Charlty Number1195721 DEBT CENTRE GREENWICH A Charltablo Incorporatod Organisation ICIOI AnnualAccounts Period ended 31" December 2024 Debt Centre Greenwich Charlty Numbor 1195721 Raport & Flnancl&l Stat8monts forth• Porlod onded 31" Dè¢èmb•r 2024 Contgnts Poge Charlty Information Tni8tee8 Rtsport Re¢elpis & Payments Statement ¢1 Assets & Liabilities 10 Independent Examiner'8 R•port R•port ofthfj Managomont Commltt•• The Management Committee presents it8 ieport and independently ex8mined fin8ncial totemont¥ forthe period ended 31" December 2024 Logal &Admlnlatrfjtlv• Inlormation Charity Registratlon Numbor 1195721 Regl$tèr8d Office & Correspondence Address elo 28 Aeynold8 Place Bla¢kheath London SE3 8SX Truglee8: Andrew Beswetheriek Ichairl Tamaia Woodhou8e ChristopherAshworth Independent Examiner P M Landergan FCA L8ndergan & Co Ltd 26 8urney Stroet London SEI 0 8EX Bankèrs Thg Co-operatlve Bank POBox250 Dell Houye Skelmer8<1•10 WN8 6wr Structuro, Gov•rnan¢è and M•nag•m•nt Debt Centre Gre$nwich IDCGI was e8tablished by g partrseT8hip of chur¢h83 in Gro¢nwich in MArch 2021. We are governed by the regLJl8tions set out in the Foundation Model constitution and run by a voluntary Board ol Trustees. The organisation was reèstered with the Charity Commissionon 6"September2021. Tru8tee8 are encouraged to t8ke an active role in enabling the organi88tion to lullil its ¢bjeetives. This allows tfUStee8 to get o clear understar￿ing af whst the charity does and the compl8xity involved in coordinatinq activitles to respond to Ihe needs of those who are struggling with the ctsn$¥qu¢n¢es of financiol insecurity gnd debt. In 8ele¢ting individuals lor appointment as trustees, reg8rd 18 given to the skills. knowledge and experience needed foi tho eff8Ctiv? administration of the charity. The Board m$•ts formally 6 times a year, whi¢h includes on annu81 maeting of 8UPPOrter8. Obl•etlvé• and Activiti•s A8 $tat&d in our governing document, the objectives of the charity are: The religf ot fin8nci81 hardship through th8 provlsion ol support and aecess to Ifee financial advlce and assistance to people with debt-related problem8 Ilvlng In the postcode areas SE3. SE7, SE9. SE10. SE12. SE18 8nd parts ol SE2, SE8, SE28. BR7 and DA15. who through lack of mean8 would othe￿1$0 be unable to obtaln such support and advice Th¢ advancement of the Ch￿St18n t8llh and doctrlne In accordance with the slalement of belief of Chri$ti8nsA8aln$t Povérty. M8in activities: The primary work of the charlty Is providlngdebt help lor those in the community 8truggiing with unman9488blè finances.. Supporting the ¢lient to compl?te a full review ol Ih¢ir linancial Situation. Developing a repayment budget and a route out ol debt. Stepping in be￿een Creditorn and clients- IBcilitating o¢ce88 to quallfied debt advi$or¥ to negotiate with creditOTS on behalf of clients. Provide 3UPPQrt through thi8journey from ouvts•m oftrainod volunteer8. Relotod PArtner8hlp Ouring 2024, DCG decided to move from being 4n accredited member of Christlans Against Poverty ICAPI. From lune 2024, we lomially switched to operating our debt 8¢¥vlce 88 Connect Centre with Community Money Advice. We continue to have a partner8hip with CAP to dèliver COUT$eS such ae Life Ski118 and Money Nan8g•ment. Going forw8rd, we will al80 be delivering a Job Club. Pollcles and Procedur0$ Through our affiliation with CMA. we hav8 access to poll¢ies And Pfoc8dures that ènsure that we operate in compllance wlth good pyactices In deliveTln$ our services. Through iegular updates and annual training. DCG can ensurè that any changes ore implemented at 8 10¢gl level. This includes conducting risk assessments on Ehe clients before doing home vi3its and being alert to any issues that would put staff or volunteers at ri$k. As part ol our membership, we 8ign an annual declaration to ensure our policies and procedure$ ore up to date and ompliani in line with the FCA regulations. Publlc Bonoflt In reviewing the scope of the activitie8 delivered by the charity the trustee8 have con3ideied the Charity Commission's guidanee on public benefit and arè satislied that the purposes lor which the charity has been established and the activitie3 undertaken demonstrate how we meet the requirement8 of the test. A¢hi•v•m•nt8 for the Yo8r Since becoming on accredited organi3ation in November 2021. Debt C¢ntTe Grttenwi¢h ha8 become a tiusted provider ol debt support across the Royal Borough of Greenwich. We have e$tabli$hed ¥tronÉ working relationshipa with Council oflicer8, Sociol hou8ing landlords, DWP advisors and the community mèntal health team at Oxleas. Through supporting our clients. we have developed our ski118 a8 debt coaches to deliver 8 high level of 8upport, including welfare right8 8UPPOrt and advice in term$ of foim filling for health benefits through to appeal, advocating for len8nt8 with landlord$ regarding rent arr88TS or répairs. supporting clients at court regarding pos38ssion oYder9 and dealing with utility companies. A8 well as the debt counselling work we have remained committed tc provldlng pastoral support. praying with clients and walking with tham in their laith journey. Sever81 clients now Bctlvely particlpate in Church ond cllents were recently baptlsed èt one ol our partner churches. In the final quarter of 2023. the management team m8t to review and reflect on the work Debt entre GieeTmlch hoo actompllshed over the flrst two year8. We a¢knowiedged that Christians Again8t Poverty ICAPI was a¥$ential in providing the foundstion Irom which we have been atslts to develop and g¥ow as an organlsation. Looking toward8 the future, we exploTed how w8. as an org8ni88tion. could take steps to become more sustainable. better able to $upportthe needs of clients and increasingthe level ol supportwe can offef in the long term. Wa looked at three key areas in term$ ol growing our portfolio ol advice and the prodUC￿we could offer our cllents in terms of: Income maximization Supportto manage a budget once the eliènt18 dabt-free Support getting back Into Ihe workplace We researched organlsatlons that 8h8red the $8me v8lue8 and vislon ol Debt Centre Gieenwlch 8nd could support dévÉlap the organiaation towards becoming an accredited FCA debt 8dvice centre. One option explored at the revlew day was to con3ider 8 move from CAP to Community Money Advice ICMAI. CMA'S three.tiered approach ol., Maximise Income Mlnimi$¢ Exp8ndituro Manage D8bl Fell In Ilne wlth our objectives and the needs of our cll¢nts. CMA also offered 8 Budgetlng Mentor course that we believe clients would benefit from. This, in turn, would attract a talent pool ol voluntèÉrs to be up8klll¢d and support clients In terms of aftewcare once thelr dèbt has been m8n8ged. The busine¥$ Case wag taken to the board of Trustees in November 2023 and g vote to move Debt Centre Greenwlch from CAP to CMA wa8 agreed. wlth the objectlvè to tran81tlon to CMA over th• course of 2024. 2024 has $een us amicably trangition ag a CAP Debt Centre to a CMA Conngct Oebt Centre. training and up8killing our tgom In term$ ol service, 8y8tEm¥ and support. In terms of cliBnt management we ere able to prioritise ca$$s and triage case8 effèetlvèly glving us more control and providing urgent support where necessary. Having seen success wth both th& CAP Money Coaching and Lile Skills courses we agreed to continue working with CAP as part ol our client learning development porttolio. With the Govemment's deci8lon to encourage people back to wor*. we made the decision to include the CAP lob club to our cli8llt learning ond development portlolio. Underthe le8der8hip ol Beverley Campbell a$ CAP Job Club Manager. C&rolin• King and Leanne Rivett trained a8 Job Club Coaches. 2024Achlevements ata Glance £350,COJ Managed Lliert Debt £76,343 £58W2 alert Dtbtwrltte) Off Uient Financial Galns. ctiens stoppd through nteNentl NewTeam MemkR Sutte5sful Monev Coach & Ufe Skills Cour￿$ D•bt Manag•m•nt Throughout 2024 we managed over £350,000 ol cllent debt th18 year and 8ucce88tully wrltten off £76.$00 by the ond of 2024. We are antlcipgting our first CMA client5 t¢ become debt Ifee in the ¥pring of 2025. We continue to 8UPPOrt two long term CAP clients when we made the tr8ll$ltion to CMA. UnfoTtun8tely, the debts were deemed too complex for the te8m to support remately. and we 88reed to step in and transition them to CMA. Bgth clients wero h&ppy to continue to Y4ork wSth us. Wolfare Rlght$ Support: Well8ie rights h8s been c103e to our che8t from the moment we provided debt support. We leel it is of Immense importanee that OLSI clionts have full access to any benelits that they are entitled to. Maximising a client's income en8ures a sustainable income, manage a household budget 8nd prevent1811ing into arrears and debt in the future. We have successfully 8ppli8d for over £58,800 of ben¢fits forour most vulnerable Clients, manywith laige amounts of back pay. ManJg•d Mlgr•tlon The DWP announced in the summer ot 2024, that the proces8 of moving clients on legacy benefits of Employment and Support Allowonce IESAI and ESA with Housing 8enefit IHBI to Univers81 Credit will be st8rtlng on a small scale in the Autumn 01 2024. Ttte DWP began sanding migration notices to these claimants in September 2024 aiming to notlfy claimants in this cohort by December 2025. Legacy ESA claimants include 8 percentage of our vulnerable clionl base. os such. we hav& engaged with both new 8nd previous clients whom we believe m8y be pBrt of this cohort. This en8ure8 that our clients are fully engaged and Supported. reducing anxi8ty ènd eoncerns that they may have. HouBing We have seen an Increase In cllents who need Support with hou3ing appllcations and health & digabllity assessments. Wè have held social landlords to account and helplng residénts wha$¢ propety l¥ in di8rep8lr. Th18 has devoloped 8 trusted relatlonshlp wlth the PIou8lng Enforcement Off iC8f and the R8G Housing Surveyor8. assessing properties in disrepair or black mould. We have gTrven Ilght touch IrontliTre 8UPPOrt for those in ttsmporary accommodation, either by section 21 no-tault evictian. or those who have been dec8nted from their Pfoperties with Kettle packs from the Greenwich Foodbank. We also successfully repr¢sent¢