2021-03-31-accounts - Settled

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Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Settled

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

Registered Charity No. 1184580

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

Contents	Page
Reference and administrative information	3
Report of the trustees	4
Independent examiner’s report	20
Statement of financial activities	22
Balance sheet	23
Notes to the financial statements	24

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Trustees

Trustee name	Office(if any)	Date joined
Jen Ang	Chair	July 2019
Martine Petetin	Secretary	July 2019
Christopher Desira	Treasurer (to May 2021)	July 2019
Mihai Bica		July 2019
Katia Widlak		July 2019
Nicolas Hatton		July 2019
Will Garford	Treasurer (from June 2021)	March 2021
Marcela Benedetti		March 2021
Pierre-Antoine Boulat		March 2021
Wiard Sterk		March 2021

Name of the Chief Executive

Kate Smart

Principal Office and Registered Office

9 Bath Buildings (Studio 11) Bristol BS6 5PT

Charity Registration

Registered charity 1184580

Independent Examiner

2E Accountants 118 Pall Mall London SW1Y 5EA

Banker

National Westminster Bank Bishopston 72, Gloucester Road Bishopston Bristol BS99 5AF

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

Settled’s trustees are pleased to present this annual report and accounts for the period 1.4.2020-31.3.2021, their second report since Settled was set up on 24[th ] July 2019.

The trustees confirm that Settled remains fully compliant with the requirements of the Charity Commission. It is registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner at OISC Level 2 and the trustees can confirm that Settled is fully compliant with the requirements of OISC.

Settled is the only UK-wide, EU citizen-led, specialist service provider wholly focused on the immigration challenges for EU citizens post-Brexit.

This document is set out in accordance with the guidelines set by the Charity Commission.

Objectives and activities

Summary of the main purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document

Settled’s constitution was agreed on 10[th ] July 2019. Our objects are:

‘The relief of European Union citizens who are resident in the United Kingdom and in need, by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship, homelessness, being victims/survivors of domestic violence, being victims of human trafficking or other disadvantage by the provision of education, information and support on lawfully obtaining the right to reside and work in the United Kingdom following the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union.’

For the purposes of this clause, European Union citizens (“EU citizens”) include citizens of the EU27 countries or EEA or Swiss Nationals or non-EU citizens dependent on an EU Citizen for their current residence status.

Summary of main activities in pursuit of these objects

Settled’s main charitable activities in pursuit of these objects are:

Identifying needs: carrying out mapping exercises to find EU citizens who need help to secure their rights in the UK, building trust in marginalised communities, encouraging the development of supportive community networks.

Providing education, information, advice and support: providing multi-lingual information and confidential advice and support to individuals through telephone helplines, through a range of online facilities and where appropriate, in person.

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Adding value to the services of others: making and receiving referrals of individuals to improve their access to a range of services, sharing information and advice with other service providers, distilling systemic lessons from the evidence of our casework and sharing the lessons learned from our experience with decision makers.

Statement on public benefit

The trustees understand and are committed to ensuring that Settled upholds the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. Public benefit inspires us and drives our charitable activities and this is demonstrated in the detail of this report.

Achievements and performance

Further detail on how Settled interprets its charitable objects

In setting its charitable objects Settled’s vision was to be at the forefront of civil society’s response to the needs of EU citizens living in the UK whose rights are at risk as a result of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. Its core purpose is to ensure that they keep the right to live and work here, keep their families united after Brexit and are able to face the uncertainties of the years ahead.

The UK government’s EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) for EU citizens began in 2019. Although the application process is intended to be straightforward there are many reasons why people find the process difficult and worry about what it means for them. Settled is committed to helping those who are hardest to reach, least aware of the scheme or least able to independently apply – including some who have started but been unable to successfully complete applications. It is the only organisation solely focused on this work, and it does so in multiple languages.

30[th ] June 2021, the deadline for EU Settlement Scheme applications, was looming during this reporting year. Settled’s work encompassed both the “sprint” towards the deadline with an urgency to help as many people make applications as possible, and – importantly – preparing for the “marathon” of the longer-term emerging needs as EU citizens adapt to a new immigration status and seek to maintain their livelihoods and lifestyles.

Further detail on activities carried out, achievements and performance

UK-wide services

Settled’s services are available and in demand UK-wide. In this year, Settled reached EU citizens in localities as diverse as Leeds, Enfield, Ceredigion, Southampton and Belfast, to name but a few. Volunteers are based across the UK with some clusters in cities such as Liverpool and Birmingham. In late 2020 we picked up some cases, and some new volunteers, in Cornwall.

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Settled works closely with the Welsh Government who have funded and supported the charity since late 2019. Information was sent to farming, food processing and haulier companies in Wales targeted at employers and their EU employees, including information in Welsh. Services provided in Wales included workshops in Cardiff with women who are EU citizens of Somali and Sudanese background.

A supportive partnership continued with the EU Citizens’ Rights Project (CRP) in Scotland, through their grant from the Scottish Government, which added local management support to Settled volunteers in that Nation. Settled benefitted from CRP’s excellent community ties in Scottish cities and in more remote locations. Settled hopes to expand its work in Scotland in the year ahead through a grant from the Justice Together Initiative.

Settled strengthened links with specialists in Northern Ireland working with EU citizens and assessed whether there were gaps in provision that we could fill. We reached an agreement with Advice Northern Ireland according to which, as they are funded by the Home Office to provide comprehensive EUSS advice services, Settled would not seek to expand services there. The online nature of our work meant that we continued to respond to any EU citizens in Northern Ireland who approached us, and we ran some information sessions on the topic of the joining family members rules relating to people in/from Northern Ireland.

The Greater London Authority continued to involve Settled in vital initiatives to reach the large numbers of EU citizens in the capital. They funded Settled to run a project to assist Londonbased Russian speakers.

Some small-scale additional work has been done with a handful of local authorities – for example we helped some homeless EU citizens for Reading council, completed workshops for Leeds council, and began to run a series of face-to-face advice sessions to Roma families funded by Enfield.

Multi-lingual services

Settled’s team provided immigration advice related to the EU Settlement Scheme and welfare support in around 20 European languages. In addition to ‘traditional ’European languages Settled has benefited from recruiting volunteers who speak other languages used by people who are EU citizens but have links to other countries and cultures: by the end of the year, we were able to offer Russian, Turkish, Hebrew, Somali, Armenian, Romanes.

Settled’s publicised offer of services has been in a smaller – but still ambitious – range of languages –

8 languages via telephone

9 languages on Facebook forums

14 languages on the website

In 2020 Settled strengthened its management procedures for supervising advice in different languages to ensure consistent standards and provide volunteers with necessary support. For the first time we translated some of our outreach messages into Welsh.

Identifying needs

All EU citizens living in the UK are affected by the decision to leave the EU, but some are more able to secure their rights than others so Settled has focused its modest resources on those most in need. We held internal discussion on how we define vulnerability and prioritise need, drawing on the work of the Migration Observatory and feedback from a volunteer survey.

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

We carried out mapping exercises to identify areas of need where there are likely to be individual EU citizens who need help to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, reviewing data from authorities and academics but also the experience gained from cases approaching our services. We provided volunteers with guidelines on what data to collect from their localities.

Through team meeting discussions and by improved database records we aimed to collate information – however sketchy or anecdotal – to get the best possible picture of needs, trends, emerging concerns.

We recognise that improving how we consistently collect and process data is an ongoing challenge for an organisation heavily reliant on volunteers. Nonetheless we were able to successfully target our services to address needs identified – examples were:

assisting social workers with Czech Roma families in the Midlands
visiting farm-workers in Kent
awareness raising with companies running care homes with elderly residents
posting on social media an information session in Somali accessible for those with low literacy
letters to haulier firms in Wales
a project aimed at Russian speaking EU citizens in London – Estonians and Latvians, for example, who lack community structures and are vulnerable to exploitation.

Telephone helplines

Telephone helplines ran in Bulgarian, Romanian, Polish, Slovak, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian for approximately 10 hours a week. We reduced our German-language phone line, because it was used less often (we are told Germans prefer advice in English!). For some other languages the number of calls was a challenge for volunteers to manage, and in the year ahead we will explore telephone systems that enable calls to be distributed to a larger number of volunteers.

EUSS-focussed Facebook forums

These forums ran in 9 languages: Bulgarian, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak/Czech and Spanish and continued to have extensive multi-lingual reach, including among low-skilled, marginalised people. Simple queries are answered quickly and shared for added impact. Individuals with longer questions can transfer into direct messaging discussions or continue by telephone with a multi-lingual advisor. Thereby a large volume of people can receive personal advice with their applications.

Settled produced and promoted information, simply expressed, in multiple languages via numerous online channels, intended to reach throughout the UK.

Advice by email and website

As with our other services, we saw a significant increase in the number of enquiries arriving by email. In response Settled set up a new email address advice@settled.org.uk which allowed us to handle enquiries in a more organised way. Questions could also be submitted through a form on the Settled website.

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Online information sessions

Reliable information, explanation and discussion sessions were regularly hosted by Settled in multiple languages. EU citizens could participate in these online sessions ‘live ’or watch recordings which were widely shared on social media. Some sessions were in collaboration with lawyers and/or with embassy staff.

In total 50 online sessions were held in this year.

Website and leaflets and other info outputs:

Settled’s website explains to vulnerable EU citizens their rights in simple terms with specific pages for those facing particular types of vulnerabilities, and some sections translated into 10 different languages. A ‘Frequently asked questions ’section enables the more capable clients to quickly resolve their queries and downloadable information sheets on key topics are also available on the website. There were in the region of 100 thousand unique visits to our website.

New information sheets were produced on how to prove your status, on guidance for elderly and incapacitated people and their carers, and on the rules concerning joining family members.

Settled started a bi-monthly newsletter for supporters and the mailing list grew as the year progressed.

Stickers advertising Settled’s advice services were produced suitable for shop windows and were distributed by volunteers when pandemic restrictions allowed. A 1-minute film was made for Settled’s birthday at the end of July.

Face to face services

Prior to the pandemic restrictions, Settled hosted community events in facilities across all regions/nations of the UK. These were entirely halted but Settled continued to provide some individual face to face advice in a small number of exceptional cases such as to elderly and housebound people, and some visits to workers on farms when this was permitted and safe. Face to face support is an important part of Settled’s mission and we intend to return to this gradually as the health emergency improves.

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Common concerns addressed by Settled

One of the most obvious concerns was people who are not aware of or do not understand the EUSS application process. Typically, these were people leading relatively isolated lives, with language barriers and low computer literacy. Many elderly people were in this category and Settled provided targeted help as far as it was able under the pandemic restrictions. Many people of Roma heritage were similarly affected. In addition to providing services in Eastern European languages understood by Roma people and engaging Roma volunteers, Settled was involved in numerous inter-agency initiatives about Roma communities in different localities.

Another common scenario was where a parent has made an application but has not realised the need to also make an application for their children.

Many people contacted us with worries about embassy delays in issuing passports or ID cards and the impact on EUSS applications – because it is difficult to make an EUSS application without up to date ID. A feature of this was the number of children born since Brexit who needed ID for the first time.

The EU Settlement Scheme required individuals to prove continuous residency in the UK with limits set on absences. As a result of the pandemic Settled handled numerous calls from people normally resident in the UK whose temporary visit abroad had become prolonged and needed help to make an EUSS application.

A lot of people wanted advice because they wanted to bring family members to join them in the UK in time to meet the requirement to be resident here before 31.12.2020 for an EUSS application. Again this was complicated by pandemic travel restrictions.

Some of the most complex cases dealt with by Settled involved families that included both EU citizens and non-EU family members – for example Spanish citizens with relatives from Latin America.

Some of those contacting Settled had been granted status but had outstanding difficulties – we found it important to provide clear advice to those with only Pre-Settled Status on their limited rights to time abroad if they wish to transition successfully to Settled Status in future.

Regrettably, by the end of the period under review we were beginning to have requests for assistance from people who have been granted Settled or Pre-Settled Status but are facing discrimination from employers, landlords and statutory authorities who do not understand or accept the new status. This is a growing problem which will feature more in the year ahead.

More common was the problem of people with status not knowing how to prove it – because this is a digital-only status not a traditional hard document. For example we had a report from a London local authority that they surveyed 200 Roma families who had been granted Settled Status and only 2 families knew how to access the online proof of status. Settled responded by working with that authority to provide workshops, but it’s an indication of what is likely to be a more widespread and growing problem.

Some of those approaching us had past criminal convictions and wanted to know the implications for an EUSS application. We provided basic advice before referring such cases to more qualified legal advisers.

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

The growing need for higher level immigration advice

Many of the circumstances described above require more expert and in depth help than those with a straightforward need for help to complete an application. The closer we came to the June 2021 deadline the more complex the cases emerging. Help for complex cases can only partly be met by referring cases on to legal providers (although we are very grateful to legal colleagues for accepting so many referrals). Settled responded by increasing the skillset of its volunteer network. For the first time Settled established a small team of volunteers qualified to give higher level advice at OISC level 2. This allowed us to deal with more complex cases ‘in house ’and we made an application for funding to employ Level 2 staff for the year ahead.

Assessment of Impact on beneficiaries

The dogged determination of the mainly EU staff and volunteers meant that Settled reached far and wide and was successful in reaching people who are highly isolated. Within the capacity of its resources, the constraints of the pandemic and the limitation of the settlement scheme, Settled’s ‘self-assessment ’is that its team were as effective as they could possibly be at reaching and responding to EU citizens.

In the 12 months between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021, approximately 10,000 people received direct, personal advice from Settled which contributed to successful EUSS applications for themselves and their family members, and contributed to them understanding how to access and prove their online status. Furthermore, approximately 260,000 read or viewed Settled’s information outputs which explain EUSS rights and processes and so were better able to apply independently. The total number reached, when take account of social media sharing and word of mouth is vastly higher. Without doubt, thousands of applications would not have been made to the EU Settlement Scheme without Settled’s interventions.

Those who were helped to secure their status in the UK are more likely to be able to sustain their jobs and livelihoods, their homes, their access to health and other services, and their children’s education. Families will have been reunited as a result of Settled’s advice.

One of the most common concerns raised by Settled volunteers was the high level of anxiety prevalent among Europeans in the UK – advice and support from Settled helped address anxiety and contributed to more confidence. Volunteers were also empowered by the experience.

The feedback and support that Settled provided to embassies, the Home Office and peer organisations in the voluntary sector strengthened their services so that more EU citizens received better help.

As a result of Settled, many EU citizens will have avoided future problems. We know that some will continue to face difficulties but they have the reassurance that there is a robust and dedicated charity ready and able to help.

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Case study of a beneficiary of Settled’s services

Settled was asked for help by a faith organisation in Kent which was supporting a local Roma family to resolve difficulties with a claim for universal credit and then realised that the family had not secured EU Settled or Pre-Settled Status.

Stevie* and her 4 children had been living in the UK since 2012. She had previously attempted to apply for Pre-Settled Status but her application was cancelled as she failed to upload evidence of residence and so she needed help to make a fresh application. Also, Stevie had not realised that she needed to make separate applications for her children to the EU Settlement Scheme. The children did not have their own passports and there was a risk that the children’s EUSS applications would not be made before the deadline. Settled arranged appointments with the Consulate of their country so that the children’s passports could be renewed. It emerged that Stevie had some minor criminal convictions and so Settled asked lawyers to provide additional advice on her EUSS application. Meanwhile, she was threatened with eviction by her landlord because of her financial difficulties. Close collaborative work between Settled, the lawyer and the faith organisation meant that Stevie and her children received Settled Status and proved her eligibility for universal credit. This regular income meant she could afford to stay in her home.

This happy outcome increased our trust among the Roma community and more cases started to emerge, mainly children's applications with no ID documents or expired passports.

*not her real name

Case study of a Settled volunteer

Ana Maria first contacted Settled for help with her own situation but now is one of Settled’s highly committed volunteers.

Ana Maria made applications to the EU Settlement Scheme for herself and her daughter before the deadline. She was granted Pre-Settled Status but her daughter was rejected as she lacked proof of residence apart from her airline boarding pass. The daughter had not yet enrolled at school due to lockdown restrictions and so there were no school records to prove how long the child had been in the UK and Ana Maria had no other evidence of her daughter’s residence. She was extremely anxious. Settled helped by providing a listening ear and advising her on next steps. We wrote to the Home Office on her behalf asking that the decision be reconsidered. This resulted in a positive outcome and the daughter was granted Pre-Settled Status in the UK.

Ana Maria was very appreciative of the help that Settled had given at a worrying time and was motivated to join us as a volunteer as she felt very strongly about helping other people in her position. Settled provided her with training and support to develop skills in giving advice and arranged for her to be accredited with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). Ana Maria is now a member of our Romanian team.

Ana Maria told us: “Volunteering for Settled has made me feel more empowered as I was feeling hopeless not knowing what to do. I have made new friends and built a support network which is important when you are new in a country and don’t know a lot of people and don’t have family and friends around. I feel like now I have more information to face new challenges and I can share this information with others who are in my situation.”

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Wider networks and influence

Settled has quickly become a well-known and well-respected organisation thanks to its collaborative ethos. We were shortlisted for the Community Integration Awards 2021, in the Equality, Access & Rights category. We have worked hard to establish relationships and referral pathways with a range of service providers so that together we help more individuals.

Settled held frequent meetings with the EU delegation and made personal connections to officials at EU member state embassies.

Settled received praise from International Organisation for Migration for its service delivery as a sub-partner in their contract with the Home Office EU Settlement Scheme.

Strong mutually supportive links were built with immigration lawyers and law firms specialising in the rights of EU citizens – for example, Here for Good and Seraphus and Newfields Law.

Statutory authorities seeking to meet the needs of EU citizens in their areas of responsibility were glad to engage with Settled - the Greater London Authority, the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government, local authorities in cities such as Leeds, Liverpool, Bristol and Cardiff and London boroughs especially Brent and Enfield.

We worked jointly with unions and professional bodies, for example those representing health and social care workers, and with housing associations.

We worked closely with NGOs rooted in the 4 nations of the UK (e.g. Citizens Rights Project in Scotland, Advice NI in Northern Ireland, Tros Gynnal Plant in Wales); NGOs providing EUSS services or other kinds of rights advice or welfare support that are needed by EU citizens (Age UK, Citizens Advice (especially CAB Wales) and the WorkRights Centre). We have also worked respectfully and inclusively with grassroots community organisations such as the Riverside Community in Cardiff, the Italian organisation INCA, the Luton Roma Trust and the Roma Support Group. We organised a high profile online event with an academic and other experts to raise awareness of Roma people. We were offered the opportunity to claim small amounts of hardship funding for individuals in need thanks to the Red Cross and also a Christian charity Acts 365.

Settled shared learning with researchers, policy analysts and campaigners – eg the Migration Observatory, IPPR, and the3million – the latter having been instrumental in the founding of Settled.

Settled was a core member of consultative forums run variously by the EU delegation, by the Welsh Government and by the NGO New Europeans. At the end of the year, Settled joined the Home Office EUSS User Group and began attending regular meetings.

We compiled Settled concerns into a submission to the new Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements.

And a separate paper of evidence about EUSS was submitted in response to call from the Inspector of Borders and Immigration.

Settled’s mapping of emerging needs and trends, both through grassroots intelligence gathering by volunteers and by the evidence of its caseload meant it could regularly raise issues directly with the Home Office. For example we held a meeting with the Home Office about the relevance of the Windrush scheme for EU citizens.

Settled added its name to a joint letter from the Mayor of London and many others, to ask

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

the Home Office not to use rough sleeping as a reason for removing people from the UK.

Gradually as the year progressed, Settled became a credible commentator in the media. At first this was mainly on social media, but with the appointment of a Communications Manager in February 2021, Settled became more frequently quoted in mainstream news.

How fundraising performed

2020-21 has seen a substantial increase in our turnover and activities, with increased and more diverse funding sources. Settled was funded throughout the year by the Welsh Government and we are pleased that this will continue in the year ahead. Up until September 2020 Settled received funding from the Home Office EU Settlement Scheme as a subcontractor to the International Organisation for Migration. Settled received several small grants from the Greater London Authority and some funding from local authorities seeking help with EU citizens in their locality.

Settled is grateful to have grown its funding from trusts and foundations in 2020-21 some of which has been partnership funding secured with like-minded organisations. Further details are shown in the accounts.

Settled strives for good relations with its funders. Settled put effort into developing a supporter base, and encourage more individual giving, and small donations from individuals grew modestly.

A proportion of Settled’s funds were spent on fundraising: from September 2020 Settled invested funds in a salary for a part-time fundraiser.

A team of ‘thank you ’volunteers ensured that we showed appreciation to our supporters. Hand-written thank you cards are posted to all donors (affordable as our donor base is small) and this incurred a cost. Settled also printed and posted a fundraising appeal letter for supporters shortly before Christmas 2020.

Online donation facilities were set up using Paypal, Facebook donate and CAF Online, charges are a small percentage of the donations.

Impact of COVID-19

Settled’s transition to telephone and online services was accelerated by the restrictions arising from the COVID pandemic. In fact, this led to an expansion of our reach, capacity and efficiency. Nonetheless there were challenges associated with the pandemic – increased anxieties among beneficiaries, barriers to providing face to face help for the most vulnerable, reduced responsiveness at the Home Office. Staff and volunteers dealt with personal and professional strains and continued working. Settled is extremely proud that this network of people continued to support the organisation and remained a strong community despite a year of remote working.

Listed on the next page are the main sources of funding received:

Settled

Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

		Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021
Source	Classification	Purpose of restricted funds
International Organisation for Migration (IOM)	Statutory funder - contract	To provide outreach, communications and advice services to support vulnerable EU citizens to access the EU Settlement Scheme.
Welsh Government	Statutory funder - grant	To develop and manage volunteers to advise vulnerable EU citizens in Wales.
Greater London Authority (GLA)	Statutory funder - grant	To provide targeted information to engage Romanian and Russian speakers in London and encourage participation in the EU Settlement Scheme.
Leeds City Council	Statutory funder - grant	To provide outreach to help individuals with their EU Settled Status applications in the Leeds area.
Unbound Philanthropy	Grant-making trust or foundation - grant	To support the CEO and Volunteer Manager positions to manage and develop volunteer-run services throughout the UK so that EU citizens access the EU Settlement Scheme.
Community Justice Fund	Grant-making trust or foundation - grant	To sustain service management and delivery during the COVID19 pandemic in collaboration with Here for Good.
Barrow Cadbury Trust	Grant-making trust or foundation - grant	To improve casework and strengthen collaboration with WorkRight Centre.
Edmonton Community Partnership	Voluntary, charitable or community organisation - contract	To provide information and advice sessions for Roma families in Enfield.
CDL	Corporate funder - donation	For communications management and IT support.

Other major sources of funding gratefully received in 2020-21

AB Charitable Trust	Grant-making trust or foundation
Paul Hamlyn Foundation	Grant-making trust or foundation
Citizens Rights Project	Voluntary, charitable or community organisation
Here for Good	Voluntary, charitable or community organisation
Individual donations

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Financial review

In this financial year Settled has delivered grants to the value of £173,278. In addition, the Charity has received £54,456 of donations and other income of £2,171.

Expenses of £207,944 are mainly payroll and IT and outreach costs incurred in the delivery of the services. Overheads for fundraising were kept at a minimum, being £10,392 for the period. Grants received which will be delivered in 2021 are held in deferred income.

The free reserves at the end of the period were £32,887. As Settled expands its outreach, the free reserves held to be necelssary going forward are 3 months’ of operational expenditure to bring in further grants and income in the case of expected grants failing to be made. This is calculated at £71,000 including salaries covered by restricted funding and has been set aside by the end of the first quarter of the financial year 2021.

Cash in bank at year end was £136,566

Furthermore, at the end of October 2020, Settled had already secured £193,403 of funding in the financial year.

The CEO recruited an experienced freelance charity accountant in April 2020 to strengthen the operational team and to support expected growth, set up robust accounting, budgeting, and finance management procedures, ensure compliance with regulations and prepare end of year accounts. Online banking was set up improve operational efficiency and cash flow controls.

With the goal of improving the financial oversight of the charity, 2 new trustees, Pierre-Antoine Boulat and Will Garford, were appointed to the board in March 2021 and a Finance and Risk sub-committee has been established since year end. Mr. Garford replaced Mr. Desira as Treasurer in June 2021.

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Future plans

During the year April 2021 to March 2022, Settled will continue with increasing urgency to manage services and volunteers to reach, inform and advise vulnerable EU citizens in the last few months before the June 2021 deadline to avoid them being left without rights. We expect the twin pressures of more people turning to us for help and more complexity in their cases compared to people who applied earlier. We are driven by a concern that people who miss the deadline or are unsuccessful in their application risk becoming an underclass in the UK, under threat of detention or removal, unable to access work, health or welfare services and vulnerable to exploitation.

One group that we are especially concerned about in the last few months before the deadline is families who are urgently trying to get birth certificates, passports and proof of residence for babies and young children – this is being hampered by the pandemic and bureaucratic backlogs and there is a risk that they will not arrive in time.

Although a lot of energy is taken up in addressing the immediate need, we were also preparing for the longer term. We fear that even those who are successful in securing Settled or PreSettled Status may have problems accessing their rights because of lack of a paper document or because of discrimination. Regrettably, by the end of the year we were beginning to have requests for assistance from people who have been granted Settled or Pre-Settled Status but are facing discrimination from employers, landlords and statutory authorities who do not understand or accept the new status. This is a growing problem which will feature more in the year ahead.

Work carried out in 2020-21 means that the charity now has a robust structure which will allow it to grow successfully.

Settled’s trustees agreed a strategic plan in Autumn 2020 and the staff team created a more detailed annual plan to anticipate the needs of the year ahead and organise accordingly. Some of the practical steps planned in the year ahead are:

To grow the size of the Settled staff team, and the expertise of the staff and volunteers, to relieve pressures and to increase our ability to provide advice at OISC Level 2 – sufficient to deal with more complex cases.
While we cannot become an all-round advice service (we will not be a ‘CAB for Europeans’) nonetheless we want to expand our capacity to advise on a wider range of topics where there is the greatest need and risk of harm – we plan to respond to requests for advice on access to health services and benefits, where the problems are related to the EU Settlement Scheme.
To cope with high demand we will look at ways to improve our systems – for example we will hire an IT support service and we will introduce an integrated telephone system.
We will listen to clients, communities and volunteers and continue to monitor and respond to emerging issues and we will get better at data recording and reporting.
Settled will maintain and strengthen its presence in different regions and return to face to face work when safe to do so. A funding application has been made which if successful would allow more work in Scotland.
Our new communications manager will forge connections in the media and overhaul

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

the website. He and others will help build our public profile, call for improvements in government policy, and grow our supporter base.

Settled will seek its own office premises from which to co-ordinate its future work.

Structure, Governance and Management

How Settled is constituted

Settled is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Settled’s governing document is its Constitution.

During this first year of its operation, Settled also ran a subsidiary limited company ‘Settled Status Information Services Ltd’. Settled’s trustees since decided that it is preferable to continue with a simpler structure and closed the limited company at the end of 2020.

Selection, induction and training of trustees

Settled runs open and accessible recruitment when new trustees are needed. Prospective trustees are nominated and approved by existing trustees. They are selected on the basis of suitability including knowledge of Settled’s specialist area of interest and knowledge of charity management and pledge to serve for at least 3 years.

Settled supplies all new trustees with its constitution, recent accounts and information setting out the requirements of the trustee role as produced by the Charity Commission and NCVO. Settled is working on its own information documents to induct trustees. Settled’s Chair of Trustees runs a training session on the role of the trustee and an introduction to the work of Settled. Settled actively encourages support from external facilitators to enhance the skills of its trustees. Trustees are encouraged to read internal minutes and reports to familiarise themselves with charitable activities, and to meet the staff and volunteers to see their work in action.

The organisational structure

At the end of this year Settled had 10 trustees. Settled’s 6 inaugural trustees all continued to serve and new ones joined. Those trustees were recruited from a pool of applicants, following advertising on Settled’s website, with CharityJob and through our networks. Six candidates were interviewed by an interview panel composed of at least 2 trustees which made recommendations to the Board, resulting in the recruitment of a diverse additional slate of 4 trustees.

The full trustee board met monthly, with additional meetings of smaller groupings as needed. The board identifies and monitors major risks to the organisation by reviewing a Risk Register at every full board meeting. At the end of the year plans were made to introduce sub-committees specializing in advising the Board in areas such as Strategy, Policy, Finance and Risk, and Human Resources.

Settled’s staff team increased during the year – In addition to 3 Service Co-ordinators and a Volunteer Manager who remained from the previous year, Settled recruited its first CEO, an additional Service Co-ordinator, a Communications Manager, and a Fundraiser. Vital freelance

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

contractors during the year provided Finance Management, Information Management, Website Management and IT support. The team continued working in a relatively flat structure reporting to the CEO. The CEO began on a part-time basis and was employed full-time as funding improved.

Work undertaken in the first part of the year ensured that Settled was compliant with its responsibilities towards its staff – putting in place employment contracts, job descriptions, pensions, regular salaries and a framework of employment policies, operational policies (covering finances, HR, service standards and volunteering), team meetings and management meetings. Rising workloads meant there were regular reminders about staff and volunteers sticking to reasonable working hours. Wellbeing sessions with a suitably qualified therapist have been made available to staff.

Settled sustained, trained and managed a large team of approximately 100 volunteers. Most volunteers act as peer advisers, registered to give immigration advice at OISC Level 1 EUSS. A commitment was made to invest energy in good management of this network rather than aim for further expansion, and recruitment processes were strengthened for when new recruits were needed. There was a shift of culture from activism to volunteer-run serviceprovision. We created and began implementing a development plan summarising the work to be done to improve how we deliver high quality, consistent charitable services through volunteering. We introduced a volunteering database/management system called 3 Rings and put in place precise lists of who is a volunteer and records of what hours of the week each volunteer is active. We have improved monitoring of how much work is done by each volunteer and what activities they are doing. Clear lines of management were introduced for each volunteer and gradually steps were taken to organise the volunteers into team structures by service and/or by locality. Excellent online volunteer meetings were held with teams reflecting the new structure. Settled also started holding regular ‘sofa sessions – ’these are optional, informal meetings for any volunteer across the network, the sessions have multiple benefits. A volunteer survey was completed with rich information received in return. The weekly volunteer newsletter continued.

New members of staff brought additional experience in volunteer management and volunteer communications. Settled’s volunteer manager also benefited from advice from peers at Refugee Action and CAB Wales. The result of better volunteer management processes is that as Settled became busier, we could reliably delegate more work to volunteers. Towards the end of the year we made arrangements for suitable volunteers to undertake OISC L1 (immigration) training with Refugee Action. Steps were taken to create a team of Level 2 volunteers – mostly solicitors donating time. In year ahead the first priority will be training on new areas of advice giving in prep for the post-deadline period.

Settled’s team – the trustees, staff and volunteers - is made up of almost entirely non-British EU citizens from every EU state and speakers of at least 15 EU languages – including all the major languages spoken in the EU. With personal understanding of pressures affecting EU citizens in the UK, Settled representatives are seen as familiar, approachable and local, while achieving an unparalleled national reach into marginal and hidden communities.

Remuneration

All trustees give their time freely[and no trustees received remuneration in the year. At the ] start of this year (April 2020) Settled appointed its first CEO. Salaries ranged from £24,750 - £40,000. In this year Settled became a Living Wage employer. Volunteers are reimbursed for

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

essential expenses but not routinely given an allowance.

Representation and respect

Settled works respectfully with and not just for EU citizens, providing information, advice and support to increase their ability to take steps to improve their own situation and safeguard their rights. Settled is committed to ensuring its beneficiary group is well represented in the charity’s decision-making and delivery of services and that their voices are heard. We appreciate the strengths which EU citizens bring to our charity - commitment to their home in the UK, determination to work hard to support their families, willingness to help others. This is embodied in Settled volunteers who harness linguistic, inter-personal and technical skills to support peers and create an inclusive pan-European community. While Brexit has been a distressing experience, Settled has galvanised and empowered EU citizens to take positive action to help others. Settled has robust policies on equality and diversity, complaints-handling and more. Volunteers are involved through weekly newsletters and regular meetings and an annual volunteer survey. Service-beneficiaries participate through our large, multi-lingual, interactive Facebook groups and periodic client surveys.

All of Settled’s trustees have personal or family experience of the UK immigration system, EU citizens are in the majority on the trustee board, in the staff team and among the volunteers.

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees ’report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:

Signed

Jen Ang Chair of Trustees of Settled 17 Dec 2021

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Settled

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2021, which are set out on pages 22 to 23.

This report is made solely to the trustees as a body, in accordance with the Charities Act 2011. My examination has been undertaken so that I might state to the trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an independent examiner's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the trustees as a body, for my examination, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities

have not been met; or

(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

2E Accountants

Unit 11, Flamingo Court

81 Crampton St, London SE17 3BF

Date: 10 December 2021

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2021

year ending31.3.21 Unrestricted Restricted Total Income *Donations & Legacies* Donations 54,456 54,456 *Income from charitable activities* Grants 9,244 164,034 173,278 Other 2,171 2,171 Total income 65,871 164,034 229,905 Expenditure *Cost of raising funds* 10,392 10,392 *Charitable activities* 32,910 164,642 197,551 Total expenditure 43,302 164,642 207,944 Net movement in funds 22,569 -608 21,961 Funds b/f 10,318 608 10,926 Total funds 32,887 0 32,887	year ending31.3.20
	Unrestricted Restricted Total 10,437 10,437 96,635 96,635 5,250 5,250
	15,687 96,635 112,322
	3,869 97,527 101,396 1,500 -1,500 0
	5,369 96,027 101,396

	10,318 608 10,926

	10,318 608 10,926

The notes on pages 24 to 26 form part of these accounts.

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Balance sheet as at 31 March 2021

Notes Current assets Cash at bank and in hand Receivables Creditors falling due within one year Creditors and accruals 4 Net current assets Net assets Funds Restricted Income Funds 7 Reserve Fund - Designated Unrestricted Income Funds - not designated	2021 2020 Total Total 136,566 27,881 0 35,362 103,678 52,317 32,887 10,926 32,887 10,926 0 608 0 0 32,887 10,318 32,887 10,926

Trustees responsibilities:

the members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476;
the directors’ acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of the accounts;
these accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

Approved by the trustees on 17 Dec 2021 and authorised for issue and signed for on their behalf by:

Jen Ang Chair

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

Notes to the Financial Statements

1 Accounting Policies

Basis of accounting

These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Charities Act 2011, applicable accounting standards and the Statement of Recommended Practice on Accounting and Reporting by Charities (the Charities SORP).

Grants

Grants are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) on an accruals basis following the satisfaction of any pre-conditions.

Donations and other income

Donations and other income are recognised when receivable.

Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis.

Allocation of expenditure

Expenditure is allocated directly to the appropriate fund, and where this is not possible costs are apportioned on the basis of time spent on the relevant activity.

Fixed assets

Expenditure on renewals, fixtures and fittings which exceeds £1,000 is capitalised.

Provision for depreciation of capitalised fixed assets held for use by the charity is made at annual rates calculated to write down their cost over their useful lives.

Office equipment

3 to 5 years

Provisions

Where the charity has an obligation to transfer economic benefits but no liability has been recognised, a provision is raised in accordance with FRS 12.

Taxation

No provision for taxation is included in the accounts as the charity is entitled to exemption from tax afforded by Section 505 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988.

Funds structure

The charity has a single unrestricted income fund and some of the grants received are restricted to a particular purpose. Part of the unrestricted income fund has been designated by the Management Committee as a Reserve Fund. See note 9 for further details.

Cashflow

The charity qualifies as a small company and therefore, in accordance with FRS1, no cashflow statement is required.

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

2. Grants

2. Grants
	2021	2020
	Total	Total
GLA	6,382
Leeds	4,441	10,558
CDL	5,496
Barrow Cadbury	19,900
IOM	65,838	68,163
Unbound Philanthropy	29,120	3,942
Welsh Government	32,857	13,971
Total	164,034	96,634

3. Salary costs

During the year the charity employed six (2020: four) full-time employees. No employee earned more than £60,000 per annum. Salary costs are allocated across the different activities of the charity.

4. Creditors and accruals

PAYE/NI Deferred income Accruals Total	2021 9,907 89,881 3,800 103,678	2020 11,834 4,179 36,304 52,317

5. Trustees remuneration and expenses

None of the trustees were remunerated directly or indirectly (2020: nil). During the year, no expenses were paid to trustees (2020: nil).

6. Contingencies and contractual commitments

In the opinion of the members of the management committee, as at 31.03.2021 there were no contingent liabilities and no contractual commitments (2020: nil). No assets are held under leases.

Settled Trustees Report and Financial Statements - 31 March 2021

7. Funds

7. Funds
Restricted Funds Leeds IOM Unbound Philanthropy GLA Barrow Cadbury Welsh Government	At 31/03/2020 Income Expenditure Transfers At 31/03/2021 £ £ £ £ £ 0 4,442 -4,442 - 0 - 59,132 -59,132 - 0 608 0 0 35,025 6,200 19,900 -35,633 -6,200 -19,900 - - - 0 0 0 0 39,335 -39,335 - 0
	608 164,034 -164,642 0 0

Source	Purpose of restricted funds
Leeds City Council	To provide outreach to help individuals with their EU Settled Status applications in the Leeds area
International Organisation for Migration (IOM)	To provide outreach, communications and advice services to support vulnerable EU citizens to access the EU Settlement Scheme
Unbound Philanthropy	To support the CEO and Volunteer Manager positions to manage and develop volunteer- run services throughout the UK so that EU citizens access the EU Settlement Scheme.
Greater London Authority (GLA)	To provide targeted information to engage Romanian and Russian speakers in London and encourage participation in the EU Settlement Scheme
Barrow Cadbury Trust	To improve casework and strengthen collaboration with WorkRightCentre.
Welsh Government	To develop and manage volunteers to advise vulnerable EU citizens in Wales.