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2020-12-31-accounts

THE AUTHORS' CONTINGENCY FUND

TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

CHARITY No. 212406

THE AUTHORS' CONTINGENCY FUND

Charity Information

Trustees The Management Committee of
The Society of Authors
Charity Number 212406
Charity Offices c/o The Society of Authors
24 Bedford Row
London WC1R 4EH
Independent Auditor Knox Cropper LLP
Chartered Accountants
65 Leadenhall Street
London EC3A 2AD
Bankers HSBC
The Peak
333 Vauxhall Bridge Road
Victoria
London SW1V 1EJ
Investment Managers Aberdeen Standard Capital
Bow Bells House
1 Bread Street
London EC4M 9HH

THE AUTHORS' CONTINGENCY FUND

Contents

Page
Trustees' Report 1 - 2
Auditors’ Report
3 - 5
Statement of Financial Activities 6
Balance Sheet 7
Statement of Cash flows
8
Notes to the Financial Statements 9 - 15

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE AUTHORS' CONTINGENCY FUND

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

The Trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31[st] December 2020. The Trustees have adopted the provisions of the Accounting and Reporting by Charities, Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (second edition effective 1 January 2019).

Trustees

The Society of Authors is the corporate Trustee of the charity and has acted throughout the year.

Investment powers and Risk Management

The Trust Deed authorises the Trustees to make and hold investments using the Capital Funds of the charity. These are shown in detail in the notes to the financial statements. The principal area of risk concerns the management of the investments, the income from which provides the principal source of funds from which the awards are paid. The investments are therefore kept under constant review by the investment managers.

Constitution, objects and policies

This Charity was constituted under a Trust Deed dated 21[st] July 1960, amended on 28[th] March 1963, to pay grants to authors in financial need. The policy of the Authors' Contingency Fund continues to be to pay grants in accordance with the Trust Deed out of the income generated by the investments and donations and to seek additional donations wherever possible.

Public Benefit

In reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities, the Trustees refer to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit.

Reserves Policy

The Trustees policy is to operate on the basis of being able to continue to generate sufficient incoming resources to use toward meeting their charitable objectives and to accord with their principal terms. The Trustees are of the opinion that the funds remain sufficient to enable them to continue this ongoing objective. The charity has sufficient but not excessive funds to service its objective of making future charitable distributions.

Achievements and Performance of the charity

The Authors’ Emergency Fund was set up in response to the significant and detrimental impact Covid19 was having on the earnings of all kinds of writers. It was set up as an industry-wide Emergency Fund to be administered through The Society of Authors’ Contingency Fund as the Contingency Fund already had huge experience and robust, speedy and respected processes in dealing with applicants. The fund received donations from the Arts Council England (£400,000), Creative Scotland (£207,695), The Royal Literary Fund (£150,000), ALCS (£99,179) and Amazon (250,000) as well as donations from trusts and individuals (£236,750). The funding from Arts Council England and Creative Scotland was restricted to particular applicants. The other funds raised have been treated as unrestricted as they can be used inaccordance with the general objects of the charity which are to pay grants to authors in financial need.

The criteria for these grants was to provide suitable financial provision for the relief of Authors who were suffering financial difficulties due to the Covid19 pandemic with the aim of agreeing small grants, typically in the region of £500-£2,000 quickly to provide emergency relief to these authors. All grants were assessed on the basis of an application form and covering statement supplied by the applicant, these were all sifted by staff for eligibility and where necessary additional information was requested. All eligible applications were then forwarded to assessors to read and review. The Assessors then did a final review at regular meetings (always two assessors and one member of staff) where the final decision and the amount to be awarded was recorded. Although the title Authors’ Emergency Fund has reverted to the Authors’ Contingency Fund (and associated funds) from December 2020 the aim is to continue fundraising and to support all writers while the Covid19 pandemic is ongoing.

1

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE AUTHORS' CONTINGENCY FUND

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

Financial Review

The results for the year ended 31[st] December 2020 are attached and show a Net increase in funds of £93,146 (2019: £22,099 decrease) after including grants and donations received of £1,343,326 (2019: £7,603) and paying Charitable Grants of £1,266,777 (2019: £45,987) helping 890 authors during the year (2019: 63) which included the Authors Emergency Fund. The realised surplus on the disposal of investments this year was £nil (2019: £1,208 surplus) and the unrealised increase in market value of investments this year amounted to £2,043 (2019: £69,821 increase). The investments appear in the Balance Sheet at their market value at of £572,133 (2019: £570,090). As a result, the Total Funds carried forward at the year-end amount to £700,119 (2019: £604,930) comprising restricted funds of £1,880 and unrestricted funds of £698,239 and the Trustees consider that the charity has sufficient income and capital to meet its obligations in the foreseeable future.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the way the charity and the Society of Authors works. The charity was a key part of the Authors Emergency Fund launched in March 2020 to support authors and other writers affected by the pandemic. The Fund was very successful and in all 923 grants have been awarded.

The Authors’ Emergency Fund resulted in increased administration for the Contingency Fund as the number of successful grants increased from 63 to 890, an increase of over 1300%. The Society of Authors did not increase the Management Fee charged to The Contingency Fund as The Society of Authors aim in running the Authors’ Emergency Fund was to distribute all the extra funds raised by the charity as grants to writers and not to increase administration costs to the charity.

The ordinary work of the charity funded from investment income was also affected. The value of the charity’s investment portfolio has recovered the losses suffered in March/April 2020 and has increased in value over the course of the whole year before disposals as set out in the notes to the financial statements. The charity anticipates being able to maintain its existing support for writers on an annual basis similar to 2019.

Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’.

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales, the Charities Act 2011, requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of its incoming resources and application of resources for that period. In preparing these 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 enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approved by the board of Trustees on 27 May 2021 and signed on their behalf by:

Joanne Harris – Chair of the Management Committee, The Society of Authors

2

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of The Authors’ Contingency Fund

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of The Authors’ Contingency Fund (the ’charity’) for the year ended 31 December 2020 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis of opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information.

Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the accounts, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the accounts or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the accounts or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.

3

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of The Authors’ Contingency Fund

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of Trustees

As explained more fully in the Trustees' Responsibilities Statement set out on page 2, the Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

4

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees of The Authors’ Contingency Fund

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of the audit report

This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken, so that we might state to the charity’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report or for the opinions we have formed.

1 June 2021

Knox Cropper LLP Statutory Auditor 65 Leadenhall Street London, EC3A 2AD

Knox Cropper LLP is eligible for appointment as auditor of the charity by virtue of its eligibility for appointment as auditor of a company under section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

5

THE AUTHORS’ CONTINGENCY FUND

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

Notes
Income
Grants and Donations
2
Investment Income - Dividends
3
- Bank Interest
Other income
5
Total
Expenditure
Raising funds:
Investment Management Fees
Charitable activities
4
Total
Net income/(expenditure)
before investment
gains/(losses)
Net gains/(losses) on investments
8
Net income/(expenditure)
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
Unrestricted
£
735,631
12,854
30
26,415
774,930
3,674
678,110
681,784
93,146
2,043
95,189
603,050
£698,239
Restricted
£
607,695
-
-
-
607,695
-
607,695
607,695
-
-
-
1,880
£1,880
2020
Total
£
1,343,326
12,854
30
26,415
1,382,625
3,674
1,285,805
1,289,479
93,146
2,043
95,189
604,930
£700,119
2019
Total
£
7,603
16,707
15
13,534
37,859
4,462
55,496
59,958
(22,099)
71,209
48,930
556,000
£604,930

The notes form part of these Financial Statements

6

THE AUTHORS’ CONTINGENCY FUND

BALANCE SHEET

31[st] DECEMBER 2020

Notes
FIXED ASSETS
Quoted Investments – at Market
Value
6
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors and Prepayments
9
Cash held by Investment
Managers
Cash at bank
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Amounts due within one year
10
Net Current Assets
TOTAL NET ASSETS
13
Represented by:
ACCUMULATED FUNDS
Restricted Funds
11
Unrestricted Funds
12
TOTAL FUNDS
2020
£
£
572,133
13,029
8,395
119,754
141,178
(13,192)
127,986
£700,119
1,880
698,239
£700,119
2019
£
£
570,090
880
15,474
21,044
37,398
(2,558)
34,840
£604,930
1,880
603,050
£604,930
2019
£
£
570,090
880
15,474
21,044
37,398
(2,558)
34,840
£604,930
1,880
603,050
£604,930
£604,930
1,880
603,050
£604,930

Approved by the Trustees on 27 May 2021 and signed on their behalf

………………………………………………… Joanne Harris – Chair of the Management Committee, The Society of Authors

The notes form part of these Financial Statements

7

THE AUTHORS’ CONTINGENCY FUND

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

31[st] DECEMBER 2020

OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income/(expenditure) for the reporting period
Investment income
(Increase)/decrease in debtors
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Investment income
Disposal of investments
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the
reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the
reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the
reporting period
2020
£
93,146
(12,884)
(12,149)
10,634
78,747
12,884
-
12,884
91,631
36,518
£128,149
2019
£
(22,099)
(16,722)
(880)
216
(39,485)
16,722
13,000
29,722
(9,763)
46,281
£36,518

8

THE AUTHORS’ CONTINGENCY FUND

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors which have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

The UK economy has been seriously affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The charity’s income is derived from its investment portfolio whose value has recovered the losses suffered in March/April 2020. The trustees believe that its investments will continue to provide sufficient resources in the foreseeable future to enable the charity to maintain its ordinary activities and have concluded that there are no material uncertainties about the Trust’s ability to continue as a going concern.

9

THE AUTHORS’ CONTINGENCY FUND

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

2. GRANTS AND DONATIONS

Unrestricted
£
Grants and donations
Authors Emergency Fund
Arts Council England
-
Creative Scotland
-
Other donations
735,631
735,631
Other
-
£735,631
3.
INVESTMENT INCOME
NON GOVERNMENT BOND FUNDS
ASC (Offshore) Global Fixed Interest Fund Z Income
ASC (Offshore) Sterling Fixed Interest Fund Z Income
MULTI ASSET CHARITY INVESTMENTS
BNY Mellon Funds
TOTAL
Restricted
£
400,000
207,695
-
607,695
-
£607,695
2020
Total
£
400,000
207,695
735,631
1,343,326
-
£1,343,326
Gross
Income
2020
£
2,196
1,692
3,888
8,966
£12,854
2019
Total
£
-
-
-
-
7,603
£7,603
Gross
Income
2019
£
2,444
1,738
4,182
12,525
£16,707

10

THE AUTHORS’ CONTINGENCY FUND

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

4. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

DIRECT
Awards paid
Authors Emergency Fund
Other
INDIRECT
Assessors fees - Authors Emergency Fund
Administration costs
Other expenses
GOVERNANCE
Audit fee
Comparative year
DIRECT
Awards paid
INDIRECT
Assessors fees
Administration costs
Other expenses
GOVERNANCE
Independent Examiner’s fee
Unrestricted
£
648,500
12,582
4,060
8,335
85
4,548
£678,110
Unrestricted
£
44,316
-
7,938
83
1,488
£53,825
Restricted
£
605,695
-
2,000
-
-
-
£607,695
Restricted
£
1,671
-
-
-
-
£1,671
2020
Total
£
1,254,195
12,582
6,060
8,335
85
4,548
£1,285,805
2019
Total
£
45,987
-
7,938
83
1,488
£55,496
5.
OTHER INCOME
Other income
Royalties
2020
£
16,179
10,236
£26,415
2019
£
-
13,534
£13,534

11

THE AUTHORS’ CONTINGENCY FUND

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

6. INVESTMENTS

Cost Market
Value
£ £
NON GOVERNMENT BOND FUNDS
ASC (Offshore) Global Fixed Interest Fund Z Income 53,452 56,317
ASC (Offshore) Sterling Fixed Interest Fund Z Income 51,143 59,454
104,595 115,771
CHARITY INVESTMENT
BNY Mellon Funds 215,424 456,362
Totals at – 31stDecember 2020 £320,019 £572,133
31stDecember 2019 £320,019 £570,090
7.
MOVEMENT IN COST ON INVESTMENTS
2020 2019
£ £
£
£
Cost at 1 January 2020 320,019 326,419
Disposals
BNY Mellon Funds -
(6,400)
- (6,400)
Cost at 31 December 2020 £320,019 £320,019
8. MOVEMENT IN MARKET VALUES OF INVESTMENTS
2020
2019
£ £
£
£
Market Value at the beginning of the year 570,090 512,061
Disposal Proceeds - (13,000)
Investment Gains/(losses) 2,043 71,029
2,043 58,029
Market value at year end £572,133 £570,090
Realised gains/(losses) - 1,208
Unrealised gains/(losses) 2,043 69,821
£2,043 £71,029
9. DEBTORS AND PREPAYMENTS
2020 2019
£ £
Debtors 11,029 880
Other debtors 2,000 -
£13,029 £880

12

THE AUTHORS’ CONTINGENCY FUND

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

10. CREDITORS AND ACCRUALS

Investment Managers’ Fees
Professional Fees
Accruals
2020
£
842
4,500
7,850
£13,192
2019
£
1,106
1,452
-
£2,558

11. RESTRICTED FUNDS

The Francis W Reckitt
Arts Trust
Authors Emergency Fund
Arts Council England
Creative Scotland
Total
Balance at
1 January
2020
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
Balance at
31 December
2020
£
£
£
£
£
1,880
-
-
-
1,880
-
400,000
(400,000)
-
-
-
207,695
(207,695)
-
-
£1,880
£607,695
£(607,695)
-
£1,880

The Authors’ Emergency Fund was set up in response to the significant and detrimental impact Covid19 has had on the earnings of all kinds of writers with the aim of providing an industry wide Emergency Fund to be administered through the Society of Authors’ Contingency Fund as the Contingency Fund already had huge experience and robust, speedy processes to process applicants. The Authors Emergency Fund was set up to funnel and distribute donations from various organisations and individuals. The funding from Arts Council England and Creative Scotland was restricted to particular applicants. The other funds raised have been treated as unrestricted (see note 12) as they can be used inaccordance with the general objects of the charity which are to pay grants to authors in financial need.

Grants from The Francis W Reckitt Arts Trust were provided to fund residential stays for professional writers.

Prior year
The Francis W Reckitt
Arts Trust
Total
Balance at
1 January
2019
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
Balance at
31 December
2019
£
£
£
£
£
1,128
2,423
(1,671)
-
1,880
£1,128
£2,423
£(1,671)
-
£1,880

13

THE AUTHORS’ CONTINGENCY FUND

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

12. UNRESTRICTED FUNDS

Unrestricted Fund
Prior year
Unrestricted Fund
Balance at
1 January
2020
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
Balance at
31 December
2020
£
£
£
£
£
603,050
776,973
(681,784)
-
698,239
£603,050
£776,973
£(681,784)
-
£698,239
Balance at
1 January
2019
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
Balance at
31 December
2019
554,872
106,465
(58,287)
-
603,050
£554,872
£106,465
£(58,287)
-
£603,050

13. NET ASSETS

Fixed asset investments
Net current assets
Prior year
Fixed asset investments
Net current assets
Unrestricted
£
572,133
126,106
£698,239
Unrestricted
£
570,090
32,960
£603,050
Restricted
£
-
1,880
£1,880
Restricted
£
-
1,880
£1,880
2020
Total
£
572,133
127,986
£700,119
2019
Total
£
570,090
34,840
£604,930

14. TRUSTEES REMUNERATION

No Trustee received any remuneration in respect of their services as trustees during the year (2019: £0). No trustees were reimbursed for our of pocket travelling expenses in the year (2019: none).

15. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

The Society of Authors, which is the corporate Trustee of the charity, carried out management services for the charity and charged a management fee for the year amounting to £8,335 (2019: £7,938). Margaret Skea, a member of the Management committee of the Society of Authors, was a recipient of a grant of £1,500 (2019: £nil) in the year. The grant application was made as part of the Authors Emergency Fund and was considered at arms length as part of the usual grant assessment process.

14

THE AUTHORS’ CONTINGENCY FUND

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

16. COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Income
Donations and Legacies
Investment Income - Dividends
- Bank Interest
Other income
Total
Expenditure
Raising funds:
Investment Management Fees
Charitable activities
Total
Net income/(expenditure) before
Investment gains/(losses)
Net gains/(losses) on investments
Net income/(expenditure)
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
Unrestricted
£
5,180
16,707
15
13,534
35,436
4,462
53,825
58,287
(22,851)
71,029
48,178
554,872
£603,050
Restricted
£
2,423
-
-
-
2,423
-
1,671
1,671
752
-
752
1,128
£1,880
2019
Total
£
7,603
16,707
15
13,534
37,859
4,462
55,496
59,958
(22,099)
71,209
48,930
556,000
£604,930

15