2023-03-31-accounts

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The cost of crime 2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

victimsupport.org.uk

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Who we are

Victim Support (VS) is an independent charity that provides free , independent and confidential support to anyone affected by crime and traumatic events in England and Wales.

We provide personalised support to help people manage after crime and feel safer. We also inform victims of their rights and the services that they may be entitled to and ensure their voices are heard throughout their support and beyond.

Victims, those close to them, and witnesses to the crime are our focus and over the years we have developed unrivalled expertise when it comes to their needs and their journey through the criminal justice system.

About this report

The theme for this report is The cost of crime – highlighting not only the financial impact of crime, but also the significant emotional and social impact crime can have.

It’s vital that all those who have experienced crime – whether or not they have reported to the police – are able to find, access and receive support and realise their rights.

If you are browsing through this report, please look out for the voice icon where we highlight the cost of crime through the words and stories of people affected and the people who have supported them.

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Contents

Welcome	4
A special mention	8
About us	9
VS services in England and Wales	12
What we do	13
Our services	14
2022–23 in numbers	16
Trustees’ report	17
Achievements and performance	17
Future plans	28
Strategic report	29
Structure, governance and management	29
Board and Committee membership	34
Financial review	36
Principal risks and uncertainties	39
Trustees’ responsibilities in relation
to the fnancial statements	43
Auditor’s report	44
Financial statements	47
Consolidated statement of fnancial activities	47
Balance sheet as at 31 March 2023	48
Consolidated cash fow statement	49
Notes to the fnancial statements	50
Thank you	59
Our people	59
Our funders	63
Our supporters and fundraisers	65
Reference and administrative details	66

“ The financial impact, combined with the cost of living crisis, has been devastating. It means that I’ve had to continue working when I should be retired and even pick up extra shifts to clear the debt… but with so much shame and stigma surrounding romance fraud, what I really want people to understand is how easy it is to fall victim.”

Victim of romance fraud

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Welcome

Victim Support (VS) makes a profound impact on victims’ lives. In 2022–23, we directly contacted hundreds of thousands of victims, helping them to access their rights and recover after experiencing crime. By working with victims, often at crisis point, we have gained unique insight into their needs – and how these are being shaped by what is unfolding in wider society.

The cost of living crisis has made life harder for all of us. However, for victims, already facing enormous challenges, it has compounded impacts on their wellbeing, physical and emotional health, and their ability to move on after crime. Throughout the year, we heard how the cost of living crisis becoming a national emergency for domestic abuse victims who couldn’t afford to leave perpetrators. The current state of our courts mean that victims also face appallingly long waits for justice. The true cost of crime has never been more apparent. This report outlines how we are striving to innovate within our support services and ensure that we reach every victim. It also calls on government, commissioners and stakeholders to confront, and tackle, the devastating cost of crime on victims.

2022–23

2022–23 saw the UK emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic. However, this recovery came with a cost to victims as crime patterns changed and the criminal justice system struggled to recover and adapt.

While some crimes such as theft have reduced, and fraud has thankfully returned to pre-Covid levels, the scale of the challenge remains huge. An estimated 3.5 million fraud offences took place in 2022–23[1] , with devastating consequences for those targeted. Fraud has significant, long-term, emotional and psychological costs – feedback which we have shared with Parliament, to raise awareness with MPs of the true nature of victims’ experience.

In contrast, other reported crime has increased. Police recorded sexual offences rose by 20% from the year ending March 2020 to March 2023, totalling 195,315 offences[2] . This increase in reporting points to more victims seeking support and justice, which is good news. However, doing so also comes at a price as survivors are unlikely to be aware of the slow police response rates, the slim likelihood of a charge and protracted and distressing waits for court dates. While the End-to-end rape review has sought to tackle many of these issues, progress remains slow and more reform is required, and in the meantime victims continue to pay the huge emotional costs. Furthermore, truly shocking revelations on police perpetrated rape and sexual offences have seriously damaged victims’ confidence in policing and we need to see a radical overhaul of policing culture in order for this to be rebuilt – rooting out police perpetrated abuse is one of the biggest challenges faced by policing leaders.

ONS (2023). 2. ONS (2023).

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Welcome

The ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our courts is stark. While court delays have been a problem since long before the pandemic, lockdown and, to a much lesser extent, industrial action, have contributed to a backlog, meaning that victims often wait as long as three years for their cases to get to court. Cases are frequently adjourned and rescheduled multiple times often at late notice. Sadly, wait times for court are only part of the problem – many people have already waited years from reporting the crime to the police to their case reaching the CPS. In the most extreme cases, we have supported victims who have been waiting six years for their day in court, and have experienced as many as five or six adjournments. These unacceptable delays not only jeopardise access to justice, but cause extreme anguish for victims and survivors, whose wellbeing suffers immeasurably while their lives are put on hold.

So what is being done to improve the situation for victims? Worryingly, a Joint Criminal Justice Inspection reported that there “does not seem to be an overarching plan for how the CJS will recover to pre-pandemic levels”. Furthermore, the Victims’ Commissioner, an independent advocate for victims, resigned from her role citing the catastrophic court backlog and a downgrading of victims’ interests in government priorities in her decision.

While national work on the End-to-end rape review , Operation Soteria and the Victims and Prisoners Bill show potential to improve victims’ experience, much more is required to support victims moving forward.

Our work

VS has supported victims through the challenges inflicted by the pandemic, and now continues to adapt to the differing needs presented by the cost of living crisis.

The scale of our reach is vast, with multi-channel information and support provided to victims throughout England and Wales. This includes in-person and virtual support from local staff and volunteer teams, community events and partnership work, responding to live chats and calls to our national Supportline, visitors to the VS website and access to our online platform, My Support Space (see 2022–23 in numbers – page 16).

As the cost of living crisis hit victims we increased the practical and financial support we offer – this rose by 20% compared to the year before. This included for example, providing food vouchers, as well as supporting victims to apply for funds to buy necessary items such as school uniforms for children. Worryingly, it has also become more commonplace for support workers to advise victims where they can find warm spaces as their own homes are too costly to heat. We have long known that being a victim of crime compounds the problems people are facing across all aspects of their lives. This latest crisis demonstrates once again that being able to adapt our services to people’s changing needs is an area where VS can add real value – and it has never been more vital.

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Indeed, we firmly believe that all victims should be able to access support in a way that is convenient for them, which is why we have continued to provide 24/7 access to our services through our Supportline and online live chat. Often, especially for victims who do not want to approach the police, these frontline services are a lifeline. They can be the first step in their journey to accessing more long term support, or to recognising what they’re experiencing as abuse. We have seen demand for these crucial services increase by 12% (Supportline) and 54% (live chat) since 2020 and remain committed to providing 24/7 access. But the simple fact is that increased demand costs more meaning that we will need to raise more money if victims are to continue to access support.

Increasingly shortcomings within the criminal justice system have put more pressure on our specialist services. For example, VS has seen a 38% increase in the number of romance fraud victims we have supported[3] . This particular crime can tear lives apart, with the grooming and abuse inflicted by perpetrators being akin to domestic abuse. Yet, access to advice, advocacy and support for this crime is extremely limited, making our services all the more valuable.

Similarly ever growing demand in areas such as sexual violence where rising referral numbers, alongside cases that are taking years to reach Crown Court, are creating rising and unsustainable caseloads for support services. While VS prides itself on developing innovative solutions, such as our online platform, My Support Space, these cannot meet all needs and the sheer scale of referrals we are receiving.

We are pleased that innovative new services, such as WeMatter – a digital service for 8–17-year-olds who have been affected by domestic abuse, have extended the ways in which victims can access services. However, these innovations require long-term sustainable funding to be able to live up to their promise to support some of the most vulnerable victims.

In addition to supporting victims directly, we have continued to campaign tirelessly for systemic change throughout the criminal justice system. We have given evidence at three different Select Committees on fraud, police transparency and accountability and the once-in-a-generation Victims Bill.

What we need

As things stand, the cost of crime is soaring and victims are paying the price. We are determined to keep supporting, empowering and advocating with and for victims – but we can’t do it alone. For victims’ experience to improve in any meaningful way, we need systemic change.

As confidence in policing has steadily declined, it is ever more crucial that victims are able to access independent support services. The Victims’ Code should guarantee that victims can access support services, regardless of whether or not they have reported a crime. Commissioning practices must seek to ensure that victims have meaningful access to this right.

It is no exaggeration to say that for a number of years now the criminal justice system has been in crisis. As we move into a post pandemic era, the government must address two major issues: court delays and failing public trust in the police.

Victim Support (2023).

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Welcome

This means investing in our courts and bringing wait times down as a matter of urgency.

When it comes to policing, rebuilding trust is twofold. We need to see charging rates improve across all crime types, so that victims know they are being taken seriously. Arguably, the bigger challenge will be overhauling policing culture. There can be no place for misogyny, homophobia and racism within policing and policing leaders must robustly tackle police perpetrated abuse. We welcome the reforms that are underway in this area and want to see meaningful change for victims.

These issues plaguing the criminal justice system serve to highlight just how vital independent support services are. Whether that’s supporting a victim of sexual violence through a case that takes four years to reach court, or supporting a victim of hate crime who doesn’t feel comfortable approaching the police. Victims must continue to have access to properly funded, independent support services to provide the specialist help they need to cope and recover.

Lastly, while there is no silver bullet, the Victims and Prisoners Bill has the potential to make a significant, tangible difference for victims – and to send a clear message, that they matter. The question is not whether the Bill will pass, but if what’s included will create laws that will truly benefit all victims. We are committed to ensuring it does.

Diana Fawcett Chief Executive Officer

Andrew Tivey Chair of Trustees

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

A special mention

We want to express our heartfelt thanks to our CEO, Diana Fawcett, who retired in June 2023. During her eight years at Victim Support she had a significant impact, transforming and developing the organisation and the services we deliver to victims of crime. On behalf of everyone at VS, the trustees would like to extend a huge thanks to Diana for her incredible work and leadership.

Katie Kempen took over the role of CEO in June 2023. She joined us from her role as CEO of the Office of the Victims’ Commissioner. Prior to this she was Chief Executive of the Independent Custody Visiting Association (ICVA). Katie has also been a trustee for a local domestic abuse service. Katie said:

“I’m thrilled to be joining Victim Support to lead the charity’s incredible work, delivering specialist, tailored support to victims, helping them to understand their rights and recover after crime. Years of experience and countless conversations with victims has taught me just how vital this support is – for many it’s a lifeline.

“I can’t wait to build on Victim Support’s successes, and to use my expertise to drive change and ensure that victims have a loud and influential voice in the criminal justice system.”

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Section title

About us

We are local

We are national

Local needs and priorities help determine the services we offer in communities across England and Wales.

We believe that victim services must be equitable and accessible. We provide some services for people across the whole of England and Wales. These include the National Homicide Service, our 24/7 free-to-call Supportline, our live chat service and our online self-help platform, My Support Space[4] .

Our skilled local staff and volunteers are embedded in the communities in which they live and work. We care about these communities, and value our local partnerships and networks with individuals and organisations that also have a passion for supporting people affected by crime locally.

Our national infrastructure allows us to provide secure technology, consistent quality standards and the ability to share insight and best practice. Our national reach enables us to research and evaluate what works, as well as innovate and influence based on a substantial evidence base.

We are independent

We are independent of the police, the government, local authorities, immigration services and the criminal justice system. This is important, as we know that some victims may distrust the criminal justice system, and others, particularly those from some minority and marginalised communities or people with mental health conditions – face barriers when it comes to reporting crimes to the police. We also know that victims and survivors of certain crimes are more likely to need support from an independent service.

www.mysupportspace.org.uk is an online resource designed to help people affected by crime manage the impact that crime has had on them. It includes interactive guides that provide techniques, tips and activities, as well as an online diary.

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

We are inclusive

We positively strive to meet the needs of different people and take deliberate action to create environments where everyone feels respected and able to achieve their full potential.

We make a difference

We ensure the quality of all our services through our continual improvement approach.

Following our help and support:

77% felt better able to cope

75% felt safer

78% said their wellbeing has improved.

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About us

Awards and accreditations

Although awards and accreditations are not the reason we do our work, we are proud of these achievements as they demonstrate our commitment and determination to achieve the highest standards, both for our colleagues, and for victims and witnesses of crime.

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MINDFUL
EMPLOYER
Race at Work Charter signatory
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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

VS services in England and Wales

Local and national services

We deliver local services in 29 areas throughout England and Wales. They are funded by their local Police and Crime Commissioner/Mayor’s Offices, and by other local funders, and ensure the provision of vital victim support services that meet local needs and priorities.

Providing out-of-hours cover, we also offer 24/7 telephone and live chat support and access to online self-help (My Support Space). Area Managers lead teams of skilled staff and volunteers who live in the communities in which they work. This has always been the basis of our services since we were founded in 1974. These local teams are supported by our National Resilience Team who cover vacancies or respond to surges in demand.

We deliver a number of national services, the National Homicide Service (England and Wales), the Wales Hate Support Centre (Wales only) and iMatter.

Independent victim services

We believe that every person affected by crime should have access to independent victim services. To prevent a postcode lottery for victims, all our national services are available to anyone in need throughout England and Wales, including in the 13 counties where we are not commissioned to provide a local service.

We are seeing a worrying trend of victims’ services that have been delivered by independent victim organisations being axed, and replaced with in-house support services delivered by the police. We are seriously concerned that victims may not seek support if this is not available from a trusted independent service.

82% of adults in England and Wales who have been victims of crime in the last two years said it was important for victims of crime to receive

help and support from a victim service that is separate and independent from the police.[5]

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VS
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YouGov poll commissioned by Victim Support. Total sample size was 1,934 adults from England and Wales. Fieldwork was undertaken between 6–7 February 2018. The survey was carried out online.

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What we do

For the individual affected by crime

Experiencing crime can be life-changing. It may result in trauma and affect day-to-day life, including wellbeing and sleep. It may also affect relationships with a partner, with family and friends as well as with work colleagues. Furthermore, it can be hugely challenging to navigate the criminal justice system and know your rights as a victim of crime.

SAFETY Safety – We help people feel safer and more secure

For all people affected by crime

We are independent of the police, the government, the local authorities and the criminal justice system. This independence allows us to speak out and champion victims’ rights for the benefit of everyone affected by crime, both now and in the future.

We speak with an informed national voice

Inform – We help people INFORM understand their rights and feel empowered

We highlight t ~~h~~ e voi ~~ce~~ s of victims

Validate – We ensure VALIDATE people feel listened to and understand their experience

Reflect – We help develop REFLECT strategies for coping with daily life and build resilience

Connect – We ensure people CONNECT have strong networks and have their voices heard

We help shape legislation, policy and practice

We collaborate with other organisations.

The overwhelming majority of people see VS as the authority on, and the place to go when yo ~~u nee~~ d supp ~~ort aft~~ er crime.[6]

87% – taken from Charity Brand Evaluator survey 2022.

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Our services

We provide a wide range of crime-specific and multi-crime services. Our services work closely with partner organisations to reach all communities and ensure those affected get the most appropriate help and support. Some examples include:

Multi crime

Our local multi crime services help MULTI-CRIME victims, witnesses and supporters of those who have experienced a crime. Our support is personalised to the individual and we will help victims to understand the impacts the crime has had on them and build strategies to help manage daily life. We can work on a safety plan, provide information on rights, entitlements and the criminal justice system, collaborate with other agencies and strengthen support networks.

Terrorism and other major incidents of crime

TERRORISM

We provide a national response to terrorism and major incidents of crime. We have a specialist virtual caseworker team based at our National Contact Centre in Cardiff that can provide immediate support and information in the event of a major incident to anyone who has been affected.

Throughout the year we have continued to develop our support for those who have been affected by terrorism or major incidents and review our preparedness so we are effectively able to respond to future attacks and major incidents of crime wherever they may take place across England and Wales.

The focus for 2022–23 has been providing major incident training to over 100 staff and volunteers so they are ready to respond in the event of a terrorist attack or large scale incident of crime. Local Victim Support services have been supported to develop their own major incident and business continuity plans.

DOMESTIC ABUSE

SEXUAL VIOLENCE

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HOMICIDE
SERVICE
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Domestic abuse

We offer a range of services to people who have experienced domestic abuse, including where no report has been made to the police. We recognise that the vast majority of victims are female but we also support males, trans and non-binary people.

Our support is client-led and based on what the individual needs. We undertake a detailed needs and risk assessment and then develop an individualised safety and support plan aimed at reducing risk. We advocate with a range of agencies including health, housing, civil and criminal agencies.

In some parts of the country we provide voluntary perpetrator programmes to help people understand what a healthy relationship looks like. We also provide services to children who have been affected by domestic abuse within their parent or carer’s relationship, or within the family home.

Sexual violence

Our Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) help people who have been raped or who have experienced other sexual offences. This includes helping the survivors to take the action that is right for them, supporting them in choosing whether or not to report the crime, coordinating with health and other support services and helping them to navigate the criminal justice system.

National Homicide Service

We provide the National Homicide Service in England and Wales, supporting families who have been bereaved by murder and manslaughter at home and abroad. The service is offered to bereaved families by their police family liaison officer, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, other agencies or by self-referral.

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Our services

We provide confidential and independent support to bereaved families. Caseworkers put together a support plan personalised to the individual and support is available for as long as needed. We can assist with funeral arrangements, help manage the legal and financial issues that arise such as benefits and probate, and provide help navigating the criminal justice system including the coronial process. We will also help individuals to understand thoughts, behaviours and reactions to trauma and their bereavement. This can include referrals for specialist counselling and other services for both adults and children affected.

Antisocial behaviour

ANTISOCIAL We advocate for victims by speaking BEHAVIOUR to different agencies on their behalf, help them to understand the process of tackling antisocial behaviour, provide advice on personal safety and home security, and equip victims with the necessary tools to effectively report it. We also support them through mediation and the court process.

Children and young people

CYP

We have a growing number of services (55 in 2022–23) providing specialist support to children and young people (CYP) who have experienced crime or a traumatic event. With a mix of crime-specific CYP services and multi crime CYP services, support is delivered both in person and through

the use of technology, offering CYP one-to-one support, access to group work programmes and peer support opportunities, as well as universal prevention and awareness sessions. These services provide high quality support, designed to identify and reduce risks, recognise and increase protective factors, and develop coping strategies to increase levels of resilience.

Fraud

We help those who have been defrauded by ensuring they are safe, informed and advised about their rights and entitlements. We provide support to recover from the impacts of fraud, and ensure that victims are connected to the people and networks that will help prevent future fraud. We also support people to share their experiences with others in order to support other victims and raise awareness about the dangers of fraud.

FRAUD

Hate crime

HATE We support those who have CRIME experienced hate crime. This includes the team delivering the Wales Hate Support Centre, a specialist hate crime service funded by the Welsh Government. The centre provides direct support to adults and young people affected by hate crime, third party reporting, hate crime training and engagement and partnership working across Wales.

“This incident [hate crime], and other matters that have gone on within that period of time, have basically broken me. I am not the person I once used to be. It has changed. I have changed. And not in the ways that I want… I can’t cope with people being there and being near me.”

Male victim of disability-based hate crime

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

2022–23 in numbers

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762,992 32,580 23,914 152,774
people were contacted live chats were handled by VS calls to our 24/7 Supportline received personalised support
and offered information and Victim Information Line from a support worker
and support were answered
7,965 6,651 1,468,770 56,498
people created a My Support pieces of print, broadcast people visited the VS website people we support through
Space account and online coverage that for information and support casework had experienced
mentioned VS and our domestic abuse
support for victims
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Trustees’ report – Achievements and performance

Trustees’ report Achievements and performance

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MY TRUST NETWORK What are
boundaries?
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We said we would empower more people with specialist support and advocacy to feel safer and move beyond the impact of the harm they have experienced.

We developed our practice, techniques and approach to enhance the quality and effectiveness of our services for children and young people affected by crime, exploitation and victimisation.

Last year we introduced a new role, Children and Young People National Lead, to help enhance the quality and effectiveness of our services for children and young people. As a result a significant amount of high quality resources have been produced with, and for, our staff and volunteers who support children and young people. This includes the development and introduction of resources to identify and manage risks, to help assess the impact of children and young peoples’ experiences, and a range of supporter toolkits containing evidence-based and quality assured activities and interventions.

Children and Young Peoples’ Charity of the Year

In 2022 VS was awarded Children and Young People Charity of the Year status at the CYP Now Awards.

The awards recognise a charity or social enterprise that has made the most impressive contribution, at a local or national level, in improving life chances of CYP and families.

Alison O’Sullivan, Chair of the National Children’s Bureau, congratulated VS saying:

We introduced a new Working I Together Agreement to

ensure children and young boundaries people understand how we will work with them and their rights in relation to privacy, confidentiality and consent.

“This charity has a huge reach, and the specialist work with children and young people is clearly impactful at a local level as well as influencing national policy and practice.”

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Who are we? Who are we?
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My wellbeing Making sure you feel listened to and understand your experiences My safety Helping you to feel safer and more secure My wellbeing My safety
My support Making sure you have strong support networks and your voice is heard My rights Helping you to understand your rights and feel empowered to assert them My ways of coping Helping you to develop strategies to cope and build resilience My support My rights My ways of coping
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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

WeMatter

In September 2022 we launched WeMatter, a digital service for children and young people (8–17 years old) who have been affected by domestic abuse within their parent or carer’s relationship, or within the family home. This service is available to children and young people in Devon and Cornwall, Staffordshire and Warwickshire and the London Borough of Brent.

Delivered online via Zoom over eight weeks, the service offers a timetable of group work programmes, which young people can access during the school day, or at home after school. Each session uses trauma-informed cognitive behaviour therapy based activities, games and discussions, all aimed at supporting the young person’s individual journey.

Evaluation and feedback is already showing the significant impact this innovative approach is having on children and young people. The model is proving to be a cost effective way to meet the growing demand for support for children living with the impact of domestic abuse in the home.

**Jack[*]** experienced domestic abuse in the home

Jack was referred to WeMatter from a Devonbased IDVA service. He had experienced domestic abuse targeted towards his mother for over two years, and was struggling to cope with his worries and ongoing anxiety.

Jack participated in group programme from his own home, after school hours, over an eight-week period. During this time Jack was able to develop a personal safety plan, understand more about healthy relationships, and develop a range of coping strategies to help with how he was feeling.

Name changed to protect identity.

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WeMatter
An online group work programme for children
and young people aff ected by domestic abuse
WeMatter is a totally digital service providing specialist support to children and
young people aged 8–17 years old, who have been aff ected by domestic abuse.
WeMatter delivers the CYP Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit, which off ers a range
of activities and discussions informed by Trauma Focused Cognitive Behaviour
Therapy. This group programme is designed to help child and young people
understand their own experiences, develop healthy coping strategies, increase
levels of safety and achieve positive future relationships.
To contact the team please call: 0300 373 0258
Email: wematter@victimsupport.org.uk
If you are in immediate danger call: 999
victimsupport.org.uk
Published by Victim Support. President HRH The Princess RoyalVictim Support, Ground Floor, Building 3, Eastern Business Park, Wern Fawr Lane, Old St Mellons, Cardiff CF3 5EA. Telephone: 020 7268 0200
Charity registration: 298028. Company no: 2158780. Registered in England. Limited by guarantee. Registered offi ce as above.
March 2023 | P2831 © 2023 Victim Support
WeMatter
An online group work programme
for children and young people
aff ected by domestic abuse
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atter leaflet_March 2023.indd 3
victimsupport.org.uk
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There was a particular emphasis on support with building confidence and self-esteem through the power of positive self-talk and positive affirmations. This support was invaluable for Jack who had moved to a different school due to ongoing bullying he was also experiencing while accessing support.

During a call to Jack’s mother at the end of support, she shared that “the timing of the programme was perfect” and she had “seen a change in Jack… Jack really enjoyed the course”.

. 130,000 children live in homes where these is high-risk domestic abuse[7] Even if they are not physically harmed it can leave them feeling insecure in their own home, impact their self-confidence and have serious long-term impacts on their emotional wellbeing and mental health.

SafeLives (2015), Getting it right first time: policy report. Bristol: SafeLives.

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Trustees’ report – Achievements and performance

We developed our practice, techniques and approach to enhance the quality and effectiveness of our domestic abuse services.

Domestic homicide training

All staff and volunteers working with domestic abuse survivors carried out homicide timeline training developed by Professor Jane Monckton Smith, a criminologist specialising in domestic homicide. Included within this training is the introduction of ‘five critical questions’. This element of training ensures that when we first talk to someone who has experienced domestic abuse, we assess their risk and provide appropriate support. We may only have one chance to speak to a victim, and that chance may be the only opportunity to save a life. Sadly, the vast majority of domestic homicides are people considered not to be at high risk.

Knowledge sharing

We’ve kept our staff up-to-date with developments in domestic abuse support, and during the year we held four expert webinars for staff, including one on the new offences of nonfatal strangulation and non-fatal suffocation, and another on the trauma women face in the family courts about arrangements for their children.

We held a national conference for some of our staff who support domestic abuse victims and our domestic community of practice continues to meet regularly, sharing knowledge and ideas.

They Matter

As part of a focus to work with those who use harmful or abusive behaviours, VS in Cumbria has built on our existing RESPECT-accredited work with Turning the Spotlight and developed They Matter, a high-risk domestic abuse perpetrator programme.

This 27-week voluntary programme addresses behaviours within a relationship that are either abusive, or have the potential to become abusive. The focus is on those perpetrators who are at high risk of causing harm.

If the most prolific 25% of offenders did not reoffend this would result in a 50% reduction in offending. They Matter sits within this context of disruption, challenge and behaviour change.

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

We developed our national safeguarding policy and strengthened our practitioner resources and delivery

Following the establishment of a new National Head of Safeguarding role in 2022, significant progress has been made to review and strengthen policies and procedures. This includes the delivery of specialist training to Supportline call handlers, and support for our network of Designated Safeguarding Officers such as the introduction of monthly forums to provide a regular opportunity for reflection and learning.

In November 2022, a series of activities took place across VS during National Adult Safeguarding Week, including a forum to share good practice, webinars, blogs, and open question sessions to support staff and volunteers to feel confident in recognising signs of abuse and neglect and the procedures to follow.

We co-ordinated and developed our specialist fraud practice tools and techniques

Fraud strategy

Over the last year we produced a fraud strategy. This included a desktop analysis of fraud data, policy and research as well as interviews with key internal and external stakeholders. The strategy recommendations will aid our continued development and innovation of our fraud work and support increased level of engagement and influence.

Specialist fraud practice tools and techniques

For staff and volunteers supporting people affected by fraud we:

n introduced a new fraud awareness training course
n established a monthly fraud supporters forum (where staff can support each other with complex cases)
n ran VS’ first national virtual fraud conference
n developed expert resources on money mules and cryptocurrency
n ran a series of webinars with presentations from organisations such as Which? Money Advice Helpline, the Financial Ombudsman Service and the City of London Police.

Specialist fraud materials were developed for victims and supporters including My Support Space guides covering fraud on social media, phishing and smishing and identity fraud.

We have expanded our fraud support services, most recently agreeing a new service to support Metrobank customers affected by fraud. We continue to build on the success of local peer support programmes to provide ongoing support to people impacted by fraud.

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Trustees’ report – Achievements and performance

Diane lost her entire life savings through a cost of living fraud.

Diane had £24,800, her entire life savings, stolen through a cost of living fraud. One Friday afternoon she received a text message, supposedly from Gov.uk, which claimed to be offering help with energy bills.

“I clicked on it purely because it said it was helping with energy bills – it looked so genuine. I knew this wasn’t how we would receive the government support which everyone gets, but I claim Personal Independence Payments because I have rheumatoid arthritis and I thought it might be related to that. I’d just found out that my sister had cancer so my head was a bit all over the place.”

Diane followed the link and put her card details in. As soon as she’d done it she realised it was a scam. She rang her bank and they confirmed her card had been cancelled so she thought that the matter was sorted.

The following Wednesday, she was walking her dogs when she got a call from someone who claimed to be from the HSBC fraud department. Given what had happened the week before, this seemed very plausible.

“Normally I would have checked the number, but I was out with my dogs so I was preoccupied, and it all happened so fast.”

The fraudster explained that she had been a victim of an internal fraud, from within HSBC, and they needed her help to find out who it was. In order to do this, he said they would need to move money into a fake account, to identify the culprit. The fraudster gained access to her bank account and got her to assist in transferring the money. He moved money from her savings and her current account, as well as going into her overdraft, taking a total of £24,800.

She has since contacted HSBC, and after waiting 15 days to hear back from them, they have said that they won’t be reimbursing her, claiming she didn’t take enough precautions. Diane‘s case is now with the Financial Ombudsman Service. The experience has taken its toll.

“I don’t consider myself vulnerable, or stupid. But it’s really knocked my confidence – I’m scared someone will do it again and I doubt myself. Now it’s with the ombudsmen, I just feel like I’m waiting and waiting. Me and my husband retire next year so it’s not like we’ve got a lot of time to make that money back.”

Fraud now makes up over 40% of all crime in England and Wales

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

We said we would develop new services that will meet new and emerging needs

We expanded the services we provide through growth of new services and retention and development of our current contacts.

----- Start of picture text -----
DOMESTIC ABUSE SPECIALIST SERVICE DOMESTIC ABUSE SPECIALIST SERVICE DOMESTIC ABUSE SPECIALIST SERVICE
Domestic abuse can happen to anyone It can be difficult to know what to do when someone is making you feel scared, especially if they are your partner, your ex-partner or a member of your family. They may be jealous, possessive, and try to control what you do or who you speak to. You are not alone. Speaking to someone is the first step. You are not alone. Speaking to someone is the first step. It can be difficult to know what to do when someone is making you feel scared, especially if they are your partner or a member of your family. They may be jealous, possessive, and try to control what you do or who you speak to. They may involve members of your community. They may tell you it’s part of your culture, religion or tradition. You are not alone. Speaking to someone is the first step. It can be difficult to know what to do when someone is making you feel scared, especially if you are in a relationship with them. They may be jealous, possessive, and try to control what you do or who you speak to. This might continue even if you break up.
We can help you plan a safe way forward and understand your options. We are here to listen, believe and support you. We can help you plan a safe way forward and understand your options. We are here to listen, believe and support you.
Our services include support for people from black, migrant and ethnic minoritised communities. Interpreting and language support is available. Our domestic abuse services include support for young people who are worried about their relationships, whether this is casual or serious, now or in the past.
Call us on Our Helpline is open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday. 0300 323 9985 .
You can also find out more details about our services and how to get in touch with us by going online at: www.victimsupport.org.uk/resources/brighton-and-hove-domestic-abuse-specialist-service/ or scanning in the QR code.
We can help you plan a safe way forward and understand your options. We are here to listen, believe and support you. Call us on 0300 323 9985www.victimsupport.org.uk/resources/brighton-and-hove-domestic-abuse-specialist-service/ between 9am-5pm Monday to Friday. Or visit for more information. Call us on You can also find out more details about our services and how to get in touch with us by going online: and-hove-domestic-abuse-specialist-service/0300 323 9985www.victimsupport.org.uk/resources/brighton- . Our Helpline is open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.
where are you?
why are you ignoring me?I’m Out with friends
you don’t need friends when you have me
if you love me you’ll come home
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We have successfully retained all contracts for existing services retendered this year. This includes our flagship National Homicide Service, which is expanding in remit to include direct support to children and young people, as well as people witness to homicide.

We have also secured funding to develop new services, including support for children and young people affected by domestic abuse across London, in Brighton and in Gloucestershire as well as the development of domestic abuse support and awareness training in primary care settings across Lancashire.

Social value

This year as part of our commitment to social value we introduced a carbon reduction plan to baseline, monitor and reduce our environmental impact.

We restated our commitment to paying the Real Living Wage to every employee and we monitored and increased our spend within the local supply chains in areas where we have services.

We delivered training sessions to businesses, colleges, universities, schools and community groups about the impact of crime on victims and how to support people effectively

We supported staff with paid time to volunteer in local community projects and take up trustee roles with other charities.

We increased our EDI and social value impact internally and externally, enabling us to broaden our reach to victims of crime and traumatic incidents.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We implemented measures to improve our service user EDI data to better understand who uses our services and how we can better meet the diverse needs of communities in England and Wales. The development of our new Service Model (see page 24) centred culturally informed practice to ensure an approach that is inclusive by design. We developed new service user guidance relating to areas such as disability, and have expanded our EDI learning and development output which will help to ensure we deliver accessible services. We centred our social media messages on accessibility, inclusion and independence and have worked with partners to promote our services to those who have been less likely to access them.

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Trustees’ report – Achievements and performance

We continued to deliver on the VS digital strategy, developing an app to increase access to our My Support Space content.

This year our focus has been on the development of our digital platforms, a key element of our digital strategy.

VS website

We have continued to develop and improve the content of the VS website as well as work on search engine optimisation to ensure that when people need our help, they are able to find us and the information they are looking for online.

We streamlined our online donation process to make it easier for people to contribute to our cause.

In 2022/23 VS website users totalled nearly 1.5 million, a 44% increase on last year

My Support Space

We have grown the content on My Support Space to 76 guides. Recently added guides include:

n Supporting someone after sexual violence

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Supporting someone after sexual violence
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n Assault

n Rape after sexual assault

n Support after robbery

n Fraud on social media.

We have continued to amend the guides based on feedback. The average guide satisfaction rate is 95%.

Over the last 12 months we have developed the My Support Space app which will be launched in September. It’s designed with mobile phone users in mind, and features easy-to-read and searchable content for anyone looking for the next steps after experiencing a crime. The app includes wellbeing advice as well as information about rights and entitlements, and people can save anything they find useful to return to.

My Support Space feedback

“I found this section and links very helpful. The relaxing music and kind, reassuring words in the first video were calming and supportive. Being able to tick and write in boxes was helpful too and feels proactive making me feel as if I’m taking back some control over my life”.

Victim of stalking who completed the Stalking guide

“Made me understand what I am entitled to and most important the help that I can get which I didn’t know about”.

Victim who completed the Your Rights as a Victim guide

In 2022/23 7,965 people created a My Support Space account

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

We said we would deliver effective services in the way people want to receive them.

We completed the development of, and introduced, the VS Support Framework and Case Management process

New Case Management approach and process

Over the last year we carried out an extensive consultation process to better define, structure and describe the specialist support we provide to victims of crime and traumatic events.

Informed by evidence and the experience of people who use (or have used) our services, we developed a new service model, including a new case management approach. This is designed to ensure we deliver high-quality, effective services that are underpinned by our trauma-aware principles.

At the heart of VS’ case management process are five steps: stabilise, plan, activities, review and complete.

New VS Support Framework

We introduced a new support framework which sets out the basis for our employees to provide highquality support, underpinned by safe and effective practices outlined in research. This framework is based on five outcomes: safety, inform, validate, reflect and connect.

----- Start of picture text -----
YOUR SAFETY YOUR RIGHTS SUPPORTING COPING YOUR
Helping you to feel safer after a crime How we can help you after a crime VICTIMS OF AFTER CRIME SUPPORT
CRIMEInformation and advice for supporting someone who has experienced a crime or traumatic incident Helping you to manage the impact of crime NETWORKHelping you feel connected
victimsupport.org.uk SAFETY victimsupport.org.uk INFORM victimsupport.org.uk VALIDATE victimsupport.org.uk REFLECT victimsupport.org.uk CONNECT
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The support we provide is personalised to, and led by, each individual. Not everyone will need support from all outcome areas and the process will rarely be a linear one, often varying due to the type and impact of the crime or traumatic incident.

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SAFETY INFORM VALIDATE REFLECT CONNECT
Outcome Feel safer and Understand the Feel listened to Develop Build strong
more secure process, your and validated strategies to support
Rights and in your cope with networks and
Entitlements and experiences daily life make sure your
feel empowered voice is heard
to assert them
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Support Safety planning for Providing at home, work and information on:
Framework in the community • Reporting options Provision of • The Victims’ Code security items • Restorative Justice (if commissioned) • Criminal Justice
Risk management Process Safeguarding • Enhanced intervention Entitlements • Special Measures • Compensation • Victim Personal Statement, and more

Resilience building techniques Access to SilverCloud online Cognitive Behaviour Tools and My Support Space guides

Listening non-judgementally Building awareness of how traumatic events can affect wellbeing

Scoping support networks Helping to share their experience Signposting, referrals and advocacy with other agencies

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VALIDATE
Ensure people feel listened to and
understand their experience
You could ask…
How has the incident made you feel?
Are you being supported by
any other professionals?
What can you do to be
kinder to yourself?
Has the incident affected how
you feel about yourself?
ng
nts.by: or traumatic incidentsomeone who has experienced a crime Information and advice for supporting
victimsupport.org.uk VALIDATE
SUPPORTING
VICTIMS OF
CRIME
April 2023 | P2808 © 2023 Victim Support | Image: © Getty Images
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“I love that it uses the word ‘validate’. This is so

important as none of my experiences were validated. I was gaslighted and the police shrugged it off. My family were gaslighted by this person too, so nobody believed me. The fact that the word validate is there means something and shows that you do believe, and this is so important.”

Victim of crime feeding back on the VS Support Framework

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Trustees’ report – Achievements and performance

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SAFETY INFORM VALIDATE REFLECT CONNECT
Help people feel safer and Help people understand their rights Ensure people feel listened to and Help develop strategies for coping Ensure people have strong networks
more secure and feel empowered understand their experience with daily life and build resilience and have their voices heard
You could ask… You could ask… You could ask… You could ask… You could ask…
Do you feel safe? Do you know your rights as a victim? How has the incident made you feel? How have you been coping? Has anyone close to you been
Where do you feel safe? Have you heard of the Victims’ Code? Are you being supported by How is your confidence and self-esteem? affected by what has happened?
Is the crime ongoing If you have reported a crime, any other professionals? Is there anything you have been Who have you been able to
or escalating? do you feel informed about What can you do to be doing that has helped you feel speak to about what happened?
What would help you what will happen next? kinder to yourself? better about what happened? Who do you consider as your
feel safer? If there are any other agencies Has the incident affected how In the past, if you have struggled support network?
supporting you, do you you feel about yourself? with something, was there Do you feel like you voice
understand their roles? anything that helped? is being heard?
April 2023 | P2808 © 2023 Victim Support | Image: © Getty Images April 2023 | P2808 © 2023 Victim Support | Image: © Getty Images April 2023 | P2808 © 2023 Victim Support | Image: © Getty Images April 2023 | P2808 © 2023 Victim Support | Image: © Getty Images April 2023 | P2808 © 2023 Victim Support | Image: © Getty Images
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To embed the new case management process and support framework a two day training programme was developed. The vast majority of employees have completed this training.

We have made progress in developing a new case management system

Alongside the development of a new case management process and support framework, VS has been working to develop a new case management system. The new system is secure and simple to use and its design will enhance case management through effective, clear workflows. The flexibility of the system means it can be configured for the different services we provide across England and Wales. It will process activities and generate management information quickly, simply and efficiently.

We expect the system to go live later this year.

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

We are focusing on creating an integrated people and organisational development strategy.

This year we introduced a new learning and development steering group and focus groups resulting from employee engagement survey feedback. Through these different forums we determined that creating a standalone learning and development strategy wouldn’t deliver the results that we need. Instead, we are creating a people and Organisational Development strategy to encompass all the different elements around our people and their development. Thi ~~s~~ brings together all of the different interdependencies that relate to developing our people, strengthening the strategy.

We have begun to explore how we build a stronger learning culture, how we create new learning opportunities within the flow of work and help our learners personalise their development journeys.

We have made progress in developing the next VS strategy

Over the past Strategy 2020–2023 three years Supporting and empowering people affected by crime we have been Strategy tracking our 2020–2023 progress against Supporting and empowering the ambitions we We would like to thank Victim Support service users, staff, volunteers and other stakeholders people affected by crime set for ourselves who have helped to develop this strategy. back in 2020. We have made huge progress in delivering across www.victimsupport.org.uk the wide range of service delivery and campaigning objectives, but there will always be more to do.

As we near the end of the current strategy period we have begun the process of looking to the future and identifying the priorities for us to deliver in the next three to five years.

We continue to monitor trends in the criminal justice system and wider society and can see how the changing nature of crime, the worsening crisis in policing and the courts impact victims and witnesses.

We are actively listening to what our service users tell us about their experiences and we are consulting with staff and volunteers to identify what they think we should do that would make the most positive difference.

In 2022–23 more than 250 trainer-led workshops and courses took place.

This combined information will enable us to produce and launch our new strategy in 2024 and enable us to achieve progress with, and for, victims and witnesses.

Over 300 stakeholders have contributed to the strategy process to date.

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Trustees’ report – Achievements and performance

We said we would influence change by making the case for people to have stronger rights and feel respected by the criminal justice system.

We gained insights from the experiences of people affected by crime and traumatic events and used this to successfully advocate for policy solutions that will improve the experience of victims and witnesses in the criminal justice system.

We continued to champion victims’ rights and push for improvements in their experiences. We gave both written and oral evidence to the Justice Select Committee for pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Victims Bill and an inquiry into policing priorities, attended meetings with the Victims Minister and have been working collaboratively with other organisations to try to strengthen the Victims and Prisoners Bill.

We’ve contributed towards Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) support guidance and the development of ISVA and IDVA guidance, and responded to consultations on Criminal Injuries Compensation scheme, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) re-visit of the Crime Survey for England and Wales and the Payment Systems

Regulator consultation on Authorised Push Payment Scams.

We have supported research by academics at Royal Holloway, University of London exploring the relationship between hate crime and domestic abuse, and have undertaken research about service needs of victims. We have also begun service evaluations for our iMatter and WeMatter services. As well as undertaking new research, we have published “It’s who I am” – a report looking at the impact of hate crime and hate incidents, barriers to reporting, engagement with the support service and improving understanding of support needs.

“Emotionally now, I think if she [caseworker] weren’t there, if she weren’t helping me, I would have gone under. I’ve still got my family and all that there, but it felt as if the weight of the world was against you.”

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Victim of the system
“It’s who I am”:
improving the support available
to victims of hate crime in Wales
Anna LynallApril 2021
www.victimsupport.org.uk
6
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Male, victim of race-related hate crime – quote features in “It’s who I am” report

We have maintained our high media profile this year and focused on increasing awareness of real life experiences and supporting victims who want to share their story. We achieved coverage in broadcast and print media outlets on a wide range of issues affecting victims, including the impact of long court delays and the scale of the court backlog, importance of independent victim services, cost of living crisis, and access to pre-trial therapy. We’ve also secured coverage of victims experiences across all crimes notably sexual violence, acquisitive crime, hate crime, fraud, homicide, domestic abuse, child sexual abuse and stalking.

We established a new Voice Committee (see governance section – page 34) to increase oversight of VS’s efforts to bring about positive change for victims and witnesses in the criminal justice system and wider society.

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Future plans

To help achieve our strategy we have set out the following aims and objectives.

----- Start of picture text -----
Ambitions 2023–24 objectives How we will meet them
We will empower Building resilience and We will continue to develop and grow our
more people with contributing to people knowledge, practice and services in relation
specialist support being and feeling safer. to domestic abuse, children and young
and advocacy to people, sexual violence and fraud.
feel safer and move
beyond the impact of
the harm they have
experienced.
We will develop new Reaching more people We will develop and iterate the VS website
services that will meet who do not report and My Support Space to reach more
new and emerging a crime or engage people, and meet the needs and preferences
needs. with services. of users.
Delivering effective We will embed the VS service model to
services in the way all VS services, building understanding,
people want to identifying learning and developing
receive them. consistency of approach.
We will successfully implement and roll out
the new Case Management System across
the organisation.
We will have effected Empowering people Through research, policy development and
change by making to achieve the rights to communication activity, we will build our
the case for people which they are entitled insight, to amplify the experiences of victims
to have stronger rights and to speak out about and witnesses.
and feel respected by their experiences to
We will launch the VS Voice app.
the criminal justice improve the criminal
system. justice system.
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Strategic report

Structure, governance and management

Victim Support (referred to in this document as ‘VS’) is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 28 August 1987, and registered as a charity with the Charity Commission on 17 November 1987. The company is governed according to its articles of association which were amended and agreed by special resolution on 9 December 2022.

Governance structures

Board of Trustees

Sub-committees to the Board Senior Management Team Finance, Audit and Risk Committee Management Review Remuneration Meeting Committee Safeguarding Wales Panel Committee People Committee Voice Committee

Management structures, forums and oversight groups

Regional Management Teams Support Services Teams Service Planning and Operations Team Incident Planning Group Data Protection Group

Safeguarding Operations Group Staff Consultation Forum Service User Involvement Volunteer Panel Information Security Forum Pay Review Panel

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Organisation

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for setting the strategic direction, management and safeguarding of the charity’s assets, but has delegated most operational decisions to the Chief Executive Officer and members of the Senior Management Team.

The Board approves a Scheme of Delegation that sets out the responsibilities of the Chief Executive Officer and the Senior Management Team. The Board monitors and controls all delegated work through a process of regular reporting.

More information about the trustees can be found on page 66 or on the VS website.

The Senior Management Team

The Chief Executive Officer and other key members of staff make up the Senior Management Team. Reporting directly to the Board of Trustees, they are responsible for all aspects of the day-to-day running of the charity.

Diana Fawcett (until 25 June 2023) Katie Kempen (from 26 June 2023) Chief Executive Officer

Johanna Zoe Kultar Simon Martyn Carrie Parks Byrne Nayyar Ketteridge Herward Rich Services Services Services Director Director Director Director Director Director of Business of Business of Finance Development, Services Insight and External Affairs

Trustees’ duty to promote the success of the Charity – Section 172 statement

The Trustees are the directors of Victim Support and have a duty to promote the success of the Charity. In doing so, they are required by section 172(1) of the Companies Act 2006 to have regard (amongst other matters) to:

n the likely consequences of any decision in the long term;
n the interests of the Charity’s employees and volunteers;
n the need to foster the Charity’s business relationships with third party stakeholders including service users, suppliers, partners and funders;
n the impact of the Charity’s operations on the community and the environment; and
n the desirability of the Charity maintaining a reputation for high standards of business conduct.

More information about the Senior Management Team can be found on the VS website.

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Strategic report

The Board of Trustees meets at least quarterly with the Senior Management Team to review progress against the strategy and receives updates on the Charity’s operations, performance and plans. The Board also holds an annual away day to focus on strategic planning. The sub-committees meet quarterly to review activities and plans in the areas they oversee (including Finance, Audit and Risk and People Committee).

The Charity has in place a formal framework for managing and reporting on risk, which is outlined on pages 39 to 42. The Charity ensures that it maintains a reputation for high standards of business conduct by having a comprehensive range of policies and procedures which are regularly reviewed and approved by the Board, including Anti-fraud and corruption policy, Safeguarding policy and procedure, Whistleblowing policy and procedure, Ethical policy and Code of conduct.

Victim Support recognises the importance of engaging with our stakeholders, including service users, employees, volunteers, funders, partners, and the wider community. We strive to maintain open and transparent channels of communication to ensure that their needs, concerns, and perspectives are adequately considered in our decision-making processes. We believe that effective stakeholder engagement is fundamental to achieving our charitable objectives and delivering the highest level of support and services to victims and survivors of crime.

Throughout this report there are examples of how we interact with our service users together with more general interaction with each of the stakeholder groups outlined below.

Service users

Our primary stakeholders are the victims of crime and their families. We engage with them through various channels, including helplines, face-to-face support, and online platforms. We actively seek their feedback and input to understand their needs, concerns, and expectations. For example, we conduct regular surveys and focus groups to gather their views on our services and identify areas for improvement.

Employees

Our dedicated and skilled employees are essential stakeholders in our organisation. We engage with them through regular team meetings, communities of practice, performance appraisals, staff surveys and the Staff Consultation Forum. We actively involve them in decision-making processes, seeking their expertise and insights to improve our services and organisational practices. We also provide opportunities for them to participate in training and development programmes, ensuring their professional growth and wellbeing.

Volunteers

Volunteers also play a crucial role in delivering our services. We engage with them through regular meetings, training sessions, and volunteer forums. We also provide opportunities for volunteers to share their experiences and suggestions, ensuring their voices are heard and valued.

Funders

We engage with our funders through regular meetings and ongoing communication, including quarterly reports and periodic events. We ensure transparency in our financial management and demonstrate the impact of their contributions. We actively seek their feedback and explore opportunities for collaboration to maximise our resources and reach.

Partners and collaborators

We engage with partner organisations, such as law enforcement agencies, government bodies, and other charities, to enhance our service provision and advocate for the rights of victims. We actively participate in collaborative initiatives, working groups, and forums to share best practices, exchange knowledge, and influence policy development. We value their expertise and input in shaping our strategic direction.

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Local communities

We engage with local communities through awareness campaigns, public events, and community forums. We actively seek their input to understand the specific needs and challenges faced by victims in their areas. By involving them in our decision-making processes, we ensure our services are personalised to meet the unique requirements of each community.

At Victim Support, we are committed to engaging with our stakeholders and considering their interests in our decision-making processes. We recognise that their input is vital in shaping our services, policies, and strategic direction. By actively involving our stakeholders, we aim to deliver more effective support to victims of crime and contribute to a safer and more inclusive society.

Subsidiary companies

VS has one wholly owned subsidiary company: Victims Support Limited (02609147) which delivers victim awareness courses. Further information about Victims Support Limited can be found in note 10 to the financial statements.

Key management personnel remuneration

The directors, who are the charity’s trustees, and the Senior Management Team comprise the key management personnel of the charity in charge of managing the organisation on a day-to-day basis. The remuneration of senior staff is reviewed annually and monitored against average earnings in the sector for similar roles. The directors’ benchmark is salary levels in other charities of a similar size.

Public benefit

The trustees refer to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities. In particular, as required by the Charities Act 2011, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives they have set. The trustees give careful consideration to the information contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives, when planning future activities and when setting appropriate policies for the year.

Good governance

We comply with the Charity Governance Code in all material respects and have a programme to ensure continual improvement and adherence to the code.

Appointment of trustees

The articles of association determine that the number of trustees shall not be less than five and (unless otherwise determined by ordinary resolution) not more than 12. There are currently 10 trustees on the Board. The trustees are both charity trustees and directors of a company limited by guarantee, which means that their activities are regulated by both charity and company law.

Appointments to the Board are overseen by the People Committee. Trustees are appointed for an initial term of up to three years. They may be re-appointed for a further period of three years, after which the trustee must step down unless exceptional circumstances apply, in which case the Board may allow a trustee to serve for a further term of up to three years.

Ethical policy

The charity’s ethical policy sets out a framework for the ethical execution of our charitable purpose. The policy aims to support VS and its Board of Trustees in recognising and resolving ethical issues and conflicts and making VS a safer place.

Routes for raising concerns

VS has a whistleblowing policy and procedure in place to enable staff and volunteers to report any matter of concern in addition to other routes such as raising a grievance. We also have a third-party reporting platform that allows anonymous reporting, ensuring there are no barriers to any members of staff or volunteers raising concerns. All complaints, grievances and whistleblowing matters, whether these be initiated internally or externally, are thoroughly investigated and, where appropriate, management or other disciplinary action is taken.

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Strategic report

We run regular surveys to check the confidence of our staff and volunteers to report matters of concern, the results of which are reported and discussed through our Staff Consultation Forum and then by the People Committee. Our Colleague Supporter Scheme is run and controlled by staff members and provides further support to empower individuals to raise their concerns through appropriate routes.

Safeguarding

We believe that:

n no one should ever experience abuse or harm of any kind; and
n we have a responsibility to promote the welfare and best interests of all people to keep them safe and to carry out our work in ways that protect them.

We are committed to:

n protecting all service users, including children and young people, who are offered or receive VS’s services, from any type of abuse or harm. This includes the children and families of adults who use our services or any vulnerable adult, child or young person who comes to our notice in the course of our work;
n protecting anyone working for or on behalf of VS, whether they are staff (including seasonal
or agency staff, secondees or students) or volunteers, from any type of abuse or harm; and
n ensuring that all our activity is undertaken within the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and that those working for VS undergo appropriate checks and continually uphold our commitments to safeguarding.

Internal governance around safeguarding includes:

The Safeguarding Panel

The Safeguarding Panel is chaired by the Chief Executive Officer. Participants include members of the Senior Management Team, a Board representative and an independent panel member. The Panel oversees safeguarding in VS and is responsible for developing and monitoring policies and procedures for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults who may be in need of safeguarding across the organisation. The Safeguarding Panel updates the Board at each of its meetings and provides an Annual Safeguarding Report to the Board each year.

We would like to note our thanks to Rachel Sacks, the Independent Member of the Safeguarding Panel for her continued contribution to this panel.

The Safeguarding Operational Group

The Safeguarding Operational Group is a sub-group of the Safeguarding Panel. This group brings together operational experience, sharing good practice as well as co-ordinating and reviewing internal safeguarding case audits. During the year the terms of reference and membership has been reviewed to ensure the right representation to drive audit and improvements across VS.

Continual improvement approach

Our continual improvement approach ensures that our operational and support service processes are quality assured and controlled through ongoing monitoring and audit. Identified issues lead to improvement and action planning. The processes that we control and monitor include safeguarding, DBS checks, complaints and recruitment.

Line management and case review

Staff and volunteers working for VS have regular, formal meetings with their line managers, which include discussions on safeguarding approaches and practices. Regular case reviews also include consideration on safeguarding issues.

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Fundraising

The charity raises funds from individual donors, charitable trusts, companies and third-party challenge events without using the services of professional fundraisers or commercial participators.

n VS is a member of the Fundraising Regulator.

n VS monitors fundraising activities through its supporter database and by evaluating campaign results.

n In 2022–23 no complaints (2021–22: none) were received about fundraising activity.

VS protects vulnerable people and other members of the public from intrusive or persistent behaviour by ensuring that opt-outs are recorded on the supporter database, monitoring fundraising communications and not asking for donations more than twice in a year.

Fundraising accounts for about 3.6% (2021–22: 4.7%) of our income.

Trustees’ expenses

There was no trustees’ remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2023 (2021–22: nil). Expenses reimbursed to trustees of £1,031 relate to travel and subsistence costs for attending trustee meetings and other sub-committees of the Board of Trustees in the year.

Trustee induction and training

New trustees undergo an induction, which includes meetings with the Chair, Chief Executive Officer and Senior Management Team members. In addition to being provided with a range of induction materials and visiting our services, they are briefed on their legal obligations under charity and company law as well as on policies specific to VS as an organisation. An annual skills audit of the Board is undertaken. The results provide information on the required approach to training and recruitment.

Board and Committee membership

Board membership

A full list of the Board members (trustees) can be found on page 66.

The trustees met four times in 2022–23. Trustee attendance throughout the year at Board meetings was 83%.

Committee membership

Finance, Audit and Risk Committee

The Finance, Audit and Risk Committee met four times in 2022–23. Members include Kathryn Adkins (Chair), Andrew Tivey, Clarisse Mallem and Debbie Gillatt.

People Committee

The People Committee met four times in 2022–23. Members include Roger Harding (Chair), Amanda Hamilton-Stanley, Rachel Onikosi and Laura Johnson.

Remuneration Committee

The Remuneration Committee met twice in 2022–23. Members include Andrew Tivey (Chair), Kathryn Adkins and Roger Harding.

Wales Board

The Wales Committee considers matters and makes policy recommendations to the VS Board, noting whether issues have a particular impact on Wales and whether separate provisions should apply. The Committee is chaired by Andrew Edwards (trustee) and met four times in 2022–23.

Voice Committee

In 2022–23 the Voice Committee was established and met once. The committee oversees the strategic direction of activities and efforts to bring about positive change for victims and witnesses in the criminal justice system and how their needs are met in the criminal justice system and in wider society. Members include Roger Harding (Chair) and Amanda Hamilton-Stanley.

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Strategic report

Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR)

Greenhouse gas emissions and energy-use data for Victim Support for the period of 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023

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Scope Description TCO2e
Scope 1 Direct emissions 20.9
Scope 2 Indirect emissions 37.3
Scope 3 Upstream Emissions 1,110.4
Total 1,168.6
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Quantification and reporting methodology

Emissions have been reported and recorded in accordance with the published reporting standard for Carbon Reduction Plans and the GHG Reporting Protocol corporate standard and uses the appropriate Government emission conversion factors for greenhouse Gas Company reporting.

Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions have been reported in accordance with SECR requirements, and the required subset of Scope 3 emissions have been reported in accordance with the published reporting standard for Carbon Reduction Plans and the Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard.

Intensity measurement

The chosen intensity measurement ratio is total gross emissions in metric tonnes CO2e per staff FTE = 1.04

Measures taken to reduce carbon emissions

n Reduce the number of offices in London by half (four to two), to reduce energy consumption and general emissions
n Environmental Champions working at a local level on energy saving initiatives
n Use of public transport, over cars encouraged for travelling.

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Energy consumption used to calculate emissions (KWh) 219,451
Energy consumption breakdown (KWh)
Direct GHG emissions: gas consumption 3,611
Indirect energy emission: purchased electricity 215,840
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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Chair’s report

The trustees are pleased to present their annual directors’ report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ending 31 March 2023 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.

The financial statements 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 (FRS102).

Andrew Tivey Chair

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Strategic report

Financial review

Income, expenditure and balance sheet

The charity delivered a solid financial performance in 2022–23 against a backdrop of challenging economic circumstances. We successfully retained 11 of 11 incumbent contracts which were retendered and added significant new business to our order book.

Total income was £48.3m, a 9% increase on £44.3m in 2021–22. Total expenditure was £48.5m compared with £43.4m in 2021–22, generating an overall deficit of £0.24m (2021–22: surplus of £0.98m).

Net assets were £9.8m (2021–22: £10.0m) and of this, £9.3m was held in cash (2021–22: £11.4m). The trade debtor balance was £5.1m (2021–22: £3.3m), 93% of which was current with negligible debts over 90 days. The level of deferred income decreased to £3.0m (2021–22: £4.1m). Robust working capital management continued to support the maintenance of a healthy balance sheet.

Reserves policy

The Board of Trustees and the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee have reviewed the reserves policy during 2022–23 and remain of the view that free reserves, defined as unrestricted reserves less the net book value of fixed assets, remains the most appropriate measure of reserves for the charity.

Taking into account the business environment in which the charity operates, the Board considers that the charity needs to maintain sufficient free reserves to cover: responsive action in the event of a significant financial downturn or setback, contractual commitments, working capital requirements and the development needs of the charity. The Board has estimated that the level of free reserves should be maintained within a range of £3.5m–£5.5m.

Reserves and general funds

Total reserves at 31 March 2023 were £9.8m (2021–22: £10.0m) of which £2.6m (2021–22: £2.4m) was restricted and £7.2m (2021–22: £7.6m) was unrestricted. The level of free reserves was £6.3m (2021–22: £7.3m) which is slightly above the upper range in the reserves policy. The trustees are committed to utilising free reserves to benefit service users in a timely manner and the charity will continue to invest free reserves in improving service delivery in the year to come.

Restricted funds

The year-end balances represent income which has been recorded but where related expenditure has not yet been incurred. The majority of these funds are from grant funded activity but also include donations made to the charity with restrictions attached to their use.

Victim Support’s assets are sufficient to fulfil its obligations.

Going concern

The charity secures the significant proportion of its income from service delivery contracts and grants awarded by Police and Crime Commissioners, criminal justice agencies, local authorities and other statutory bodies against specific service requirements.

Contracts and grant income generate a contribution towards the central costs of managing the charity including HR, IT, Finance and Business Development functions to support local contract delivery; a technology platform that delivers a highly secure data hosting environment; a case management system with outcome-based reporting capability; GDPR compliance; safeguarding compliance; the delivery of consistent service standards and quality across the regions; continual knowledge sharing; service innovation; research and data gathering on national trends and performance.

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

The trustees have considered several factors in concluding that the adoption of a going concern basis in the preparation of these financial statements is appropriate, including:

n The forward pipeline of secured and prospective contract and grant awards (and sensitivity to historic renewal or win rates) not only for 2023–24 but also for a period of at least one year from the approval of these financial statements
n Forecasted cashflow for a period of at least one year from the approval of these financial statements
n The rigour of pipeline monitoring and cost controls that are in place to ensure that the charity delivers a balanced budget
n Cash and working capital controls in place to manage the potential risks of late payments by Commissioners and ensure restricted and unrestricted reserves are appropriately managed.

After making such enquiries the trustees are confident that the organisation has adequate resources to operate for the foreseeable future and can adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements.

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Strategic report

Principal risks and uncertainties

The Board of Trustees is responsible for ensuring that there are effective and adequate risk management and internal control systems in place to manage the principal risks to which VS is exposed.

VS’s governance structure and operating model are designed to ensure that principal risks that might affect VS’s ability to deliver its strategic objectives are managed effectively.

The Finance, Audit and Risk Committee is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of risk management and internal control, and ensuring that VS operates within its risk appetite, and reports its findings to the Board of Trustees. This is achieved through:

n Regular review of VS’s systems of control, risk management and compliance
n Being provided with assurance on national improvement plans and corrective actions through the work of a Management Review Team that takes account of emerging risks and opportunities and reviews quality, performance and compliance metrics, considering any findings that arise
n Ensuring that appropriate action is taken by management on recommendations emerging from independent review
n Reviewing the nature and scope of external audit. Any matters raised by external audit for the attention of management, significant findings or identified risks are examined so that appropriate action can be taken.

Day-to-day risk management is delegated to the Chief Executive Officer who works closely with and is supported by the Senior Management Team (SMT). The work of the governance committees, the Chief Executive Officer and the SMT is supported by VS’s line management structure.

The risk management framework

VS recognises that effective risk management relies on sound arrangements combined with a culture of risk management that permeates all levels and operational functions of the organisation. The organisation’s approach to risk management is an ongoing process of:

----- Start of picture text -----
Horizon Risk
scanning identification
Residual Risk
risk assessment
Risk management
approach and
controls
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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

n Risk identification determines which risks are applicable to VS
n Risk assessment identifies the likelihood of the risk and the impact it would have on VS if realised
n Risk management approach and controls (ie, mitigate, transfer, accept) mitigate the identified risk
n Residual risk assessment ensures that controls are operating as intended to effectively reduce the risk in accordance with VS’s risk appetite
n Horizon scanning underpins the risk management framework to identify new and emerging risks that may apply to VS.

This is supported by timely, accurate and insightful risk reporting to enhance the quality of decision-making.

The VS risk register is a central repository capturing all the risks and corresponding controls providing a real-time view of VS’s risk environment. The register also enables the capture of issues and the allocation of actions providing reassurance that these are remediated in a timely manner.

The risk register is maintained at all appropriate levels in addition to the corporate risk register. Risk review is explicitly linked to the business planning cycle through top down review by the SMT with onwards reporting to the Board of Trustees, and bottom up escalation of risks by individual functions and managers.

In addition, VS’s control framework includes:

n The requirement to assess and mitigate risk as an integral part of project initiation and implementation
n A quality assurance system that meets the criteria of ISO 9001
n Maintaining and testing business continuity arrangements to ensure an effective response in the event of a critical incident, thereby ensuring that the organisation’s business continuity management system is robust.

The Board of Trustees ensures that all appropriate steps are taken to mitigate and manage the risks to which the staff, volunteers, assets and reputation of VS are exposed.

Risk appetite

VS’s risk management approach is not designed to eliminate risk entirely, but provides a framework within which risks and opportunities are identified, prioritised and managed in accordance with the organisation’s appropriate risk tolerance levels. This is to ensure that VS maintains a high-quality service to clients while allowing the flexibility required to adapt to the nature of our work supporting people affected by crime and adverse events.

During the year, the SMT, the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, and the Board of Trustees have continued to develop the organisation’s approach to risk appetite. Risk appetite considers the amount and type of risk that VS is willing to accept in order to meet their strategic objectives. This can vary over time and over different categories of risk.

The Board of Trustees regularly review risk appetite levels to ensure they remain suitable, not only to provide appropriate governance of risk, but also provide a framework within which the organisation can optimise service delivery and performance.

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Strategic report

Principal risks

The principal risks the Board of Trustees has identified, and plans and strategies to manage them, are set out below:

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Risk Management
Governance risk n An independent Board of Trustees with a wide range of skills and
experience
n A well-documented governance structure and reporting lines
n Oversight from specialist committees and panels including Finance,
Audit and Risk Committee, People Committee, Remuneration
Committee and Safeguarding Panel
n
Trustees involved in specific major projects offer scrutiny
and guidance
n Regular skills audits and succession planning
Financial risk n Regular review of financial performance, projections, applicable
Key Performance Indicators and financial controls by the SMT
and the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, with ongoing reporting
to the Board
n Annual budgeting and forecasting processes, including review and
challenge by the Finance and Audit Committee and Board of Trustees
n
Robust financial modelling of income, costs, margins, reserves, cash
balances and cash flow
n Delegated authority process, ensuring trustee and senior management
review of significant income and expenditure contracts
n Monitoring relationships with commissioners, contract performance
and any risks to funding
n Identifying and successfully pursuing new income growth and
diversification opportunities
n Assessing unsuccessful bids to identify causes, lessons learned and
related actions require
Quality risk n Quality Management System (QMS) that meets the criteria of ISO 9001
n Management Review Team that has oversight of internal assessment
against organisational quality objectives, performance and contractual
and legal requirements
n Development of new service model and associated tools, along
with new case management system, to strengthen quality of
service delivery
n Internal audit plan ensures regular review of service delivery with
mitigating actions put in place to address any issues arising
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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

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Risk Management
Project risk n Regular review by specialist teams of performance against business
plans, delivery of key projects and mitigation of risks, with ongoing
reporting to the SMT and the Board of Trustees
n Continuous improvement of policies and procedures
n Development of new service model to strengthen service quality
Fraud and n Senior level engagement in policy setting and ongoing improvements
regulatory risks to performance management and reporting
n
Comprehensive training for staff and volunteers
n Dedicated specialists in safeguarding, health and safety, data
protection, information security, and quality and performance
n Regular review of, and investment in, IT systems and information
reporting
n
Policies and procedures that meet ISO27001 certification
requirements
n Review of internal and external safeguarding measures and
safeguarding policy to ensure ongoing compliance with best practice
n Compliance monitoring undertaken regularly by Management
Review Team
n Governance review to ensure systems are in place that keep the Board
informed on key matters
n Delegated authority in place to ensure appropriate level of review/
approval of financial transactions and commitments
Operational risk [n ] Regular review, with SMT and trustee oversight, of property portfolio
(linked to physical
[n ] Key asset related transactions reviewed by Senior Management Team
asset utilisation)
and trustees
[n ] Oversight of investment in physical assets, including IT systems, by the
Finance, Audit and Risk Committee
Staffing risk n Training programmes, comprehensive eLearning catalogue and
development plans for all employees
n
Staff and volunteer engagement surveys and follow up action plans
n Strong focus on wellbeing including surveys and dedicated
intranet site
n Regular reviews of skills gaps, succession planning and resourcing
processes
Credit risk n Robust financial policies and procedures which are subject to regular
review and sign-off
n
Regular review of financial risk by the SMT and the Finance, Audit and
Risk Committee, with ongoing reporting to the Board
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Strategic report

Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to the financial statements

The trustees (who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards).

Company law requires the 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 the group and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable group for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:

n Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
n Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP (FRS102);
n Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
n State whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
n Prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions, disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006 and the provisions of the charity’s constitution. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and the group and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Statement as to disclosure to the auditor

Insofar as the trustees are aware at the time of approving their annual report:

n There is no relevant audit information, being information needed by the auditor in connection with preparing their report, of which the group’s auditor is unaware; and
n The trustees, having made enquiries of fellow directors and the group’s auditor that they ought to have individually taken, have each taken all steps that he/she is obliged to take as a director in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.

The Strategic and Trustees’ Annual Reports were approved by the trustees on xx xxxxber 2023 and signed on their behalf by:

Andrew Tivey Chair

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Auditor’s report

Independent auditor’s report to the members of Victim Support Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Victim Support (the ‘charity’) and its subsidiary for the year ended 31 March 2023 which comprise the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities, the Consolidated and Charity Balance Sheets, the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 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:

n give a true and fair view of the state of the charity and the group’s affairs as at 31 March 2023 and of the group’s income and expenditure for the year then ended;
n have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
n 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 charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

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

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least 12 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 Strategic Report and Report of the Trustees, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, 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 there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

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Strategic report

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

n the information given in the Report of the Trustees which includes the Strategic Report and the Directors’ Report prepared for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared, is consistent with the financial statements; and
n the Strategic Report and the Directors’ Report included within the Report of the Trustees has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Strategic Report or the Directors’ Report included within the Report of the Trustees.

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:

n adequate and proper accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
n the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
n certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
n 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 set out on page 43, 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 charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

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 the financial statements.

The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.

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.

Based on our understanding of the charity and its industry, we considered that non-compliance with the following laws and regulations might have a material effect on the financial statements: employment regulation, health and safety regulation, anti-money laundering regulation, and non-compliance with implementation of government support schemes relating to Covid-19.

To help us identify instances of non-compliance with these laws and regulations, and in identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect to non-compliance, our procedures included, but were not limited to:

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

n Inquiring of management and, where appropriate, those charged with governance, as to whether the charity is in compliance with laws and regulations, and discussing their policies and procedures regarding compliance with laws and regulations;
n Inspecting correspondence, if any, with relevant licensing or regulatory authorities;
n Communicating identified laws and regulations to the engagement team and remaining alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout our audit; and
n Considering the risk of acts by the charity which were contrary to applicable laws and regulations, including fraud.

We also considered those laws and regulations that have a direct effect on the preparation of the financial statements, such as tax legislation, pension legislation, the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011 and the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice.

In addition, we evaluated the trustees’ and management’s incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements, including the risk of management override of controls, and determined that the principal risks related to posting manual journal entries to manipulate financial performance, management bias through judgements and assumptions in significant accounting estimates, income recognition (which we pinpointed to the cut-off assertion), and significant one-off or unusual transactions.

Our audit procedures in relation to fraud included but were not limited to:

n Making enquiries of the trustees and management on whether they had knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud;
n Gaining an understanding of the internal controls established to mitigate risks related to fraud;
n Discussing among the engagement team the risks of fraud; and
n Addressing the risks of fraud through management override of controls by performing journal entry testing.

There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and the primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of irregularities including fraud rests with management. As with any audit, there remained a risk of non-detection of irregularities, as these may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations or the override of internal controls.

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

Use of the audit report

This report is made solely to the charity’s 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 charity’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s members as a body for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Nicola Wakefield Senior Statutory Auditor

For and on behalf of Mazars LLP Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditor 6 Sutton Plaza, Sutton Court Road, Sutton, Surrey SM1 4FS

Date: xx xxxxber 2023

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Financial statements

Consolidated statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 March 2023

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Total Unrestricted Restricted Total
31.03.23 31.03.23 31.03.23 31.03.22 31.03.22 31.03.22
Notes £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Income and endowments
from:
Charitable activities 2.1 34,557 11,641 46,198 30,440 11,553 41,993
Fundraising 2.2 163 1,386 1,549 323 1,437 1,760
Other trading activities 2.3 419 – 419 265 214 479
Investments 2.4 – – – – – –
Other income 2.5 136 – 136 116 – 116
Total income 35,275 13,027 48,302 31,144 13,204 44,348
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 3.1 121 – 121 174 – 174
Charitable activities 3.2
Service delivery 34,975 12,859 47,834 29,692 12,944 42,636
Victims’ Voice 583 – 583 563 – 563
Total charitable expenditure 35,558 12,859 48,417 30,255 12,944 43,199
Total expenditure 35,679 12,859 48,538 30,429 12,944 43,373
Net (expenditure)/income (404) 168 (236) 715 260 975
Transfer between funds 16 – – – (24) 24 –
Net movement in funds (404) 168 (236) 691 284 975
in the year
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward 7,595 2,440 10,035 6,904 2,156 9,060
on 1 April
Total funds carried forward 7,191 2,608 9,799 7,595 2,440 10,035
as at 31 March 2023
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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Balance sheet as at 31 March 2023

----- Start of picture text -----
Consolidated Charity (2158780)
31.03.23 31.03.22 31.03.23 31.03.22
Notes £000 £000 £000 £000
Tangible fixed assets
Property, plant and equipment 8 253 318 253 318
Intangible fixed assets
Property, plant and equipment 8 638 – 638 –
Investments in subsidiaries 10 – – 10 10
Total fixed assets 891 318 901 328
Current assets
Debtors and prepayments 11 6,854 6,440 6,926 6,495
Cash at bank and in hand 9,321 11,402 9,229 11,286
Total current assets 16,175 17,842 16,155 17,781
Creditors
Amounts falling due within one year 12 (6,936) (7,751) (6,926) (7,746)
Net current assets 9,239 10,092 9,229 10,035
Provision for liabilities 14 (331) (374) (331) (374)
Net assets 9,799 10,035 9,799 9,989
Funds
Unrestricted funds 16 7,191 7,595 7,191 7,549
Restricted funds 16 2,608 2,440 2,608 2,440
Total share capital and funds 9,799 10,035 9,799 9,989
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The deficit for the year of the parent charity was £190,000 (2021–22: surplus £929,000)

The notes on pages 50 to 58 form part of these financial statements. The financial statements were approved by the Board on xx xxxxber 2023 and were signed on its behalf by:

Andrew Tivey Chair

Kathryn Adkins Treasurer

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Financial statements

Consolidated cash flow statement for the year ended 31 March 2023

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31.03.23 31.03.22
Notes £000 £000
Net cash (outflow)/inflow from operating activities a (1,443) 1,908
Cash flows from investing activities: interest received b – –
Capital expenditure and financial investment c (638) (293)
(Decrease)/Increase in cash in the reporting period (2,081) 1,615
Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net cash
(Decrease)/Increase in cash in the period (2,081) 1,615
Net cash at 1 April 11,402 9,787
Net cash at 31 March 9,321 11,402
Notes to the statement of cash flows for the year ended 31 March 2023
a. Reconciliation of cash flows from operating activities to net incoming resources
31.03.23 31.03.22
£000 £000
Net (expenditure)/income for the reporting period (236) 975
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges 64 498
– –
Interest received/(paid)
(Increase)/decrease in debtors (414) 115
(Decrease)/increase in creditors and provisions for liabilities (857) 320
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities (1,443) 1,908
b. Analysis of cash flows as shown on the cash flow statement
Returns on investments and servicing of finance
Interest received – –
Net cash outflow for returns on investment and servicing of finance – –
c. Capital expenditure and financial investment
Purchase of intangible fixed assets (638)
Purchase of tangible fixed assets – (293)
Net cash outflow for capital expenditure and financial investment (638) (293)
01.04.22 Movement 31.03.23
£000 £000 £000
Net cash
Cash at bank and in hand 11,402 (2,081) 9,321
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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Notes to the financial statements

The charity is a private limited company (registered number 2158780) which is incorporated and domiciled in the UK and is a public benefit entity. The address of the registered office is Victim Support, Ground Floor, Building 3, Eastern Business Park, Wern Fawr Lane, Old St Mellons, Cardiff, CF3 5EA.

1. Accounting policies

Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, with the exception of investments, which are included at market value, and in accordance with applicable United Kingdom Accounting Standards including the charities SORP, FRS102 ( Accounting and Reporting by Charities ) published in 2019 and the Companies Act 2006. Victim Support meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the accounting policy note.

No separate statement of financial activities (SOFA) has been presented as permitted by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006. The charity has taken advantage of the exemptions available in FRS102 from the requirements to present a charity-only cash flow statement and certain disclosures about the charity’s financial instruments.

Group financial statements

The group financial statements consolidate the financial statements of Victim Support and its subsidiary undertaking Victims Support Limited (registration number 02609147) on a line-by-line basis.

Going concern

The Board of Trustees has a reasonable expectation that there are adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.

The Trustees’ report (page 37) discusses the matters that were considered in reaching that conclusion, specifically the value of the firm order book, the cash and working capital position, reserves and bid activity.

Accordingly, the financial statements have been prepared on the basis that the charity is a going concern.

Significant judgements and estimates

The key sources of uncertainty in our estimations that have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements are described in the accounting policies and summarised below:

n Dilapidation provision – the charity has provided for its possible liability in relation to its leasehold property, which has been estimated as disclosed in note 14.

Income recognition

All income is included in the SOFA when the charity is legally entitled to the income, receipt is probable and the amount can be classified with reasonable accuracy.

Donations and gifts are included in the SOFA when receivable. Income from donated services and goods in kind is recognised as income where the provider has incurred a financial cost and the benefit to the charity is quantifiable.

No amounts are included in the accounts for services donated by volunteers.

Legacy income is included in the accounts when the charity has entitlement, and receipt is probable and can be measured.

Grants are recognised in full in the SOFA in the year in which they are receivable unless the grant agreement specifies that the grant is to be used in a future accounting period in which case the income is deferred. For performance-related grants, income is recognised using the proportion of costs incurred for the work performed to date in comparison to the forecast total costs to completion method.

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Financial statements

Revenue from contracts is recognised to the extent that the activity stipulated in the agreement has been completed. This is generally equivalent to the related expenditure incurred in the period and associated overhead costs. Cash received in advance of the revenue being earned is shown as deferred income.

Income from the sale of goods or services is the amount derived from ordinary activities. Income is recognised net of VAT where applicable.

Expenditure

Expenditure is included on an accruals basis and is recognised when there is a legal or constructive obligation to pay. Expenditure is stated net of recoverable VAT where applicable but includes any irrecoverable VAT.

Direct charitable expenditure consists of direct, shared and indirect costs associated with the main activities of the organisation. This includes approved grants and support costs.

Grants payable are charged in the year when the offer is conveyed to the recipient, except in those cases where the offer is conditional. Conditional grants are recognised as expenditure when the conditions are fulfilled. If the conditions have not been met at the year-end, the grants are noted as a commitment but not shown as expenditure.

Expenditure on raising funds consists of direct, shared and indirect costs associated with the income-generating activities of the organisation.

Fixed assets

Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £5,000. Depreciation costs are allocated to activities on the basis of use. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of each asset over its expected useful life: for software and IT infrastructure and fixtures and fittings, this is five years. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the term of the lease.

Funds

Restricted funds are to be used for the purposes specified by the donor. Relevant expenditure is chargeable to the fund together with a fair allocation of management and support costs where this is allowed by the donor. Locally generated income is normally treated as restricted income as it will be used in the location of the donor; for example, grants donated by local authorities and other statutory bodies will be used to provide services within the boundaries of the local authority.

Unrestricted funds are available for the general object of the charity.

Pensions

Victim Support operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of Victim Support in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable by Victim Support, which has no other liability under the scheme.

Operating leases

Rentals payable under operating leases, where substantially all the risk and rewards of ownership remain with the lessor, are charged to the SOFA on a straight-line basis over the lease duration.

Investments

Investment in a subsidiary is stated at cost less any impairment. Listed investments are included at market value at the balance sheet date.

The SOFA includes gains and losses arising on revaluations and disposals throughout the year.

Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

2. Income

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31.03.23 31.03.22
Unrestricted Restricted Total Unrestricted Restricted Total
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
2.1 Income from
charitable activities
MoJ Homicide – 4,235 4,235 – 4,243 4,243
Local authorities 2,240 1,200 3,440 2,214 1,376 3,590
and other statutory
bodies
Police and other 31,195 5,086 36,281 27,077 4,939 32,016
criminal justice
agencies
Other grants and 1,122 1,120 2,242 1,149 995 2,144
contracts
Total 34,557 11,641 46,198 30,440 11,553 41,993
2.2 Income and
endowments from:
Donations 57 – 57 85 14 99
Legacies 8 – 8 77 153 230
Grants 98 1,386 1,484 – 1,270 1,270
Donated goods and – – – 161 – 161
services
Total 163 1,386 1,549 323 1,437 1,760
2.3 Other trading
activities
Fundraising events 190 – 190 119 212 331
Sponsorships – – – – – –
Trading operations 229 – 229 146 2 148
Total 419 – 419 265 214 479
2.4. Investment
income
Interest received – – – – – –
Total – – – – – –
2.5 Other income 136 – 136 116 – 116
Total 136 – 136 116 – 116
Total income 35,275 13,027 48,302 31,144 13,204 44,348
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Financial statements

3. Expenditure

		31.03.23			31.03.22
Unrestricted	Restricted	Total	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total
£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
3.1 Cost of raising funds 121	–	121	174	–	174
Total cost of raising funds 121	–	121	174	–	174
3.2 Charitable activities Service delivery 34,975 Victims’ Voice 583 Restructuring and development –	12,859 – –	47,834 583 –	29,692 563 –	12,944 – –	42,636 563 –
Total charitable expenditure 35,558	12,859	48,417	30,255	12,944	43,199
Total expenditure 35,679	12,859	48,538	30,429	12,944	43,373

4. Total expenditure includes charges for:

		31.03.23			31.03.22
Unrestricted	Restricted	Total	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total
£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Depreciation 64 Trustees’ reimbursed expenses 1 Audit fees 42 Operatinglease rentals 1,021	– – – –	64 1 42 1,021	498 1 39 1,032	– – – –	498 1 39 1,032

5. Support costs

Raising	Service	Victims’	Total	Total	Basis of
funds	delivery	Voice	31.03.23	31.03.22	allocation
£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Governance – Finance 3 Information technology 8 People services 3 Other corporate services 4	77 901 2,176 889 1,033	1 9 21 9 10	78 913 2,205 901 1,047	43 798 2,223 874 1,611	No. of staf No. of staf No. of staf No. of staf No. of staf
Total 18	5,076	50	5,144	5,549

Support costs includes central HR, IT and Finance systems to support local contract delivery; a technology platform that delvers a highly secure hosting environment; a case management system with outcomes based reporting capability; GDPR compliance; safeguarding compliance; the delivery of consistent service standards and quality across the regions; continual knowledge sharing; national service innovation; research and data gathering on national trends and performance.

6. Trustees’/Members’ remuneration and benefits

No trustee remuneration or other benefits were made for the year ended 31 March 2023 (2021–22: £nil). Expenses reimbursed to trustees of £1,031 (2021–22: £586) relate to travel and subsistence costs for attending trustee meetings and other sub-committees of the Board of Trustees in the year.

31.03.23 31.03.22 £000 £000 Trustees’/Members’ travel expenses 1 1

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

7. Staff costs

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7.1 Analysis of staff costs 31.03.23 31.03.22
£000 £000
Wages and salaries 31,335 28,917
Social security costs 3,000 2,594
Pension costs 1,394 1,292
Total 35,729 32,803
Other staff costs
External consultancy 465 451
Redundancy and termination 80 69
Agency staff 331 321
Total 876 841
Total staff costs 36,605 33,644
Redundancy costs paid in the year were £80,434 (£69,021 2021–22).
Agency staff comprises staff to provide long-term illness and vacancy cover.
7.2 Key management personnel 31.03.23 31.03.22
£000 £000
Remuneration to key management personnel 618 567
The key management personnel are listed on page 66.
7.3 The number of employees paid more than £60,000 was: 31.03.23 31.03.22
£000 £000
£60,000–£70,000 9 6
£70,001–£80,000 1 2
£80,001–£90,000 6 4
£90,001–£100,000 – 1
£100,001–£110,000 1 1
Total 17 14
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The total pension contributions for the above higher paid staff were £88,685 (2021–22: £50,426).

7.4 Number of employees

7.4 Number of employees
The average number of employees is split as follows:	31.03.23	31.03.22
	£000	£000
Support and management Service delivery National Homicide Service	152 1,004 74	118 947 75
Total	1,230	1,140

Annual leave carry over at 31 March 2023 was calculated at £287,086 (2021–22 £333,110) which is 0.6% (2021–22 0.8%) of total expenditure. This amount is not material and therefore no provision has been made.

7.5 Volunteers

A total of 571 (2021–22: 682) dedicated volunteers generously gave 43,884 (2021–22: 40,620) hours of their time to Victim Support in 2022–23.

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Financial statements

8. Property, plant and equipment

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Long Fixtures & Office Software & IT Total Intangible
leasehold fittings equipment infrastructure tangible
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Cost
At 1 April 2022 287 122 49 5,099 5,557 –
Additions/Disposals – – – – – 638
At 31 March 2023 287 122 49 5,099 5,557 638
Depreciation
–
At 1 April 2022 (284) (58) (49) (4,849) (5,240)
– –
Depreciation charge in year (3) (26) (35) (64)
At 31 March 2023 (287) (84) (49) (4,884) (5,304) –
Net book value as at – 38 – 215 253 638
31 March 2023
Net book value as at 4 64 – 250 318 –
31 March 2022
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9. Operating lease commitments

Total commitments under operating leases were as follows:

	31.03.23	31.03.22
	£000	£000
	Payable within one year 614 Payable between two and fveyears 156	1,281 277
	Total 770	1,558

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

10. Investments in subsidiaries

Victims Support Limited (02609147), a company incorporated in the UK, is wholly owned by the charitable company. Audited accounts are filed with the Registrar of Companies. The cost of this investment is £10,000. A summary of the results for the year and the financial position at 31 March 2023 is shown in the table below. The profits of the company will be donated to Victim Support within nine months of the year end.

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31.03.23 31.03.22
Turnover 90,990 74,688
Cost of sales (6,029) (2,718)
Gross profit 84,961 71,970
Administrative expenses (63,276) (26,897)
Net profit 21,685 45,073
Distribution to Victim Support (64,438) –
(Decrease)/Increase in net assets (42,753) 45,073
Statement of financial position
Debtors 14,885 930
Cash at bank 93,705 115,061
Creditors (96,270) (60,918)
Net assets 12,320 55,073
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11. Debtors

11. Debtors	11. Debtors
Consolidated		Charity
31.03.23	31.03.22	31.03.23	31.03.22
£000	£000	£000	£000
Trade debtors 5,106 Inter-company debtors – Other debtors 26 Prepayments 699 Accrued income 1,023	3,276 – 30 635 2,499	5,106 87 27 685 1,021	3,275 56 30 635 2,499
Total 6,854	6,440	6,926	6,495

12. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

12. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year	12. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Consolidated		Charity
31.03.23	31.03.22	31.03.23	31.03.22
£000	£000	£000	£000
Trade creditors 791 Taxation and social security 1,940 Other creditors 599 Accruals 645 Deferred income 2,961	1,066 1,679 219 701 4,086	791 1,930 599 645 2,961	1,066 1,675 219 700 4,086
Total 6,936	7,751	6,926	7,746

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Financial statements

13. Deferred income

	At	Deferred in	Released in	Balance at
	01.04.22	the year	the year	31.03.23
	£000	£000	£000	£000
	Total 4,086	1,161	2,286	2,961
14. Provisions for liabilities
	Balance at	Movement in		Balance at
	01.04.22	provision		31.03.23
	£000		£000	£000
	Total 374		(43)	331

The provision relates to dilapidation costs for leasehold properties where Victim Support has a contractual obligation to bear such costs. The dilapidations will become payable on lease terminations.

15. Analysis of net assets between funds

Unrestricted	Restricted	31.03.23	Unrestricted	Restricted	31.03.22
funds	funds	Total funds	funds	funds	Total funds
£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Fixed assets 891 Current assets 11,705 Current liabilities (5,074) Provision for liabilities (331)	– 4,470 (1,862) –	891 16,175 (6,936) (331)	318 12,708 (5,057) (374)	– 5,133 (2,693) –	318 17,841 (7,750) (374)
Total 7,191	2,608	9,799	7,595	2,440	10,035

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

16. Movement in funds

----- Start of picture text -----
At Income Expenditure Transfer At
01.04.22 between 31.03.23
funds
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000
16.1 Restricted funds
National Homicide Service – MoJ 1 4,235 (4,235) – 1
National Homicide Service – non-MoJ 233 111 (37) – 307
Other central restricted 79 – – – 79
Total – central 313 4,346 (4,272) – 387
Restricted by location
Wales and West 539 4,077 (4,142) – 474
London 731 1,798 (1,802) – 727
Northern England and East Midlands 665 1,468 (1,355) – 778
South East 192 1,338 (1,288) – 242
Total – locality 2,127 8,681 (8,587) – 2,221
Total restricted funds 2,440 13,027 (12,859) – 2,608
16.2 Unrestricted funds 7,595 35,275 (35,679) – 7,191
Total funds 10,035 48,302 (48,538) – 9,799
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MoJ grants: During the year the charity received £4.2m (2021–22 £4.2m) in grant-in-aid restricted for the National Homicide Service.

Funds restricted by purpose and location: The local reserves restricted by purpose and location will be spent on services as specified by the donors.

Unrestricted funds: These are available for the general objectives of the charity.

Other restricted funds: These are funds set aside to support small projects such as Supportline and Safer Schools.

17. Related party transactions

Other than transactions with the subsidiary company (Victims Support Limited) there were no related party transactions during the year (2021–22: nil). Transactions with Victims Support Limited in the year totalled £63,276 (2021–22: £26,897) which related to costs incurred by the trading company on victim awareness courses, paid by the charity on behalf of the subsidiary.

At 31 March 2023 the amount owed by Victims Support Limited to Victim Support charity was £86,686 (2021–22: £56,467).

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Thank you

Our people

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff and volunteers for the support they provided this year to help people manage after crime and feel safer.

We were also fortunate to benefit from the involvement of people who have used our services. They help us continually improve our offer to victims and witnesses of crime, and we are thankful for their contributions.

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Equality, diversity and inclusion

At VS, we take pride in being a diverse organisation that is committed to supporting and promoting equality and inclusion in the services we provide, as well as through our employee and volunteer practices. Key activities with staff and volunteers were undertaken this year:

n Development of our interim EDI strategy, setting our direction of travel and key activities for 2023–2024;
n Our six EDI networks carried out a huge range of activity including a reasonable adjustment survey and updates to guidance, activities related to Black History Month, consultation on a range of policies and information and awareness raising webinars on topics such as neuro-inclusive workplaces, inclusive recruitment, anti-racism and LGBTQ+ domestic abuse;
n We continued our menopause café – a space for staff to come together, share experiences and provide peer support;
n We maintained our Disability Confident Status, Stonewall Top 100 Employer Status and won Pink News Award for the second year;
n Gender, disability and ethnicity pay gaps published with associated actions to drive improvement. Although gender pay gap reporting is mandatory, we choose to go further and examine our disability and ethnicity pay gaps to ensure we create a fully inclusive workplace; and
n Evaluation of our minority ethnic mentoring pilot showed it successfully delivered on the aims of the programme. The evaluation is being fed into the ongoing development of a wider mentoring programme.

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Thank you

Composition of the VS staff

75.2% Female 10.9% Male 0.3% Non-binary 0.2% Prefer to self-describe 12.9% Didn’t declare their gender 0.6% Preferred not to respond 69.8% White 7.4% Asian 5.7% Black 2.5% Mixed Ethnicity 0.6% Other Ethnic Group 12.8% Didn’t declare their ethnicity 1.2% Preferred not to respond 73.5% Identify as heterosexual 8.4% Identify as LGB+ 1.3% Prefer to self-describe 0.2% Asexual 13% Didn’t declare their sexual orientation 3.6% Preferred to not respond 41.2% Do not have a religion 29.4% Christian 5.9% Muslim 3.4% Prefer to self-describe 1.3% Sikh 0.9% Hindu 0.5% Buddhist 0.3% Jewish 12.8% Didn’t declare their religion 4.4% Preferred not to respond

Pay gap analysis

VS has been publishing its gender pay gap since 2017 in line with regulatory requirements. Ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting is not yet a legal requirement but as part of VS’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and in line with our EDI strategy we published our ethnicity and disability pay gap data for 2022–23 on our website and will continue to do so each year to show our progress.

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Gender pay gap

For the financial year 2022–23, women’s mean pay is 14.2% lower than men’s, while women’s median pay is 9.6% lower than men’s. No employee received a bonus at VS.

There is no evidence that our gender pay gap is caused by differences in pay for men and women working in the same role or position.

The gap arises because the ratio of women to men at VS decreases at higher levels of the organisation – meaning there is a higher percentage of men in managerial positions when we compare this with the percentage of men and women in more junior roles. This influences both the mean and median gaps.

Find out what action VS is taking to address the gender pay gap.

Ethnicity pay gap

For the financial year 2022–23, Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff’s mean pay is 0.4% higher than White staff’s and Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff’s mean pay median pay is 3.6% higher than White staff’s pay.

This is no evidence that our ethnicity pay gap is caused by differences in pay for Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff and White staff working in the same role or position.

The mean and median pay for Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff is higher than for White staff, resulting in a positive ethnicity pay gap. Quartile 4 spans a wide variety of roles and pay bands and although Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff represent 23% of this quartile Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff are less represented at the top end of this quartile, eg Senior Management and Wider Management Team roles. We are also mindful of regional differences in diversity and the subsequent impact of London weighting on these figures, as a high proportion of the Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff within Victim Support receive London weighting. We are committed to ensuring that our pay gap reporting and subsequent actions are proportionate and reflective of the diverse staff population of Victim Support across England and Wales. As such we will continue to monitor the proportion of Black, Asian and minority ethnic and White staff that receive London weighting within our pay gap analysis and factor this in to any regionally specific actions to address pay gaps accordingly.

Find out what action VS is taking to address the BAME pay gap.

Disability pay gap

For the financial year 2022–23, disabled staff’s mean pay is 8.8% lower than non-disabled staff’s pay, while disabled staff’s median pay is 2.5% lower than non-disabled staff’s pay.

There is no evidence that our disability pay gap is caused by differences in pay for disabled and nondisabled staff working in the same role or position.

The disability pay gap arises because the ratio of disabled staff to non-disabled staff at VS decreases at higher levels of the organisation – meaning there is a higher percentage of non-disabled staff in managerial positions when we compare this with the percentage of non-disabled and disabled staff in more junior roles. This influences both the mean and median gaps.

Find out what action VS is taking to address the disability pay gap.

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Thank you

Our funders

We are thankful to all those who have supported us in 2022–23. We would particularly like to recognise the following organisations:

Abri

Bank of Ireland (UK) plc

Barclays Bank UK plc

Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation and Luton Council’s Social Justice Unit as part of the Luton Citizen’s Fund

Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation as part of the Luton Rising – Community Investment Fund

Bracknell BID

Brighton & Hove City Council

Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard (trading as “Switchboard”)

Bristol City Council

Bristol Missing Link Limited

Brit Insurance Cardiff City Council Central Bedfordshire Council

City of London Corporation/City of London Police

Compass Wellbeing CIC

Co-op

Covid-19 Support Fund (Association of British Insurers)

Evander

General Medical Council

General Optical Council

General Osteopathic Council Gloucestershire County Council

Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Hampshire Council Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group Home Office

Hull City Council Isle of Wight Council Koestler Arts Lancaster City Council Leeds Community Safety

London Borough of Bexley London Borough of Camden London Borough of Ealing London Borough of Haringey London Borough of Islington London Borough of Merton London Borough of Tower Hamlets London Borough of Waltham Forest Luton Borough Council Maresfield Parish Council Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (London) Ministry of Justice

National Lottery Community Fund (formerly the Big Lottery)

National Westminster Bank plc

NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board

NHS South East London Clinical Commissioning Group

North Horsham Parish Council

Nursing and Midwifery Council Office for Public Management Ltd, trading as Traverse

Patricia Routledge Charitable Trust

Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset

Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner for Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall

Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire

Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent

Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the IoW

Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire

Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire

Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex

Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner for West Midlands

Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire

Public Services Ombudsman for Wales Reading Borough Council

Social Care Wales

South Gloucestershire Council Stonewall Park Charitable Trust

Suffolk County Council

The Labour Party (on behalf of the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party for the provision of the Services)

The Moira Fund

The Or Mackintosh Foundation Limited (ShareGift)

The Zochonis Charitable Trust

UK Parliament

Vivid Housing Association Wakefield Council Wakefield District Housing

Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

Welsh Government West Sussex County Council

West Yorkshire Combined Authority Winchester City Council Worcestershire County Council

Ring

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council Rossendale Borough Council Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Safe Spaces England and Wales

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

SECOM Plc

Sir Charles Jessel Charitable Trust Slater and Gordon Lawyers

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Thank you

Our supporters and fundraisers

We are thankful to all those who fundraised and supported us in 2022–23.

Callum walked 100 miles across the Lake District over the course of three days to raise money for Victim Support, who helped him recover from years of childhood sexual abuse.

A 100-mile walk to raise money and awareness

Callum embarked on the 100 mile walk with the aim to raise money to increase awareness about sexual abuse amongst young people, and to help fund local services for people who have also fallen victim to crime, just like him.

“I want to help prevent people from suffering in silence and potentially losing their lives from suicide, domestic abuse or sexual abuse. Honestly, I don’t know where I would be without Victim Support. I would like to thank my caseworker who enabled me to turn from a victim to a survivor. I will never be able to find the words to express how thankful I am. I hope that the money raised will help VS continue their life-changing work in supporting victims of crime.”

Thank you so much for your support, Callum.

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2022–23 Annual Report and Accounts

Reference and administrative details

Charity number: 298028 Registered as a charity in England and Wales Company number: 2158780 Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales Registered office: Ground Floor, Building 3, Eastern Business Park, Wern Fawr Lane, Old St Mellons, Cardiff, CF3 5EA

Company Secretary: Carrie Rich

Advisers

Auditor: Mazars LLP, 6 Sutton Plaza, Sutton Court Road, Sutton, Surrey SM1 4FS Bankers: Lloyds Banking Group plc, 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN Solicitors: Bates Wells Braithwaite, 10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R 1BE

Directors and trustees

The directors of the charitable company (the Charity) are its trustees for the purpose of company law. The trustees and officers serving during the year and since year end were as follows:

Key management personnel

President	HRH, The Princess Royal
Chair	Andrew Tivey
Vice-chair	Roger Harding
Treasurer	Kathryn Adkins
Trustees	Andrew Edwards
	Helen Evans
	Rachel Onikosi
	Debbie Gillatt(Trustee from June 2022)
	Laura Johnson(Trustee from June 2022)
	Clarisse Mallem
	Amanda Stanley-Hamilton

More information about the trustees can be found on the VS website.

Senior Management Team

nt Team
Diana Fawcett	Chief Executive Ofcer (until 25 June 2023)
Katie Kempen	Chief Executive Ofcer (from 26 June 2023)
Zoe Byrne	Services Director – South and Wales
Martyn Herward	Director of Business Services
Simon Ketteridge	Director of Business Development, Insight and External Afairs
Kultar Nayyar	Services Director – London and Homicide
Johanna Parks	Services Director – Northern England and Midlands
Carrie Rich	Director of Finance

More information about the Senior Management Team can be found on the VS website.

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Thank you

Join us in making a difference

Help us to support and empower people affected by crime and traumatic events.

www.victimsupport.org.uk

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We are an independent charity offering free, confidential support to people affected by crime and traumatic incidents.

For information and support, contact us by: n calling: Supportline 08 08 16 89 111 n using our 24/7 live chat service: victimsupport.org.uk/live-chat n using BSL: victimsupport.org.uk/bsl n Online: victimsupport.org.uk To find out how you can help us, visit victimsupport.org.uk/get-involved

victimsupport.org.uk

@VictimSupport

VictimSupport victimsupport_uk

Linkedin.com/company/victim-support

Published by Victim Support President: HRH, The Princess Royal Victim Support, Ground Floor, Building 3, Eastern Business Park, Wern Fawr Lane, Old St Mellons, Cardiff CF3 5EA Telephone: 020 7268 0200 Charity registration: 298028. Company no: 2158780. Registered in England. Limited by guarantee. Registered office as above.

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Who we are

About this report

Contents

Welcome

2022–23

Our work

What we need

A special mention

About us

We are local

We are national

We are independent

We are inclusive

We make a difference

Following our help and support:

Awards and accreditations

VS services in England and Wales

Local and national services

Independent victim services

What we do

For the individual affected by crime

For all people affected by crime

Our services

Multi crime

Terrorism and other major incidents of crime

Domestic abuse

Sexual violence

National Homicide Service

Antisocial behaviour

Children and young people

Fraud

Hate crime

2022–23 in numbers

Trustees’ report Achievements and performance

Children and Young Peoples’ Charity of the Year

WeMatter

Jack[*] experienced domestic abuse in the home

Domestic homicide training

Knowledge sharing

They Matter

We developed our national safeguarding policy and strengthened our practitioner resources and delivery

We co-ordinated and developed our specialist fraud practice tools and techniques

Fraud strategy

Specialist fraud practice tools and techniques

Diane lost her entire life savings through a cost of living fraud.

We said we would develop new services that will meet new and emerging needs

Social value

We continued to deliver on the VS digital strategy, developing an app to increase access to our My Support Space content.

VS website

My Support Space

My Support Space feedback

Victim of stalking who completed the Stalking guide

We said we would deliver effective services in the way people want to receive them.

New VS Support Framework

We are focusing on creating an integrated people and organisational development strategy.

We have made progress in developing the next VS strategy

We said we would influence change by making the case for people to have stronger rights and feel respected by the criminal justice system.

Male, victim of race-related hate crime – quote features in “It’s who I am” report

Future plans

Strategic report

Structure, governance and management

Governance structures

Board of Trustees

Organisation

Board of Trustees

The Senior Management Team

Trustees’ duty to promote the success of the Charity – Section 172 statement

Service users

Employees

Volunteers

Funders

Partners and collaborators

Local communities

Subsidiary companies

Key management personnel remuneration

Public benefit

Good governance

Appointment of trustees

Ethical policy

**Jack[*]** experienced domestic abuse in the home