HOUSING
OMATTERS
Advice.Support.Advocacy
Housing Matters (Bristol)
Annual Report &
Accounts 2023/24
## **Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts**
## **Table of contents**
- **3** Reference and administra�ve informa�on
- **4** Chair’s review
- **5** Objec�ves and ac�vi�es
- **6** More about Housing Ma�ers - purpose, vision, mission, and values
- **7** Local context and impact
- **8** Our partnerships
- **9** What our clients say
- **10** Financial review
- **11** Structure, governance, and management
- **12** Statement of Trustees’ responsibili�es
- **13** Independent examiner’s report and accounts
- **14**
- **15** Balance sheet
- **16**
2
## **Reference and Administra�ve Informa�on**
Charity Name: Housing Ma�ers (Bristol) Charity Registra�on Number: 1180341 Company Number: 10675390
## **Trustees**
Andrew Gibbard Chair John Mathias Trustee & Secretary Chris Bird Trustee & Treasurer (resigned 04.05.2023) Joe Saunders Trustee and Treasurer (appointed 06.02.2024) Ben Banks Trustee Gary Jordan Trustee Andrew Marshall-Jones Trustee Samantha Mar�n Trustee (appointed 31.05.2023) Jasmin Matharu Trustee Kim Mylchreest Trustee (appointed 19.05.2023) Alice Parsons Trustee (resigned 08.07.2024)
## **Senior Manager:**
Alice Tibbert (Director)
## **Registered Address:**
Easton Business Centre
## **Bankers:**
Co-opera�ve Bank
Felix Road
Easton
PO Box 101, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester M60 4EP
Bristol BS5 0HE
CAF Bank Ltd
## **Independent Examiners:**
25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ
Joshua N Kingston BSC., ACA Burton Sweet Limited
Charity Bank
The Clock Tower 5 Farleigh Court Old Weston Road Flax Bourton Bristol BS48 1UR
Fosse House, 182 High Street, Tonbridge TN9 1BE
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## **Chair’s review**
Last year, the waiting list for social housing in Bristol hit an all-time high of over 21,000, putting mass strain on both emergency and temporary accommodation. The number of refugees facing destitution soared following a change in national policy. There were many troubling incidents during the year a�ecting Bristol’s most vulnerable people, including in November, when residents of a council tower block in East Bristol were pushed out of their homes for several weeks after an emergency evacuation.
All of this meant that specialist housing advice, support and advocacy was more important than ever, and at Housing Matters, the demand for our services continued to rise.
Throughout the year, we continued to run our over-the-phone advice service, in-person drop-ins, and partnership projects, supporting almost 900 households – more than double the number we helped before the onset of the cost-of-living crisis. These households were made up from almost 2,000 people, 820 of whom were children. We fulfilled our ambition of bringing community voices to the forefront of our organisation by establishing our Advisory Board, whose members have experience of navigating the housing system and many of whom are previous clients, providing ensuring we remain responsive to the needs of those we support.
We believe that reaching our clients as early as possible is key to preventing homelessness, and we were delighted to secure funding through the Household Support Fund to expand our outreach project. We opened four new drop-ins based in established community hubs across Bristol, bringing much-needed, accessible housing advice to some of the city’s most marginalised communities.
Alongside the continuation of the cost-of-living crisis, we have seen the complexity of clients' situations steadily increase, and their housing stress is often compounded by other issues like debt and poor mental health. That’s why collaboration is integral to our approach: through partnering with other local charities, we can o�er more holistic support. We strengthened our ability to push for longer term, systemic change through proactive engagement with our sector and, critically, the development of the Housing Roundtable: a key forum for driving forwards collaboration and finding innovative solutions to Bristol’s housing crisis.
Looking ahead, we are in a strong position to reach more people around Bristol, invest in our development and sta�, and consolidate our progress. Through the continuation of our trainee scheme for new housing advisers, we will increase our capacity to respond to the housing crisis, and we will use our expertise to find innovative ways to scale our impact. We are here to help Bristol’s most vulnerable people to get the best possible housing outcomes, as well as fighting for meaningful policy change to combat inequality in our housing system.
I’m immensely proud of everything we achieved last year. I would like to o�er my sincere thanks to all our funders and supporters who make all of this possible, as well as our dedicated Board of Trustees and sta� team. Together, we will keep fighting for housing equality towards our shared vision: a society where everyone has a place they’re happy to call home.
Andy Gibbard
**Chair of Trustees**
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## **Objec�ves and ac�vi�es**
## **Charitable objects**
and the surrounding area, in par�cular but not exclusively by:
- 1)
- 2) Ac�ng as an advocate on behalf of members of the public for whom the charity is established to assist and to represent at tribunals and court hearings and to undertake legal work on their behalf; and
- 3) The carrying out of lobbying on housing and related issues.
##
poverty, focusing on those with par�cular needs due to age, disability or other vulnerabili�es. Housing Ma�ers aims to intervene early and ensure that people have access to safe, appropriate and permanent accommoda�on.
We work closely with local community partners to ensure people receive the right support, at the right �me. In preven�ng homelessness and improving housing condi�ons, the charity provides benefits to individuals and the wider community. All our services are free and accessible to people in Bristol and the surrounding area. The Trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and endeavour to implement that guidance in all the charity's work.
## **Housing Ma�ers aims to:**
- Prevent homelessness in the City of Bristol and surrounding areas.
- Enable people to stay in their own homes by improving their current housing condi�ons and raising income levels.
-
## **To achieve our aims, we:**
-
-
- Work closely with local community groups to upskill community members and promote early access to advice.
- Share informa�on and work with local partners to achieve the above objec�ves.
- people in housing need.
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More about
Housing Matters
Our purpos•: Why do w• •xlst?
We believe Quality housing is a human right. We're here to give anyone
in Jnd aiound Bristol the knowle(1ge and support they nee<1 to live in
safe. secure hom•s.
Our vision: What is our ultimate goal?
Our vision is a SletY whwg one has a place th?re happy to call
home.
Our mlsslon: How wlll w• •¢hl•v• our vS$l•n7
We are experts in housing advice, support and advocacy. here to help
the people of 8ri$tol and beyond navi9ate the path to a safe and secure
home. We aim to find unique. lon9-t6rm solutions for our clients.
whatever their needs.
Our valu•s: How •nd why w• work wlth our ¢ll•nts
People First- Informed- Dedicated- Inclusive- Resourcefvl
99
- Famlly Support Workw.
CIMldren'5Centrè
## **Local context and impact**
On any given night in Bristol, at least 70 people are bedding down on the city’s streets.
Yet, unfortunately, rough sleeping is only the tip of Bristol's housing crisis. The city has become the most expensive place to rent outside of London. The number of households in temporary accommodation has more than doubled since the pandemic, where conditions can be cramped, damp and noisy. And with the threat of being moved onto another temporary property at any point, people can go for years without feeling ‘at home’. The waiting list for social housing in Bristol hit a record high of 21,000 households last year. With only 1,500 properties to allocate annually, even those who are in particularly vulnerable situations are waiting up to three years to be rehoused.
Many of our clients live in unsafe conditions because of damp and mould; extreme disrepair; rodents; domestic abuse; hate crime; overcrowding; and other factors. They may be facing a Section 21 eviction – now the biggest cause of homelessness in Bristol – where a landlord doesn’t have to give a reason to evict. Many are already experiencing homelessness.
Bristol City Council have reported a 25% increase in households approaching them for support because they’re facing homelessness compared to pre-pandemic levels. It’s no wonder that demand for housing advice in Bristol has now overtaken that for employment advice; it’s now the most requested type of support after debt and welfare benefits advice. But unfortunately, a Bristol City Council contracted researcher found that housing advice was severely lacking in several parts of the city. This makes our role at Housing Matters more crucial than ever before.
## **Our impact**
Homelessness and housing crisis can have a serious and lifelong impact on entire families. Teachers report homeless children exhibiting social withdrawal, anxiety, behavioural issues, and daytime sleepiness (Shelter, 2017). Homeless people are more likely to develop asthma, COPD and tuberculosis than those with suitable homes. Without a stable home, people’s capacity to cook, commute, maintain hygiene and sleep is hugely compromised, which in turn affects their performance at work and ability to maintain a job (Crisis, 2024), further entrenching them in homelessness.
Helping people access safe, secure homes can help end these cycles, benefiting the health, wellbeing and finances of individuals and families long into the future.
Last year, 51% of clients came to us because they were threatened with or experiencing homelessness, compared to around a third before the onset of the Cost-of-Living crisis. Of those facing homelessness who needed long-term casework support from us, we’re proud to have prevented homelessness for/helped to rehouse 49%. We improved housing conditions or rehousing prospects for 19%.
Across our entire client group, we helped people access £160,000+ in additional income e.g., in the form of benefits, written-off debt, charity grants and lodger income. This increases local people’s resilience during the housing crisis and any future shocks that come our way.
As well as advising and advocating for our clients, another important area of our work is upskilling them to better deal with any housing stress themselves to avert crisis point in the future.
Of our clients last year, 94% had a better understanding of their options, duties and rights; 72% now know where to go to get help and advice; and 88% are better able to manage their own affairs.
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## **Our partnerships**
In line with our service development strategy to work collabora�vely and share resources with other agencies, and our fundraising strategy to develop sustainable income through charitable ac�vi�es, we have been involved in a number of successful partnership projects across the year. Whether they are exis�ng or newly formed partnerships, they have delivered incredible outcomes for our clients. They’ve helped to break down barriers for those who might have otherwise struggled to access the advice and support they desperately need.
## **The power of partnership: Our HomeFull project**
Through the Homefull project, we aim to improve housing circumstances and build financial resilience for Bristol families. For many people, housing stress isn’t a stand-alone issue. Housing crisis can push people into debt – and debt only worsens their housing struggles. Their situa�ons are even more complex when they’re responsible for children. To end this cycle, since 2020, we’ve partnered with Talking Money, a local debt advice charity, to create our HomeFull project.
Now, Bristol families can access housing and debt support all at once, and in a trusted place many already go – children's centres – the teams of which we work closely with for this project.
Last year, people came to HomeFull in more severe housing and debt crisis than ever before. On average, each client’s case took six
weeks longer to resolve compared to the previous year. But through the power of partnership, we helped these families even more efficiently than we would have as separate chari�es – by quickly sharing informa�on with each other, combining our exper�se, and tackling their debt and housing issues at the same �me.
## **Aashyana**
Aashyana is our partnership with St Pauls Advice Centre and Ci�zens Advice Bristol. Through this partnership, we offer targeted support to Bristol’s South Asian communi�es with housing, welfare benefits, money, debt and immigra�on advice. By working with specialists in our partner agencies, we can provide people with wellrounded support to deal with a mul�tude of issues. Owing to renewed funding las�ng into 2026, we can con�nue this much needed service and deliver key outcomes for our clients who suffer mul�ple barriers when accessing mainstream advice services.
## **Boost**
We partner with Wellspring Settlement, Talking Money and West of England Works to provide Boost – a dropin service for the community in Lawrence Hill and Barton Hill in East Bristol. Here, local people can access advice and support with bills, benefits, budgeting, employment and housing. This model – focusing on early intervention and partnering specialist advice with additional support services – has proven effective and popular with residents.
## **Early Doors**
The Early Doors project began in 2021, in partnership with local homelessness charity, Caring in Bristol. Together, we aim to prevent homelessness through education and early intervention. We consult with residents in East and South Bristol to identify key local issues and understand how we can adapt our service delivery to effectively respond to their unique needs. Through working with these residents, we have established more
8
regular 1:1 advice and support in East and South Bristol; developed and delivered housing rights workshops; and we are tackling community concerns around fire safety, anti-social behavior and rising energy bills.
## **Advice and Support Partnership**
This year, with support from Bristol City Council’s Household Support Fund, we collaborated with 14 other advice and support agencies to launch a new project. The Advice and Support Partnership project allowed us to open new drop-in services in East, North and South Bristol, where we addressed gaps in provision for some of Bristol’s most marginalised communities. Through the project, we were also able to strengthen our approach to co-working. The Household Support Fund also enabled us to keep our advice phone line open during crucial winter months.
## **In the words of our clients…**
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## **Financial review**
We had a successful year in fundraising, with total income banked £439,075 - a 12% increase on FY23 (£391,787). This, together with carried forward funds from the FY23, enabled us to increase expenditure by 17% to £432,340 (FY23: £367,738). Income received in FY24 included £59,582 which was restricted for spend in FY25.
Our primary source at 60% of our funding was Charitable Trusts and Na�onal Lo�ery Community Fund income. In line with our strategy, a growing source of income at 38% was generated through charitable ac�vi�es via our partnership projects (22% in FY23). The remaining 2% of income was from companies and individuals.
charity. They conclude that there are no material uncertain�es affec�ng the ability of the charity to con�nue as a going concern. This has also been considered in the context of the cost-of-living crisis, and the cash posi�on at the date of signing along with future cash projec�ons.
We are incredibly grateful to our supporters, without whom our work and growth over the last year wouldn’t have been possible. As well as our individual donors, we’d like to say a huge thank you to the following funders and community partners:
Albert Hunt Trust, Bristol City Council, Bristol Law Centre, Burden Trust, Burges Salmon Charitable Trust, Caring in Bristol, Clarion Housing, Denman Charitable Trust, Garfield Weston Founda�on, Henry Smith Charity, John James Bristol Founda�on, Margaret Jeannie Hindley Charitable Trust, Miss W E Lawrence 1973 Charitable Se�lement, Na�onal Benevolent Charity, Na�onal Lo�ery Community Fund, Pat Newman Memorial Trust, Quartet Community Founda�on, Renishaw Chari�es Commi�ee, Santander Founda�on, Singer Founda�on, St Paul’s Advice Centre, Triodos Founda�on and the Wellspring Se�lement.
## **Reserves policy**
The Trustees have established a policy whereby the free reserves should be sufficient to cover the charity's operating costs for between three and six months to enable the charity to continue operations following an unforeseen drop in income. For FY24, the range required has been calculated to be between £126k and £251k. This policy is reviewed annually by Trustees.
## **Reserves position**
On 31[st] March 2024, total reserves amounted to £211,963, of which £59,582 was restricted (see note 13 to the accounts). £152,381 remained as free reserves. This is sufficient to cover just under four months’ running costs of our FY25 budget of £474,907 and therefore in line with our policy.
## **Looking forward**
We anticipate the demand for our service will continue to increase as the effects of the Cost-of-Living crisis continue to be felt across the city. We will continue to develop our Trainee Housing Adviser Scheme to boost our capacity and explore new partnerships to help find collaborative solutions to Bristol’s housing crisis. Our commitment to service user involvement remains at the heart of our strategy and will be incorporated into our service expansion through outreach work. Our fundraising target is in line with this strategy, and will help us gradually build our reserves to put us in a more sustainable position for growth.
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## **Structure, governance, and management**
## **Organisational structure**
On 31[st] The Director manages strategic development, supported by the Advice Service Lead, Opera�ons Lead, and Communica�ons and Fundraising Assistant. The Advice Service Lead oversees the Advice Service, supported by four Housing Advisers. The Opera�ons Lead oversees the day-to-day running of the charity, supported by a Quality and Impact Officer.
## **Management**
The Trustees of the charity, who are also its statutory directors for company law purposes, exercise all its powers. The Trustees delegate the day-to-day operation of the charity to the Director, who is in turn accountable to the Board. The Director, Advice Service Lead, and Operations Lead form the staff Senior Leadership Team, who meet on a bi-weekly basis to review operational and strategic priorities.
## **Trustee Board**
On 31[st] March 2024, Housing Matters was governed by a Board consisting of ten Trustees, who bring a diverse range of skills and experience to the organisation. All Trustees are subject to three-year terms with a maximum of three terms possible. They must retire after a three-year term and this must happen at the Annual General Meeting (when appropriate). However, they are entitled to re-election up to the maximum period.
Trustees may be elected by a simple majority vote of the members of the charity, or they may be co- opted. Trustee recruitment is undertaken annually to meet skills gaps identified by the Board and Director. Posts are advertised widely through local voluntary channels and through direct invitations to ex-service users and key community members.
## **Governance**
Members of the Trustee Board meet regularly (at least quarterly and usually bi-monthly) to discuss strategic matters, review the risk register, and make key decisions. The Board delegates certain responsibilities to the Finance Committee, including approval of budgets and fundraising contracts; the monitoring of financial health; and the management of the liquidity of the charity. The Committee meet regularly (quarterly at a minimum), in advance of Trustee meetings.
## **Governing document**
Housing Matters (Bristol), formerly known as Churches Housing Aid Society, is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. The charity is governed by its Articles of Association adopted on 25[th] February 2021.
Housing Matters (Bristol) has operated as a registered charity since 1965. Prior to its reconstitution as a charitable company in 2019, it operated under charity number 233757. In accordance with accounting regulations, the transfer of assets from the old entity to the new was treated as a merger and is documented on the register of mergers.
11
## **Statement of Trustees’ responsibili�es**
The Trustees, who are also directors of Housing Ma�ers (Bristol) for the purposes of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accoun�ng Standards, including Financial Repor�ng Standard 102: The Financial Repor�ng Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Accepted Accoun�ng Prac�ce).
fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the income and expenditure of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees follow best prac�ce and:
- Select suitable accoun�ng policies and then apply them consistently;
- Observe the methods and principles in the Charity’s Statement of Recommended Prac�ce;
- Make judgments and accoun�ng es�mates that are reasonable and prudent;
- State whether applicable UK Accoun�ng Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- charitable company will con�nue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accoun�ng records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any �me the financial posi�on of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the preven�on and detec�on of fraud and other irregulari�es.
In so far as the Trustees are aware:
- There is no relevant audit informa�on of which the charitable company’s auditors are unaware; and
- The Trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have in order to make themselves aware of that informa�on.
## **Andrew Gibbard**
**Chair**
**Joe Saunders**
**Treasurer**
**Date: Date:**
9 December 2024
9 December 2024
12
## **Independent examiner’s report**
## **Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Housing Ma�ers (Bristol)**
I report to the trustees on my examina�on of the accounts of Housing Ma�ers (Bristol) (the Charity) for the year ended 31 March 2024.
## **Responsibili�es and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the prepara�on of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Chari�es Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examina�on of the Charity’s accounts carried out under sec�on 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examina�on I have followed all the applicable Direc�ons given by the Charity Commission under sec�on 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
Since the Charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in sec�on 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examina�on because I am a member of the Ins�tute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.
with the examina�on giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accoun�ng records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by sec�on 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Chari�es (Accounts and Reports) Regula�ons 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a ma�er considered as part of an independent examina�on.
I have no concerns and have come across no other ma�ers in connec�on with the examina�on to which a�en�on should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Joshua Kingston BSc., ACA
Burton Sweet Limited The Clock Tower 5 Farleigh Court Old Weston Road Flax Bourton, Bristol BS48 1UR
Date: ………………………… 9 December 2024
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## HOUSING MATTERS (BRISTOL)
## STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
|Note
Income from:
Donations and legacies
2
Charitable activities
3
Investments
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
4
Charitable activities
5
Total expenditure
Net income / (expenditure) for the year
and net movement in fund
6
Total funds at start of year
12
Total funds at end of year
12|Unrestricted
Funds
£
201,918
82,068
1,427|Restricted
Funds
£
68,662
85,000
-|Total Funds
2024
£
270,580
167,068
1,427|Total Funds
2023
£
306,173
85,550
64|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||285,413|153,662|439,075|391,787|
||16,587
236,497|-
179,256|16,587
415,753|13,000
354,738|
||253,084|179,256|432,340|367,738|
||32,329
120,052|(25,594)
85,176|6,735
205,228|24,049
181,179|
||152,381|59,582|211,963|205,228|
The Charity has no recognised gains or losses other than the results for the year as set out above.
All of the activities of the charity are classed as continuing.
See note 9 for the comparative Statement of Financial Activities.
The notes on pages 16 to 24 form part of these financial statements.
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## HOUSING MATTERS (BRISTOL)
## BALANCE SHEET
|AS AT 31 MARCH 2024|Company|no: 10675390 Charity number: 1180341|no: 10675390 Charity number: 1180341|
|---|---|---|---|
|||2024|2023|
||Note|£|£|
|Current assets||||
|Debtors|10|18,177|18,085|
|Cash at bank and in hand||201,075|197,094|
|||219,252|215,179|
|Liabilities||||
|Creditors : amounts falling||||
|due within one year|11|(7,289)|(9,951)|
|Net current assets||211,963|205,228|
|Net assets||211,963|205,228|
|FUNDS||||
|Unrestricted funds||||
|General funds|13|152,381|120,052|
|Restricted funds|13|59,582|85,176|
|Total funds||211,963|205,228|
For the year ending 31 March 2024 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
The members have not required the company to obtain:
- an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011.
- an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act applicable to small companies subject to the small companies regime and in accordance with FRS102 SORP.
These financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on …......................9 December 2024 and are signed on their behalf by:
Andrew Gibbard Chair
John Mathias Board Secretary
The notes on pages 16 to 24 form part of these financial statements.
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## HOUSING MATTERS (BRISTOL)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
- 1 Accounting policies
## Accounting convention
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the historical cost convention (except where otherwise stated in the accounting policy note) and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued in October 2019, and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), and the Companies Act 2006.
The charity is a public benefit entity as defined under FRS102. The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties affecting the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern as considered in the context of the cost of living crisis.
## Income
Income from donations is included in income when these are receivable, except as follows:
I. When donors specify that donations given to the charity must be used in future accounting periods, the income is deferred until those periods;
II. When donors impose conditions which have to be fulfilled before the charity becomes entitled to use such income, the income is deferred until the pre-conditions have been met.
Legacies are included on a receivable basis where charity is entitled to the income, it can be measured reliably and receipt is probable. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is not included in income but is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.
Investment income is included on a receivable basis.
Donations in kind comprise donated services where the costs are measurable and the services would otherwise have to be paid for to maintain operational effectiveness.
## Expenditure
Expenditure is recognised in the period in which it is incurred. Expenditure includes attributable VAT which cannot be recovered.
## _Raising funds_
Raising funds expenditure include those costs incurred in seeking voluntary contributions, costs of goods sold and other costs which include the costs of running and participating in fundraising events and collections and cost of goods purchased for resale.
## _Governance costs_
Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the independent examination fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity. Governance costs are included within charitable activity costs.
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## HOUSING MATTERS (BRISTOL)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
- 1 Accounting policies _(continued)_
Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits
The charity contributes to defined contribution pension schemes. Contributions payable to the charity's pension schemes are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.
## Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered.
## Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity date of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit.
## Creditors
Creditors are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
## Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Designated funds form part of unrestricted funds and have been identified as being for particular purposes by the Trustees. They are not restricted and can be transferred to general funds at any time at the discretion of the Trustees.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in note 12 of the financial statements.
## Reserves
The trutees policy is that the level of free (unrestricted) reserves retained at the year end should be sufficient to cover an agreed number of months of the subsequent year's budgeted expenditure. This will enable the charity to continue operations following an unforseen drop in income. The number of months (or range of such) is subject to annual review by Trustees and the current level agreed as sufficient by Trustees is as set out in the Trustees Report.
- 2 Income from: Donations and legacies
|Income from: Donations and legacies||||
|---|---|---|---|
|Current year
Donations
Grants received
Prior year comparatives
Donations
Grants received|Unrestricted
Funds
£
7,980
193,938|Restricted
Funds
£
-
68,662|Total Funds
2024
£
7,980
262,600|
||201,918|68,662|270,580|
||Unrestricted
Funds
£
2,220
183,501|Restricted
Funds
£
-
120,452|Total Funds
2023
£
2,220
303,953|
||185,721|120,452|306,173|
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## HOUSING MATTERS (BRISTOL)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
## YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
- 2 Income from: Donations and legacies _(continued)_
|2
Income from: Donations and legacies_(continued)_|2
Income from: Donations and legacies_(continued)_|2
Income from: Donations and legacies_(continued)_|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Grants received
Nisbet Charitable Trust
Charity
National Lottery Community Fund/Awards for All - Cost of Living
Henry Smith Charity
John James Bristol Foundation
Singer Foundation
Lloyds Bank Foundation
Santander Foundation
Quartet Community Foundation - Tredwin/Pennington
Quartet Community Foundation - Bristol One City Social Action
Quartet Community Foundation - Resilience grant
Quartet Community Foundation - Express grant
Nationwide Foundation
Bristol Water
National Grid Community Matters Fund
Albert Hunt Charitable Trust
PPL Ltd
Other grants and donations
3
Income from: Charitable activities
Unrestricted
Restricted
Funds
Funds
£
£
Income received from partnerships
82,068
85,000
Other Income
-
-
82,068
85,000
St Stephen & St James Trust
Access to Justice Foundation
Garfield Weston Foundation|||2024
£
-
-
10,000
39,988
40,000
25,000
15,000
10,000
-
-
61,666
-
-
9,996
5,000
-
-
-
7,000
10,000
36,930|2023
£
12,196
22,000
-
9,886
-
25,000
15,000
10,000
15,000
27,500
54,166
7,500
5,000
-
-
49,510
6,232
8,662
7,000
-
31,521|
||||270,580|306,173|
||||Total Funds
2024
£
167,068
-|Total Funds
2023
£
85,542
8|
||82,068|85,000|167,068|85,550|
All income received from charitable activities in the prior year was unrestricted funds.
- 4 Expenditure on: Raising funds
|Expenditure on: Raising funds|||
|---|---|---|
|Fees to Fundraiser
Fundraising events|Total Funds
2024
£
16,075
512|Total Funds
2023
£
13,000
-|
||16,587|13,000|
All the expenditure on raising funds in the current and prior year was out of unrestricted funds.
18
## HOUSING MATTERS (BRISTOL)
## NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
- 5 Expenditure on: Charitable activities
|Expenditure on: Charitable activities|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Current year
Salaries including NI & Pension
Rent, utilities and repairs
Venue hire
Travel expenses
Interpreting
Telephone
Insurance
IT Costs
Postage, printing and Stationery
Refreshments
Legal and Professional fees
Training
Payroll service
Subscriptions
Sundry expenses
Recruitment
Marketing, Comms and Website costs
Accounts and independent examination
Project Costs - Talking Money
Project Costs - Other
Prior year comparatives
Salaries including NI & Pension
Rent, utilities and repairs
Travel expenses
Interpreting
Telephone
Insurance
IT Costs
Postage, printing and Stationery
Refreshments
Legal and Professional fees
Training
Payroll service
Subscriptions
Sundry expenses
Recruitment
Marketing, Comms and Website costs
Accounts and independent examination
Project Costs - Homefull
Project Costs - Other|Direct
Costs
£
292,118
-
308
1,014
4,865
1,788
-
1,894
274
1,052
733
4,289
-
5,072
313
1,387
143
-
47,764
2,117|Support
Costs
£
-
36,566
-
-
-
-
656
4,864
-
-
2,327
-
614
-
7
-
-
-
-
-|Governance
Costs
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
596
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4,992
-
-|Total Funds
2024
£
292,118
36,566
308
1,014
4,865
1,788
1,252
6,758
274
1,052
3,060
4,289
614
5,072
320
1,387
143
4,992
47,764
2,117|
||365,131|45,034|5,588|415,753|
||Direct
Costs
£
259,318
-
605
4,457
2,302
-
2,193
392
274
619
3,856
-
4,796
884
714
5,816
-
17,752
935|Support
Costs
£
-
34,274
-
-
-
401
5,404
-
-
3,354
-
681
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|Governance
Costs
£
-
-
-
-
-
466
-
-
-
13
-
-
-
-
-
-
5,232
-
-|Total Funds
2023
£
259,318
34,274
605
4,457
2,302
867
7,597
392
274
3,986
3,856
681
4,796
884
714
5,816
5,232
17,752
935|
||304,913|44,114|5,711|354,738|
19
## HOUSING MATTERS (BRISTOL)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
- 6 Net income/(expenditure) for the year
|This is stated after charging:|2024|2023||
|---|---|---|---|
||£|£||
|Independent Examiner's fee Current year|2,400||2,244|
|Prior year under/over accrual|324||156|
|Accountancy support|2,268||2,832|
|Trustees' meeting and training expenses|260||55|
No (2023: 6) Trustees have been reimbursed for their out of pocket expenses of £nil (2023:£183) for subsistence and entertainment expenses. No Trustee received any remuneration during the year.
- 7 Staff costs and numbers
The aggregate payroll costs were:
|The aggregate payroll costs were:|||
|---|---|---|
|Wages & salaries
Social security costs
Pension contributions|2024
£
260,791
18,512
12,815|2023
£
232,881
15,470
10,967|
||292,118|259,318|
No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000.
The average number of employees during the year was 10 (2023: 10), calculated on the basis of average headcount. The total employment benefits received by key management personnel (trustees and charity director) including employer national insurance contributions and employer pension contributions were £52,729 (2023: £48,647).
- 8 Taxation
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
20
## HOUSING MATTERS (BRISTOL)
## NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
- 9 Statement of Financial Activities comparative figures
|9
Statement of Financial Activities comparative figures||||
|---|---|---|---|
|For the year ended 31 March 2023
Income from:
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Investments
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
Charitable activities
Total expenditure
Net income / (expenditure) for the year
and net movement in funds
Total funds at start of year
Total funds at end of year
10 Debtors
Due in less than one year:
Prepayments and accrued income
Other debtors
11 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Trade creditors
Other creditors
Accruals and deferred income|Unrestricted
Funds
£
185,721
85,550
64|Restricted
Funds
£
120,452
-
-|Total Funds
2023
£
306,173
85,550
64|
||271,335|120,452|391,787|
||13,000
277,478|-
77,260|13,000
354,738|
||290,478|77,260|367,738|
||139,195
(19,143)|41,984
43,192|181,179
24,049|
||120,052|85,176|205,228|
|||2024
£
7,992
10,185|2023
£
7,622
10,463|
|||18,177|18,085|
|||2024
£
1,266
1,722
4,301|2023
£
5,649
1,599
2,703|
|||7,289|9,951|
21
## HOUSING MATTERS (BRISTOL)
## NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
## 12 Movement in funds
For the year ended 31 March 2024
|Restricted Funds
Homefull
CAB - (Bristol CC)
PPL Ltd
Wessex Water
Quartet Community
Resilience fund
Bauer Radio
Total Restricted Funds
Unrestricted Funds
General funds
Total Unrestricted Funds
Total Funds|At 1 April
2023
£
85,176
-
-
-
-
-|Income
£
42,166
85,000
10,000
4,000
9,996
2,500|Expenditure
£
(85,176)
(85,000)
-
-
(8,330)
(750)|Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-
-|At 31 March
2024
£
42,166
-
10,000
4,000
1,666
1,750|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||85,176|153,662|(179,256)|-|59,582|
||120,052|285,413|(253,084)|-|152,381|
||120,052|285,413|(253,084)|-|152,381|
|||||||
||205,228|439,075|(432,340)|-|211,963|
22
## HOUSING MATTERS (BRISTOL)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
12 Movement in funds _(continued)_
For the year ended 31 March 2023
|At 1 April
2022
£
Restricted funds
Homefull
36,485
National Grid Community
Matters Fund
-
National Lottery Community
Fund/Awards for All
5,499
Quartet Community - Bristol
One City Social Action
-
Quartet Community -
Express grant
-
Total Restricted Funds
41,984
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
New office fund
20,000
General Funds
119,195
Total Unrestricted Funds
139,195
Total Funds
181,179|At 1 April
2022
£
Restricted funds
Homefull
36,485
National Grid Community
Matters Fund
-
National Lottery Community
Fund/Awards for All
5,499
Quartet Community - Bristol
One City Social Action
-
Quartet Community -
Express grant
-
Total Restricted Funds
41,984
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
New office fund
20,000
General Funds
119,195
Total Unrestricted Funds
139,195
Total Funds
181,179|Income
£
91,906
8,662
9,886
5,000
4,998|Expenditure
£
(43,215)
(8,662)
(15,385)
(5,000)
(4,998)|Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-|At 31 March
2023
£
85,176
-
-
-
-|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||41,984|120,452|(77,260)|-|85,176|
||20,000
119,195|-
271,335|(20,000)
(270,478)|-
-|-
120,052|
||139,195|271,335|(290,478)|-|120,052|
|||||||
||181,179|391,787|(367,738)|-|205,228|
Fund Descriptions
Restricted funds
Homefull - a project in partnership with Talking Money.
Bristol City Council - funds administered by Bristol Citizens' Advice Bureau to fund provision of advice on outreach across the city.
PPL Ltd - funds received towards the Bristol Court Advice Network project.
Wessex Water - funds received for the Working Upstream project.
Quartet Community Resilience fund - funds received for activities to improve the charity's digital infrastructure.
Bauer Radio - funds received to provide gift vouchers for struggling families through the Cash4Kids project.
National Grid - funding to deliver energy advice training and advisor hours.
National Lottery Community Fund/Awards for All - funding received to support the implementation of the charity's communications strategy.
23
## HOUSING MATTERS (BRISTOL)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
- 12 Movement in funds _(continued)_
Fund Descriptions
## Restricted funds
Quartet Community - Bristol One City Social Action - funding to deliver energy advice drop ins on outreach.
Quartet Community - Express grant - funding for office ramp, equipment and advisor hours.
## Designated funds
New office fund - funds designated by the trustees to cover the costs associated with the move to new premises.
13 Analysis of net assets between funds
|Analysis of net assets between funds|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|As at 31 March 2024
Net assets
As at 31 March 2023
Net assets|Restricted
Funds
£
59,582|General
Designated
Funds
Funds
£
£
152,381
-
152,381
-
General
Designated
Funds
Funds
£
£
120,052
-
120,052
-
Unrestricted
Unrestricted||Total Funds
2024
£
211,963|
||59,582|152,381|-|211,963|
||Restricted
Funds
£
85,176|||Total Funds
2023
£
205,228|
||85,176|120,052|-|205,228|
14 Related party transactions
There are no transactions with trustees or other related parties other than those disclosed as required by the Charity SORP elsewhere in the financial statements.
24