Break (A company limited by guarantee)
REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Charity number 286650 Company number 01699685
Break
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
| Contents | Page No. |
|---|---|
| Charity Reference and Administrative Details | 1 |
| Report of the Board of Trustees | |
| (Including Directors’ Report and Strategic Report) | 2 - 17 |
| Independent Auditor’s Report | 18 - 21 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | |
| (Including Income and Expenditure Account) | 22 |
| Balance Sheet | 23 |
| Statement of Cash Flows | 24 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 25 - 43 |
Break
CHARITY REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Charity Registration Number: 286650 Company Registration Number: 01699685 Registered Office and Schofield House Operational Address: 1 Spar Road Norwich Norfolk NR6 6BX
Board of Trustees
Sub Committee member Mrs B Hall B.Ed (Hons) NPQH, PgD, SSStJ (Chair) Ca, No Mr F M E Shippam FCA, DChA (Treasurer) Fi Mrs J Allan In Mrs N Bramford LLB (Resigned 12.08.24) Ca Mr N Dobson Fi, In Mr P Dunkley (Appointed 28.07.25) Ca Mrs G Foreman (appointed 28.07.25) Ca Mrs I Gallo (Appointed 28.04.25) Ri Mrs S Healey (Appointed 03.04.24) Ri Mrs S Hill (Appointed 28.07.25) In Mr T Krykant (Resigned 31.12.24) In Mr C Lawrence (Appointed 28.07.25) Fi Mr G Lindsay (Appointed 23.05.24) Fi, Ri Mrs A Read (Appointed 03.03.25) Ca Mr J Sam MBCS, CITP, MIoD (Resigned 28.07.25) No, In, Ri Mrs H Waldegrave (Appointed 07.10.24) Ca
Sub committee groups:- Ca = Care, Fi = Finance, In = Income Generation, Ri = Risk HR & Governance, No = Nominations
Presidents and Co-founders
Mrs J A Davison Reverend Canon L J Morley
Chief Executive Officer
Ms R Cowdry BA (Hons), MA DipSW, Diploma
Executive Team
Mr D Crouch BSc (Hons) (Director of Income Generation) Mr A Flack FCCA (Director of Finance) Miss A Lewczuk (Director of People and Resources) Mr F Cornish (Assistant Director of Care)
Company Secretary
Mr A Flack
Auditor
Price Bailey LLP, Anglia House 6 Central Avenue St Andrews Business Park Thorpe St Andrew NR7 0HR
Solicitors
Butcher Andrews, 1 Old Post Office Street, Fakenham, Norfolk, NR21 9BL Clapham & Collinge, St Catherine’s House, All Saints Green, Norwich NR1 3GA
Bankers
Lloyds Bank plc, The Undercroft, Queens Street, Norwich, NR2 4SG
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
The Trustees, who are also directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the audited financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2025 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in the notes to the financial statements and comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and 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 published in October 2019.
Trustees of the Charity
The Trustees who have served during the year and since the year end are shown on Page 1.
Objectives and Activities
The Memorandum and Articles of Association state that Break’s charitable objectives and principal activities are:-
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The relief of the needs of persons who are sick, disabled (whether physically or mentally), disadvantaged, infirm or who have learning disabilities or other special needs and of children who come from poor or deprived backgrounds
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The advancement of the education and training of any persons who fall within the categories specified above
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The relief of the needs of persons who experience emotional and behavioural disorders
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The relief of the needs and the support of families of any persons falling into the categories specified
The objectives and aims are achieved by the implementation of individual unit and departmental business plans.
The objectives have been met by providing the following services:-
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Short Breaks provided at Nelson Lodge in Long Stratton
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Eleven Children’s Homes across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire (including Trafalgar Lodge in Long Stratton and Morley House in Kings Lynn, both for children with learning disabilities)
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Break Therapeutic Service across all our services
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Fostering
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Staying Connected Team
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Opportunities Team
Break’s policy is to work in partnership with Local Authorities, Housing Associations and other relevant agencies to provide the best possible service. We maintain strong working connections with Norfolk County Council Children’s Services and work closely with Cambridgeshire/Peterborough and Suffolk Children’s Services on a range of successful projects and commissioned placements.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Public Benefit Statement
The Board have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
In the terms of the Charities Act 2011, Break’s Objectives fall within two definitions of charitable activity, “the relief of those in need by reason of ill-health, disability or other disadvantage” and “the advancement of education”. On both counts Break provides benefits, irrespective of their financial circumstances, to a number of distinct groups of the public including: children and young people; families; and young people with learning and physical difficulties.
Detailed information on the services provided, and the benefits which accrue to the service users, is set out in this Report and on the Break website, www.break-charity.org.
Strategic Report
A) Achievements and Performance
We support a wide range of young people across East Anglia to achieve great things. We are proud to push the boundaries of innovation. We have co-production at the heart of the services we provide for our young people, enabling them to influence both their own future and the development of our Charity.
OUR VISION
Break will strive to ensure all young people, whatever their start in life, have equal opportunities and the relationships they need to succeed.
OUR MISSION
Giving children on the edge of care, in care and leaving care the love, support and ambition they need.
OUR VALUES
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We inspire and create hope.
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We are optimistic.
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We make a difference.
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We do the right thing.
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We are inclusive.
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We listen to and respect all individuals.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
A safe place to call home for looked after children
At Break we are proud that our children’s homes are somewhere safe that young people can call home, with adults who love, care and look out for them. We provide a home where young people can belong, begin to flourish and embrace their future with confidence and hope.
Every year we have young people move in and out of our homes but not our hearts. Although young people move on from our homes that is not where our support stops as we are with our young people through their life through our other services.
In the year, we cared for 23 (2023/24 - 17) young people within our four homes. All four of the homes are rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted. Our average length of placement at the end of March 2025 was 1.9 years (2024 2.1), 7 of our current 12 young people living in our homes moved in over the last year. At 31 March 2025, 60% (2023/24 – 60%) of the young people living in our children’s homes were in full time education.
Over the past few years there has been a requirement for more specialist services to meet the needs of the most complex young people in their care. We now have 5 homes dedicated to this service in Norfolk and Suffolk. These services offer solo placements and intensive support to young people in care who find it too difficult to live with other young people. At the end of the year we were awaiting to open a sixth service based in Norwich.
To deliver this more intensive service, the teams access comprehensive training programmes and develop their skills and confidence to meet the needs of young people. We have 5 young people currently within these services, the homes are rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted.
We work closely with Commissioning teams to ensure placements are suitable, a lot of emphasis is put into preplanning and with careful management and joined up working from the team around the child the transition for the young people is smooth and is a big factor in the successful transition. Break has worked in collaboration with the local authorities to manage and respond to high risks. The service along with all our other ones is supported by the Break Therapeutic Team where we discuss strategies and carry out reflective practice looking at what is going well and what we are finding difficult. The nature of the provision is that we do face a variety of challenging situations. This puts a lot of importance on a close and committed team which our teams do incredibly well.
Therapeutic Support
Break Therapeutic Services (BTS) has been at the heart of Break’s drive to move towards a more trauma informed way of working.
The team have continued their work within our homes. Working alongside children and young people who have experienced trauma is complex, requiring teams and professionals to remain empathetic, sensitive and focussed on the young people’s needs. For the staff team to do this, they need to understand where our young people’s struggles come from and that the behaviours we see are trauma responses. BTS practitioners spend time in our homes, providing reflective spaces to think about young people and their needs on an individual and team level. All staff receive a two-day Foundation Trauma and Attachment training course.
The Emotional Wellbeing Service supports care experienced young people to enjoy enhanced emotional wellbeing, improving their potential to access opportunities and successfully transition to independence. Referral routes include social workers, personal advisors from local authorities and young people accessing Break’s Staying Close Staying Connected (SCSC). The Emotional Wellbeing Service is a flexible service tailored to meet the need of our young people.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Mentoring
At 31 March 2025 we had 32 mentors matched with young people and a further 20 going through our induction programme, whom we will be starting to match to young people over the coming months. Our mentoring programme offers positive outcomes and adds value for our young people. The young people Break support have had contact with care professionals throughout their lives. The young people report that they especially value their volunteer mentor who is choosing to be there for them. The aim is to empower young people to learn how to maintain a relationship, experience new activities and create a solid foundation to build their future self. Having someone outside their everyday network whom they can speak openly to and who support them in building their self-esteem, self-worth and confidence. Our aspiration is that all young people within Break will have access to a volunteer mentor.
As well as the core Mentoring Service we also facilitate Peer Mentoring. The focus of Peer Mentoring is for young people who have first-hand experience of living in care to share their stories and advice. Empowering those they speak with through shared knowledge, skills and being able to speak openly to someone who they can relate to.
Over the past 12 months we have seen several of our mentoring partnerships grow and adapt as they have supported the young person into independence. The mentor’s involvement in this process allows there to be a consistent figure of support for the young person.
Fostering
We provide long term therapeutic foster placements for children and young people between the ages of 3 and 18. During the year we had 15 (2023/24 – 14) young people in placements.
Our service offers predominantly intensive placements providing a family placement for young people who have experienced extreme trauma in their lives and cannot live in a “mainstream” foster home. Our team works hard to begin to heal some of the hurt through the relationships they build with the young people and through the therapeutic support offered.
Staying Close, Staying Connected
Staying Close, Staying Connected (SCSC) offers a framework for young people as they leave residential care. As in the prior year, through funding from CHK Foundation, we have extended this offer to those leaving Foster care. SCSC offers the young people lifelong relationships.
The Department for Education Innovation Fund has supported the Break SCSC project since April 2018. Quarterly project boards with representation from our partners (Cambridgeshire County Council, Norfolk County Council and Peterborough City Council) have overseen the SCSC strategy and project direction.
In the year our SCSC service provided 22 houses and flats containing 35 beds across the region. Each house provided much-needed stability to young people as they moved on from their children’s home. In response to the needs of the service we now lease 10 (2023/24 – 10) one bed flats. Staying Connected coordinators continued to support young people to identify important people in their lives, and to find ways of building opportunities to engage with these people.
Lifelong Support – the Staying Connected Service
Since 2009, Break has charitably funded a service to support the transition to adulthood, and to provide a sense of stability for young people leaving Break’s care. The service ensures the young people have support to call on in times of crisis.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Services for Children and young people with disabilities
The Break services for children with disabilities gives young people access to opportunities to enable them to make progress. We operate three homes across Norfolk, together with a mobile service delivering in the community.
Nelson Lodge offers residential short breaks for children and young people with disabilities who live in Norfolk. The young people have time away from their families in a safe, secure environment while their parents and siblings enjoy a break from their 24/7 care responsibilities. Break’s skilled and dedicated staff support young people to enjoy a range of activities, building confidence, independence skills and helping to form friendships. The service also provides opportunities for our young people to have experiences that would otherwise be out of reach due to the challenges that their disability brings.
We provided short breaks for our 22 young people for a total of 931 nights. Many of our families report that without the support of our service, their children would be in full-time residential care, and due to the lack of availability this will often be in a different county.
Morley House is a residential children’s home for young people with learning disabilities. In the past year the team have supported 5 young people (23/24 - 5). That included the support needed to find 2 young men new homes and prepare them for their next journeys as adults. One of the young people had been with Break since he was 9! The work involved in those transitions included working with professionals from new homes to build relationships and to pass on a detailed overview of the young people’s needs through sharing what we know, proving chance to spend time with the young people supported by a team who know them well, visiting and spending time in their new environments. We then celebrated their time at Morley House together to create a positive end for both young people and their families.
We have also welcomed two new young people in quick succession of each other and worked tirelessly to make them feel at home, adjusting the home to make it work for our new group of very busy and fast paced young people. Moving to Morley meant both young people came back closer to their families in Norfolk. The young people no longer need to commute for hours for school as it takes them now 10 minutes to get to school. Their families can visit them more often and spend more time with them.
The past few months have been very much about helping the 3 young people learn about each other, working out how to live together as a group and share the home. The team have been creative in how they do this and we have shared some wonderful moments as a group but still have lots of learning to do as a family. We have spent time in the community helping the young people to have fun and learn about what is available to them, going out for drives, visiting the shops and regular trips to the circus which is a firm favourite for them!
Trafalgar Lodge is a Residential children’s home which provides individually focused and child-centred professional care and support for children and young people who have learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and communication difficulties. Trafalgar offers a safe environment that is caring and homely. Young people enjoy activities, are encouraged to try new things and make choices, pursue their wishes, and achieve personal goals. During the year we supported 4 (2023/24 – 4) young people, this has included a very positive transition out for a young person into adult services and another very successful transition into Trafalgar, both were very person centred and individual and the team went above and beyond to make these so. It feels it has been a busy year but a very positive one too, a great Ofsted and NCC inspection, holidays undertaken for all our young people, family connections promoted, building upon and expanding owns skill sets and teaching new things from the world we live in, feelings and emotions, communication in whatever way that may be, independence skills and making improvements/updates within the home. We have welcomed new team members to the Trafalgar family, and it’s been great to see relationships build both within the team and with the young people. Trafalgar has been entering into different fund raisers, and activities wanting to bring that little bit more back, to give more to our young people and promote BREAK and the epic work we all do, (not to mention having fun along way).
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Pathways to Work – Opportunities team
Care experienced young people aged between 16 and 20 are four times more likely to be unemployed than their peers. At break we recognize that in order to be able to make the steps to find a job our young people need support to build their confidence and self-esteem and help them to recognize the value they offer the world. Break offers safe environments with appropriate support to enable our young people to explore, build skills, have great experiences, test ideas and experiment.
Our aspiration projects offered new experiences and opportunities for our young people to try new things and develop their peer network. We hosted 5 residential and camping events which gave our young people the chance to co-produce their experience over several days and take part in all kinds of activities both indoors and outdoors, all while developing life skills such as cooking, cleaning, budgeting and living together. They were able to stay in some really amazing spaces from rolling fields to 500-year-old properties, exploring the history of their local communities while bonding with their peers. One of the most exciting of our residential experiences was our annual Excelsior sailing trip. This year we took this to another level and entered into the international tall ship races, this saw a groups of 5 young people and their support workers joining in the Helsinki to Talin leg of the race giving them the opportunity to build confidence and aspiration through taking on the challenge of sailing the 100 year old fishing vessel. It also offered them then chance to create new bonds and some have gone on to become active members of the excelsior team volunteering over the winter and accessing this opportunity independently. Over the year 24 (2023/24 – 29) young people from a range of our care services were able to access these residencies.
We continue to develop strong partnerships with other organisations which help us to deliver the aspirational work that we do, we worked with the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) this year who were able to provide us with an adventure week in Edale. This was one of the highlights of the year for our young people offering the chance for them to push themselves out of their comfort zone by abseiling, bouldering, rock climbing and so much more. More locally we continue to build relationships with groups our young people can volunteer with such as the Norfolk wildlife trust, inside out and Fen Zen as well as educational opportunities with Kick the Dust and Norfolk Museums, where our young people have free access to these spaces for life. We continue to build on those links that we know support the mental health and wellbeing of our young people, Wrongs Covert a conservation site in Norfolk continues to draw our you ng people in. The facilitators at this site offer our young people opportunities to work in nature conservation and develop a site that they can continue to use for years to come.
Our participation projects continue to offer care experienced young people the opportunity to use their lived experience to help shape the work that we do. Our Advisory boards, which offers a space for every department in our organization to consult young people, are now run by our care experienced co production apprentice and have been instrumental in supporting our young people sharing their voice on the decisions we make for and around them. One of the stand outs from our participation work in 24/25 is the introduction of our fostering panels. This project supported a group of young people to create a framework for assessment of foster carers into our organization, ensuring that they are tested on the criteria that is important to them.
We have continued to work with our young people providing coffee making workshops with all of our care services including fostering SCSC and residential giving 24 (24 23/24) young people the chance to give this experience a go. We have delivered barista training sessions for 5 young people and offered work to 9 young people (2023/24 7/9) Through bespoke job coaching sessions with young people we have been able to provide guidance and advice when faced with challenging work situations and supported them to remain in employment.
In the year April 2024 to march 2025 Our lifelong opportunities team has supported 81 (2023/24 – 74) different young people through 298 (2023/24 – 315) different activities and provided 4,963 hours of direct support (2023/24 - 3,200).
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Our Shops
Break has 44 shops all selling good quality Clothes, Shoes, books, bric/brac and media, all kindly donated by the local community to support Break. Any donations that that are not suitable to be put out for sale in the shops are recycled so avoiding being put in landfill. Break’s shops are valuable assets for the Charity. They generate income to help fund our charitable services and provide vital links with the local community, offering opportunities for people to support our work by donating goods or volunteering their time. Our volunteers are able to give something back, learn new skills and meet new people within a friendly environment. Break had 618 Volunteers (2023/24 – 712) working across all shops in 2024/25. These volunteers worked from 4 hours to 20 hours per week each. We are extremely grateful to our loyal volunteers who come along to work brining many skills to benefit the shops. Volunteering enables people to give something back and offers learning opportunities in a friendly safe environment.
At the year end, Break had 44 shops with many of them operating an online operation out of them, 32 in East Anglia and 12 in the West Country. Break will be opening shop number 45 mid-summer 2025 in Little Stoke Gloucestershire. All the funds raised from the shops goes to support Breaks work with young people.
Fundraising
Much of the support offered by Break to children, young people and families is funded by charitable income from fundraising. The team developed some key income streams encompassing:
Trails - The project team's focus this year has been the conclusion of our second trail in Cambridge which launched in 2023 with the trail going live on the streets in March 24, with an auction of the Sculptures to taking place in June 2024. At the same time the Norwich 2025 trail was launched and all ready for the trail going onto the streets in June 2025..
Corporate - As well as engagement in trails, there has been a continued growth of corporate relationships and developing new partnerships across the region and support from a variety of sectors. This has resulted in an increase in corporate donations, in kind support, charity of the year partnerships and volunteering.
Events - We continue to focus on our most successful regular and popular events, alongside the introduction of new challenges and activities to extend our reach across our region. This has led to increased individual engagement and participation and great return on investment.
Individuals and Community - We continue to develop this area and have been working to reignite e-newsletters for supporters and are working to engage with a wider community beyond just Norwich.
Trusts and Foundations - Support from trusts and foundations is invaluable to our work with children and young people. We are working with local Norfolk and Cambridgeshire trusts and national grant-makers. These donations fund project work which is supporting children and young people with a care background to achieve successful life paths and challenge the national statistics of poor outcomes. Trusts and foundations are also supporting Break to test new project initiatives and gather evidence which contributes to bigger projects and can lead to systemic change for care services nationally. Please contact us if you are a trust that aligns with our work as we would be grateful to start a conversation on how we can work together to make a meaningful difference.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
_____________ The table below shows some of the restricted grant funding we received in the year following successful grant applications.
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Funder Break Service Amount
The Thompson Family Charitable Trust Opportunities Team/ Mentoring £50,000
John Lewis Partnership Foundation Opportunities Team/Staying on Track £20,000
Norfolk Community Foundation Opportunities Team £10,530
The Welland Trust Opportunities Team/ Mentoring £10,000
Esmee Fairbairn Foundation Staying Close £9,080
Norfolk Community foundation Opportunities Team £5,817
Mortgage Advice Bureau Foundation Mentoring £5,175
Norfolk Community Foundation Make a dream £5,000
The Simon Gibson Charitable Trust Opportunities Team/Staying on Track £5,000
Norfolk Community Foundation – Opportunities Team £5,000
Upskilling West Norfolk
One Stop Community Partnership Nelson Lodge £4,757
CLA Charitable Trust Opportunities Team £4,628
Department for Education Opportunities Team £4,000
Tesco Community Grants Mentoring £3,625
Geoffrey Watling Foundation Opportunities Team £3,000
Alderman Norman’s Foundation Opportunities Team £3,000
The Astra Zeneca Foundation Opportunities Team £3,000
John & Pamela Salter Charitable Trust Opportunities Team £3,000
The 29 [th] May 1961 Charitable Trust Opportunities Team £3,000
Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation Nelson Lodge £2,800
The Lady Hind Trust Opportunities Team £2,500
The Belstead Ganzoni Charitable Settlement Opportunities Team £2,500
The Spurrell Charitable Trust Mentoring £2,000
The Kip and Alison Bertram Charitable Trust Opportunities Team £2,000
The Paul Bassham Charitable Trust Opportunities Team £2,000
Wise Music Foundation Opportunities Team £2,000
The Annie Tranmer Charitable Trust Opportunities Team £2,000
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We would also like to thank the following supporters of Break where the value of support has exceeded £5,000
Alan Boswell Group Gasway Norwich City Football Club
Alan Boswell Group Charitable
Greater Anglia Osiris IT
Trust
Alexander Gordon Smith Group 1 MINI Pentaco Construction
Atkinson Moss Hamiltons Removals Production Bureau
Birketts LLP Histon Manor QD Stores
Black Horse Holkham Reepham Festival
Brandbank Jarrolds Riverside Entertainment
Busseys Keeler Recruitment Rosa's Thai
Castle Quarter Leathes Prior Royal Arcade
Chantry Place Lion Homes Shred Station
Chilled Driving School Longwater Construction The Forum
Chris Cliffe Loveday & Partners Thursford
CIM Signs & Graphics Martins Hi Fi Utting Engineers
Mayday Office Equipment
Cooks Blinds and Shutters Welchs Transport
Services
Dacre Property Mirafit Whitwell and Reepham Station
Dipple & Conway Opticians Mortgage Advice Bureau Wilby Jones
Dipples Mr Plastic Wilco Fast-Fit
DMD Installations Newsquest Xaar Plc
East of England Co-op Norwich Airport Zagwear
First Buses Norwich BID Zing Insights
Zoological Society East Anglia
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
B) Financial Review
Results
Break generated a surplus of £65k (2023/24 (£308k deficit)) in the year. The total surplus for the year was comprised as follows:-
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A loss of £100k (2023/24 £83k) before transfers of £107k from designated funds, creating an overall restricted surplus of £7k.
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A surplus of £217k (2023/24 £196k) on designated funds before transfers of £15k out of the funds, creating an overall surplus of £202k on designated funds.
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A deficit of £52k (2023/24 £29k) on unrestricted funds before transfers of £92k to designated funds to create an overall deficit of £144k.
The value of net assets increased from £5,121k to £5,186k. Of these, unrestricted funds accounted for £5,059k (2023/24 £5,001k) (including designated funds of £630k (2023/24 £428k) and a revaluation reserve of £662k (2023/24 £662k)).
Reserves Policy
Free reserves are unrestricted funds that are available to be spent on any of the Charity’s objectives. Tangible fixed assets, and the connected bank loans, are not included in free reserves as these assets are essential to the Charity’s activities. Their disposal would adversely impact the Charity’s ability to deliver its aims.
The level of free reserves is set by the Board of Trustees on an annual basis and regularly monitored throughout the year. Action is taken if actual free reserves fall significantly outside the target level established. The Finance Committee reviewed the Reserves Policy in February 2025 alongside the budget for April 2025 to March 2028 and recommended to the Board of Trustees a target for free reserves of £1,142k.
In determining the level of free reserves, Trustees consider the financial impact of the risks facing the Charity, including the loss of income from partner agencies and voluntary donations, and balance the need to hold sufficient reserves to enable the Charity to:
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continue its activities when faced with unforeseen circumstances,
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support the development of additional services to children, young people and their families, and
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maximise expenditure on charitable activities.
Free reserves as at 31 March 2025 were £549k (2023/24 £703k). Free reserves were lower than the policy, during the year occupancy in services had been lower than projected and retail performance was lower than budgeted.. The Charity’s reserves will start to increase in 2025/26 back in line with the Charity’s policy by actions taken to increase retail income, occupancy in homes and the sale of Hazeldene.
As at 31 March 2025, the Charity had Designated Funds of £630k (2023/24 £428k). Designated Funds are funds set aside by the Trustees out of unrestricted funds to support specific future purposes and projects. Details of the Designated Funds, together with movements during the year, are given in Note 20 to the financial statements.
As at 31 March 2025, the Charity had Restricted Funds of £127k (2023/24 £120k). Restricted Funds are funds received for undertaking an activity specified by the donor when making the gift, or may result from the terms of an appeal for funds. Details of the Restricted Funds, together with movements during the year, are given in Note 20 to the financial statements.
Funding Sources
Break has three main funding sources; service level agreements and spot purchase contracts from local authorities, retail and fundraising.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Investment Policy
The Charity holds cash to fund expenditure in the short and medium terms. The cash is held on deposit accounts as capital preservation is of particular importance, as is the ready availability of a substantial proportion of the assets to meet immediate cash flow requirements. Given these parameters, the Charity seeks to produce the best financial return within an acceptable level of risk. In implementing the Investment Policy, the Charity will have regard to the spread of risk, future liquidity requirements and ethical considerations. The treasury and investment position is regularly reported to and monitored by the Finance Committee.
Principal Risks and Uncertainties
The Trustees undertake continual assessment of the principal risks facing the Charity and are satisfied that adequate controls and procedures are in place to mitigate these risks. The Risk, HR and Governance committee is responsible for overseeing the approach to risk across the whole of the Charity’s activities. During the year the Charity reviewed and revised its risk management system to aid improved reporting at both operational and strategic level whilst continued assurance that all risks are assessed and reported. All risks identified are logged and initially assessed as a risk (with no mitigation), mitigations and controls are then applied with the aim of reducing the risk to an acceptable level.
Risks are scored on impact and likelihood which give an overall risk score. Any risk scoring over 16 is reported to the board through the agreed board reporting processes, operational risks are managed by the relevant manager. The Executive review the risks on a fortnightly basis. Board sub committees review their strategic risks at their meetings during the year.
The key risks identified by the Trustees are:
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Cover for staff in the event of absence or illness
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Void periods in spot purchase services
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Serious incident e.g. fire at a care provision or damage to reputation
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Competition
All the above risks have been reviewed by the Trustees during the year, who consider that the controls and mitigations in place for each risk area is appropriate. Measures that are in place to mitigate the above key risks include:-
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Increase in number of mobile team staff employed that are able to drop into all services,
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Regular referral meetings to ensure any voids are quickly filled
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Risk assessments, regular maintenance and testing of equipment and procedures in all services
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Pricing reviews and reviewing of quality of services provided
The strategic risk analysis is reviewed by the Trustees on an annual basis.
Key Performance Indicators
Trustees monitor the Charity’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on a regular basis. If a situation arises, as happened during the pandemic, meetings are increased in frequency to enable a closer level of scrutiny during those times. The financial KPIs are reviewed periodically and the results reported through the Management Accounts. The KPIs include performance against budget, occupancy, net current assets, reserve levels and staff costs compared with income.
Going concern
The Trustees have carefully considered all available information impacting the finances and operations of the Charity for 12 months from the date of this Report. Information from budgets and forecasts for income, expenditure and cash-flow, including the availability of unrestricted funds and reserves, credit facilities and any other forms of financial assistance have been considered. The Trustees are confident that there are no going concern issues.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
C) Plans for future periods
The Trustees anticipate a challenging year ahead for the Charity in light of changes to employers National Insurance contributions and increase in the National Minimum Wage which have increased running costs across the whole Charity, with the uncertainty of income increasing by the same Break has reviewed budgets and reduced expenditure in anticipation of these increased costs to ensure the long term sustainability of the Charity. Since the year end one of our residential services has closed and a review of the use of the asset is being carried out to maximise benefit for the charity and its beneficiaries.
We have seen a flatline in returns from our income streams from our retail and fundraising activities, increasing and sustaining these levels is key.
Our Strategy 2025-2028
The Board have signed off a three-year strategy focussed on four pillars: Relationships, Excellence, Ambition and Added Value. We will drive our charitably funded services to ensure that we continue to pioneer and innovate. As highlighted last year, the way we deliver our services will be consistent with the following;
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Giving a voice and listening to care experienced young people by o co-producing service developments
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influencing local and national policy
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supporting young people to have a platform to share their experiences and opinions
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Developing opportunities for young people to transform their next steps in
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education
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employment
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training
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wellbeing
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positive relationships
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Delivering high quality local services by
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being trauma informed in all we do
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working alongside Ofsted and local commissioners
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having highly trained staff
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strong Quality assurance
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high quality accommodation
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Raising funds to give us freedom to add value and increase opportunities to the beneficiaries we serve by o running high quality charity shops
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delivering innovative fundraising events that build our supporter base
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maximising all income opportunities through Trusts/Grants and Legacies
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increasing income from fundraising and retail by 20% over the next 5 years
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Having systems and support functions that enable Break to be the best it can be by
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ensuring that all support services are working together to achieve our vision
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working in a co-produced, collaborative way that builds positive relationships and best outcomes
Our 2025-26 activity will include:
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working on our influencing and advocacy project considering three areas: housing, care as a career and employment and wellbeing for young people
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continuing to explore an 18-25 Staying Close provision for young people with disabilities
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raising more unrestricted funds through innovation in Fundraising – so that we can reach even more young people
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increasing connections to ensure all of our young people have the best possible opportunities as they move into adulthood.
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evaluating the model of care we offer in our solo provision to highlight the impact we have on young people's lives.
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developing more services in a financially sustainable way to offer a place to call home to more young people amplifying our influence in the sector to ensure that we share best practice with all providers
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a revision of our values ensuring they are embedded in all we do - from our co-production to our decision making
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
D) Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document
Break is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales on 15 February 1983 and registered as a charity on 6 May 1983. Break’s Memorandum of Association establishes its objects and powers, which are governed under Break’s Articles of Association. In the event of the Charity being wound up, the members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £10.
Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees
The directors of the company are Trustees for the purpose of charity law. It is the Board of Trustees’ collective responsibility to ensure that the Charity is fit for purpose and to determine and support its strategic direction in order to enable it to attain its stated objective. The Charity follows the Code of Governance for the Voluntary and Community Sector.
New appointments to the Board are made after completion of a Trustee skills gap analysis and an open recruitment process to attract volunteers with appropriate skills. In accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association a third of all Trustees in office are required to retire each year. The Trustees who are required to retire by rotation are those who have been longest in office since their appointment or reappointment. The Trustees take into account the Charity Commission’s recommendation that the total length of office should not normally exceed nine years; however, the total period of appointment may be varied in any particular case if the other Trustees then serving at the time determine that it would be in the interests of the Charity to do so. The names of all Trustees are listed on page 1.
Trustee Induction and Training
All Trustees receive a full induction pack and training needs are assessed periodically.
Organisational Structure
The Board may delegate any of its powers to any committee consisting of one or more members of the Board or Executive Officers. Break has 4 sub-committees on Finance, Income Generation, Care Services, and Risk, Governance and HR. These are chaired by Board members and involve Executive Officers and some of the wider staff team.
The Governance and Management Structures operate under the shared principles of:
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Working together with common purpose, values and goals
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Adhering to Break’s charitable objectives and the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit
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� Ensuring no small group or one individual dominates the decision making
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Adhering to the principles of openness, honesty, integrity, objectivity, accountability and clear leadership
Trustee attendance
During the year there were a total of 18 (2023/24 18) Board and sub-committee meetings, overall attendance at the meetings was 89% (2023/24 89%).
Pay policy for key management personnel
The key management personnel are paid on Grades 1-3 of a 7 point ranking that is used for all managerial and administrative support staff. The grades all have a scale with a minimum appointment rate, standard job value and maximum job rate. Progress towards the top of the scale is through performance not length of service.
An Executive Pay Committee, with Trustee input, determines any performance related pay increases for Grades 3- 7. Pay increases for the CEO and Directors (Grades 1 and 2) are determined solely by the Trustees and limited by the confines of the scales that are transparently published within the Charity.
No bonuses are paid to key management and employer pension contributions are set at 5% of salary for all eligible Break employees.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Risk Management
The Trustees believe that the major risks to which the Charity are exposed to have been identified, reviewed and assessed. Systems are established to mitigate those risks, The principal risks and uncertainties and the response to specific risks are set out on Page 12.
Fundraising Practices
Break manages all its fundraising activities in-house and does not use external, professional fundraisers. Members of Break’s fundraising team organise and support fundraising events and activities for our corporate, community and individual supporters. Commercial participators are exclusively involved with the GoGoSculpture trails by written agreement with Break. Break complies with the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice.
No complaints about fundraising activity were received in the year (2023/24 – none).
Break has signed up to the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising. All of Break’s fundraising guidance and working practices are compliant. Some of the staff in the fundraising team are also individual members of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising. Volunteer fundraisers are given a full induction and briefing before they raise funds for Break.
All direct marketing is undertaken by the fundraising department. It is neither unreasonably intrusive or persistent and is only sent to people who have consented to engage with Break. Break never make cold calls. All marketing material or information sent from Break contains clear instructions on how a person can remove themselves from mailing lists. All of Break’s processes are GDPR compliant. Break’s work is with vulnerable people and Break has an agreed operating procedure to protect vulnerable people. All Break’s fundraisers are familiarised with the Code of Fundraising Practice to ensure that it is applied properly.
Staff and volunteers
Break’s staff and volunteers are critical to the ongoing success of the Charity. Their time, skill, passion and dedication ensure Break is able to deliver the best possible services for the children and families supported. Break’s volunteers continue to provide invaluable input throughout the Charity, but especially to the retail operations. A conservative estimate of their contribution to the Charity is equivalent to £325,000 (2023/24 - £300,000) of paid salary hours.
Employee engagement
Break actively encourages the engagement of employees and welcomes constructive comments on the running of the Charity. The principal structure for this is the Staff Consultation Forum, a staff body of 25 representatives from all disciplines, departments and services. The Forum meets four times a year and is attended by senior members of the Executive and Trustees.
We also carried out an Employee Engagement Questionnaire this year and, based on the feedback, have changed the way we work. Some of the changes we made are:
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Wider engagement of the Leadership Team across the organisation
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Delivering training across the region rather than being Norwich centric
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Updating our staffing benefits packages and Long Service Awards
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Developing an internal communications platform – Viva Engage – to ensure all colleagues keep up to date.
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Developing and encouraging a Trauma Informed approach
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Discussing topics such as EDI in the workplace
Break maintained the Gold standard in Investors in People and we continue to develop our engagement activity through well-being groups, staff champions and regular communication of key messaging.
Break continued the communication with employees and volunteers during the year. The frequency of a news update from the CEO remained weekly.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Policy for employment of disabled persons
Break welcomes applications for employment from all prospective employees regardless of disabilities. Break is committed to developing practices that not only meet the requirements of equalities legislation but which actively promote equality of opportunity and maximise the abilities, skills, and experience of all employees. Break already has the Department for Work and Pensions designation of “Disability Confident – Committed” and is working towards recognition at an enhanced level of this scheme.
Break’s commitment is to ensure that employees are managed in an inclusive way, taking into account individual differences and giving employees the confidence to disclose a disability should they so wish. If an employee discloses that they have a disability or become disabled during the course of their employment we will engage in a discussion with them to determine what they need to be successful in their role and seek to make reasonable adjustments to facilitate this. These could include, for example, training, specialist technology or equipment. In deciding what is reasonable, the practicalities and resources available to Break, including through the government funded “Access to work scheme”, are taken into account.
The Environment
We are committed to improving our environmental awareness and reducing the impact of the Charity on our environment, both now and in the future. We recognise climate change is one of the most serious environmental challengers currently threatening the global community and we understand we have a role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
We are continuously monitoring the way in which we work and taking on learnings to improve and adapt those ways to have a more positive impact on the environment, these include
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Using Microsoft teams for meetings, which has not only meant the need not to travel to locations, but has also enabled meetings to happen sooner as they take up less time as no travel required.
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Introducing hybrid working practices reducing our staff’s private travel
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Replacing boilers at our properties to more efficient ones as they come up for replacement.
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Improving lighting systems by changing to LEDs
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Installing smart heating devices to properties
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Adding 3 electric vehicles to the fleet
We have mapped 12 months of continuous consumption data for of our premises the table below details the usage across the Charity. The period covered was the calendar year to 31 December 2024. The BEIS’ greenhouse gas conversion factors for company reporting, published in June 2024 were used in the calculations. The main increase in usage relates to travel, this has increased as we are visiting our young people more often than we did when we came out of lockdown to give them the 1:1 in person support that helps make a difference to them.
----- Start of picture text -----
Jan - Dec 2024 Jan - Dec 2023
Use in Kwh Carbon Emissions Use in Kwh Carbon Emissions
tCO2e tCO2e
Total electric use 789,109 164 737,615 153
Total gas use 496,695 114 548,321 126
Total transport fuel 363,460 224 256,777 173
Total energy from other fuels 196,536 43 172,721 38
Total energy use (all sources) 1,845,800 545 1,715,434 490
Total estate size 11,562sqm 12,124sqm
Carbon intensity ratio 47.14KgCO2e per sqm 40.41KgCO2e per sqm
----- End of picture text -----
We will map out where investment can be prioritised to achieve greatest impact as part of our facilities review plan. Further work needs to be done to routinely monitor water consumption and waste to further stretch our environmental impact reduction targets. We will be looking at our procurement of services and how we can improve our impact on the environment.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT AND STRATEGIC REPORT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Responsibilities of the Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees (who are also directors of Break for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Report of the Board and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the Board of Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Board of Trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 2019 (FRS102);
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.
The Board of Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Auditor
Following a competitive tender process in 2023 the Board appointed Price Bailey LLP as the Charity’s auditors from the year ended 31 March 2023 and will recommend to the AGM that they should continue to be engaged as auditors for the forthcoming year.
Disclosure of information to the auditor
We, the directors of the company 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:
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there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditor is unaware; and
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we have taken all the steps that we ought to have taken as directors to make ourselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditor is aware of that information.
We have disclosed to the company’s auditor all forecasts and workings based on current knowledge and actions, including the effect on cash flow, reserves and funds, to validate our conclusion that Break’s accounts should be prepared on a going-concern basis.
The Board of Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
In approving the Trustees’ Annual Report, we also approve the Strategic Report in our capacity as company directors.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 28[th] July 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
Bev Hall (Dec 11, 2025, 2:59pm)
Beverley Hall, Trustee
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Break (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash Flows and notes to the financial statements, including 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:
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give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2025, and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;
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have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
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have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
Basis for 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 charitable company 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 charitable company’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 trustees annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of 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 this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. 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.
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
_____________ Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
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the information given in the trustees' report (incorporating the strategic report and directors’ report) for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
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the trustees’ report (incorporating the strategic report and directors’ report) has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report and the directors’ report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
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adequate and sufficient accounting records have not been kept by the charitable company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
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the charitable company’s financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
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certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
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we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.
Responsibilities of trustees
As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) 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 charitable company’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 charitable 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 auditor under the Companies Act 2006 and report in accordance with this Act.
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.
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
We gained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the charity and how it operates and considered the risk of the charity not complying with the applicable laws and regulations including fraud, in particular those that could have a material impact on the financial statements. This included those regulations directly related to the financial statements. In relation to the charitable company this included employment law, financial reporting, data protection and health & safety.
The risks were discussed with the audit team and we remained alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout the audit. We carried out specific procedures to address the risks identified. These included the following:
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Management override: We reviewed systems and procedures to identify potential areas of management override risk. In particular, we carried out testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness.
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We reviewed minutes of Trustee meetings, any correspondence with the Charity Commission, agreeing the financial statement disclosures to underlying supporting documentation, and made enquiries of management including those responsible for the key regulations. We have reviewed the procedures in place for reporting of incidents to the Trustee Board and, escalation procedures and serious incident reporting of these matters as necessary with the Charity Commission.
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We have made enquiries of management and trustees of the charitable company regarding laws and regulations applicable to the organisation.
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We reviewed the risk management processes and procedures in place including a review of this document by the Board of Trustees.
Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/Our-Work/Audit/Audit-and-assurance/Standards-and-guidance/Standards-andguidance-for-auditors/Auditors-responsibilities-for-audit/Description-of-auditors-responsibilities-foraudit.aspx. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
_____________ Use of our report
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members and its 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 charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body and the charitable company’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Aaron Widdows ACA FCCA Senior Statutory Auditor
For and on behalf of PRICE BAILEY LLP
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors
Anglia House 6 Central Avenue St Andrews Business Park Thorpe St Andrew Norwich NR7 0HR
Date: ………………………….……… 17 December 2025
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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
| Note Unrestricted Funds Designated Funds Restricted Funds £000 £000 £000 Income from: Donations and legacies 2 331 661 978 Charitable activities 3 9,460 - 535 Other trading activities 4 4,626 1 - Investments 5 20 - - Other 6 8 - - Total 14,445 662 1,513 Expenditure on: Raising funds 7 4,752 397 - Charitable activities 7 9,745 48 1,613 Total 7 14,497 445 1,613 Net expenditure (52) 217 (100) Transfers between funds 20 (92) (15) 107 Losses on revaluation of fixed assets 12 - - - Net movement in funds (144) 202 7 Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward 4,573 428 120 Total funds carried forward 20 4,429 630 127 |
2025 Total £000 1,970 9,995 4,627 20 8 16,620 5,149 11,406 16,555 65 - - 65 5,121 5,186 |
2024 Total £000 1,620 8,966 4,680 40 1 |
|---|---|---|
| 15,307 4,752 10,863 |
||
15,615 (308) - - |
||
| (308) 5,429 |
||
5,121 |
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the year. All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities
The notes on pages 25 to 43 form part of these financial statements
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COMPANY NUMBER:01699685
BALANCE SHEET
AS AT 31 March 2025
| Note Fixed assets Tangible fixed assets 12 Investments 13 Current assets Stock 14 Debtors 15 Cash at bank and in hand 16 Current liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 17 Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities Long-term liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year 18 Total net assets The funds of the Charity Restricted funds 20 Unrestricted funds Designated funds 20 General funds 20 Revaluation reserve 20 |
2025 £000 £000 3,975 8 3,983 - 1,662 671 2,333 (1,009) 1,324 5,307 (121) 5,186 127 630 3,767 662 5,059 5,186 |
2024 £000 £000 3,862 8 3,870 1 1,687 710 2,398 (984) 1,414 5,284 (163) 5,121 120 428 3,911 662 5,001 5,121 |
2024 £000 £000 3,862 8 3,870 1 1,687 710 2,398 (984) 1,414 5,284 (163) 5,121 120 428 3,911 662 5,001 5,121 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,870 1,414 |
|||
| 5,284 (163) |
|||
| 5,121 | |||
| 120 5,001 |
|||
| 5,121 |
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Trustees on 28[th] July 2025. Signed on behalf of the Board of Trustees
Beverley Hall, Trustee
Bev Hall (Dec 11, 2025, 2:59pm)
Frank Shippam, Trustee
Frank Shippam (Dec 15, 2025, 9:53am)
The notes on pages 25 to 43 form part of these financial statements
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CASH FLOW STATEMENT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Note Cash flows from operating activities 23 Cash flows from investing activities Purchase of tangible fixed assets Proceeds from the sale of tangible assets Interest paid Interest received Net cash flow from investing activities Cash flows from financing activities Repayment of mortgage Net cash flow from financing activities Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents at 1 April 2025 Cash and cash equivalents at 31 March 2025 Cash and cash equivalents consist of: Cash at bank and in hand Short term deposits Cash and cash equivalents at 31 March 2025 |
2025 £000 116 (126) - (10) 20 (116) (39) (39) (39) 710 671 304 367 671 |
2024 £000 (471) (440) - (13) 40 (413) (44) (44) (928) 1,638 710 246 464 710 |
|---|---|---|
The notes on pages 25 to 43 form part of these financial statements
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
1. Accounting Policies
The Charity is a private company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is Schofield House, 1 Spar Road, Norwich, NR6 6BX.
The principal accounting policies, judgements and key sources of estimation and uncertainty adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:
a) Basis of preparation
The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared in accordance with 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 issued in October 2020, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
The Charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the Charity and rounded to the nearest £000.
b) Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty
The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable in the circumstances. The most significant of these judgements relates to the valuation of the Charity’s properties as per accounting policy g) below
c) Going concern
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the Trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist.
In particular, the Trustees have carefully considered all available information about the effect of inflationary pressures on the finances and operations of the Charity for 12 months from the time of approving these financial statements. The Trustees have had regard to information from budgets and forecasts for income, expenditure and cash-flow, including the availability of unrestricted funds and reserves.
The Trustees consider that the budgeted income and expenditure is sufficient with the level of reserves for the Charity to be able to continue as a going concern.
d) Group financial statements
The Charity's subsidiary company remained dormant for the year ended 31 March 2025 and has therefore not been consolidated.
e) Income
All income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the Charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Income is allocated as unrestricted and restricted in accordance with fund accounting rules. Analysis of restricted funds is detailed in note 20.
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
1. Accounting Policies (continued)
The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:
Income from donations and legacies includes grants and donations and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable.
Legacies are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the Charity becomes aware of its entitlement to the gift and the amount involved can be quantified, entitlement is the earlier of the Charity being notified of an impending distribution or the legacy being received. At this point income is recognised. On occasion legacies will be notified to the Charity however it is not possible to measure the amount expected to be distributed. On these occasions, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed.
Government grants are received in respect of the Staying Close Staying Connected project. Income from government and other grants are recognised at fair value when the Charity has entitlement after any performance conditions have been met, it is probable that income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. If entitlement is not met, then these amounts are deferred.
Donated goods, facilities and services are recognised in income at their fair value when their economic benefit is probable, it can be measured reliably, and the Charity has control over the item. Fair value is determined on the basis of the value of the gift to the Charity, for example the amount the Charity would be willing to pay on the open market for such facilities. A corresponding amount is included in expenditure.
Clothing and other items donated for resale through the Charity's shop are included as income within other trading activities when they are sold.
Income from investments is included when receivable.
Income from other trading activities is Received in exchange for supplying goods and services in order to raise funds and is recognised when entitlement has occurred.
f) Expenditure
Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred, split between unrestricted and restricted funds. An analysis of restricted funds is detailed in note 20.
Expenditure on raising funds comprises those costs associated with attracting donations and legacies and the costs of other trading activities including the Charity's shops.
Expenditure on charitable activities comprises those costs incurred in the delivery of services to beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
Governance costs are those associated with meeting the constitution and statutory requirements of the Charity including the audit fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the Charity.
Identifiable direct costs are allocated between expenditure categories of the Statement of Financial Activities on an actual basis. All other costs are allocated on a departmental 'head count' basis.
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
1. Accounting Policies (continued)
g) Freehold property
The Board have adopted a policy of revaluing freehold property as permitted by FRS 102. The Board have elected to conduct a periodic revaluation of the Charity’s properties. The properties held by the Charity were revalued in June 2024 by Brown & Co - Property and Business Consultants LLP.
Freehold property is not depreciated on the basis that it relates to properties which have a very long useful life and the residual value is likely to be not materially different from the carrying amount. Annual impairment reviews are carried out. Where a revalued property’s carrying amount exceeds its recoverable amount, an impairment loss is recognised as a revaluation decrease within the Statement of Financial Activities.
It is the policy of the Board to maintain all properties to a very high standard with all maintenance and refurbishment costs being charged to the Statement of Financial Activities.
h) Tangible assets
Tangible assets are initially recorded at cost and subsequently stated at cost less any accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. Assets costing over £2,500 are capitalised.
i) Depreciation
Depreciation is calculated to write off the cost or valuation less estimated residual values of tangible fixed assets, excluding freehold property (see above), over their estimated useful lives using the following rates:
| Leasehold property | Over the period of the lease |
|---|---|
| Office furniture and fittings | 15% straight line |
| Care homes furniture | 20% straight line |
| Computer equipment and software | 33 1/3% straight line |
| Motor vehicles | 25% straight line |
The expenditure on furnishing new care homes is capitalised and depreciated over five years. Expenditure on the replacement of furniture, fixtures and fittings is written off in the year the cost is incurred.
j) Investments
Investments in unquoted securities are included at a valuation estimated by the Board. Any gains or losses arising on revaluation are included in the Statement of Financial Activities.
k) Leasing
Rentals payable and receivable under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight line basis over the period of the lease.
l) Pension schemes
Break operates two defined contribution schemes. The assets of the schemes are held separately from those of Break in independently administered funds. The charge in the Statement of Financial Activities is the contribution payable by Break to the funds for the year.
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
1. Accounting Policies (continued)
m) Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity.
Designated funds are funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.
n) Stock
The fair value of donated stock has not been included in these accounts on the basis that it is impractical to obtain a fair value due to the volume of low-value items received and the absence of detailed stock control systems and records. New goods purchased for sale within the shops are measured at the lower of cost and net realisable value.
o) Redundancies
Where an obligation to make a redundancy or termination payment exists, the costs incurred by the Charity are accounted for on an accruals basis and included within employee benefits.
p) Taxation
The Charity is exempt from corporation tax as surplus income and gains are applied for charitable purposes.
q) Debtors and creditors
Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure.
r) Cash at bank
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
2. Income from donations and legacies
| Unrestricted £000 Designated £000 Restricted £000 Grants & donations 331 377 294 Government Grants:- Service Delivery - - 683 Legacies - 284 1 331 661 978 |
2025 £000 1,002 683 285 1,970 |
2024 £000 914 670 36 |
|---|---|---|
| 1,620 |
Income from grants and donations in 2023/24 was £914k, of which, £320k was attributable to unrestricted funds, £244k to designated funds and £350k to restricted funds. Service Delivery Government Grants are for the Staying Close Staying Connected project.
Income from government grants in 2023/24 was £670k, of which all was attributable to restricted funds.
Income from legacies in 2023/24 was £36k of which all was attributable to unrestricted funds.
3. Income from charitable activities
| Unrestricted £000 Designated £000 Restricted £000 Fees for care services 9,452 - - Housing income - - 535 Training income 8 - - 9,460 - 535 |
2025 £000 9,452 535 8 9,995 |
2024 £000 8,400 560 6 |
|---|---|---|
| 8,966 |
Income from fees for care services in 2023/24 was £8,400k, of which, £8,400k was attributable to unrestricted funds, and £0k to restricted funds.
Income from housing income in 2023/24 was £560k, of which and £557k was attributable to restricted funds and £3k to unrestricted funds.
Income from training income in 2023/24 was (£6k) of which all was attributable to unrestricted funds.
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
4. Income from other trading activities
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | |
| £000 | £000 | |
| Fundraising sale of new goods | 1 | 2 |
| Coffee van sales | 15 | 14 |
| Retail income – see analysis below | 4,611 | 4,664 |
| 4,627 | 4,680 |
Included within Fundraising sale of new goods is £1k relating to designated income (2023/24 £1k)
| Analysis of retail income Retail income *Sale of new goods Insurance income (Note 6) Retail costs Surplus |
2025 £000 4,599 12 7 |
£000 4,618 (4,327) 291 |
2024 £000 £000 4,652 12 - 4,664 (4,107) 557 |
2024 £000 £000 4,652 12 - 4,664 (4,107) 557 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 557 |
*All goods, except where stated above, sold in Break’s shops have been donated.
5. Income from investments
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | ||
| £000 | £000 | ||
| Interest receivable | 20 | 40 | |
| 20 | 40 | ||
| 6. | Other income | ||
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | ||
| 2025 | 2024 | ||
| £000 | £000 | ||
| Miscellaneous income | 8 | 1 |
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
7. Analysis of expenditure by activity
| 31.03.2025 Charitable expenditure Young people in care Children with disabilities Family support Children at risk Support services Raising funds Retail and other trading activities Fundraising |
Direct costs £000 4,922 2,490 616 1,285 9,313 3,897 746 4,643 13,956 |
Support costs £000 1,076 574 166 288 (11) 2,093 445 61 506 2,599 |
2025 Total £000 5,998 3,064 782 1,573 (11) 11,406 4,342 807 5,149 16,555 |
2024 Total £000 4,495 2,999 1,675 1,638 56 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,863 4,122 630 |
||||
| 4,752 | ||||
| 15,615 |
Charitable expenditure includes £1,613k attributed to restricted funds (2023/24 £1,606k) and £48k (2023/24 £172k) relating to designated funds, all other expenditure was unrestricted.
Expenditure on raising funds includes £Nil (2023/24 £Nil) attributed to restricted funds and £397k (2023/24 £269k) relating to designated funds, all other expenditure was unrestricted.
| 31.03.2024 Charitable expenditure Young people in care Children with disabilities Family support Children at risk Support services Raising funds Retail and other trading activities Fundraising |
Direct costs £000 3,764 2,437 1,318 1,310 - 8,829 3,675 575 4,250 13,079 |
Support costs £000 731 562 357 328 56 2,034 447 55 502 2,536 |
2024 Total £000 4,495 2,999 1,675 1,638 56 10,863 4,122 630 4,752 15,615 |
2023 Total £000 3,674 3,066 1,637 1,757 34 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,168 3,751 582 |
||||
| 4,333 | ||||
| 14,501 |
Charitable expenditure includes £1,606k attributed to restricted funds (2022/23 £1,705k) and £172k (2022/23 £309k) relating to designated funds, all other expenditure was unrestricted.
Expenditure on raising funds includes £Nil (2022/23 £Nil) attributed to restricted funds and £269k (2022/23 £297k) relating to designated funds, all other expenditure was unrestricted
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Governance costs
| 8. Analysis of support costs 9. Interest payable Governance costs (included within support costs below) comprise: Salaries Travel Audit fees Auditors’ remuneration for taxation and services Other professional fees and support costs Expenditure includes: Depreciation (owned assets) (Profit) / loss on disposal of assets Operating lease rentals land and buildings Auditors’ remuneration Trustee indemnity insurance Basis of allocation Direct support costs Operational management Direct expenditure Training Head count Maintenance Direct expenditure Central overheads Head office establishment Direct expenditure Finance Direct expenditure Health and safety Head count Human resources Head count Information technology Head count Communications Direct expenditure Chief Executive’s office / governance Direct expenditure Total On mortgages not wholly repayable within five years |
2025 £000 48 - 16 - 11 75 13 1 884 17 2 2025 £000 590 215 239 1,044 173 282 123 354 184 225 214 1,555 2,599 2025 £000 10 |
2024 £000 32 4 15 - 3 54 15 - 901 15 2 2024 £000 540 274 202 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,016 213 269 137 328 186 187 200 |
|||
| 1,520 2,536 |
|||
| 2024 £000 13 |
On mortgages not wholly repayable within five years
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
10. Staff costs
Wages and salaries Social security costs Pension contributions and life insurance |
2025 £000 10,011 891 537 11,439 |
2024 £000 9,213 786 465 |
|---|---|---|
| 10,464 |
The figure for staff costs includes taxable benefits of £28k in relation to life assurance (2023/24 £28k) The number of employees who received total employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs of more than £60,000 is as follows:
| 2025 |
2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. |
No. | ||
| £60,000 | to £69,999 | 2 | 3 |
| £70,000 | to £79,999 | - | - |
| £80,000 | to £89,999 | - | 1 |
The average number of employees, excluding Board members, during the year were:
Care Retail Fundraising Administration |
2025 No. 241 156 7 44 448 |
2024 No. 256 146 7 42 |
|---|---|---|
| 451 |
The average number of full time equivalents employed during 2025 was; Care 177 (2023/24 180); Retail 76 (2023/24 76); Fundraising 7 (2023/24 7); Administration 36 (2023/24 35)
Redundancy/termination payments of £81k (2023/24 £156k) were made in the year. No amounts were outstanding at the year end (2023/24 £Nil).
11. Trustees’ and key management personnel’s remuneration and expenses
No members of the Board received any remuneration during the year.
No members of the Board received expenses in the course of their duties during the year in respect of travelling and subsistence (2023/24 £Nil).
Key management personnel are considered to be the Chief Executive and the Executive team as detailed on Page 1. The total amount of employee benefits received by key personnel is £367k (2023/24 £388k).
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
12. Tangible fixed assets
| Cost or valuation At 1 April 2024 Additions Disposals At 31 March 2025 Depreciation At 1 April 2024 Charge for the year Disposals At 31 March 2025 Net book value At 31 March 2025 At 31 March 2024 |
Freehold property Leasehold property Furniture, fixtures and fittings Computer equipment and software £000 £000 £000 £000 3,840 359 685 178 115 - - - - (112) (262) (55) 3,955 247 423 123 - 346 684 178 ~~-~~ 6 - - ~~-~~ (112) (262) (55) - 240 422 123 3,955 7 1 - 3,840 13 1 - |
Motor vehicles £000 82 11 - 93 74 7 - 81 12 8 |
Total £000 5,144 126 (429) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4,841 | |||
| 1,282 13 (429) |
|||
| 867 | |||
| 3,975 | |||
| 3,862 |
All fixed assets are held for charitable purposes. All freehold property is non-depreciable.
The freehold properties were revalued in June 2024 by an independent registered Chartered Surveyor. The properties are valued on the basis of them being converted back to residential private dwellings except for two of the properties (Nelson Lodge and Morley House) which are valued on the basis of alternative use as offices. Expenditure to convert the properties for sale has been taken into account in the valuations. The Board have adopted a policy of revaluing freehold property as permitted by FRS 102 and will review the need for revaluation of the Charity’s properties on an annual basis. As at 31 March 2025, the Trustees consider the current valuations for property to be correct.
On an historical cost basis, the cost and depreciation of these freehold properties would have been as follows:
| 2025 | 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Depreciation |
Cost | Depreciation |
|
| £000 | £000 |
£000 | £000 |
|
| Freehold property | 4,227 | 747 | 4,113 | 706 |
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
13. Fixed asset investments
| Investment holdings Unquoted investments £000 Market value at 1 April 2024 8 Market value at 31 March 2025 8 Unquoted investments Subsidiary undertaking: Break Trading Company Limited Helpcards Holdings Limited (0.67% holding) |
Total 2025 £000 8 8 2025 £000 - 8 8 |
2024 £000 8 8 2024 £000 - 8 8 |
|---|---|---|
The investment of £100 in Break Trading Company Limited (01300043), a company incorporated in England, represents 100% of the issued share capital of that company. The company has remained dormant throughout the year. The aggregate amount of net assets attributable to Break is £Nil (2024/23 £Nil). As at 31 March 2025 the company owed £877 (2024/23 £877) to Break.
In the opinion of the Board, on the basis of income received, the value of the investments in Helpcards Holdings Limited is unchanged from 2023/24.
14. Stocks
| 2025 |
2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £000 | £000 | |
| Retail goods for resale | - | 1 |
15. Debtors
Trade debtors Accrued income Other debtors Prepayments |
2025 £000 796 439 138 289 1,662 |
2024 £000 885 410 152 240 |
|---|---|---|
| 1,687 |
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
16. Cash in bank and in hand
| reditors: amounts falling due within one year Current accounts Treasury and other deposits Cash in hand and imprest accounts Mortgages Trade creditors Social security and other taxes Accruals Deferred income Other creditors Secured creditors included above are as follows: Mortgages: Secured by fixed charges over the Charity’s freehold properties Deferred income included above is as follows: Brought forward Released during the year Deferred during the year Carried forward |
2025 £000 268 367 36 671 2025 £000 43 410 197 174 97 88 1,009 43 111 (111) 97 97 |
2024 £000 208 464 38 710 2024 £000 40 383 198 165 111 87 984 40 41 (41) 111 111 |
|---|---|---|
17. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Deferred income relates to grant income deferred to the period in which delivery and expenditure will occur.
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
18. Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year
Mortgages: secured by fixed charges over the Charity’s freehold properties Mortgages are analysed as follows: Between one and two years Between two and five years Over five years Within one year |
2025 £000 121 28 36 57 121 43 164 |
2024 £000 163 43 51 69 163 40 203 |
|---|---|---|
Mortgages include loans outstanding of £164k (£43k <1 year, £121k > 1 year) which were drawn from Lloyds Bank plc in September 2011 repayable over 15 years at a variable rate of 2.25% above the Bank of England Base Rate, and a further loan also drawn from Lloyds Bank plc in April 2019 repayable over 15 years at a fixed rate of 4.58%. The loans are secured on various freehold properties.
19. Operating lease commitments
The total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:
Not later than 1 year Later than 1 year and not later than 5 years Later than 5 years |
Land & buildings 2025 £000 402 725 290 1,417 |
Land & buildings 2024 £000 452 655 332 1,439 |
Motor vehicles 2025 £000 133 82 - 215 |
Motor vehicles 2024 £000 161 230 - 391 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
20. Funds
2024/25
| Restricted Funds Centre funds SCSC Young Persons Celebration Norwich Consolidated Charities Staying on Track Fostering Futures Mentoring Make a dream Opportunities Team Fundraising Retail Designated Funds Wellbeing & Services Added Value(My Break 50) Commercial Development Apprenticeships Cambridge Trail Go-Go Discover Standing Tall Trail Go-Go Break Building repairs Unrestricted Funds Revaluation reserve General Funds Total unrestricted funds Total Funds |
Balance as at 01.04.24 £000 8 67 1 2 30 - - 14 (2) - - 120 31 50 86 91 25 (45) 40 150 428 662 3,911 4,573 5,001 5,121 |
Income Expenditure £000 £000 21 (17) 1,236 (1,194) - - - (1) 12 (77) - - 46 (49) 6 (16) 188 (255) 3 (3) 1 (1) 1,513 (1,613) - (20) 284 - - (24) - - 223 (267) 155 (130) - (4) - - 662 (445) - - 14,445 (14,497) 14,445 (14,497) 15,107 (14,942) 16,620 (16,555) |
Transfers Balance as at 31.03.25 £000 £000 - 12 - 109 - 1 (1) - 35 - - - 3 - - 4 70 1 - - - - 107 127 17 28 (224) 110 - 62 (56) 35 21 2 20 - 207 243 - 150 (15) 630 - 662 (92) 3,767 (92) 4,429 (107) 5,059 - 5,186 |
Transfers Balance as at 31.03.25 £000 £000 - 12 - 109 - 1 (1) - 35 - - - 3 - - 4 70 1 - - - - 107 127 17 28 (224) 110 - 62 (56) 35 21 2 20 - 207 243 - 150 (15) 630 - 662 (92) 3,767 (92) 4,429 (107) 5,059 - 5,186 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 127 28 110 62 35 2 - 243 150 |
||||
| 630 662 3,767 |
||||
| 4,429 | ||||
| 5,059 | ||||
| 5,186 |
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Transfers Between funds 2024/25
During the year transfers were made between funds as follows:-.
Staying on Track, Mentoring and Opportunities team – Funds transferred from the Designated Go-Go Discover fund to cover shortfall of income in service. Norwich Consolidated Charities transfer to cover costs included in other cost centre.
Cambridge Trail – Monies transferred to the Staying on Track project that works with young people in Cambridge.
Commercial Development – Monies transferred to the GoGo fund to support delivery in 2025/26.
Transfers Between funds 2023/24
During the year transfers were made between funds as follows:-.
SCSC, Education Officer and Opportunities – Funds transferred from the Designated Go-Go Discover fund to cover shortfall of income in service.
Commercial Development – £150k has been transferred from unrestricted funds to fund future tender and bid support.
Go-Go Discover – These funds have been used to support SCSC, Education Officer and Opportunities as above, with the balance then transferred into the Go-Go Break fund.
– Building Repairs £52k has been transferred from unrestricted funds to cover future repair costs across the organisations buildings.
38
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Funds (continued)
2023/24
Restricted Funds Centre funds SCSC Young Persons Celebration Norwich Consolidated Charities Staying on Track Fostering Futures Mentoring Make a dream Opportunities Team Designated Funds Wellbeing & Services Added Value(My Break 50) Commercial Development Apprenticeships Cambridge Trail Go-Go Discover Standing Tall Trail Go-Go Break Building repairs Unrestricted Funds Revaluation reserve General Funds Total unrestricted funds Total Funds |
Balance as at 01.04.23 £000 17 3 1 14 32 - 1 - 47 115 51 200 102 91 - 38 176 150 808 662 3,844 4,506 5,314 5,429 |
Income Expenditure £000 £000 9 (18) 1,231 (1,168) - - - (12) 89 (91) 93 (92) 9 (23) 18 (4) 128 (198) 1,577 (1,606) - (20) - - - (16) - - 110 (51) 135 (218) - (136) - - 245 (441) - - 13,485 (13,568) 13,485 (13,568) 13,730 (14,009) 15,307 (15,615) |
Transfers Balance as at 31.03.24 £000 £000 - 8 1 67 - 1 - 2 - 30 (1) - 13 - - 14 21 (2) 34 120 - 31 (150) 50 - 86 - 91 (34) 25 - (45) - 40 - 150 (184) 428 - 662 150 3,911 150 4,573 (34) 5,004 - 5,121 |
Transfers Balance as at 31.03.24 £000 £000 - 8 1 67 - 1 - 2 - 30 (1) - 13 - - 14 21 (2) 34 120 - 31 (150) 50 - 86 - 91 (34) 25 - (45) - 40 - 150 (184) 428 - 662 150 3,911 150 4,573 (34) 5,004 - 5,121 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 31 50 86 91 25 (45) 40 150 |
||||
| 428 662 3,911 |
||||
| 4,573 | ||||
| 5,004 | ||||
| 5,121 |
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Restricted Funds
Centre funds - relates to all income restricted to spending on equipment etc. at the various care homes.
Staying Close Staying Connected (SCSC) - a programme funded by the Department for Education to provide housing and support for care leavers.
Young Persons' Celebration - grants from the A Boswell CT and the Ardwick Trust to support the YP's Celebration in 2024.
Norwich Consolidated Charities - Grant for a housing support worker in Norwich.
Staying on Track - a grant from Esmee Fairbairn Foundation to provide an emotional well-being service to young people aged 18 - 24.
Fostering Futures - a CHK funded project providing housing and support to foster care leavers.
Make a Dream - Project originally funded by the Free masons giving service users the chance to live out their dreams, funded from funds raised in the year.
Mentoring and Opportunities funds are specific funding received to carry out services in these areas.
Designated Funds
Wellbeing and Service added value fund, provides wellbeing activities to staff throughout the organisation and added value to young people in services by accessing additional activities and resources outside statutory funding.
Commercial Development - a fund set up to provide start-up funding for innovative income generating projects.
Apprenticeships - a fund to create apprenticeship opportunities for our young people.
Cambridge Trail - a fund to provide development funding for the 2024 Cambridge Sculpture Trail and from the proceeds of the trail to invest in care services in Cambridgeshire.
Standing Tall Trail – a fund for the current live trail in Cambridge, funds to be transferred to the above fund once trail complete in summer of 2025.
Go-Go Discover - for income and expenditure for the future Go-Go Discover Trail.
Go-Go Break (Go-Go Hares renamed) - the profits of the Go-Go Trails used to support young people leaving care and services adding value to the organisation.
Building repairs - this fund has been created to set aside monies for major works to properties such as boiler replacement and roof repairs.
21. Analysis of net assets between funds
| 2024/25 Unrestricted Designated Restricted £000 £000 £000 Tangible fixed assets 3,975 - - Investments 8 - - Current assets 1,576 630 127 Current liabilities (1,009) - - Long-term liabilities (121) - - Total net assets 4,429 630 127 |
Total £000 3,975 8 2,333 (1,009) (121) |
|---|---|
| 5,186 |
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
| 2023/24 Unrestricted Designated Restricted £000 £000 £000 Tangible fixed assets 3,862 - - Investments 8 - - Current assets 1,850 428 120 Current liabilities (984) - - Long-term liabilities (163) - - Total net assets 4,573 428 120 |
Total £000 3,862 8 2,398 (984) (163) |
|---|---|
| 5,121 |
22. Company status
Break is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. Each of the 9 (2023/24 - 9) members undertakes to contribute such amounts (not exceeding £10) as may be required in the event of a winding up.
23. Reconciliation of net expenditure to net cash flow from operating activities
Net surplus/ (deficit) for the year Interest receivable Interest payable Loss on disposal of tangible assets Depreciation Decrease / (Increase) in stock Decrease / (Increase) in debtors Increase in creditors Net cash flow from operating activities |
2025 £000 65 (20) 10 1 13 1 25 21 116 |
2024 £000 (308) (40) 13 - 15 (1) (454) 304 (471) |
|---|---|---|
24. Analysis of changes of net debt
| At start of | Other | At end of | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year | Cash flows | changes | year | |
| £000 | £000 | £000 | £000 | |
| Cash | 246 | 58 | - | 304 |
| Cash equivalents | 464 | (97) | - | 367 |
| Loans falling due within 1 year | (40) | 39 | (42) | (43) |
| Loans falling due after more than 1 year | (163) | - | 42 | (121) |
| Total net assets | 507 | - | - | 507 |
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
25. Pension and other post-retirement benefits
Defined contribution plans
The Charity operates a defined contribution pension plan for its employees. The amount recognised as an expense in the period was £482k (2023/24 £431k). At the year end £59k (2023/24 £60k) was payable to the scheme.
26. Contingent liability
On the retirement of two of the founders of Break in late 2002 and early 2003, the Charity entered into separate agreements with the retiring founders. Under the agreements, annual indexed linked payments of £3,500 were to be paid for life, with an additional 50% annual payment to the surviving spouse for their lifetime. This additional payment commenced in April 2017 upon the death of one of the retired founders. The current annual payment for the surviving spouse is £7,010 (2023/24 £7,010) per annum (as adjusted for inflationary increases). Based on standard actuarial assumptions, Break calculates the value of the future potential liability at £54k as at 31 March 2025 (2023/24 £61k).
This arrangement has been agreed by the Charity Commission.
27. Contingent Asset
In the year ended 31 March 2024 financial statements, the following disclosure was made regarding a post year end legacy receipt of £160,080. On the 4 January 2025 we were informed that we were a named charity in the will, but no Estate value was given. The payment was notified to us on the 9 May 2025. There are no contingent assets to disclose as at 31 March 2025.
28. Related party transactions
H Walker, spouse of R Cowdry, Chief Executive Officer (and a member of key management personnel), is employed by the Charity as a Grants and Growth Co-ordinator. H Walker's appointment was made in open competition and R Cowdry was not involved in the decision-making process regarding appointment. H Walker is paid within the normal pay scale for the role and receives no special treatment as a result of their relationship to the Chief Executive Officer.
29. Financial instruments
The carrying amounts of the Charity's financial instruments are as follows:
| 2025 |
2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £000 |
£000 | |
| Financial assets | ||
| Equity instruments measured at cost less impairment: | ||
| Fixed asset unlisted investments | 8 | 8 |
42