CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALE Independent examiner's report on the accounts So¢tlon A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteosl members of UK Veterans Hearing Foundation On accounts for the year 6tli April 2026 ended Charity no 1188611 lif any) Set out on pages | 3-4 I report lo the trustees on my examination ol Ihe accounts of the above charity I the Trust",) for the year ended 0610412026. Responsibilities and As the charity Iruslees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accDunls in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 1"Ihe Act"). I report in respect of my examination ol the Trust's accounts carried out uncjer section 145 01 the 2011 Act and In carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the Act Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material mallers have examiner's statement come lo my allenlion in Connection with the exarninalion which gives me cause lo believe that in. any material respect,. the accounting records were not kept In accordance with section 130 of the Act., or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records. or the accounts did i)ol comply with the applicable requirements concerning the foi In and conlenl of accounts sel OLII in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'lrue ancl lair view which is not a matter considered as part of an iridependenl examirialioii. I have no concerns and have come across no other mallers In connection with the exaininalion lo which attention should be drawn In this report in orcler lo enable a proper undeislanding of the accounts 10 be leached Date: 0110912026 Name: I Stephen Foster Relevant professional qualifieationlsl or body lif any): ACA Address: S11 The Alkins Building. Lower Bond Street. Hinckley, Leicesler, LE10 1 QU IER Section B Disclosure Only coniplele il Ilie exainin￿r I}￿ed5 lo hi(Jlilighl mallers ol coiicern Iscc CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here detai15 of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER CHARIVY (OMMISSION FOR ENtiIANU A,ND IVALES UK Veterans Hè•ring FoundatSon 1188611 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the per+od from 61h Apnl 2025 5th April 2026 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowment Totsl funds Last year lo n•arnst to th• Dearest£ to the nea￿St È to Ihe n#ar•st to lh• n•ar•sl E A1 Recei ts fj0,250 3.078 3.084 60,250 3,078 3.084 5e.954 4,2Ql 6.443 Shop Sub total (Gross income lor ARI 66.412 66,412 69,598 A2 Asset and Investmenl sales, Isee table). Sub totèl 66,412 66.412 69.598 A3 Payrnents AdvErlising 782 782 4.075 11.458 4.800 Rent SubconlrActois oOna￿D￿ staH EniErtaiDmenl Posi & stationèry Sundty 4.800 25.595 4,BOQ 25.595 217 217 1.894 136 21.260 1,894 136 21,260 3.240 35 46.758 1.200 194 516 Accounbncy CotnputEr soffivare Insulat￿e Bank ¢harges 660 487 66ri 142 13,200 Professional le@8 14,806 Sub total 71.815 85.659 A4 Asset and investrnÈnt purchases, (SÈÈ table) Sub total Total paymènts 71,815 85,659 Net of receipt5/(paymentsJ AS Transfer5 between funds A6 cash funds last year end Cash fund5 rhis year end 5,403 5,403 16,060 43,551 38,148 43,551 38,148 59,611 42,551 CCXX Rl accounts ISS) 2810812026 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period UnreslriGted funds Categorie5 Restrictèd funds to neare¥t£ Detai15 Endowment fvnds to nearESt£ to t)EarBst £ 81 Cash funds Cuiienl accouni 38,148 Paypal accDUnl H4U Tolal cash funds 38,148 I￿￿ee b*¥¢es Wijlh ittÈFIs paym*nl ounqsll Unrestricted funds Restri¢ted fund5 to nearest£ Endowment funds Detail-. to n•arè61 £ to nearest 82 Other monetary assets F¥nd 10 ¥¥hk asset b8lon Curront value B3 Investment assets Fund to which ass&t b•lon Current value Details Cost l&ptlL¥i411 B4 Assèts retained for the charity's own us• Fund to *thlch reLytes Amount due When duè 85 Llabllltl•s Signed by one or t￿) trustees on behalf ol all the trustee$ Signature Print Narne Date of roval ¢JI 10917 CCXX R2 accourit5 ISSI 281OB12026 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Se¢tlon A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of UK Veterans Hearing Foundation On accounts forthe year ended 6th April 2026 Charity no lif any) 1188611 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of Ihe accounts of the above charity I'lhe Trust'l for the year ended 0610412026. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (Yhe Acf'l. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under seclion 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the Act. Independent I have Completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examinerfs statement come to my allenlion in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect,. the accounting records were not kept in accordan￿ with section 130 of the Act,. or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts sel out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached Signed: Date: 0110912026 Name: stephen Foster Relevant professional qualification{sl or body lif any): ACA Address: S11 The Alkins Building, Lower Bond Street, Hinckley, Leicester, LE10 1 QU IER Section B Disclosure Onty complete if the examiner needs lo highlight matters of concern (see CC32. Independent examination of ¢harily accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER Veterons Hearlng Foundotlon ## **Public Beneft** _The Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty under section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit when planning and carrying out the Foundation's activities. All of the charity's_ _activities are undertaken exclusively to further its charitable purposes by improving hearing health and wellbeing for military veterans across the United Kingdom._ ## **Charity Board:** **Chairman** - Mr Paul Bennett **Founder-** Mrs Samantha Bennett founded the charity and stepped down from operational responsibilities. Although no longer involved in the day-to-day management of the Foundation, she remains a valued supporter and occasionally attends fundraising and awareness events. Mr. Paul Bennett and Mrs. Samantha Bennett, the founders of the charity and the successful business owners of **Hear4U and Healthscreen Limited** not only contribute their professional knowledge but also support the Foundation by offering office space, utilities, IT services, and marketing assistance. Additionally, they actively participate in our fundraising efforts. ## **Trustees:** - Mrs Tyler Woolman-Trustee - Mr Steve Birdsall-Trustee - Mr Andy Kittsen- Trustee - Mr John Wilson- Trustee - Mr Nick Mercer-Trustee Emeritus - Mrs Elin Tattersall has unfortunately suffered a stroke and is currently not acting as a Trustee. Her future involvement with the charity remains uncertain, and we send her our best wishes for recovery. Our Board of Trustees benefits from a strong military connection, with several trustees having served in the Armed Forces and bringing valuable insight into the experiences and challenges faced by the veterans we support. Alongside this, the Board includes audiology professionals and individuals with extensive business experience, ensuring a diverse range of skills, knowledge, and perspectives that strengthen the charity’s governance and strategic direction. _The charity is governed by its Constitution and is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the charity pursues its charitable objects in accordance with its governing document._ We are committed to maintaining a balanced and inclusive Board that reflects a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and expertise. This diversity enables us to make well-informed decisions and effectively support the growth and development of the charity. The Board meets quarterly to review progress, discuss strategic priorities, plan future activities, and celebrate the charity’s achievements. Throughout 2026, UKVHF will continue to welcome expressions of interest from individuals who share our values and wish to contribute as trustees. We are keen to attract people with a wide range of skills, experiences, and professional backgrounds to help strengthen the Board and support the charity’s ongoing success. _Newly appointed trustees receive a comprehensive induction and are provided with the Foundation's Trustee Handbook, which outlines their legal responsibilities, the charity's governance, policies, procedures and strategic objectives to support them in their role._ ## **Chief Executve:** ## **Mrs Chloe Knott** Since taking on the role in 2020, Chloe has continued to lead the charity with exceptional passion, resilience, and determination. She has played a pivotal role in developing the charity, taking increasing responsibility for its strategic direction while continuing to work closely with the Chairman, the team, the Board of Trustees, and the charity's external fundraising consultant. Chloe's role encompasses every aspect of the charity's operations. From managing day-today administration and governance to representing the charity with donors, overseeing grant applications, coordinating fundraising initiatives, and ensuring the smooth running of the charity, she remains at the heart of its work. ## **Reflecting on the charity's progress, Chloe said:** _**"The past year has continued to present significant challenges, particularly in securing the level of funding needed to meet the growing demand for our support. Despite these obstacles, our commitment remains unwavering. We will continue working tirelessly with our supporters, partners, and funders to secure the resources needed to ensure that every veteran waiting for our help has the opportunity to receive the life-changing support they**_ _**deserve."**_ ## **The beginning of the UKVHF Charity** The UK Veterans Hearing Foundation (UKVHF) began under the name UK Veterans Hearing Help in 2016-2019. During that time, the organisation supported more than 500 veterans by providing essential hearing care and practical assistance. Today, UKVHF is the only UK charity dedicated solely to meeting the hearing health needs of military veterans, addressing a significant gap in specialist support. The need for our services became increasingly apparent following the introduction of the Royal British Legion Hearing Fund in 2016, which highlighted the significant number of veterans requiring hearing support. When the fund came to an end in 2019, many veterans continued to seek assistance with hearing assessments, hearing aids, and ongoing care. This demonstrated the continuing demand for specialist support and reinforced the importance of UKVHF's work. We are committed to providing veterans with high-quality hearing assessments, hearing technology, rehabilitation, and ongoing support. Working alongside hearing healthcare professionals and tinnitus specialists, we help veterans manage the long-term effects of service-related hearing loss and tinnitus, enabling them to enjoy a better quality of life as they transition into civilian life. Our work extends beyond the provision of hearing aids. Untreated hearing loss can contribute to social isolation, loneliness, reduced mental wellbeing, relationship difficulties, and barriers to employment. By addressing these challenges, we help veterans remain connected with their families and communities, maintain their independence, improve their confidence, and access employment opportunities on an equal footing with those without hearing impairment. As the only UK charity dedicated exclusively to veterans' hearing health, UKVHF continues to provide life-changing support to those who have served, ensuring they receive the specialist care, dignity, and support they deserve. ## **- Financial Review 2020 2026** Financial Support: - Year 1: £98,361.00 - Year 2: £66,904.00 - Year 3: £88,960.00 - Year 4: £76,583.00 - Year 5: £69,598.00 - Year 6: £66,413.00 ## **Total: £466,819** ## **2025-2026 Financial Year:** Throughout the 2025–2026 financial year, we remained focused on securing grant funding to support the charity's long-term sustainability. Supported by Minerva Fundraising Consultancy, providing an effective and cost-efficient approach to income generation. During the year, we continued to strengthen relationships with existing funders, develop new partnerships, and secure grant funding to support our services and future growth. ## **- Pre loved/ Gifed hearing aid pathway:** 1. This pathway continues to go from strength to strength. By giving high-quality hearing equipment a second life, we are able to stretch our funding further, ensuring that every pound has a greater impact. This sustainable approach allows us to support significantly more veterans than would otherwise be possible, reducing waste while increasing access to life-changing hearing care. As demand for our services continues to grow, the ongoing success of this pathway remains central to helping us reach an increasing number of beneficiaries. 2. Following a review of our activities, we made the strategic decision to focus our resources on expanding the pre-loved hearing pathway rather than continuing to operate our online charity shop. While the shop provided a regular small source of income, it required a significant investment of staff and volunteer time. Ultimately, the level of resource needed to manage it outweighed the financial return, making it less cost-effective than other fundraising and service delivery activities. ## **Advocatng for Mental Health Support for Deaf Veterans** At our foundation, we hold a deep conviction in providing services that are currently unavailable through the NHS. We have honed our expertise in guiding our patients towards additional sources of assistance for various challenges, including: - Tinnitus - Isolation - Mental health issues (including the amplification of PTSD due to hearing-induced isolation) Furthermore, we are aware of the employment implications of hearing loss and have successfully aided numerous veterans in regaining or maintaining employment. These consequences stemming from impaired hearing are significant concerns for us, and we strive to address them, as they appear to receive limited attention from other military charities. ## **- - Overview of Year 6 April 2025 April 2026** 1. Research into hearing loss among veterans continues to evolve, and it is essential that the evidence used to inform support, services, and policy remains current and relevant. At the beginning of 2024, we launched our own survey to gather first-hand data from the veteran community, enabling us to develop an independent evidence base that reflects their lived experiences. The insights gained from this research will strengthen our understanding of the impact of hearing loss on veterans and their families, helping to shape our future programmes, influence awareness, and support our charitable aims and objectives. As we continue to analyse the findings, we remain committed to using robust evidence to ensure our work delivers meaningful and lasting benefits for the veteran community. 2. With the support of our Fundraising Consultant, UKVHF has continued to strengthen its financial sustainability by securing grant funding that enables us to support veterans on our waiting list, advance our charitable objectives, undertake targeted research, and meet essential core operating costs. During the reporting period, we secured over £60,000 in grant funding through a targeted programme of funding research, high-quality grant applications, and the development of relationships with charitable trusts and foundations. This funding has enabled us to expand our reach and deliver meaningful support to veterans while investing in the long-term development of the charity. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of accountability and stewardship. Comprehensive monitoring and evaluation reports, including end-ofgrant impact reports, are provided to all funders, demonstrating how their investment has contributed to positive outcomes for veterans and the wider aims of the charity. This transparent approach has strengthened our relationships with funders and resulted in several repeat grants. We continue to actively seek new funding opportunities and build partnerships that will support the long-term sustainability of UKVHF, enabling us to meet growing demand and maximise our impact for veterans and their families. ## **Highlights and Achievements** During the year, the UK Veterans Hearing Foundation continued to strengthen its impact and expand the support available to veterans living with hearing loss and tinnitus. Our principal achievements included: ## 1. **National Recognition** The Foundation was honoured to be recognised as **Best Veterans Hearing Support** **Charity 2026** at the UK Enterprise Awards, reflecting our commitment to delivering high-quality hearing healthcare and support for the Armed Forces community. ## 2. **Continued Nationwide Support for Veterans** We continued to provide specialist hearing assessments, hearing aids, tinnitus management, hearing protection advice and ongoing aftercare to veterans across the United Kingdom, ensuring access to life-changing hearing services regardless of location. ## 3. **Expansion of Partnerships** We strengthened collaborative relationships with healthcare professionals, veterans' organisations, charities and community groups, enabling improved referral pathways and increasing access to specialist hearing care for veterans. ## 4. **Recognition for High Fundraising Standards** The Foundation maintained its commitment to best practice in fundraising, ensuring transparency, accountability and responsible stewardship of the generous donations entrusted to us by our supporters. ## 5. **Growing Awareness of Veterans' Hearing Health** Through awareness campaigns, community engagement and digital communications, we continued to highlight the impact of military-related hearing loss and tinnitus, encouraging veterans to seek support earlier and increasing public understanding of these often-hidden conditions. ## 6. **Expansion of the Pre-Loved Hearing Aid Pathway** We continued to develop and expand our innovative Pre-Loved Hearing Aid Pathway, encouraging the donation, refurbishment and redistribution of suitable hearing aids. This sustainable initiative helps reduce waste, supports environmental responsibility and enables more veterans to benefit from hearing technology that may otherwise be beyond their financial reach. ## **Reserves Policy and Sustainability** The Trustees review the reserves policy regularly to ensure the Foundation remains financially sustainable and able to meet future demand for its services. The Foundation benefits from substantial in-kind support from the Chairman, who covers the majority of office and business support costs, helping to minimise overheads. The Trustees aim to maintain unrestricted reserves equivalent to six months of operating costs to provide financial stability and ensure continuity of services. Grant funding from trusts and foundations remains a significant source of income, and the Trustees continue to explore opportunities to diversify funding and strengthen long-term sustainability. ## **Risk Management** The Trustees regularly review the principal risks facing the charity. The key risks identified include reliance on grant funding, increasing demand for services, governance capacity and data security. Appropriate measures are in place to mitigate these risks through financial monitoring, reserves, policies, regular trustee oversight and compliance with GDPR requirements. ## **Challenges and Opportunites** The Veterans Hearing Foundation exists to address a significant gap in support for veterans living with service-related hearing loss and tinnitus. Hearing loss remains one of the most common long-term conditions affecting the veteran community, yet the level of need continues to exceed the resources available across both statutory and charitable services. We are not here to replace the NHS, which remains the primary provider of hearing healthcare. Instead, our role is to complement existing services by supporting veterans where gaps in provision exist, helping them access specialist assessments, appropriate hearing technology, rehabilitation, and ongoing support when these are not otherwise available or are subject to significant delays. The wider military charity sector provides invaluable support across many areas of veterans' welfare. However, hearing loss presents a unique challenge because of the sheer number of _Lost Voices_ veterans affected. The 2014 Royal British Legion report estimated that around 300,000 veterans are living with hearing loss associated with their military service. The scale of this need is beyond the capacity of any single charity to address. As a small specialist charity, we have developed a comprehensive referral pathway that enables veterans to receive appropriate clinical assessment, equipment, rehabilitation, and follow-up support. We are proud that this pathway is recognised by a growing number of organisations, with referrals now being received from across the COBSEO membership and the wider Armed Forces community. Our greatest challenge is not the ability to deliver support, it is securing sufficient funding to meet the increasing demand. Each year we receive more referrals than our available resources allow us to support. This means difficult decisions must be made about how many veterans we can help, despite having an established and effective pathway ready to deliver care. The continued generosity of our funders, donors and supporters is therefore critical. Their investment enables us to bridge the gap between need and provision, ensuring more veterans receive timely access to life-changing hearing support. Every grant and donation directly increases the number of veterans we can help and strengthens our ability to work alongside the NHS, military charities and other partners to improve outcomes for those living with service-related hearing loss. While demand continues to grow, so does our determination to expand our reach. With sustainable funding and continued collaboration across the Armed Forces charity sector, we can support more veterans, reduce the impact of untreated hearing loss, and ensure that no veteran is left without access to the specialist help they need. ## **Outcome of the Financial Year** ## **Grants:** The Foundation experienced a reduction in income during the 2025–2026 financial year. While this represents our lowest annual income since 2020, it is important to recognise that our financial performance is influenced not only by the number of grants awarded but also by the value of those grants. The Foundation secured grant awards totalling **£60,250 during 2025–2026** , compared with **£58,954 in 2024–2025** , representing a modest increase in grant income. While the overall number of successful applications remained broadly consistent, the slightly higher value of grants secured provided a small increase in the charity’s annual income. As a small, grantdependent organisation, fluctuations in grant values can have a significant impact on our financial results from year to year. ## **Online Shop:** Online Shop income decreased from **£6,443 in 2024–2025 to £3,084 in 2025–2026** . This reduction reflects the Foundation’s decision to phase out the online shop as part of its longer-term strategy. This approach will enable the Foundation to focus its resources, time and efforts on achieving its core objectives and delivering the work outlined in this report, supporting the Foundation’s long-term sustainability and benefit. The Trustees fully recognise that grant funding remains the Foundation's principal source of income. This reflects both the specialist nature of our work and the size of the organisation. With one full-time employee, our Chief Executive Officer, supported by three dedicated volunteers and an experienced Board of Trustees, we carefully prioritise our time and resources to ensure the charity is well governed, financially responsible, and able to deliver the greatest possible impact for veterans. Our focus continues to be on maintaining a high-quality, effective service while strengthening the Foundation's long-term financial sustainability. We are investing time in building lasting relationships with grant makers, trusts, foundations and corporate partners, while continuing to demonstrate the measurable impact of our work. Our long-term ambition is to establish a more diverse and resilient income base, reducing our reliance on individual grant awards and providing greater financial stability. Achieving this will enable us to plan with greater confidence, expand the number of veterans we are able to support, and give funders continued assurance that they are investing in a professionally managed charity with a proven specialist service and a clear, lasting impact. ## **Plans for Future Periods** The Veterans Hearing Foundation will continue to focus on its charitable purpose of improving the lives of veterans affected by service-related hearing loss and tinnitus. Our priorities for the coming year are to secure sustainable funding, reduce the number of veterans waiting for support, and continue delivering high-quality specialist services through our established referral pathway. Alongside direct support, we will continue to work collaboratively with the NHS, COBSEO members, clinical partners, researchers and other organisations to improve awareness of veterans' hearing needs and promote better outcomes for those living with hearing loss and tinnitus. The Trustees remain committed to strengthening the Foundation's financial resilience by diversifying income streams, developing long-term partnerships with grant makers and supporters, and ensuring that every donation is used effectively to maximise benefit for veterans. As a small specialist charity, our ambition is to continue growing in a sustainable and responsible way, enabling us to support more veterans while maintaining the high standards of governance, clinical quality and accountability expected by our beneficiaries, partners and funders.