented to sporting venues that demonstrate the highest access and inclusion standards in accommodating disabled spectators and visitors on match (or event) and nonmatch days. To qualify for the award, the club or venue undergoes a Level Playing Field professional access audit and must demonstrate that it meets all good practice standards, equality and access legislation and building regulations for accessible sports stadia. Cardiff City FC was innovative in making many excellent improvements and provisions for its disabled fans. These included several smart and low-cost groundbreaking solutions that established good practice examples for existing stadiums that Level Playing Field now hopes other clubs will look to adopt. Level Playing Field recognises Cardiff City FC as an excellent example of a club making continued improvements to its disabled fans’ facilities and services. P a g e 2 8 Annual Report Lobbying A n n u a l R e p o r t ## Media day A responsibility to contribute on a wider matter of accessibility, where disabled sports fans could be impacted, was clear in the case of proposals on rail ticket offices. The Government ultimately asked train operators to withdraw their proposals to close hundreds of rail ticket offices, in a dramatic reversal. This decision was vital for the accessibility of rail infrastructure and followed campaigns against the plans, which resulted in the biggest response to a public consultation in British history. The importance of this to disabled sports fans was emphasised in the 2023 Level Playing Field Annual Fan Survey results. The report showed year-on-year rises to ‘Inaccessible public transport’ as a barrier to disabled supporters attending live sport, with it making the top five most common barriers overall. Had the proposals gone through, the consequence would have been further negative impact on the accessibility of public transport. Transport For All led the campaign against the proposals and Level Playing Field was pleased to join more than 60 other organisations representing disabled people, to sign its letter condemning closures. Level Playing Field also wrote directly to Government ministers and Rail Delivery Group officials, to emphasise the impact closures would have on disabled sports fans specifically, with disabled supporters’ associations across England and Wales co-signing the letters. P a g e 3 0 ## **UEFA Champions League Final** Level Playing Field wrote to UEFA and Government officials, on repeated failures to accommodate disabled supporters at Champions League Finals, Reports from disabled and non-disabled Manchester City fans attending the final in June, detailed hazardous and potentially life endangering conditions for disabled supporters’ arrival and departure from the Atatürk Olympic Stadium. The charity also shared some of the accounts it received, including that of disabled fan Clare Watson, who broke her femur in two places at the event. The failures in Istanbul followed horrific scenes at the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final in Paris. UEFA has been limited in public acknowledgement of the issues and accountability is necessary. A n n u a l R e p o r t ## **Football Governance White Paper** The Government’s response to the consultation on the Football Governance White Paper confirmed the scope of an independent regulator will not include equality, diversity and inclusion. The justification given for this decision was that: “in the government’s view, there should only be intervention in an area where there is clear evidence of a market failure.” This failed to acknowledge football’s current failure to provide an equal experience for disabled fans on a consistent basis. The 2023 Level Playing Field Annual Fan Survey results revealed the most common barrier disabled fans face when attending live sport is ‘physical access at stadiums.’ This was also the case in the 2022 dataset, which was the most recent at the tome of the Government’s response. It is indisputable that failing to accommodate disabled fans’ ‘physical access at stadiums’ is a market failure and rectifying it falls under governance. Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP, Minister for Sport and Minister for Equalities, claimed that the independent regulator will “ensure fans are always at the heart of football.” Not all fans will be at the heart of football, while barriers remain in place. Based on the Government’s own estimates, 16 million people in the UK had a disability in the 2021/22 financial year, which represents 24% of the total population. That is almost a quarter of those whom they claim to serve, that this decision neglects. Level Playing Field has fed into the process of the Fan Led Review and Government White Paper consultation at each stage. This included the direct input of disabled fans, which must have been disregarded in order to reach this outcome. The charity remains committed to working with Government officials to improve access and inclusion for disabled sport fans, wherever possible. P a g e 3 2 Annual Report The staff team ## **A decade of Ruth** General manager & head of access and development, Ruth Hopkins, celebrated a decade of improving access and inclusion for disabled sports fans with Level Playing Field. When Ruth joined the charity on 29 April 2013, she was the only fulltime member of staff, but has been an essential part of its growth and impact upon the industry since then. The organisation was highly football focused upon her arrival, but has since diversified across sports, including the Rugby World Cup and Cricket World Cup. During Ruth’s time at Level Playing Field, all national stadia across England and Wales have been audited and the Premier League made a promise to ensure that all clubs comply with the Accessible Stadia Guide. Ruth’s responsibilities at Level Playing Field have been far reaching, including support for DSAs, parliament representation, sitting on consultancy panels and originally being the sole access auditor. The growth of the charity has allowed some of these roles to be taken on by others, but she now leads on the rewrite of the Accessible Stadia Guide. The impact Ruth has made in her decade at Level Playing Field has been felt by many, with congratulatory messages coming in from supporters, DSAs, colleagues and former colleagues alike. **“There has never been a day I regret coming to Level Playing Field.** **“I love meeting people and working with our team of passionate staff.** **“In the rewrite of the Accessible Stadia Guide, I am adding more clarity on standards and examples of good practice.** **“You can see with the growth of our Weeks of Action – now Unite For Access, that the appetite is there to keep on improving.”** P a g e 3 4 A n n u a l R e p o r t ## Joseph & Mark Join the team Two additions were made to the Level Playing Field staff team in 2023, with the appointments of Joseph Crabtree and Mark Phillips, in the respective roles of Media & Communications officer and Fan Engagement & Enquiry Officer. Joseph joined the charity at the start of March - midway through the ‘Unite For Access Campaign. His background in sports club media roles across football and rugby league. He has previous experience in sports journalism and has looked to strengthen Level Playing Field’s communications output and impact. Mark joined Level Playing Field in December, in a newly created role, which will enhance the charity’s capacity to provide support to disabled fans on a daily basis. Since graduating with an LLM in Legal Practice, Mark has been passionate about promoting accessibility and inclusion while supporting other disabled people throughout his career. An avid football supporter and a lifelong Swansea City fan, Mark has been a member of the disabled supporters' association (DSA) in South Wales since its formation in 2013. In 2017, Mark became the club's first Disability Access Officer and with the support of Swans DSA introduced a number of new initiatives to improve accessibility for disabled fans at the stadium, including the introduction of a Sensory Room. He regularly attends live sport with both Swansea City and Cymru Football where he is also a member of the Equality Advisory Group. This background will give Mark a detailed understanding of the experiences of disabled fans and club staff. Both Mark and Joseph have been welcome additions to the Level Playing Field staff team. P a g e 3 5 Annual Report A year in review A n n u a l R e p o r t ## A year in review At the end of 2023, the charity took a look back on a record-breaking year for, which saw plenty of challenges and important advancements in access and inclusion for disabled fans across England and Wales. Reflecting on the year showed outstanding levels of participation across Unite For Access and the 2023 Level Playing Field Annual Fan Survey. There were also individual advancements at clubs and neglect from positions of power which needed to be challenged. Take a look through some of the key events for disabled sports fans from this year, below. . A n n u a l R e p o r t **January** Away Fan Survey launched ## **February** Unite For Access kicks-off ## **March** DCMS Committee meeting on White Paper ## **April** Ruth celebrates a decade with the charity ## **May** Five year anniversary of EHRC’s final report ## **June** Repeated Champions League Final failings P a g e 3 8 A n n u a l R e p o r t ## **July** Women’s Survey results published ## **August** Further boosts for British Sign Language ## **September** Formation of new disabled fans groups ## **October** Annual Fan Survey results published ## **November** Regional forums return in the South ## **December** RNIB guidance published P a g e 3 9 A n n u a l R e p o r t ## Staff ## Owain Davies Chief Executive ## Ruth Hopkins General Manager & Head of Access and Development - NRAC Auditor ## Nicky Baker Access and Development Officer - NRAC Auditor ## Daniel Townley Development Officer ## Liam Bird Fans Liaison Officer P a g e 3 7 A n n u a l R e p o r t ## Staff ## David Moffat Access Auditor ## Joseph Crabtree Media and Communications Officer ## Mark Phillips Fan Engagement & Enquiry Officer A n n u a l R e p o r t ## Trustees Tony Taylor Chair Steve Evans Secretary Joanna Deagle Trustee Jo McNicol Trustee Jamie Beddard Trustee P a g e 4 2 A n n u a l R e p o r t ## **A word from the Chief Executive** Owain Davies I hope that through this annual report, you have seen a snapshot of the value Level Playing Field has delivered towards access and inclusion, through our staff and network of disabled fans. Thank you for taking the time to find out about our work throughout 2023. We look back on a year of so much positive development but have also been presented with a number of challenges. The failures of another UEFA Champions League Final and the disregarding of disabled fans’ interests in the Football Governance White Paper, have reemphasised the importance of our advocacy. My personal highlight was the return of regional forums, with the Level Playing Field South Forum at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Bringing disabled fans, club staff and other stakeholders together has huge value and those in-person discussions are also extremely beneficial for our own staff. An important change this year, came through the rebrand of our ‘Weeks of Action’ campaign, to ‘Unite For Access’. It was launches in the perfect manner, with a fan-focused video, which took us to the heart of the subject matter. The campaign was an even greater success than expected and I look forward to building on this in the years to come. It was pleasing to see engagement with the campaign from sport at different levels, with so many poignant moments and examples of meaningful progression. In Sky Bet League Two, none of us will forget the look of sheer elation on Stevenage fan Archie’s face, when the young wheelchair user led out his team. Then at the elite level, I particularly enjoyed seeing the legacy of ongoing provisions for disabled fans, with Manchester City celebrating 25 years of audio descriptive commentary, alongside the new introduction Arsenal’s British Sign Language Service (BSL). P a g e 4 3 BSL continued to be a theme throughout the year, including interpreters present at the EFL Finals and the Ashes for the first time and permanent services launched at Wembley and Tottenham. Surveys were a driver once again, in 2023. We were pleased to fill a void in data on accessibility in women’s football and with the successes of the Lionesses accelerating growth in this area, it is clear that we need to push for access to be attached to that development. A disparity in accessibility information was displayed in the survey results for women’s football, but we are still aware of the need to address shortcomings in this area across sport. Guidance shared on best practice and standards here, in addition to our ongoing support for disability liaison officers has provided support to combat this. The level of support we offer to fans, club staff and venues, would not be possible without support from the Premier League and the EFL. I am grateful to them, as well as the disabled supporters’ associations and clubs that have worked with us to address more local matters. I am most thankful to my fellow staff, for their efforts across the 12 months. The team has grown this year, with the addition of the Fan Engagement & Enquiries Officer. This has equipped us to provide even greater levels of support and has helped to increase efficiency across the board. Mark Phillips as an individual, has been the perfect recruit to the team and while we celebrated him joining, we also marked a decade of Ruth Hopkins’ time at Level Playing Field. It has been a pleasure to work with Ruth throughout my time at the charity and the positive impact she has had on access and inclusion for disabled fans cannot be overstated. The dedication of the whole team has seen us achieve so much over the last 12 months and I look forward to working alongside them to make further progress in the coming year. **Level Playing Field The Junction Station Road Watford WD17 1ET** **01923 545 370 info@levelplayingfield.org.uk levelplayingfield.org.uk** **@lpftweets @levelplayingfielduk /lpftweets** Company Number: 11109719 Charity Number: 1177415 Level Playing Field For disablod spo toDs Directors. Report and Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st December 2023 Level Playing INDEX PAGES CHARITY REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS TRUSTEES. ANNUAL REPORT (INCL DIRECTORS, REPORTI 2- 5 INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS. REPORT STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES BALANCE SHEET NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 9-16 Level Playing Page 1 CHARITY REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS CHARITY NUMBER 1177415 COMPANY NUMBER. 11109719 TRUSTEESIDIRECTORS: A Taylor (Chairl S Evans J McNicol J Deagle (resigned 13 March 20231 J Beddard COMPANY SECRETARY. S Evans REGISTERED OFFICE Greville House 10 Jury Street Warwick Wan￿1ckshlre CV34 4EW PRINCIPAL AODRESS. The Junction Station Road Walford WD17 1ET INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Mark Harwood FCA BFP FMAAT Michael Harwood & Co Greville House 10 Jury Street Warwick Warwickshire CV34 4EW Level Playing Page 2 TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT IINCL DIRECTORS, REPORTI The Trustees present their report and the financial slalerllents of the eharily for the year ended 3151 December 2023 The Trustees have adopted the provisions ol the Slalemenl ol Recommended Practice ISORPI AccoLJnling and Reporting by Charities" in preparing the annual report and financial slalerllents ol the ¢harily. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT Level Playing Field. a Charitable company Iimiled by guarantee (Company no 11109719 and Charity no. 11774151. was incorporaled on the 131h December 2017 and is governed by a Memorandum and Article5 01 Assr)cialion. The directors ol the charitable company (who are ils trustees lor the purpose5 of charity lawl have na interest in the company's assets or SLJrplus and receive no remuneration The Direclorsfruslees meet at least onee a quarter and are actively involved in the strategic direction ol the charity. Level Playing Field is an inclusive employer and actively promotes the positive impact ol having a diverse workforce and Iruslee board. Levèl Playing Field has signed up lo the Disability Confident Scheme. This commitment allows Level Playing Field to accurately and responsibly represent the community it serves Trustees are recruited and appointed in line with best practice using both internal and external source5. A business conlinualion policy is in place and the Trustees constantly review potential risks, producing plan5 incorporating financial, operational and Strategic options lo react lo Changing circumstance5 should they occur based on detailed risk assessment. The Charity works on a collaborative basis with charities and organisalions acro$$ England and Wales lo assist in delivering our Charitable objectives and shared outcomes. OBJECTS AND ACTIVITIES Level Playing Field adopts and promotes the social model of disability, in which disability Is viewed as a social issue and that an Individual only becomes disabled as a resutt of the social, alliludinal and environmental barriers that the individual laces. The Charity is focused on removing these barriers in all sports. Level Playing Field land ils membership) is Committed lo achieving an environment where.. all fan5 can enjoy an equal experience al live sports events all 51adia and sports venue5 are lully accessible and inclusive all customer andlor fan services are equal and Inclusive disabled people are seen as customers with a commercial value The Charity is guided by the following principles.. 8nli-discrimination - so that disabled people do not 13¢e discrirnination arising from poor or misinlorfried practice equality ol opportunity and fairnes5 for disabled people In every aspect of their contact with sports clubs and venues increasing the independence and choices offered to disabled people Individual requirements recognising that a disabled person Is an individual who, in a diverse society, has his or her own requirements. abilities, hurnan rights and respoll5ibililies integr2tionlinclusion offer a choice involvement in decision-making so thal disabled people. andlor their advocates. are consulted before decisions which affect Ihern are rnade acknowledgement of the soc1al rnodel of disability which explains that il is social an physical barriers that cause 'disability' not impairments. such that services are made accessible lo disabled people and Level Playing Page 3 TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT Icontinuedl Level Playing Field is working lo remove the barriers that currently exclude disabled people, including.. prejudice and 51ereolypes the way things are organised and run lack oflinadequate access lo information. buildings and transport The DirectorslTruslees have had dve regard lo the guidance published by The Charity CommissiDn Dn public benefit in managing the activitie5 01 the Charity. The main activities of the Charity during the year were as follows.. Fan Engagement 2023 was a year where Level Playing Field's connection with the disabled fans it serves Continued lo strengthen Areas of work which were important lo that included.. in-person lorvms.. the return of regional forums. with the Level Playing Field SoLJth Forum, was successful In bringing lans. club representatives and other stakeholdefs together. This was the first lime this formal had been ulilised since before the pandemic and received a highly p051tive response from attendees. online forums.. this eonlinu8lion allowed more regular and open discussion with disabled lans and other stakeholders.11 also presented opportunities lo bring more gugsl speakers lo the fore. podcasts. the Introduction of Iranscripls made the podcasts more ac¢e$sible, while bilesize clips have enabled the charity lo revisit topics when they are ol particular relevance lo ongoing matters. disabled supporters, associations. support and guidance were provided across the season, resulting in significant progress from emerging disabled supporters, associations and groups exploring the possibility of starting a formaliyed association. Surrfeys Two surveys had 8 dramatic Impact on the knowledge centre pillar of our work during 2023 These enabled the charity lo gather real Ille experiences and use that information lo push for ehange. Throughout the year. the charity had almost 2,000 survey responses In total, evidencing mass con5ullalion with disabled fans. This directly informs the charity's work, equip5 SUPPOrters. and allows Level Playing Field to provide Clubs and governing bodies with valuable data lo use Ihemselves. Some key points to consider from each survey are. Annual Fan Survey 2023 1.791 responses represent a record number for the charity This would be expected to have increased how reneclive the results are ol disabled fans. perspectives across the board more than hall ol disabled lans identified additional disabilily-relaled costs to attending live sport. almost a third of respondents had been impa¢ted by the use ol flares, smoke bomb5, and other Such pyrotechnics. the data displays year-on-year trends for the first time, allowing Level Playing Field to look 81 the trajectory of certain locus points for access and inclLJSiDn trends included troubling rises in the percentage ol disabled fans for whom 'inaccessible public transport. and 'disability abuse. are barriers when attending live sport. results that related to barriers experienced by disabled fans showed some posrtive movement There were noticeable drops in the percentages of lans where 'physical ac¢ess at sladiums, and 'alliludes of others, were a barrier. These did remain the top fvjo overall however. emphasi5ing the scale of those issues. Level Playing Page 4 TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT Icontinuedl Women's Football Survey a Iirsl-ol-ils-kind survey which presented data on relative unknowns for th8 charity, club5 and governing bi>Jies. showed a'lack of Information, was a barrier for allending matches to a significantly higher proportion ol lans1260/0I than in the previous annual lan survey across all sPOrt5116 /). data on information corroborated by 38ts/ts of respondents rating their club's 'communicalion and marketing when Il comes to attracting disabled fans into watching women's football, as 'poor', 'very poor,, or 'non-existelll'. 460/0 of lans listed 'accessibility Information. as something which would help when planning for and Iravelling lo women's matches. with only accessible parking ranking higher 'cosl ol allending and 'difficully purchasing Iickels. were both shown lo be lesser barriers for disabled lans attending women's football and 19°/0 ol respondents were aged 18.29, which all d15plays the potential for teams lo attract new supporters. Campaigns- Unite ForAcce55 In ils first year under a new name. the campaign sel records, with significant buy-in from clubs. disabled supporters, associations, disabled lans and governing bodies. nvolvemenl from 1 Oooh of Sky Bel Championship clubs. helped take the lolal number of teams beyond 120. The name change lo 'Unite For Access, from 'Weeks of Action, proved extremely effective. wilh an immediate connection to messaging al the eortt of Level Playing Field's aims. An essential Part of this came IhroLJgh the film. which showcased the experiences ol d15abled lans, gained significant Iraclion 8nd started the campaign off in an impacllul manner. Acros5 the fortnight. there was participation from the Premier League. right through lo non-league clubs. Al the lop level. M8nche51er City celebrated 25 years of providing audio descriptive commentary, while in Sky 8el League Two, Stevenage gave a young disabled supporter the opportunity lo lead the team out. One of the most memorable moments of the campaign, came when the national anthem was once again performed alongside a British Sign Language IBSLI interpreter. ahead of the Carabao Cup Final al Wembley. Thi5 wa5 followed by more work on BSL, as Arsenal Introduced 8 permanent malchday provision. Club Resource Facililaling discourse between club staff and disabled fans through forums is a key service lo inform clLJbs, as is survey data which allows them lo see their specific circumstances alongside the context o15POrt as a whole. Expert stadium auditing and staff Irainino is 81s0 made use ol by many ¢lub5. The auditing process led Cardiff City lo be¢orne the lalesl recipient of a'Level Playing Field Centre of Excellence Award, in 2023. On a wider scale. the charity was delighted lo lead on the Inaugural EFL Disability Acce95 Officei Conference, which was a PDSltive vessel Iof the sharing of best practice. Lobbylng There were a number of instance5 in 2023, where It was important for Level Playing Field lo represent the interests of disabled lans Dn key issues. through official correspondence with politicians and governing bodie5. Responses lo the publication oflhe Fwtball Governance While Paper and the independent report on the even15 al the Champions Leaoue Final between Liverpool and Real Madrid. sustained efforts from previous years in those areas. Level Playing Page 5 TRUSTEES, ANNUAL REPORT Icontinuedl The Champions League Final in 2023 once again saw a failure lo accommodate disabled 5UPPOrters ol a Premier League club and It wa5 therefore vital that Level Playing Field applied pre55ure on UEFA. The direct accounts ol Manchester City lans impacted were essential throughout the process. A responsibility lo contribute on wider matters ol accessibility. where disabled sports fans could be impacted, was clear on proposed Closures of train slalion Iickel offices. Level Playing Field supported the effort5 of Transport For All and brought d￿Sabled supporters, associations from across England and Vvales together to challeng& Ihis Ultimately proposa15 were withdrawn. in a dramatic reversal and a major victory for accessibility, which followed the biggest fespon5e lo a public consullalion in 8rit15h hi510ry FINANCIAL REVIEW The financial position of the charity al 3111 December 2023. as more fully detailed in the account5, can be summarised as follows.. 2023 2022 Ngt incomellexpendlturel 99,781 5,783 Unreslricled Revenue Funds available for the general purposes of the charity 250,502 192,194 Restricted Revenue Funds 41,473 Total Funds 291,975 192,194 RESERVES POLICY The reserves policy is lo maintain a level of unreslricled reserves which covers 6-12 months of operating costs. The report of the directors has been prepared having taken advantage of the small companies. exemption in the Companies Act 2006. On behalf of the board I n'r,t'l.I ATay Chair D8le' 30 Jun 2024 Level Playing Page 6 INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS, REPORT I report lo the charity Iruslees on my examination ol the a¢¢oun15 of the company for the year ended 31 $1 December 2023 which are Sel out on pages 7 10 16. Responsibilities and basi5 of report As the charity Iruslees ol the company land also Its directors lor the purpose5 of company lawl YOLJ are responsible for the preparation ol the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 20061'the 2006 Acl'l. Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required lo be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible lor independent examination, I report In respect ol my examination of your company's accounts as carried out under section 145 01 the Charitie5 Act 2011 1.the 2011 Acl'l. In Carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 1451511bl of the 2011 Act. Independent examiner's statement Since the company's gross income exceeded £250.000 your examiner musl be a member of body Iisled in section 145 01 the 2011 Act. I confirm that l am quar￿lied lo undertake the examination because l am a member ol the Inslilule of Chartered Accounlanls in England and Wale5, which is one of the listed bodies. I have completed my examination. I confirrn that np mallers have come lo my allenlion in connection with the examination giving me cause lo believe that in any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in respect ol the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act". or 2. the accounts do not accord with Ih05e records,. or 3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 01 the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'lrue and fair view, which is not a rnaller considered as part of an independelll exarninalion,. or 4. the accounts have not been prepared in aecordance with the melhods and principles of the Statement ol Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable lo charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Finan¢ial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic ol Ireland IFRS 1021. have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination lo which attention should be drawn in Ihis report In order lo enable a proper Ljnderslanding ol the accounts lo be reached. Mark Harwood FCA BFP FMAAT Michael Harwood & Co Chartered A¢¢ounlan15 Greville House 10 Jury Street Warwick CV34 4EW Dale.. IOLY Level Playing Page 7 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES Ilncorporating the Income and Expenditure Account) For the year ended 31. December 2023 2023 2023 Note UnTestrl¢ted Restricted 2023 Total 2022 2022 Unrestricted Restricted 2022 Total Income from: Dorialions & grants Charitable activities Oisconlinued 8clivilies 29,119 48,447 29,119 396,414 394 39,659 82,033 394 355.900 82.033 347,967 316,241 Total income 77,566 347,967 42S,533 122,086 316,241 438,327 Expendituro on: Raising funds Charitable activities Other Discontinued 8clivilies 216 18,125 917 216 314,483 11,053 216 29,674 1,069 57,012 216 346.584 10.715 75,029 296,358 10,136 316,910 9,646 18,017 Total expendlturg 19,258 306.494 325,7S2 87,971 344,573 432.$44 Net incomellexpgndlturel for tho year S8,308 99.781 34,115 128.3321 5,783 41,473 Transfers be￿een funds 128,3321 28,332 Net movement in funds for the year 58,308 41,473 99,781 5.783 5,783 Fund balances brought lonmard 192,194 192,194 186,411 186,411 Fund balances at 3111 December 2023 192,194 14116 250,502 41,473 291,975 192,194 The notes on page5 9 10 16 form an integral part ol the accounts. Level Playing Page 8 BALANCE SHEET A5 at 31°, December 2023 (Company no. 111097191 2023 2022 Not& Fixed assets Tangible assets lllveslments 3.854 2,748 10 3.855 2,749 Current assets Debtors Cash al bank and in hand 206.470 131.273 12,088 221,191 Total current assets 337,743 233,279 Current liabilltles Creditors 12 149.6231 143,8341 Net current assets 288,120 189,445 Total assets less current liabi1Sties 291,975 192,194 Funds of the Charity.. R&strSctgd funds Unrestrlcted funds 41,473 250,502 192,194 Total charity funds 14116 291,975 192,194 Directors, s18lemenls.' The company wa5 enlilled lo exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating 10 small companies., No members have required the company lo obtain an audit ol 115 accounts for the year in question In accordance with seclioll 476 01 the Companies Act 2006, The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for Complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect lo accounting records and the preparation of accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable lo companies subje¢l to Ihe small companies, regime. The financial slalements were approved by the Trustees on 30th June 2024. On behalf of the Trustees A Taylo Chair The notes on page5 9 10 1 S form an integral part of the accounts. Level Playing Page 9 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 31" December 2023 ACCOUNTING POLICIES lal Basis of Accounting Level Playing Field is a company limited by guarantee In En9land & Wales. In the event of the charity being wound up. the liability In respe¢l of the guarantee is limited lo £1 per member ol the charity The address of the registered office 15 given In the ch8rily Information on page 1 and the nature of th& charity s operations and principa5 activities are given in the Annual Report. The charity conslilule5 a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial slalements have been prepared in accordance with A¢¢ounling and Reporting by Charities.. Slalemenl ol Recomrnended Practice applicable lo charitie5 preparing Ihe1r accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic ol Ireland issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard app￿iCable in the United Kingdorn and Republic ol Ireland IFRS 1021, the Charities Act 2011. the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Aceepled Accounting Practice. The financial staternenls are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical C051 convention, modified lo inclLJde certain items at lair value The financial statemerils 8re presented in sterling which is the functional ¢urrency ol the charity and rounded to the nearest £1. The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these finaneial slalemenls are set Dul below These policies have been consislenlly applied lo all years presented unless othe￿1$e sl8led, Ibl Income All incoming resources are included in the Slalemenl of Financial Aclivili8s when the charity is legally entitled lo the Income after any pertormance conditions have been rnel, the amount can be measured reliably and il Is probable that the income will b8 received. For donations lo be recognised the charity will have been notified of the amounts and the selllemenl date In writing 11 there are conditions allached ID the donation and this requires a level ol performance before enlitlemenl can be obtained then income is deferred until those conditions are fully mel or the lulfilmenl ol those conditions is within the control ol the charity and il is probable that they will be fulfilled Investment income is eamed through holding as5els for investment purposes such as cash and is comprised of bank interest Icl Govgrnment Grants Government grants are recognised at the lair value of the asset received or receivable when there is reasonable assurance that Ihe grant conditions will be met and the grants will be received. A grant that specifies performance condition5 is ￿cOgnised in income when the performan￿ conditions are mel. Where a grant does not specify perforrnance conditions it Is recogn15ed in income when the proceeds are received or receivable. A grant receiv￿ before the recognition criteria are satisfied is recognised as a liabilily. Level Playing Page 10 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued) For the year ended 31st De¢ember 2023 ACCOUNTING POLICIES Icontinuedl Idl Expenditure All expenditure is accounted lor on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cos15 related lo the category Expenditure 15 recognised where there is a legal or conslruclive obligation to make payments lo Ihird parties, it Is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount ol the obligation can be measured reliably. It is ¢alegorised under the following headings.. Cos15 of raising funds include5 the monthly charges of donation collection organisalions. Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of ils activities and services for ils beneficiaries 11 include5 both costs that can be allocated directly to such aclivilie5 and those costs ol an Indirect nature necessary to support them. Other expenditure repres&n15 those items not falling into the categories above and includes governan¢e cost5. 1¢) Flxed Assets Items ol equipment costing over £200 are capilalised and are slated al cost lor deemed C0511 or valuation less accumulated depreciation and aecumulated irnpairmenl losses. Cost includes costs direelly altribulable lo making the asset capable of operating as Intended. Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets, al rates cal¢LJlaled lo write off Ihe cost, less eslimaled residual value. of each asset on a 5yStemalic basis over ils exp¢¢led useful Ille as follows.. Computer Equipment 3 years slraighl line If) Investments Investments in 5ub5idiaries are measured al cost less impairment. (gi Debtors and credltors receivable I payablg wllhln one year Oebtors and creditor5 with no slated interest rale anLI receivable or payable within one year are recorded al transaction price Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure. Ihl Funds Unrestricted funds are available lor use at the discretion ol the Iru51ees In furtherance of the general objectives ol the charity and which have not been designated lor other purposes. Restricted fund5 are funds subject lo specific reslricled conditions imposed by donors. The purpose5 and use of restricted funds are sel out In note 15 to the financial statements Taxation The charity is an exempl ¢harily within the meaning of schedule 3 01 the Charities Act 2011 and 15 considered to pass the le515 Sel out In Paragraph 1 Schedu5e 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore il meets the definition of a ¢harilable company lor UK corporation lax purposes. Level Playing Page 11 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued) For the year ended 31$t December 2023 DONATIONS AND GRANTS 2023 2023 Unrestrict$d Restricted 2023 2022 Total Unrestricted 2022 Restricted 2022 Total Memory Giving JustGiving LPF Consultancy Ltd 358 36 358 36 1,162 27,957 1,162 27,957 Total donations and grant$ 29,119 29,119 394 394 INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES 2023 2023 Unreslricted Rèstri¢t8d 2023 2022 2022 Total Unrestricted Rgstricted 2022 Total Membership In¢orne Performance-Relaled Grants.. Premier League Fans Fund The Football League Thg Football Association ol Wales Expenses recharged Miscellaneous Income 112 38 150 90 90 347,929 347,929 46,000 304,803 304.803 36.000 3,000 46,000 36.000 3,000 2.265 70 2,265 70 569 11.438 12,007 Total income from charltablg activltles 316,241 355,900 48,447 347,967 396,414 39,659 EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES 2023 2023 Unre5tTlCted Restricted 2023 Total 2022 2022 Unrestrlcted Restricted 2022 Total Direct spendlng Expenses recharged Unite lor Access & Campaigning Event costs Other campaign costs 1,501 1,121 1,501 22,417 1,333 1,043 10,805 24,566 28 217 12,138 25,609 30 228 21,296 22 417 439 Total direct spending 2,644 21.713 24.357 2,389 35,616 38,005 Support costs Staff costs Isee Note 71 Travel and subsistence Telephone costs 11.807 1.427 50 214.107 20,011 1.006 225,914 21,438 1.056 12,139 1,751 102 218.002 7,247 1,194 230,141 8.998 1.296 Carried forward 13.284 235,124 248,408 13,992 226.443 240,435 Level Playing Page 12 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Icontinuedl For the year ended 31" December 2023 EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES l¢ontinuedl 2023 Unrestricted 2023 Restricted 2023 Total 2022 2022 Unrestricted Restricted 2022 Total Support costs Icontinuedl Brought forward 13,284 235,124 248.408 13,992 226,443 240,435 Premises Publicity Adminislralitsn & office supplies Professional lees & insuran¢e Website & email hosting Training Postage Bad debts 1.034 77 554 238 265 24 19,646 1,452 10.537 2.295 5,043 450 98 20.680 1,529 11.091 2,533 5.308 474 103 2.237 57 927 629 3,152 1,266 21 5,004 42,506 723 6.266 4.585 97 228 394 52 44,743 780 7.193 5.214 3,249 1,494 415 5,056 ToLIl support costs 15,481 274.645 290,126 27,285 281,294 308,579 Total expenditure on charitable activities 18,125 296,3S8 314,483 29,674 316,910 346,584 OTHER COSTS 2023 2023 Unrestricted Rèstricted 2023 Total 2022 2022 Unrestricted Restricted 2022 Total Bank Charges Governan¢e travel costs Other legal and professional Oepreciation Loss on disposal ol assets Sundry expenses tk)nalions 102 87 585 134 102 1.762 6,331 2,672 102 77 557 94 37 202 102 354 7.213 1,875 740 431 1,675 5,746 2,538 277 6,656 1,781 703 229 82 95 86 100 Total other cost5 917 10,136 11,053 1,069 9,646 10,715 Independent examÉr7er'5 remuneration Included in the above figures are independent examination fees of £3.06012022 £3,000) and other financial Services of £64812022 - £8461 Level Playing Page 13 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Icontinuedl For the year ended 318t December 2023 DISCONTINUED ACTIVITIES 2023 2023 Unrestricted Restricted 2023 2022 Total Unrestricted 2022 Restricted 2022 Total Income from discontinued activities Income from Audits Training Income 74,383 7,650 74.383 7,650 Total incomè from discontinued activities 82.033 82,033 Expenditure from discontinLsed activities Staff costs (see Note 71 57,012 18,017 75,029 Total expendilure from discontinued activities S7,012 18,017 75,029 The above income streams and their associated costs were Iran51erred to LPF Consultancy Limited. subsidiary company of Level Playing Field. STAFF COSTS 2023 2022 Gros5 wages Social security costs Pension costs Other costs 202.194 18.584 4.440 696 271,762 25,635 6.879 894 Total salaries, wages and related costs 225,914 305.170 Average number ol employees Cross-charged lo LPF Consultancy Limited The number of employees who re￿iVed total employee benefit5 lexcluding employer pension costs) of more than £6D.000 15 a5 follows.. £80,001 - £70,000 TRUSTEE REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES No Trustee or ¢onnected person received any remuneration or expenses either directly or indirectly. Level Playing Page 14 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Icontinuedl For the year ended 31" December 2023 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS Computer Equipment Total COST Al 1s1 January 2023 Addition5 Disposals 8.955 3.778 8,955 3,778 11,1101 Al 31 91 December 2023 11.623 11,623 DEPRECIATION Al 151 January 2023 Charge for the year Eliminated on disposal 6,207 2,672 11.1101 6.207 2.672 Al 31st December 2023 7,769 7,769 NET BOOK VALUE At 3151 December 2023 3.854 3.854 Al 31$1 De￿mber 2022 2,748 2,748 10. INVESTMENTS Shares in group undertakings COST At 1s1 January 2023 Additions Al 3151 December 2023 The company's investmen15 are as follows.. LPF Consultancy Limited Company number". Country ol incorporation". Nature of business". Ordinary shares of £1 each 14396922 England Performing access audits on sporting stadia I OOOk held 2023 Gross Income Total expenditure Profitll10s51 Balance Sheet total 185,130 185,130 LPF Consultancy Limited was in¢orporaled on 4th O¢lober 2022 and commenced trading in 2023, taking over the audit and training income from Level Playing Field. Any profils made during the financial period is donated to Level Playing Field. Level Playing Page 15 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Icontinuedl For the year ended 315t December 2023 11. DEBTORS 2023 2022 Trade debtors Prepayments Other debtors Amount owed by subsidiaries 283 4.170 1,OOD 6,635 36,320 6.147 164.003 206,470 12.088 12. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR 2023 2022 Trade creditors Accruals Social secunty & other taxes Deferred Income (see Note 131 1,697 3,286 10.155 34.485 393 3.532 9.694 30,215 49.623 43,834 13. DEFERRED INCOME 2023 2022 Balance brought IDrward Amounts released to Income Additions during the year 30,215 130.2151 34.485 38,162 {38.1621 30,215 Balance carried fo￿ard 34.485 30,215 Deferred income comprises of perfomiance-rel*ed g￿nIS Covering the year ended 3131 December 20241£34,485). 14. MOVEMENT ON FUNDS Balance at 01.01.2023 Income Expenditure in year in year Balance at Transfers 31.12.2023 Unrestricted & designated funds Unrestricted revenije funds 192.194 77,566 119,2581 250,502 Total unrestricted funds 192,194 77,566 119.2581 250,502 Level Playing Page 16 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued) For the year ended 31st December 2023 14. MOVEMENT ON FUNDS lcontinuedl Restricted funds Fans, Fund 347,967 1306.4941 41,473 Total restricted funds 347.967 1306,4941 41.473 Total charity funds 192.194 425.533 1325,7521 291,975 15. RESTRICTED FUNDS The purposes lor which the ￿$t￿leted funds are held by the chanty are. Fans, Fund Grant funding from the P￿rnIer League Fans, Fund lo be used for the following outcomes". Outcome 1 - To Improve engagement betsveen fans and fan groups and the key operatKsnal staff who deliver supporter liaison. disability access and any related facilities and seNices. Oulcome 2 - To make lans vo￿8 more represenlalive. Ihro(tgh the promotion and development ol effedive membership organisalion Outcome 3 - To Improve the matchday and non-matchday experience for all fans by makin9 football more diverse and inclusive Outcome 4 To fund use of not-for-profil skilled or professional services that create and support innovative fan engagement project5. Outcome 5 . To improve the away fan experience. 16. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS Fixed Assets Current Assets Current Liabilities Total At 31*1 December 2023 Reslricled funds UnreslrKled lunds 3.661 80.530 257.213 142,7181 16.9051 41,473 250,502 3,855 337,743 149,6231 291,975 At 31*t Decembgr 2022 Restricted funds Unreslrided funds 2.611 138 35.583 197.6 138, 1941 15.6401 192.194 2.749 233.279 143.8341 192,194 17. RELATED PAR￿ TRANSACTIONS During the year the company made no transactwjns with related partw.