**Charity registration no. 1195520** # **SOCIAL ANXIETY ALLIANCE UK TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS FOR THE SEVENTEEN-MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022** ## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION** Trustees Sarah Peacey (Appointed 16 August 2021) Neil Greening (Appointed 16 August 2021) Philip Wilson (Appointed 16 August 2021 and Resigned February 2022) Catrin Rees (Appointed February 2022 and Resigned July 2022) Katie Bjerkan (Appointed 27 June 2022) Ellie Whitbread (Appointed 9 March 2023) Jeffrey Francis (Appointed 30 May 2023) Liz Critchlow (Appointed 7 July 2023) Russell Findlay (Appointed 1 September 2023) Charity number 1195520 Principal First Floor address 85 Great Portland Street London W1W 7LT Website www.socialanxietyalliance.org.uk Email Address info@socialanxietyalliance.org.uk ## TABLE OF CONTENTS **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION......................................................1** |**TRUSTEES’ REPORT**
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**3**| |---| |**STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT...............................................................3**| |**MISSION AND GOALS.............................................................................................3**| |**WHAT IS SOCIAL ANXIETY?......................................................................................3**| |**HOW COMMON IS SOCIAL ANXIETY?............................................................................4**| |**WHAT AFFECTS DOES IT HAVE ON PEOPLE'S LIVES?........................................................4**| |**HOW MANY PEOPLE GET TREATED?............................................................................4**| |**ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE...........................................................................4**| |**FUTURE PLANS....................................................................................................5**| |**FINANCIAL REVIEW................................................................................................6**| |**APPROVAL..........................................................................................................6**| |**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
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**7**| |**BALANCE SHEET**
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**8**| |**NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
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**9**| |**ACCOUNTING POLICIES...........................................................................................9**| |1.
BASIS OF ACCOUNTING...........................................................................................................9| |2.
GOING CONCERN...................................................................................................................9| |3.
INCOME............................................................................................................................... 9| |4.
EXPENDITURE.....................................................................................................................10| |**ANALYSIS OF INCOME...........................................................................................11**| |**ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE....................................................................................11**| 2 ## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT** The trustees present their report and accounts for the seventeen-month period ended 31 December 2022. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with Social Anxiety Alliance UK’s constitution, the Charities Act 2011 and 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_ (Charities SORP FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014. ## **Structure, governance and management** Social Anxiety Alliance UK (SAAUK) was established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 16 August 2021. The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities SAAUK should undertake. ## **Mission and Goals** Our mission is a society in which social anxiety is widely understood, with easy access to appropriate information, support and treatment so that no one has to face social anxiety alone. Our goals: (1) Help those affected by social anxiety find the information and resources they need (2) Increase public awareness and empathy towards social anxiety (3) Promote and improve access to appropriate and effective treatment ## **What is social anxiety?** Social anxiety is the persistent and excessive fear of negative judgement and rejection in social or performance situations. Typical situations that 3 elicit such fear often involve interaction, observation and performance and include meeting strangers, initiating, and participating in conversations within groups, talking to authority figures, eating, or drinking while being observed, going to school or work, using public toilets, and presenting information in front of others. Individuals with social anxiety fear that they will behave in a way that they think is humiliating or embarrassing, such as blushing, sweating, appearing anxious, boring, or incompetent, and therefore, social situations are usually avoided or suffered through. ## **How common is social anxiety?** NHS NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) quote lifetime prevalence as 12% with twelve-month prevalence at 7%. If stricter criteria are used the figures change to 5% and 3% (Grant et al., 2005). Even on the stricter criteria that’s 1.5 million adults in the UK this year. ## **What affects does it have on people's lives?** The impact of SAD is far-reaching and without treatment can be significant and long lasting. As well as the mental and physical symptoms, the avoidance and masking behaviours can cause significant impediments to people in their personal, educational, and professional lives, and can result in acute social isolation and loneliness. At the severe end of the spectrum people who experience social anxiety may find it very difficult to leave the home or to work. Children and young people with social anxiety may struggle to attend school. Severe social anxiety has the potential to impact every aspect of communication and interaction with others, such as speaking on the telephone, participating in video calls, sending emails, writing letters, or being watched or seen from afar. ## **How many people get treated?** Despite the prevalence of social anxiety and the severe impact of its symptoms, the majority of individuals with SAD do not receive treatment for their social anxiety. Access to treatment is compromised by lack of awareness, low media profile, stigma, misdiagnosis and the social 4 anxiety that people experience in even talking to friends, family or professionals about their condition. Too frequently we hear the words "I didn’t know the condition existed, I thought I was the only one". ## **Achievements and performance** The reporting period saw the charity set the administrative foundations for pursuing our charitable objectives (including a bank account and donation platforms), build a voluntary trustee board, develop our web presence, and start establishing contacts within the mental health sector. We successfully recruited trustees both with lived experience of social anxiety and the skills identified to support the charity’s mission. The need for further voluntary support has been identified from both a clinical and research perspective with the intent to recruit qualified CBT Therapists to review and develop content. Also, the need to develop relationships with UK social anxiety researchers who will help disseminate the latest research to support professionals and individual beneficiaries alike. The website, which is administered on a voluntary basis has the vital information to build understanding of social anxiety and signpost those experiencing the condition to find support and therapy. We are pleased to see that the website is already providing help to those with social anxiety, for example: _“The information on this site has really helped me in being able to explain my situation more effectively to people, differentiating between social anxiety and social shyness. So thank you.”_ ## **Future Plans** Over the next 12 months period our priorities are: - to continue to develop our digital presence – by improving the website (both in its presentation as well as the information held), and by building our social media presence. 5 - to increase the availability of useful social anxiety content through engaging with a small voluntary editorial team with clinical and research experience of social anxiety. - to increase our collaboration with the major mental health charities and through connecting with other organisations in related areas (for example loneliness) to raise the profile of social anxiety within the mental health sector. - We will also develop key governance policies and continue to recruit trustees where skills gaps exist and develop a fundraising strategy to ensure that we can build on the solid foundations established in 2022. ## **Financial review** SAAUK’s policy is that unrestricted funds that have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to six months’ expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. ## **Approval** This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by Neil Greening Chair SAAUK Date when approved: 31/10/2023 6 ## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES** ## _For the seventeen-month period ended 31 December 2022_ |**Income**
**Not**
**es**
**Donations**
**Expenditure**
**Charitable**
**activities**
**Net income/**
**(expenditure)**
**for period /**
**Net movement**
**in funds**
**Reconciliation of**
**funds**
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward|**Unrestric**
**ted**
**funds**
**Restric**
**ted**
**funds**
**Total**
**funds**
**Prior**
**year**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**| |---|---| ||744
0
744
0| ||**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**| ||511
0
511
0| ||233
0
233
0
0
0
0
0| ||233
0
233
0| 7 ## **BALANCE SHEET** ## _As at 31 December_ |_2022_
**Not**
**es**
**Current assets**
Cash at bank and in
hand
**Creditors:**
**amounts falling**
**due within one**
**year**
**Total assets less**
**current liabilities**
**Funds of the**
**charity**
Restricted income
funds
Unrestricted funds
**Total funds**|**Unrestric**
**ted funds**
**Restric**
**ted**
**funds**
**Total**
**funds**
**Prior**
**year**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
233
0
233
0
0
0
0
0| |---|---| ||233
0
233
0| ||0
0
0
0
233
233
0| ||233
0
233
0| The accounts were approved by the trustees on: 8 Anxiety Alliance UK Neil Greening Trustee ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** ## _For the seventeen-month period ended 31 December 2022_ ## **Accounting policies** ## **1. Basis of accounting** These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items initially recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the notes to these accounts. The accounts have been prepared 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_ (Charities SORP FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011. Social Anxiety Alliance UK is a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The accounts are presented in sterling and rounded to the nearest pound. ## **2. Going concern** The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about Social Anxiety Alliance UK's ability to continue as a going concern. ## **3. Income** _Income recognition_ Income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the Charity becomes entitled to the resources, it is more likely 10 than not that the trustees will receive the resources and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability. 11 Notes to the Accounts (continued) ## _For the seventeen-month period ended 31 December 2022_ ## _**Offsetting**_ There has been no offsetting of assets and liabilities, or income and expenses, unless required or permitted by the FRS 102 SORP or FRS 102. ## _**Donations**_ Donations are only included in the SoFA when the general income recognition criteria are met (5.10 to 5.12 FRS 102 SORP). ## _**Gift Aid**_ Gift Aid receivable is included in income when there is a valid declaration from the donor. Any Gift Aid amount recovered on a donation is considered to be part of that gift and is treated as an addition to the same fund as the initial donation unless the donor or the terms of the appeal have specified otherwise. ## _**Volunteer help**_ The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the trustees’ annual report. ## **4. Expenditure** ## _**Expense recognition**_ Expenses are recognised where it is more likely than not that there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty. ## _**Governance**_ Governance costs comprise all costs involving public accountability of the charity and its compliance with regulation and good practice. 12 Anxiety Alliance UK 13 Notes to the Accounts (continued) _For the seventeen-month period ended 31 December 2022_ ## **Analysis of income** |Cash
In Kind
**Total**|**Unrestric**
**ted**
**funds**
**Restric**
**ted**
**funds**
**Total**
**funds**
**Prior**
**year**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
298
0
298
0
446
0
446
0| |---|---| ||744
0
744
0| ## **Analysis of expenditure** |Expenditure on:
IT expenses
Ofce expenses
Bank charges
**Total**|**Unrestric**
**ted**
**funds**
**Restric**
**ted**
**funds**
**Total**
**funds**
**Prior**
**year**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
242
0
242
0
204
0
204
0
65
0
65
0| |---|---| ||511
0
511
0| 14