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2022-12-31-accounts

The Day’s and Atkinson’s Almshouse Charity

Previously known as the Almshouse Charity Founded by Charles Day established 1842, and from 13[th] December 2005 incorporating The Almshouse Charity of Samuel Atkinson & Others, established 1680

Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended

31[st] December 2022

Charity Number 212230

Page 1

Trustees’ Report

The trustees present their Report as part of the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31[st] December 2022. The financial statements have been prepared based on FRS102 using the guidance included in the Statement of Recommended Practice “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” and comply with the charity’s trust deed. Day’s and Atkinson’s Almshouse Charity is a charity registered with the Charity Commission under registration number 212230. It is member 706 of the National Association of Almshouses. It is also a Registered Provider of Social Housing registered with Homes England under registration number A4271.

1 Administrative Information

Trustees

Rev Simon Rea (Chairman) Bridget Johnson (St Lawrence Little Stanmore incumbent’s nominee) Cllr Nick Mearing-Smith (LB Barnet nominee) Cllr Lucy Wakeley (LB Barnet nominee) Peter Murphy (co-opted trustee) Catherine Taylor (co-opted trustee) Neil Price (co-opted trustee)

Clerk to Trustees

Mike Seaman (Clerk to the Trustees)

Office

Postal Address C/o St Margaret’s Church, 1 Station Road, Edgware, HA8 7JE Telephone: 020 8952 4066

Atkinson’s Office Tel: 0208 238 1774 Email: admin@dandaalmshouses.org.uk

Independent Examiner

Kevin Ogilvie, Charity Bookkeeping & Examination Services, 13 Evelyns Close, Hillingdon, Middlesex UB8 3LR. Tel: 07776 258763

Bankers

CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Ave, West Malling Kent, ME19 4JQ

2 Structure, Governance and Management

Organisation

On 13[th] December 2005, the Charity Commission sealed a new scheme which incorporated the Almshouse Charities of Samuel Atkinson’s and Others plus the William Blasson Coal Charity into The Almshouses Founded by Charles Day and renamed the charity as the Day’s and Atkinson’s Almshouse Charity.

The Trustees are appointed according to the terms of the scheme’s governing document, and they are listed above. In 2010 the Trustees agreed to increase the number of co-opted Trustees from three to four.

Page 2

New trustees receive an induction pack that includes the ‘Standards of Almshouse Management’, policies and procedures, recent financial statements, and minutes. The clerk provides briefings on the governing instrument, statutory & legal requirements, the almshouses, finances, as well as a tour of the almshouses and meeting with residents.

Broadly speaking, the trustees retain oversight for finance, buildings and compliance with the law and delegate operational responsibility for carrying out their primary objectives to the staff.

Risk Management

All significant activities undertaken are subject to a regular risk review. Major risks are identified and ranked in terms of their potential impact and likelihood. Major risks, for this purpose, are those that may have a significant effect on:

The trustees review these risks on an on-going basis and satisfy themselves that adequate systems and procedures are in place to manage the risks identified. Where appropriate, risks are covered by insurance. In assessing risk, trustees recognise that some areas of work require the acceptance and management of risk if our key objectives are to be achieved.

3 Purpose & origins

The Charity’s objects are “the provision of housing accommodation for persons in financial hardship with preference given firstly to those residing in the ancient parishes of Edgware and Little Stanmore in the London Boroughs of Barnet and Harrow respectively, and secondly to those who are previous residents of these parishes; and such charitable purposes for the benefit of the residents as the trustees decide”.

All residents are appointed by the Trustees on the basis of written applications and interviews with the Clerk and a Trustee. The London Borough of Barnet has nomination rights to 75% of Day’s vacancies, 50% nomination rights of Atkinson’s 1 bed vacancies and 100% nomination rights for 2 and 3 bed units.

The Charity’s aims are to:

The current strategies for achieving these objectives are to:

Page 3

History

In 1801 Charles Day, in partnership with Benjamin Martin, established the renowned firm of bootblacking manufacturers ‘Day and Martin’ of which he was the sole proprietor from 1808. He made a vast fortune for the times and after he died in 1836 his complicated will became the justification for Charles Dickens’s case ‘Jarndyce and Jarndyce’ in his novel ‘Bleak House’. Latterly, Charles Day had his country residence in Edgware.

In 1828 he bought land known as Hither Frog Pool on the ‘Turnpike Road’ in Edgware from All Soul’s College, Oxford, and had eight one-roomed dwellings built for poor men and women of good character, with preference given to parishioners of Edgware and Little Stanmore. He administered them himself then set up a charity with five Trustees, including himself, by deed of gift on 28th April 1834. Day’s almshouses was formally established in 1842, was registered with the Charity Commission in 1963 and the building was listed as Grade II in 1983.

They remained as single room dwellings with one communal toilet until 1957 when small bathrooms and kitchens were added at the back. Central heating was installed in the 1970s. In March 2003, a major refurbishment was completed involving a land swap with the London Borough of Barnet reducing the width of the site but increasing its depth to facilitate rear extensions with single bedrooms, store cupboards and shower rooms. Kitchen annexes were incorporated into the original living rooms. The refurbishment received a Patron’s award from the National Association of Almshouses in 2004.

Atkinson’s Almshouse Charity was established in 1680 following a legacy of £600 from Samuel Atkinson for the purchasing of land at Oakley, Buckinghamshire and building of four almshouses in Edgware at a cost of £240, plus their endowment through further land purchase. A further bequest in 1707 from one of the original Trustees led to the establishment of the Thomas Napier charity, which also endowed the almshouse charity through land purchase. A gift of land to Edgware Parish from a Mr Watts, received during his lifetime, resulted in the establishment of a third charity, the purpose of which is undocumented. The income was given in aid of the church and poor rates until 1820, when the Parish agreed it should in future be given to the almshouse charity. In 1878, the Harriet Hurst charity was founded with a bequest of Consolidated Bank Annuities ‘for the purpose of the Edgware Old Almshouses’. These four charities were merged by a Charity Commission scheme sealed in 1897 to become the Almshouse Charities of Samuel Atkinson and Others, whose purpose was the provision of almshouses for poor persons of good character who have resided in the Ancient Parish of Edgware for not less than two years and the donation of a portion of the income, specifically £1.10s, of the charities for the benefit of such poor person’s resident in Edgware (though not almspeople) as the Trustees thought fit. By this time, only the 4 almshouses and the land at Oakley remained in the charities’ possession.

The original Atkinson’s almshouses were destroyed by bombs in 1940 and rebuilt in 1957 as bedsits with one bathroom shared between two residents, becoming Nos 60-66 Stone Grove.

In 1943 the Margaret Abel Trust was founded by the will of Margaret Ann Abel for the building of two almshouses on the site owned by the Almshouse Charities to be known as the Abel Homes. These were completed in 1960 at a cost of £3,500 and became Nos 66-70 Stone Grove, two adjoining bedsits sharing a bathroom sited to the rear of Nos 60-66. The remaining £3,000 of the original 3.5% War Stock was used to further endow the Almshouse Charities.

Page 4

In 1972 all six almshouses were altered so that each had its own bathroom but by 2010 they were in very poor condition. Acquisition of extra land and demolition of the original buildings made way for a major redevelopment to provide a three-storey block with 13 dwellings of which 7 are 2- bedroom and 6 are 1-bedroom flats was well as a pair of semi-detached houses which are 4- bedroom dwellings. The new buildings were completed in December 2011 and given a Patron’s Award from the National Association of Almshouses in 2015.

Activities

The principal activities of the Charity are the collection of the weekly maintenance contribution from residents, provision of low-level support to residents as required, upkeep of the fabric of the almshouses and appointment of new residents as vacancies arise.

Contribution of Volunteers

The Charity relies on its trustees giving their time voluntarily to the charity.

4 Achievement and Performance

Review of the Year

In March 2022 the Charity was fortunate to be in the position to redeem one of the two loans from the Charity Bank. £95,096 was paid back to the bank.

The Covid pandemic that had affected the country throughout 2021 abated and life gradually returned to normal. The charity continued to work towards providing a real sense of community for our residents. This was enhanced by regular team meetings between members of staff and the Chair. Staff members returned to the office and Trustees meetings were held in the office as well as on Zoom.

The charity is mindful of the way COVID and austerity measures have affected residents’ financial situations and well-being. We continue to offer help and support with benefit applications, drawing on both Bridget Johnson’s wealth of experience in housing management and benefits and Catherine Taylor’s general pastoral support. Food support continues through St Peter’s Church (foodbank and Christmas Lunch on Jesus) and the charity also benefited from safeguarding support through their connections with the Diocese of London.

Cllr Linda Freedman left her position as a council-nominated Trustee during March 2022. The charity welcomed Cllr Lucy Wakeley to the Trustee Board in October following her induction according to the charity’s policies and procedures.

In March 2022, the resident at flat 32 Stonegrove left owing the Charity £2669. Enquiries were made but efforts to find the person were fruitless. This means that the money must be written off. The vacant flat was advertised to prospective licensees via local Parish Churches and Barnet Council as has been custom and practice for many years. Applications were vetted, and interviews were held in accordance with the Charity procedure. An extraordinary Trustee meeting was held, and a new resident was selected, awarded a license, and moved in during April.

A Jubilee party for the residents was organised and held in June. The weather was warm, and residents enjoyed a buffet, hot and cold soft drinks outside in the garden with a palpable sense of community.

Page 5

Rev Simon Rea, Catherine Taylor, Lachie Munro and Mike Seaman attended the Almshouse Association Members Day which was held in Wolverhampton in June. This provided an excellent networking opportunity as well as the chance to hear from other attendees and share experiences and gather practical information. This is part of our commitment to the professional development of staff. We are grateful for the help and advice we have been able to source through contacts with other almshouses (e.g. through the North London Regional meetings group] and the Almshouse Association.

It was decided to replace all four (central heating) boilers on the top floor of Atkinson’s building. Scaffolding was necessary to access the flues. The boilers had more than ten years use, and this was more cost-effective than to replace single boilers at differing times. The work was carried out in October and gas safety certificates were duly issued.

A Christmas party for the residents was organised and held in December. Residents and Trustees attended and enjoyed a buffet, hot and cold soft drinks, enhancing the sense of shared community in the almshouses.

The charity continues to explore options around maximising the value of the historic grazing land at Hedges Farm because it has become a drain on resources rather than an asset as originally intended. We acknowledge the help of Peter Murphy whose expertise in residential development and planning matters has been proving invaluable. Our investigations on de-registration from the Register of Social Housing have been paused.

In line with The Almshouse Association recommendations, the beneficiary status of all adult (i.e. Over 18) residents continues to be reviewed and short-term licences for 3-year periods are being issued.

On behalf of the trustee board and residents, the Chair is most grateful for the continuing dedication and commitment of all members of staff.

Financial Review

There was an overall surplus of £72,375 in 2022 compared to a surplus of £46,734 in 2021.

The charity ended the year with net assets of £4,615,148 compared to last year’s £4,570,933.

Insurance Policy

The building insurance and Public Liability insurances are held with Grout Insurance and are reviewed annually to ensure cover is considered appropriate and the premium paid in December.

Reserves Policy

The Cyclical Maintenance and Extraordinary Repair Funds are kept at such levels as the Trustees deem prudent to comply with The Almshouse Association guidance and likely future maintenance requirements.

Funding Sources

The Charity’s income derives from the residents’ maintenance contribution, and approximately

Page 6

50% of this comes from Housing Benefit or Universal Credit entitlements. The remaining income relates to monies from the feed-in tariff for electricity generated by the photovoltaic roof panels and in 2022 a small sum from the Grazing Licence income from land in Buckinghamshire.

Investment Policy & Performance

A permanent endowment of the charity is held as the land on which all the 23 almshouses are situated as well as the two fields adjacent to Hedges Farm in Buckinghamshire.

Other assets are as follows: The Almshouse Association Common Investment Fund holds 10,743 income shares. The COIF Charities Ethical Investment Fund holds 2,219 units, the income from which is restricted to fuel expenditure.

The designated Extraordinary Repair Fund is held as accumulation units in a COIF Charities Ethical Investment Fund account. This account accumulates shares, and its value is therefore variable according to the current value of those shares. Transfers from the general fund are made into this account monthly. It currently holds 55,513 shares at a market value of £248,995 which represents a reduction of £13,939 from last year’s figure of £262,934. This is due to difficult global market conditions during 2022.

The designated Cyclical Maintenance Fund is held as accumulation units in a M&G National Association of Almshouses Common Investment Accumulation Account. The fund is increased monthly in line with the recommendation of The Almshouse Association. As far as possible the cost of planned programme work is met from the general account and the transfer to CMF reduced commensurately if required. In March 2022 the Charity instructed M&G to sell units to the value of £95,000. This money was used to pay off one Charity Bank loan in full. The account currently holds 935 shares with a market value of £98,704, a reduction of £69,582 from last year’s figure of £168,286.

The charity now has only one loan with The Charity Bank. At the end of 2022 a total of £342,957 was outstanding. Compared to 2021 where there were two loans totalling £460,598. One loan of £95,096 was redeemed in March this year.

At the end of the year the WMC arrears comprised late payments by some residents including those who receive Universal Credit paid in arrears and Housing Benefit 4 weekly payments which are also paid in arrears so overlap into the first month of the following year. At the end of the year there was an accumulation of arrears to the value of £3,690 compared to the previous year at £8,396.

The financial impact of the void property both in works on the property and the WMC lost was £2,948 compared to the previous year’s figure of £7,312.

Value for Money

The primary way in which the trustees ensure value for money is by investing in relationships, particularly between staff, contractors, and residents. This ensures mutual trust in that the residents feel they matter, that their concerns will be heard, and that staff understand which residents are most vulnerable therefore needing extra help from time to time.

Page 7

In this approach, the trustees continue in the centuries’ old culture of almshouse charities that have always gone the extra mile to ensure residents feel part of a valued community. Indeed, membership of The Almshouse Association is a second way in which the charity ensures value for money, as it means that we can be confident of staying abreast of legislative and other changes, and the best way of dealing with them. It also provides access to the West London Almshouse Group, an informal network of Almshouse Clerks who meet termly to share best practice and discuss current issues, many of which arise as email queries from one member of the group to all the others.

The charity also invests in the professional development of staff members through weekly Team meetings and by encouraging participation in training courses and regular appraisals.

5 Plans for Future Periods

Our priority is to ensure the appropriate upkeep of all buildings to enable provision of good quality accommodation for our residents. Last year we saw the continuation of support during the pandemic. The continuation of all adult residents changing to short term 3-year licences will be completed as and when possible.

6 Statement of Trustees Responsibilities

Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Accounting Requirements for Registered Social Landlords and other relevant regulations. The Trustees have general responsibility for taking such steps as are reasonably open to it to safeguard the assets of the Charity and to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.

The Trustees acknowledge they are responsible for the Charity’s system of internal control and that such a system can provide only reasonable and not absolute assurance against material misstatement or loss. They have established internal control procedures, which include weekly maintenance payments made by standing order, two signatures for all bank transactions, cash payments only accepted in return for a receipt and no payments except on production of an invoice. Accounts are reconciled monthly and reports showing performance against budget presented at each Trustees’ meeting. The effectiveness of this system is regularly reviewed, and no weaknesses have been identified which have resulted in material losses, contingencies or uncertainties requiring disclosure in the financial statements.

Page 8

Statement of Disclosure of Information to Independent Examiners

We, the Trustees who held office at the date of approval of these Financial Statements as set out above, each confirm, so far as we are aware, that:

There is no relevant information in relation to the collation of this report of which our examiner is unaware, and we have taken steps as trustees to ensure all relevant examination information has been provided to our independent examiner.

Approved by the trustees on the date stated below and signed on their behalf by:

REV SIMON REA, CHAIR Dated…18/04/2023…………………..

CATHERINE TAYLOR, TRUSTEE Dated…18/04/2023…………………..

Page 9

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of The Day’s and Atkinson’s Almshouse Charity

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 2022 which are set out on finance pages of the Annual Report.

Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s 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.

It is my responsibility to:

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.

Independent examiner's statement

Since the gross income for the year exceeds the amount provided in section 145(3) of the Act, I confirm that I am qualified to act as Independent Examiner under the provisions of that section of the Act and that my qualification is as shown below.

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

Kevin Ogilvie

Charity Bookkeeping and Examination Services 13 Evelyns Close, Hillingdon, Middlesex, UB8 3LR

28[th] April 2023

Page 10

Statement of Financial Activities

Unrestricted Designated
Restricted Endowment
Total
Prior year
funds
funds
funds
funds
funds
total funds
Income and endowments from:
Donations and legacies
Income from charitable activities
Investments
Other income
Total income
Expenditure on:
Expenditure on charitable activities
Total expenditure
Gains / losses on investment assets
Net income / (expenditure) resources before
transfer
Transfers
Gross transfers between funds - in
Gross transfers between funds - out
Other recognised gains / losses
Net movement in funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
1,225



1,225

196,159



196,159
188,709
1,035

190

1,224
1,161
746



746
887
199,164

190

199,353
190,758
126,837

141

126,978
144,024
126,837

141

126,978
144,024

(27,236)
(748)
(177)
(28,160)
57,248
72,327
(27,236)
(699)
(177)
44,215
103,982
323,410
263,393
748

587,551
45,216
(263,393)
(323,361)
(48)
(748)
(587,551)
(45,216)
132,344
(87,204)

(925)
44,215
103,982
3,185,922
424,525

960,486
4,570,933
4,466,951
3,318,266
337,322

959,561
4,615,149
4,570,933

Statement of assets and liabilities

General Designated
Restricted Endowment
This year
Last year
Fixed assets - Heritage assets
Day's land 18-32 -
Atkinson's land 60-70 -
Totals
Fixed assets - Investments
M&G Samuel Atkinson Income A/C -
M&G Accumulation Cyclical Main Fund -
CCLA Blasson Income A/C -
CCLA Accumulation ERF -
Totals
Fixed assets - Tangible assets
Day's buildings -
Atkinson's land 58 -
Atkinson's building (HE Loan) -
Totals
Current assets - Cash at bank and in hand
CAFcash 12543 -
Totals
Liabilities - Agency accounts
Agency collections -
Totals
Liabilities - Creditors: Amounts falling due
after more than one year
Loans -
Totals
Grand total



314,000
314,000
314,000



630,000
630,000
630,000



944,000
944,000
944,000



9,487
9,487
9,540
10,000
88,704


98,704
168,286



6,074
6,074
6,946

248,618


248,618
261,855
10,000
337,322

15,561
362,883
446,627
362,864



362,864
362,864
550,000



550,000
550,000
2,694,530



2,694,530
2,694,530
3,607,394



3,607,394
3,607,394
43,830

2,525

46,355
36,032
43,830

2,525

46,355
36,032


2,525

2,525
2,525


2,525

2,525
2,525
342,958



342,958
460,595
342,958



342,958
460,595
3,318,266
337,322

959,561
4,615,149
4,570,933

Page 11

Fund movement by type

Opening Incoming Outgoing Transfers Gains/losses Journals Closing
Pinnacles - Pinnacles Days
Designated
Sub-total for Pinnacles
Samuel - M&G Income Samuel At
Endowment
Sub-total for Samuel
General - General fund
Unrestricted
Sub-total for General
CMF - M&G Accumulation Cyc
Designated
Sub-total for CMF
ERF - CCLA Accumulation Ex
Designated
Sub-total for ERF
Blasson - CCLA Income Blasson
Designated
Restricted
Endowment
Sub-total for Blasson
DAY - Day's 18-32
Endowment
Sub-total for DAY
Atkinson - Atkinson Land 60-70
Designated
Endowment
Sub-total for Atkinson
Grand total
4,384


(4,384)


4,384


(4,384)



9,540



(53)

9,487
9,540



(53)

9,487
3,185,922
199,164
126,837
60,016


3,318,266
3,185,922
199,164
126,837
60,016


3,318,266
158,286


(68,532)
(1,050)

88,704
158,286


(68,532)
(1,050)

88,704
261,855


12,948
(26,186)

248,618
261,855


12,948
(26,186)

248,618








190
141
699
(748)


6,946


(748)
(124)

6,074
6,946
190
141
(48)
(872)

6,074
314,000





314,000
314,000





314,000







630,000





630,000
630,000





630,000
4,570,933
199,353
126,978

(28,160)

4,615,149

Analysis of income and expenditure

Total
Unrestricted Designated Restricted Endowment This year Last year
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS
Donations and legacies
Donations 225 225
Grants/Legacy's 1,000 1,000
Total 1,225 1,225
Income from charitable activities
WMC from residents,HB, UC 196,159 196,159 188,709
Total 196,159 196,159 188,709
Investments
Grazing License 510 510 616
Dividend CCLA 438480001AA 190 190 187
Blasson
Dividend M&G NAACIF 376 376 355
Caf Bank Interest 148 148 4

Page 12

Total
Other income
Feed in Tariff
Refunds
Total
1,035

190

1,224
1,161
613



613
887
133



133
746



746
887
INCOME TOTAL 199,164

190

199,353
190,758
EXPENDITURE
Expenditure on charitable activities
SC Equipment Maintenance
2,756



2,756
4,776
CMF expenditure
25,049



25,049
38,219
Routine maintenance
15,078



15,078
17,436
SC Cleaning Atkinson's
1,363



1,363
3,960
SC Grounds Maintenance
4,786



4,786
3,520
SC Atkinson's Water LL
36



36
30
Void expenditure
5,622



5,622
4,933
SC Atkinson Electricity LL
1,587

141

1,728
1,439
SC Day's Electricity LL
178



178
192
SC Atkinson Phones(office,lift)
1,085



1,085
1,038
Lifeline Barnet Assist
777



777
1,081
Benefits to Residents
1,964



1,964
572
Salaried Staff
37,901



37,901
37,762
Staff training
1,329



1,329
119
Office & IT
3,304



3,304
2,134
St Margaret's SLA
300



300
300
Insurance
4,442



4,442
247
Subscriptions & fees
929



929
671
Loan Interest repayment
16,662



16,662
21,333
Legal, Professional & Trustee costs
161



161
2,760
Independent Examination Costs
1,527



1,527
1,500
Total
126,837

141

126,978
144,024
126,837

141

126,978
144,024
EXPENDITURE TOTAL 126,837

141

126,978
144,024
GRAND TOTAL 72,327

48

72,376
46,734

Page 13