**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
- Company Number: 02182533
**Registered Charity Number: 299128**
## **UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED**
**(Limited by Guarantee)**
## **REPORTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|**CONTENTS**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees’ Report|1 - 17|
|Independent Auditor’s Report|18 - 20|
|Statement of Financial Activities||
|(Including an income and expenditure account)|21|
|Balance Sheet|22|
|Cash Flow Statement|23|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|24 - 41|
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **Welcome**
## Who we are
United Christian Broadcasters (‘UCB’) is a non-denominational Christian media charity.
## Our vision and our benefit to the public
Our vision statement is _changing lives for good by the power of God’s Word_ . The public benefit we deliver is centred on this vision and is available to both Christians and non-Christians in a wide variety of accessible and userfriendly formats. We are passionate about seeing lives changed for good in spiritual and practical ways which reflect and demonstrate the Christian faith. These are the benefits that arise out of our charitable objectives.
The comments given throughout this report have been received from the public during the year in response to these benefits.
We confirm that we have complied with our duty in section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
“I listen to UCB regularly and it's amazing how in my most vulnerable moments there’s something that is said or a song I hear that is about my exact situation and brings release, comfort and a new energy”
## Charitable objectives
Our charitable objectives are, for the public benefit in the United Kingdom or overseas:
- The advancement of the Christian religion
- The advancement of religious or other education
- The relief of the aged, poor, sick or disabled
## Key areas of activity
We further our charitable objectives by operating in the following key areas:
- Radio, News, Podcasts and Video (via DAB digital radio, live stream services, the UCB Player App and podcast providers)
- Publication and distribution of Christian resources across a range of print and electronic media
- Delivery of the Christian message through other digital channels, e.g. social media and Apps
- Providing OneHope resources for young people
“The UCB Word For Today encourages me to read different parts of the Bible that I might not naturally go to, and helps me understand some of the stories. Thank you so much”
- Offering a Prayerline service providing excellent quality national prayer support
- Development of the UCB Kingdom Academy to equip the Church for growth in the digital age
- • Making charitable donations and grants to partner organisations supporting similar activities throughout the world
Our objectives and activities reflect the Great Commission of Jesus Christ (Matthew chapter 28 verses 18-19) in the areas of prayer, evangelism, discipleship and mission. Our mission is to offer every person in every place every moment of the day, the opportunity to hear, watch or read the Word of God in a relevant and engaging way.
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**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **Strategic report**
## **Review of the year, aims, achievements and performance**
_**I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:17-18**_
It is a great privilege to serve with a ministry like UCB, a ministry that’s focused on bringing hope and ‘the riches of God’s Word’ to everyone, whether they’re at home, on the move, in the car or even in a prison cell. We continue to receive hundreds of stories from people whose lives have been impacted by something they have heard, read or watched whether that’s through the UCB Word For Today, Radio, a post on social media or a connection they’ve made with Prayerline.
We’re so thankful to God for his provision and faithfulness throughout 2024 and particularly so as we celebrated the 30[th] year of the UCB Word For Today and a ‘divine partnership’ with the late Bob Gass and now continued with his wife Debby and team.
“I listen to the UCB Word For Today on the App every morning. God is using UCB to reach out to people and that is why I support UCB. We are an amazing family!”
We continue to thank God for the faithful partners who stand with UCB year after year, as together we work toward seeing ‘lives changed for good by the power of God’s Word.’
## David L’Herroux, UCB’s Chief Executive
We are so thankful and grateful for the work of our leaders, staff and volunteers who’ve responded to 2024 with hard work, grace, unity and commitment. Looking back on 2024 and all its achievements and being inspired by all that’s to come in 2025, here are some of many highlights:
- Hosted a celebration event marking the 30[th] anniversary of the UCB Word For Today. The event included a 100-voice national choir and over 1300 partners and friends of UCB attended. Building on the success of ‘Foundation on the road’ in 2023, we held a further 8 events in 2024 (6 in-house, 2 ‘on the road’) with a total of 398 guests attending
- Following a successful pilot year in 2023, in 2024 Kingdom Academy welcomed 77 external participants, held 4 Worship Training Weekends, 1 Worship Training Week, 1 Media Weekend (in partnership with Christians in Media) and recorded over 10,000 hours of development time with both internal staff and external candidates
- ‘Just for You’ - a further 50,000 copies of our Evangelistic edition of “UCB has been part of our lives for over
- Word for Today were printed bringing total print and distribution to20 years, now with
- date to 150,000 copies DAB we wake up to
- • The Village of Hope - after a successful first year in 2023 in which worship and prayer. £32,525 was raised at the end of the year and donated in 2024, a There’s always a second successful campaign during 2024 saw a total of £56,957 song or a word that raised and donated in 2025 (an increase of 75% on the previous speaks right into year) which will help to transform children’s lives in Romania our circumstance”
- Broadcasting - we recruited a full-time podcast producer, expanded our social media presence, produced powerful personal stories on video to mark the 30[th] anniversary of the UCB Word For Today, introduced new specialist music programmes, applied AI-tools to speed up content creation and used satellite technology to broadcast live from around the UK
- In 2024 we had a 60% increase in meetings with Strategic Partners and Church leaders with some significant relationship building opportunities achieved
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**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
2025 promises to be a year of acceleration as we complete significant projects including phase 1 and phase 2 of our Integrated Data Project and launch of our new website. Everything we do is centred around preparing for an unprecedented move of God across the nation and seeing ‘lives changed for good by the power of God’s Word’. Our commitments for the year include:
|•
Implementing phase 1 and phase 2 of our Integrated Data Project
covering our Finance and Marketing systems
•
Following a ‘pause’ (to allow for implementation of new CRM
system), we look forward to the launch of a new UCB website with a
focus on user experience and improved access to content
•
Continuing to develop broadcasting content on all platforms (radio,
podcasts and UCB Player) to further enhance listener engagement
•
Further development of ‘Spark’ – UCB’s brand new devotional app
for kids which was launched September 2024
|“UCB Prayerline
gives me that sense
of peace, knowing
that I'm not alone.
I'm really grateful
that I've come to a
place in life where I
feel content”|
|---|---|
- Further development of ‘Spark’ – UCB’s brand new devotional app for kids which was launched September 2024
- Building on our achievement of Investors in People Gold accreditation
- Combining our Burslem and Hanchurch sites as ‘ground is broken’ on developing our Burslem site into an all-in-one media and operations centre. The existing Hanchurch site will be repurposed as the new home to the UCB Kingdom
Our strategic focus remains on:
- Deepening our understanding and growing audiences across our various platforms (Print, digital, Apps, website and more)
- Growing our relationships across different departments particularly expanding on the collaboration between the Communications and Radio departments
- ‘Joining the dots’ on all our data, bringing it all into one integrated system, helping our audiences to have much easier access to UCB’s resources
- Exploring and developing new income streams for sustained impact
The Trustees are of the opinion that UCB is able to continue as a going concern for the foreseeable future. This opinion has been reached after having reviewed the organisation’s financial forecasts covering a period of several years and a range of scenarios, including the foreseeable economic climate.
## Broadcasting and podcasting
We continue to focus on the quality and broad appeal of our broadcasts and podcasts, centred on the Christian faith.
## _Radio: UCB1 and UCB 2_
Broadcasting nationally on DAB digital radio (on DAB+ in stereo) and streamed online on the UCB website (ucb.co.uk/listen), smartphones and tablets with the UCB Player App, live radio streaming services, internet radio and voice-activated smart speakers.
## _Video_
Video content from UCB can be seen on the UCB Player App, on the UCB YouTube channel and on UCB social media.
## _What we aimed to do in 2024_
- Introduce new platforms for radio listening (to reach more people)
- Introduce new video resources (to provide access to a greater range of Bible-based content)
- Introduce live weekend radio output (to better reflect current events)
_Achievements and performance in 2024_
- UCB1 and UCB2 are now available on Freeview TV (Channel 277: UK Radio Portal)
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**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
- With the appointment of a full-time Podcast Producer, UCB Podcasts have increased and are now available on YouTube
- A radio presenter is now scheduled for weekend work to coincide with the established weekend rota for a UCB News journalist
## _What we aim to do in 2025_
- Establish new broadcast facilities
- “I found UCB radio
- • Build a new social media following (especially on Instagram) for UCB1, and it's now my
- UCB2, UCB News, UCB Podcasts and UCB Videos staple radio
- • With the appointment of a full-time Testimonies Producer, expand the station” number of inspiring personal stories on air
- Build a new social media following (especially on Instagram) for UCB1, UCB2, UCB News, UCB Podcasts and UCB Videos
## Publications
The UCB Word For Today is our daily Bible devotional and in 2024 we launched Spark, a video-based devotional App for kids with daily videos based on readings from the UCB Word For Today (see other digital delivery – non-broadcasting). In addition, we reprinted an additional 50,000 copies of Just For You, a 30 day ‘taster’ version of the Word For Today designed for people who are exploring faith. These are available to order free of charge on our website and have also been distributed to churches and at events across the UK.
All our resources are distributed free of charge, with the aim of helping Christians to grow in their faith. With a particular focus this year on our new Spark App for kids, we are excited to bring Word For Today in a relatable way to a brand-new age group and audience. By equipping young people with the biblical tools they need for today’s challenges, we hope to instil in them a lifelong love for God’s Word.
## _UCB Word For Today_
UCB’s daily devotional is available as a printed resource, as well as via email and online at www.ucb.co.uk/read. An audio version is played on our national DAB radio station UCB 2 and also hosted on the UCB Player App.
## _OneHope_
## _www.ucb.co.uk/onehope_
UCB continues to have dynamic partnership with OneHope, an international ministry helping to change the lives of young people globally. OneHope works in hundreds of countries around the world, reaching children of all ages with Biblical print and digital resources and their team has worked closely this year with the UCB marketing team to create and deliver our Spark App. Through workshops and sharing of resources, our relationship with OneHope has grown significantly this year and we look forward to all that 2025 will bring.
We also partner with OneHope to produce and distribute Bible-based booklets designed for children. We distribute these primarily through the Bag of Hope, which is a free bag (100% recyclable, made of sugar cane) which contains a Bible-based booklet and a leaflet about UCB’s resources.
## _What we aimed to do in 2024_
- Update Just for You (in line with supporter feedback) and reprint
- Create 4 new UCB Word For Today reading plans to be hosted on the YouVersion App
- Streamline Word for Today email lists
## _Achievements and performance in 2024_
- 50,000 copies of ‘Just For You’ printed and continue to be distributed at events and with connections across the UK.
- 2 x new reading plans were launched on the YouVersion App with over 124,000 people engaging with all our plans in 2024. The most popular plan in 2024 was ‘Facing the giant of addiction’.
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**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
- Migrating our email lists to a new provider has allowed them to be streamlined although work in this area will continue as we launch our new CRM.
## _What we aim to do in 2025_
- Measure the impact of our Spark App using GDPR compliant analytics, protecting young people’s privacy
- Revise and reprint an updated version of Just For You
- Develop the style and design of UCB Word For Today (print) to continue to grow the audience
## - Other digital delivery (non broadcasting)
UCB’s mission is to reach every person in every place at every moment of the day with the lifechanging Word of God and so we’re always looking for new ways to reach people, whether that’s through digital platforms (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram etc), the UCB Player App, our Spark App for kids, our website or print publications.
## _What we aimed to do in 2024_
- Launch our new website
- Undertake an audit of all our digital marketing, including website, email and social media
- Work closely with Broadcasting department on introduction of new studio cameras to create social media content
_Achievements and performance in 2024_
- Spark, UCB’s brand new devotional App for kids was made available on the App Store/Google Play. More information can be found at ucbspark.co.uk
- Our new website will be launched in 2025. It was decided to pause the project and focus on delivery of the new CRM first. Significant progress has been made.
“The UCB Kingdom Academy learning environment is encouraging with room to learn and grow and be a part of a wide variety of activities. There are many staff here who have different roles and there is so much to learn from them”
- An independent audit of our digital marketing took place and provided key insights for future growth
- Following installation of new studio cameras an internal working team was formed and we are creating and sharing brand new radio-focused (UCB 1) content on social media (on Instagram and Facebook)
## _What we aim to do in 2025_
- Develop UCB’s presence on TikTok and review our other social media channels
- Launch UCB’s new website with a focus on user experience
## OneHope
## UCB.CO.UK/onehope
UCB continues to have a strategic alliance with OneHope, a dynamic international ministry helping to change the lives of young people globally. OneHope works in hundreds of countries around the world, reaching children of all ages with Biblical print and digital resources. UCB’s OneHope partnership, which includes our annual ‘Bag of Hope’ initiative reaching thousands of young people and their families in the UK, is strengthened by OneHope digital resources and publications.
## _What we aimed to do in 2024_
- Launch new digital youth resource *
- Reprint Books and Bags of Hope
- Work with OneHope on producing digital content *
- _Our Spark App for kids is now included under other digital delivery (non-broadcasting)_
_Achievements and performance in 2024_
- Nearly 70,000 Bags of Hope distributed across the UK
- Promoted OneHope’s Bible App for Kids in our print publications
5
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
- Wrote to UCB’s partners to share information about our partnership with OneHope
## _What we aim to do in 2025_
- Reprint Bags of Hope
- Continue to work with OneHope on content development
- Continue to promote OneHope’s resources to audiences across the UK
## Prayerline
UCB.CO.UK/pray, 01782 36 3000
Our Prayerline gives people the opportunity to receive prayer support by telephone, or to submit prayer requests via the UCB website or by post. Our trained call-taker volunteers are able to listen and pray with callers, seeking to encourage them with God’s Word. The call service is resourced by home based volunteers, and a separate group who focus on prayers received via the web, and a third that focuses on prayers received by post.
“You are there in times of need - UCB Prayerline is such a soothing balm”
## _What we aimed to do in 2024_
- Continue to launch Geo-Hubs across the regions; we are aiming for a further seven this year
- We plan to undertake a concerted recruitment campaign of volunteers
- We aim to share the prayer ministry model with others, such as churches, so that other Prayerlines can be set up
## _Achievements and performance in 2024_
- 70 Geo-Hubs have been established through the UK during 2024
- Eight Prayerline volunteers have been identified and mentored by the Broadcasting team, to be involved in praying on radio (Prayer Breakthrough)
- Prayerline’s profile has been raised within UCB: on air and at events such as Foundation Days and the Big Church Festival
## _What we aim to do in 2025_
- Ensure our telephone system meets the Prayerline’s business requirements and develop a strategy for ongoing development
- Further develop the documentation and planning resource of “How to set up a Prayerline service”
- A potential opportunity has arisen for a collaboration to recruit for volunteers, with a Church leader in London
## UCB Kingdom Academy
A key element within our Strategic Plan is to focus on ‘building for growth’ in preparation for the promise of an unprecedented move of God. We aim to build on lessons learned from the UCB Academy (which began in 2012 on a small scale) and establish an international 'Kingdom Academy' designed to uniquely and practically equip the Church for growth in a 21st century digital age incorporating a unique blend of five ‘pillars’. UCB will lead the training on the first pillar of Media and work in close partnership with specialists to deliver the other four pillars: Ministry, Mission, Management and Music (i.e. worship).
## _What we aimed to do in 2024_
- Conduct a Feasibility Study into incorporating Visible Music College’s relevant training modules and course content into UCB’s media training course – thereby enhancing the Kingdom Academy’s 5M ‘pillars’
“There was a wonderful mix of talents at the UCB Kingdom Academy event and it was so good to be with other believers worshipping the Lord. I would recommend anyone thinking about taking part. It certainly encouraged and uplifted me”
- Host a joint training and development event with a new partner organisation: Christians in Media (CiM)
6
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
- Continue to develop the media training course content in a) creating inspiring radio programmes, b) interview techniques and media law, c) digital content creation, d) management and leadership and e) Biblical and theological foundations
- In relation to two key UCB projects, the Kingdom Academy will develop plans a) to accommodate training during refurbishment of the Burslem building, and b) to align and manage key training requirements linked to UCB’s Integrated Data Project.
- _Achievements and performance in 2024_
- Launched an accredited Certificate in Modern Media (pilot course in partnership with Visible College) and accredited by TRACS (US)
- Delivered a range of Media and Worship Training courses (residential, onsite and online) throughout the year to 77 participants
- Delivered a successful Media Weekend in conjunction with Christians in Media (on their Mentee Programme) covering a range of media studies including a Podcast Challenge
_What we aim to do in 2025_
- In partnership with ministry partners, develop 4 new training opportunities (on-line and on-site) from January 2025 to run throughout the year and extend to 2025/2026 academic year for individuals, church groups and other ministries, UCB Affiliates, as well as UCB staff and volunteers
- Organise a Graduation Ceremony (4 July 2025) for students, family members, sponsors and other stakeholders
- Collaboratively work with internal teams to initiate three organisational projects for students on the Certificate in Modern Media as part of the Creative Leadership module
## Grants paid
During the year we invested in making grants available to 5 organisations (2023: 4 organisations) with similar charitable aims to UCB, for the furtherance of Christian media activity.
## Global broadcasting & publication support
We provide practical and financial assistance to other Christian broadcasters and publishers throughout the world. Our grant making policy is to provide grants for the development of UCB Word For Today publications and broadcasting activity, consistent with our charitable objectives.
## _What we aimed to do in 2024_
- Continue developing the European network of Affiliates, and associated organisations who are already established but not branded UCB
“I listen to UCB in my work van and at home, and I leave it on in the van for the word to spread to the next person that drives it after me”
- Continue to encourage non self-sufficient Affiliates to become self-sufficient
- Embrace new technology, e.g. Artificial Intelligence
## _Achievements and performance in 2024_
- Continued to develop our role as a European regional hub, working in relationship with UCB International and providing assistance through grants, training, technical resources and spiritual support to other Christian broadcasters and publishers primarily throughout Europe
- Encouraged non self-sufficient Affiliates to become self-sufficient
## _What we aim to do in 2025_
- Continue developing the European network of Affiliates, and associated organisations who are already established but not branded UCB
- Continue to encourage non self-sufficient Affiliates to become self-sufficient
- Develop virtual and in person conferences, and visit countries on a priority basis
7
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
Capital expenditure Longer term planned capital expenditure includes:
- Implementation of a new enterprise system enabling data to be integrated across the organisation
- Refurbishment of our Burslem site
- Updating our Hanchurch Broadcast Centre to facilitate the UCB Academy’s increased training activity
## **Volunteers and gifts-in-kind**
Our Prayerline is resourced by 186 (123 phone, 25 email, 38 postal) trained volunteers supported by a small team of paid staff. Without volunteer help this vital ministry would simply not be possible. During 2024 this equated to 12,173 hours volunteered.
UCB also benefits from the help of approximately 7,900 active church advocates throughout the country. While it is not possible to accurately quantify the hours worked, these volunteers provide an essential connection between UCB and its supporters and beneficiaries at a grass roots level. We also benefit from a pool of casual volunteers who support the ministry in a variety of ways.
There were no major gifts in kind during the year, although UCB aims to achieve synergy in effective partnerships with other organisations.
8
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **Financial review**
The following information has been summarised from our Statement of Financial Activities:
||**2024**|“The UCB Word For|
|---|---|---|
||**£000**|Today gives you|
|Income||something practical|
|Donations: non-regular|**3,371**|that you can go out|
|Donations: regular|**4,765**|and do, change an|
|Gift Aid tax claimed|**1,191**|attitude and actually|
|Legacies
Income from charitable activities
Income from investments|**509**
**83**
**343**|grow day-by-day as
you look at it. It's
accessible on so many
levels, and that's why|
||──────|we recommend it to|
||**10,262**|everyone in our|
||──────|church”|
|Expenditure
Raising funds:|||
|Fundraising & publicity|**957**||
|Charitable activities:|||
|Broadcasting|**4,110**||
|Publications|**2,406**||
|Other digital delivery (non-broadcasting)|**608**||
|OneHope|**73**||
|Kingdom Academy|**254**||
|Prayerline|**383**||
|Charitable donations|**461**||
|Grants paid|**148**||
|Global broadcasting and publication support|**187**||
||──────||
||**9,587**||
||──────||
|Surplus for the year|**675**||
||──────||
## Comments
We continue to adapt and develop the methods by which we deliver our charitable aims, actively evaluating our structure and working practices. The exceptionally high inflation of recent years has resulted in significantly higher fixed overheads which we are contractually committed to, for instance the cost of DAB radio broadcasting. Staff costs have also risen significantly and will be compounded by the 2025 increase in Employer’s National Insurance contributions. We have always freely given a message of Christian hope and this continues to be particularly well received by people from all walks of life in these continued times of uncertainty.
With the economy and world political tensions continuing to be seen as significant risks, it remains impossible to accurately forecast over the longer term. However, our priority remains to manage our income and expenditure in a way which enables us to meet demand for our services as effectively as possible and explore new opportunities, while also maintaining a level of free reserves consistent with our strategy.
## Reserves policy
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**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
Unrestricted funds (including a revaluation reserve of £181k) amounted to £11,467k. After deducting a total of £2,862k invested in fixed assets, free reserves amount to £8,605k or 10.8 months’ expenditure (2023: £8,171k or 11.4 months’ expenditure).
The Trustees have determined that the free reserves required to enable continuity of operations should not fall below 3 months’ expenditure, approximately £2,390k (2023: £2,150k). The Trustees also take into account the following factors:
- Significant capital expenditure currently in progress or under active consideration: enterprise systems and building refurbishment ensuring that UCB remains fit for purpose in the future. This justifies currently holding higher free reserves in advance of such expenditure. For example in February 2024 an agreement was entered into for the supply of a significant new enterprise system. At the time of writing the charity is also due to launch a multi-million pound refurbishment of its operations centre in Stoke-on-Trent.
- Assessment of the level of reserves required to compensate for the risks that UCB faces, particularly inflation applied to contractual commitments over the longer term
- The nature and amount of restricted funds held, particularly when they are due to be spent within the next 12 months and relate to operational costs which would otherwise be paid for out of free reserves. This would justify holding lower free reserves while the restricted funds are spent
Our overall aim remains to maintain an appropriate level of reserves by means of annual operating surpluses, supplemented by financial appeals from time to time, being balanced against an assessment of our risks and committing to expenditure if opportunities arise which enable us to pursue our objectives as effectively as possible.
|Summary of reserves
Unrestricted funds:
General reserve: undesignated
Revaluation reserve
Restricted funds:
Broadcasting costs (Radio)
Charitable donations|**2024**
**£000**
**11,286**
**181**
**38**
**55**|“I really appreciate
UCB Radio as it's
hard for me to read,
but hearing God's
word throughout
the day really helps
get the message
into my mind”|
|---|---|---|
||──────||
||**11,560**||
||──────||
The likely timing of the expenditure of restricted funds is as follows:
## Broadcasting costs (Radio)
Funds received to be spent on News and Current Affairs over the next year
## Charitable donations
Charitable donations scheduled to be made to the respective recipients over the next year
## **Risk management including principal risks and uncertainties**
Risks and the methods of controlling those risks are categorised into four areas which have been adapted from the Balanced Scorecard* model to more closely match UCB’s charitable requirements:
|Area
Charitable
Stakeholders
Process
People|Balanced Scorecard equivalent|
|---|---|
||
Financial
Customer
Business
Learning and growth|
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**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
_* Balanced Scorecard: An approach to strategic management which provides a clear prescription as to what organisations should measure in order to 'balance' a purely financial perspective._
Risks are assessed for likelihood and severity, prioritised, and an evaluation made of what action needs to be taken in relation to the higher priority risks. This process is carried out annually or more frequently as required, with actions defined for each item as appropriate.
The major financial risk we face continues to be the economic environment, coupled with global political tension. Our income remains difficult to accurately predict and many of our costs are linked to high rates of inflation. The worst case scenario would be a sustained drop in the purchasing power of our income, coupled with limited opportunities to reduce the cost of significant contracted expenditure underpinning our broadcasting and publishing activities. This would force us to re-evaluate our activities, potentially letting thousands of listeners and readers down at precisely the same time that the need for our services has never been greater.
We have prepared financial projections covering the period 2025-2029 including a detailed monthly analysis of our regular activities together with major projects such as our planned building refurbishment. These projections show the cash flow, surplus or deficit, and balance sheet during and after the lifespan of any such projects. They are based on key assumptions which are flexed covering different scenarios. The financial projections indicate that we would maintain sufficient liquidity under each scenario.
Having reviewed the output of this risk management process and identified the risks as explained above, the Trustees confirm that the major risks identified to which UCB is exposed have been assessed and procedures established to manage those risks, allowing them to be mitigated as far as reasonably possible.
## **Other information**
## **Equal Opportunities and Learning & Development**
Our policies support our strategy for an inclusive workplace, promoting equal employment opportunities, equal access to services, equal access for personal and professional development and career progression and promotion in compliance with the Equality Act 2010. These are reviewed annually and updated in accordance with changes to legislation, statutory provision and best practice. We confirm that all staff affected by these arrangements are made aware of them and that the operation and effectiveness of these arrangements is satisfactory. We are also accredited as a training centre with the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), with other training being provided as appropriate, including offering our UCB Kingdom Academy resources to staff and volunteers.
## **Political and charitable contributions**
During the year £461k (2023: £540k) was contributed to other Christian charitable organisations.
## **Investments**
UCB does not currently hold any significant investments. Details concerning the power to hold investments are contained in UCB’s Articles of Association.
## **Related parties**
UCB owns 100% of the issued share capital of UCB Media Limited, a dormant trading subsidiary company.
UCB owns 19.2% of the issued share capital of UCB International Limited, a corporate charitable body registered in New Zealand whose charitable objectives are consistent with ours.
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**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
## Constitution
United Christian Broadcasters Limited (UCB) is a company limited by guarantee governed by its Articles of Association as amended on 12 February 2020 and 26 January 2023.
## Affiliates
UCB voluntarily provides informal support to a number of autonomous charitable Christian media organisations primarily located in Europe. These organisations are referred to as Affiliates. UCB facilitates the sharing of skill, resources and mutual prayer support.
Trustee recruitment, appointment, induction and training Potential Trustees are identified by the following 3 key areas:
- Their existing skills, experience, availability and knowledge of UCB.
- A periodic review of the current Board of Trustees, in particular identifying any shortfalls which could be met by potential candidates.
- The ability to demonstrate a real passion to contribute to fulfilling UCB’s objectives.
Potential Trustees are put through an induction process that is carried out prior to appointment. As part of this induction a full package of background information is supplied to the candidate, a skill and experience audit is completed and assessed for compatibility with UCB’s requirements, and the candidate attends at least one Trustees’ meeting prior to appointment.
Trustees are appointed by Ordinary Resolution. Trustees can also be re-appointed following expiry of their fixed term of office of three years.
On appointment and each year thereafter, every Trustee is required to confirm in writing that he or she:
- Is willing to act as a trustee/director of UCB
- Is fully able to accept UCB’s Statement of Faith and that there is no additional doctrine that they believe which would detract from or be inconsistent with this statement
- Will use their best endeavours to meet their obligations as a trustee/director of UCB
- Will promote the success of UCB
- Understand UCB’s charitable objects, powers and rules set out in its Articles of Association
- Have declared any conflict of interest they or any related parties have, regardless of whether UCB has entered or proposes to enter into any such transactions
- Is willing to be DBS checked if required
- Is a “fit and proper” person as defined by HMRC, or if not has informed the Company Secretary. Note: this point also applies to Senior Management
- Is not automatically disqualified as a Trustee for any of the reasons listed in the Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016
Our Trustee training policy is to review the general balance of skills and experience at least once a year and provide training as required, either to individual Trustees or the Board as a whole. This is provided in-house or externally as appropriate.
## Management
The day-to-day management of the charity is delegated to the Chief Executive Officer, working with an Executive team and other staff.
## Remuneration
Each year UCB compares the remuneration of all staff, including the Executive team, with independently researched data including a detailed analysis of charity pay throughout a broad range of job roles, charity sizes, and geographical areas. In the intervening time between publication of this data and any changes to remuneration, an inflationary adjustment and a review of pay metrics published by such organisations as the Office for National Statistics are also taken into account. The current Living Wage is also considered when reviewing lower paid staff. After having taken these factors into account, it is UCB’s aim that no person should receive more than the upper quartile of the
12
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
benchmarked remuneration relevant to their role depending on their skills and experience, or receive less than the lower quartile (or the Living Wage if higher).
## Governance Code
The Charity Governance Code is periodically reviewed by the Trustees, and it is felt that no significant changes need to be made to UCB’s governance, although this is regularly kept under review. The Trustees have an appropriate balance of skills and experience, underpinned by individual commitment to UCB’s charitable aims.
## Fundraising
With regard to UCB’s approach to fundraising, UCB uses the following Fundraising Mission Statement:
_‘Fundraising is first and foremost a form of ministry. It is a way of announcing our vision and inviting other people into our mission.’ (Henri J.M. Nouwen, ‘A Spirituality of Fundraising’)_
Funds raised are the fruit of the community between God, UCB and our supporters. God’s Word and prayer are at the heart of all our Fundraising activities, on air, online and in the post. We have the confidence and freedom in God to invite willing people to build a lasting relationship with us and invest in His work. Everything we have is from our generous God. Working in unity glorifies Him and achieves His purpose.
Our world needs hope like never before and to help reach more people, we ask for support on behalf of each person whose life has been impacted and will be impacted. We thank God for every gift and for every person whose life has been changed for good by the power of God’s Word. In all our interactions, we seek to honour and respect our supporters. In our fundraising, we are accountable to God, to our supporters and to each other.
## We commit to the following:
- Adherence to God’s principles in asking for support (Exodus chapters 35-36, 1 Chronicles chapter 29, 2 Corinthians chapters 8-9)
- Adherence to governing and regulatory bodies, e.g. Charity Commission, OFCOM, Information Commissioner’s Office, Chartered Institute of Fundraising Codes of Practice, Fundraising Regulator
- Updating our supporters on the impact of what has been achieved through their donations
- Offering a range of opportunities for people to invest in the work of UCB (e.g. prayer, financial, time, skills, knowledge)
- Maintaining accurate records of our donors’ financial investment
- Being good stewards of donors’ gifts and treat every donation as a gift from God
Additionally, UCB does not engage professional fundraisers or commercial participators. However, in the likelihood of this changing, UCB would ensure a contract is agreed in line with current law and regulations, detailing the work to be carried out on both sides and highlighting the legal requirement for the supplier to declare their remuneration.
UCB endorses and subscribes to the Fundraising Regulator and adheres to all standards required. UCB fundraising is carried out in accordance with the Fundraising Regulator and in line with the Codes of Fundraising Practice set by the Chartered Institute of Fundraising. All staff engaged in fundraising are members of the Institute and benefit from CIoF continuous improvement professional development.
UCB has a process in place should we receive any fundraising complaints; we advise the complainant that UCB subscribes to the Fundraising Regulator and advises that if they are not satisfied with our handling of their complaint, to contact the Fundraising Regulator directly. UCB monitors and reports internally on fundraising complaints on a monthly basis and submits an annual return to the Fundraising Regulator. In 2024 we received 5 requests for removal from the mailing list via the Fundraising Preference Service and 2 of these were from the families of supporters who had died. This compares to 2023, when we received 9 complaints through the Fundraising Preference Service.
13
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
Whilst every complaint is of great concern to UCB and is taken seriously, we believe that this low level of complaints demonstrates the trust, confidence and satisfaction that individuals have with our fundraising activities.
It is never our intention to put members of the public - including vulnerable people - under undue pressure to give. We are committed to a sensitive, balanced fundraising approach; not unreasonable intrusion or undue pressure. We also have a policy and procedures to protect and safeguard vulnerable individuals who engage with our ministry, highlights of which include:
- If an adult with care and support needs gives or attempts to give a donation, UCB may advise them not to donate, refuse or return the donation
- If a vulnerable adult attempts to sign a friend up to UCB’s mailing list, we may advise them to ask their friend to contact us, or refuse to process the request
- Guidance on how to recognise and respond to an allegation or suspicion of abuse
- An ethical policy which recognises that some donations should be refused for various reasons, for example if the donor is vulnerable
## **Trustees’ responsibilities**
The Trustees, who are also the Directors of United Christian Broadcasters Limited for the purposes of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law, Statements of Recommended Practice and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (“the law and regulations”).
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 of the incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (“SORP”);
- make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s financial transactions, disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006 and the provisions of the charity’s constitution. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **Disclosure of information to Auditors**
Insofar as each of the Trustees of the charity at the date of approval of this report is aware there is no relevant audit information (information needed by the charity’s Auditor in connection with preparing the audit report) of which the charity’s Auditor is unaware. Each Trustee has taken all of the steps that he/she should have taken as a Trustee in order to make himself/herself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity’s Auditor is aware of this information.
14
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **Charity information**
_Registered name_
United Christian Broadcasters Limited
## _Other names used_
UCB, UCB 1, UCB 2, UCB Player, The UCB Word For Today, Word For You, The UCB Word for Today – Just for You, OneHope, UCB Prayerline, UCB Kingdom Academy
_Registered charity number_ 299128
_Registered company number_ 2182533 (registered in England and Wales)
_Registered office_ Hanchurch Christian Centre Hanchurch Lane Stoke-on-Trent ST4 8RY
_Operations centre_ Westport Road Burslem Stoke-on-Trent ST6 4JF
_Trustees_
Names of Trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of the Companies Act, during the year: A Scotland
D Stacey E D Edwards S McCrossan N Elliott H Yousaf (appointed 31 January 2024)
_Senior staff_
D L’Herroux (Chief Executive Officer) M Oakes (Managing Director) (appointed 1 November 2024) R Willoughby (Company Secretary) D Taviner A Macpherson S Ferguson I De Soyza P Cummings (appointed 17 February 2025)
15
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## _Bankers_
HSBC UK Bank plc Crown Bank Hanley Stoke-on-Trent ST1 1DA
AIB Group (UK) plc t/a AIB (NI) 11-15 Donegall Square North Belfast BT1 5GB
Allied Irish Banks plc 7/12 Dame Street Dublin 2
_Solicitors_
Anthony Collins 134 Edmund Street Birmingham B3 2ES
Bates Wells 10 Queen Street Place London EC4R 1BE
## _Auditors_
Crowe U.K.LLP Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors Fourth Floor St James House St James Square Cheltenham GL50 3PR
## _Reappointment of auditors_
The auditors, Crowe U.K.LLP, who were appointed during the year, will be proposed for reappointment in accordance with section 385 of the companies Act 1985.
16
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED TRUSTEES’ REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
The Trustees’ report comprising Welcome, Strategic Report and Other information, was approved by the Trustees on 25 September 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
**A Scotland** Chairman
17
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **Opinion**
We have audited the financial statements of United Christian Broadcasters (‘the charitable company’) for the year ended 31 December 2024 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash Flows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion the financial statements:
- give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 December 2024 and of its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;
- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
- have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
## **Basis for opinion**
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
## **Conclusions relating to going concern**
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustee's use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
## **Other information**
The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
18
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006**
In our opinion based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit
- the information given in the trustees’ report, which includes the directors’ report and the strategic 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
- the strategic report and the directors’ report included within the trustees’ report have 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 charitable company and their 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 trustees’ report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- adequate and proper accounting records have not been kept; or
- the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
- certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
- 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 14, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
## **Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements**
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Details of the extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud and noncompliance with laws and regulations are set out below.
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.
## **Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud**
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We identified and assessed the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements from irregularities, whether due to fraud or error, and discussed these between our audit team members. We then designed and performed audit procedures responsive to those risks, including obtaining audit evidence sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
19
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks within which the charitable company operates, focusing on those laws and regulations that have a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The laws and regulations we considered in this context were the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011 together with the Charities SORP (FRS 102). We assessed the required compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our audit procedures on the related financial statement items.
In addition, we considered provisions of other laws and regulations that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which might be fundamental to the charitable company’s ability to operate or to avoid a material penalty. We also considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the charitable company for fraud. The laws and regulations we considered in this context were Ofcom requirements.
Auditing standards limit the required audit procedures to identify non-compliance with these laws and regulations to enquiry of the trustees and other management and inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.
We identified the greatest risk of material impact on the financial statements from irregularities, including fraud, to be within legacy income and the override of controls by management. Our audit procedures to respond to these risks included enquiries of management about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities, designing audit procedures over income, sample testing on the posting of journals, reviewing accounting estimates for biases and reading minutes of meetings of those charged with governance.
Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. For example, the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations (irregularities) is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely the inherently limited procedures required by auditing standards would identify it. In addition, as with any audit, there remained a higher risk of non-detection of irregularities, as these may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations.
## **Use of our report**
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Tara Westcott Senior Statutory Auditor For and on behalf of Crowe U.K. LLP Statutory Auditor
Fourth Floor St James House St James Square Cheltenham GL50 3PR
Date: 25 September 2025
20
## **UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (Including an Income and Expenditure Account) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|**Note**
**INCOME FROM**
**Activities to generate funds:**
Donations and legacies
Investments
**4**
**Charitable activities**
**5**
**Total income**
**EXPENDITURE ON**
**Raising funds**
**6**
**Net income available for**
**charitable application**
**Charitable activities**
**6**
**Total expenditure**
**Net movement in funds**
**Total funds brought forward**
**15**
**Total funds carried forward**
**15**|**2024**
**£**
**Unrestricted**
**6,927,949**
**342,545**
**84,071**
**7,354,565**
**(957,478)**
**6,397,087**
**(5,654,663)**
**(6,612,141)**
**742,424**
**10,724,843**
**11,467,267**|**2024**
**£**
**Restricted**
**2,907,391**
**-**
**-**
**2,907,391**
**-**
**2,907,391**
**(2,974,738)**
**(2,974,738)**
**(67,347)**
**159,912**
**92,565**|**2024**
**£**
**Total**
**9,835,340**
**342,545**
**84,071**
**10,261,956**
**(957,478)**
**9,304,478**
**(8,629,401)**
**(9,586,879)**
**675,077**
**10,884,755**
**11,559,832**|_2023_
_£_
_Total_
_9,778,895_
_300,789_
_69,411_|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||_10,149,095_|
|||||_(854,375)_|
|||||_9,294,720_|
|||||_(7,744,266)_|
|||||_(8,598,641)_|
|||||_1,550,454_
_9,334,301_|
|||||_10,884,755_|
All income and expenditure derived from continuing activities. The notes on pages 24 to 41 form part of these financial statements.
21
## **UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 02182533 BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|**Note**
**Fixed Assets**
Intangible assets
**10**
Tangible assets
**11**
Investments
**12**
**Current Assets**
Debtors: amounts falling due within
one year
**13**
Cash at bank and in hand
**Creditors:**amounts falling due
within one year
**14**
**Net Current Assets**
**Total Assets less Current**
**Liabilities**
**Creditors:**amounts falling due after
more than one year
**Net Assets**
**Funds of the charity**
Unrestricted funds:
General reserve
**15**
Revaluation reserve
**15**
Restricted funds
**15**|**2024**
**£**
**543,920**|**2024**
**£**
**598,600**
**2,263,056**
**312**|_2023_
_£_
_482,280_|_2023_
_£_
_176,963_
_2,401,699_
_312_|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**2,861,968**||_2,578,974_|
|||**8,697,864**|||
||**9,026,287**||_8,647,467_||
||**9,570,207**||_9,129,747_|_8,305,781_|
||**(872,343)**||_(823,966)_||
||||
||
|||**11,559,832**
**-**||_10,884,755_
_-_|
|||**11,559,832**||_10,884,755_|
|||**11,285,956**
**181,311**
**92,565**||_10,536,131_
_188,712_
_159,912_|
|||**11,559,832**||_10,884,755_|
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and were signed on their behalf on 25 September 2025.
## **A Scotland**
**D Stacey**
The notes on pages 24 to 41 form part of these financial statements.
22
## **UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
||**2024**|_2023_|
|---|---|---|
|**Note**|**£**|_£_|
||||
|Net cash provided by operating activities
21|**663,595**|_1,658,683_|
||||
|Cash flows from investing activities|||
|
Interest received|**342,546**|_300,789_|
|Purchase of property, plant, equipment and software|**(566,541)**|_(453,880)_|
||||
|_Net cash used in investing activities_|**(223,995)**|_(153,091)_|
||||
|Cash flows from financing activities:|||
|Payments under hire purchase agreements|**(60,780)**|_(60,780)_|
||||
|_Net cash used in financing activities_|**(60,780)**|_(60,780)_|
||||
|_Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting_
_period_|**378,820**|_1,444,812_|
|_Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the_
_reporting period_|**8,647,467**|_7,202,655_|
|Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting
period|**9,026,287**|_8,647,467_|
The notes on pages 24 to 41 form part of the financial statements.
23
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **1. BASIS OF ACCOUNTING**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice as it applies from 1 January 2015.
The financial statements have been prepared under historical cost convention. United Christian Broadcasters Limited meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
Under Section 405 of the Companies Act 2006, consolidated accounts have not been prepared as the inclusion of the dormant subsidiary, UCB International, is not material for the purpose of giving a true and fair view. Therefore these financial statements present information on the parent entity as an individual undertaking only. See note 12 for further information on this company.
## **2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
The following accounting policies have been applied consistently in dealing with items which are considered material in relation to the charity’s financial statements.
## **(a) Legal Status of the Charity**
United Christian Broadcasters Limited (UCB) was incorporated in the United Kingdom as a private company limited by guarantee (registered no. 02182533) on 23 October 1987 and has no share capital.
The liability of members in the event of winding up is limited to an amount not exceeding £1 per members; the number of members as at 31 December 2017 was three.
UCB is also registered as a charity with the Charity Commission (registered no. 299128).
## **(b) Registered and principle office**
The registered office of UCB is Hanchurch Christian Centre, Hanchurch Lane, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 8RY.
The principal office of UCB is Westport Road, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 4JF.
## **(c) Going concern**
The Trustees have determined that there are no material uncertainties over the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Financial projections including forecast monthly cash flow, surplus / (deficit) and balance sheet have been prepared for the period ended 31[st] December 2028 indicating that there will be adequate headroom of cash throughout the whole period. Accordingly, the Trustees believe it is appropriate to prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis.
## **(d) Fixed assets and depreciation**
Depreciation is provided by the charity to write off the cost or valuation of tangible fixed assets over their estimated useful economic lives as follows:
|Freehold buildings|-|2% per annum straight line|
|---|---|---|
|Plant and equipment|-|20% per annum straight line|
|Fixtures and fittings|-|8% per annum straight line|
|Motor vehicles|-|20% per annum straight line|
|IT equipment|-|25% per annum straight line|
24
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)**
## **(d) Fixed assets and depreciation (continued)**
The charity has a policy, capitalising fixed assets where expenditure on such assets is in excess of £1,000. The amounts capitalised are net of recoverable VAT.
No depreciation is charged on land.
## **(e)**
## **Investments**
Since none of the investments held by the charitable company are quoted on a recognised stock exchange and the amounts concerned are not material, they are recorded at cost.
## **(f)**
## **Foreign currencies**
Transactions in foreign currencies are recorded using the rate of exchange ruling at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated using the rate of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date, and the gain or loss on translation is included in the Statement of Financial Activities.
## **(g) Income**
Donation income is recognised on receipt of funds. Legacies are accounted for based on either on settlement of the estate, or on receipt of payment, whichever is the earlier. Where pecuniary legacies are of a size that is apparent they will be paid, these are recognised at the point of probate.
Other income is also accounted for on the accruals basis.
Income from government grants is recognised when there is entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Where entitlements occur before income is received, the income is accrued. Where income is received in advance of there being entitlement to the funds the income is deferred.
## **(h) Expenditure**
Expenditure is accounted for on the accruals basis.
Fundraising and publicity costs include all direct costs, together with a proportion of appropriate overheads.
Charitable activities include the direct costs of the activities and depreciation on related assets. Where such costs relate to more than one functional cost category, they have been split on either an estimate of time or floor space basis, as appropriate. Ancillary expenditure relates to all directly attributable costs regarding One Hope.
Support costs comprise service costs which have been allocated to the cost categories disclosed in the Statement of Financial Activities on either an estimate time or floor space basis, as appropriate.
Governance costs comprise of constitutional and statutory requirements incurred in the general running of the charitable company.
Grants are recognised when a constructive obligation arises, resulting in the payment being committed to.
Employee terminations: A redundancy situation arises where the requirement for an employee to undertake work of a particular kind has ceased or diminished. One such redundancy occurred in the year.
## **(i) Pension costs**
The charitable company contributes to a defined contribution pension scheme on behalf of its employees. The amount charged in the Statement of Financial Activities represents the contributions payable to the schemes in respect of the accounting period.
## **(j)**
## **Debtors**
Trade debtors, other debtors and accrued income are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
25
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)**
## **(k) Creditors**
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
## **(l) Funds**
Unrestricted funds are funds that are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charitable company.
Restricted funds are amounts which have been earmarked by the donors for specific purposes.
## **(m) Financial instruments**
United Christian Broadcasters Limited 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. Financial assets comprise of cash, accrued income and trade debtors. Financial liabilities include trade creditors, accruals, hire purchase arrangements and bank loans.
## **(n) Significant estimates and judgements**
Preparation of the financial statements requires management to make significant judgements and estimates. The items in the financial statements where these judgements and estimates have been made include:
## Useful economic lives of intangible and tangible assets
The annual amortisation and depreciation charges for the intangible and tangible assets are sensitive to changes in the estimated useful economic lives and residual values of the assets. The useful economic lives and residual values are amended when necessary to reflect current estimates, based on technological advancement, future investments, economic utilisation and the physical condition of the assets. See notes 10 and 11 for the carrying amount of the intangible and tangible assets and notes 2(d) and 2(0) for the useful lives for each class of asset.
Legacies:
Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable on receipt of estate accounts for residuary legacies, or for pecuniary legacies, at the point of probate.
## **(o) Software**
New software costing up to £1,000 is fully written off in the period incurred. New software costing over £1,000 is written off over a period of five years on a straight line basis due to the current rapid rate of the technological progress. Support and maintenance costs are recognised in the period to which they relate.
## **(p) Operating leases**
- Rentals applicable to operating leases where substantially all the benefits and risks of ownership remain with the lessor are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight line basis over the term of the lease.
## **(q) Finance leases**
Assets obtained under finance leases are capitalised as tangible fixed assets. Assets acquired by finance lease are depreciated over their useful economic lives. Finance leases are those where substantially all of the benefits and risks of ownership are assumed by the Charity. Obligations under such agreements are included in creditors. The finance leases held by the charitable company at the financial year end are for IT equipment.
## **(r) Grants**
Grants are accrued by the charity to the extent that there is a constructive obligation in place and grantees have a reasonable expectation that the grant will be receivable at a future date.
## **(s) Taxation**
The company is a registered charity and as such is entitled to tax exemption on all its income and gains, properly applied for its charitable purposes.
26
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)**
## **(t) VAT**
- Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.
## **(u) Intangible assets and amortisation** Intangible assets are stated at their historical cost and amortised at 33% per annum on a straight-line basis over their expected useful lives.
## **(v) Software under Development**
- Software which is being developed is shown as ‘software under development’. No amortisation is charged on software whilst in the development phase.
- **(w) Cash and Cash Equivalents** Cash is represented by cash in hand, and any deposits held with financial institutions not requiring notice of more than 24 hours to withdraw funds. Cash equivalents are investments held in longer term notice accounts or held in fixed deposit accounts. These are convertible to amounts of cash with little risk to change in value.
## **3. STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 (Including an Income and Expenditure Account)**
|**Note**
**INCOME FROM**
**Activities to generate funds:**
Donations and legacies
Government grant income
Investments
**4**
**Charitable activities**
**5**
**Total income**
**EXPENDITURE ON**
**Raising funds**
**6**
**Net income available for charitable**
**application**
**Charitable activities**
**6**
**Total expenditure**
**Net movement in funds**
**Total funds brought forward**
**Total funds carried forward**
**17**|**_2023_**
**_£_**
**_Unrestricted_**
_7,287,645_
_-_
_300,789_
_69,411_
_7,657,845_
_(854,375)_
_6,803,470_
_(5,009,949)_
_5,864,324_
_1,793,521_
_8,931,322_
_10,724,843_|**_2023_**
**_£_**
**_Restricted_**
_2,491,250_
_-_
_-_
_-_
_2,491,250_
_-_
_2,491,250_
_(2,734,317)_
_2,734,317_
_(243,067)_
_402,979_
_159,912_|**_2023_**
**_£_**
**_Total_**
_9,778,895_
_-_
_300,789_
_69,411_|
|---|---|---|---|
||||_10,149,095_|
||||_(854,375)_|
||||_9,294,720_|
||||_(7,744,266)_|
||||_8,598,641_|
||||_1,550,454_
_9,334,301_|
||||_10,884,755_|
27
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **4. INCOME FROM DONATIONS AND LEGACIES**
|**ME FROM DONATIONS AND LEGACIES**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Unrestricted**
Non-regular donations
**2,389,701**
Regular donations
**3,425,662**
Income tax repayments
**603,838**
Legacies
**508,748**
**6,927,949**
**ME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**
Video
Other services
One Hope
Kingdom Academy|**Restricted**
**980,980**
**1,338,881**
**587,530**
**-**
**2,907,391**||**2024**
**Total**
**£**
**3,370,681**
**4,764,543**
**1,191,368**
**508,748**
**9,835,340**
**2024**
**£**
**34,800**
**14,408**
**13,338**
**21,525**
**84,071**|_2023_
_Total_
_£_
_3,528,164_
_4,615,533_
_1,166,054_
_469,344_|
|||||_9,778,895_|
|||||_2023_
_£_
_38,000_
_2,134_
_13,167_
_16,110_|
|||||_69,411_|
## **5. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**
Total income of £10,261,956 was generated from the UK - £10,157,823 ( _2023: £10,022,498_ ), Europe - £41,525 ( _2023: £40,172_ ), Rest of the World - £62,608 ( _2023: £_ 86,425).
28
## **UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - continued YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|**YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**|**YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**6a.**
**ANALYSIS OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE**|||||||
||**Staff**
**Costs**|**Other**
**Direct**
**Costs**
**Support**
**Costs**
**Depreciation**|||**Total**
**2024**|_Total_
_2023_|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|_£_|
|**Cost of generating funds**|||||||
|Fundraising and publicity costs|**432,285**|**393,534**|**126,058**|**5,601**|**957,478**|_854,375_|
|Bank loan interest|**-**|**-**|**-**|**-**|**-**|_-_|
|Loan Hedging fees|**-**|**-**|**-**|**-**|**-**|_-_|
||**432,285**|**393,534**|**126,058**|**5,601**|**957,478**|_854,375_|
||||||||
|**Charitable activities**|||||||
|Broadcasting – UK and Europe:|||||||
|Radio|**1,349,586**|**2,163,057**|**115,318**|**79,099**|**3,707,060**|_3,380,722_|
|Video|**201,355**|**107,492**|**58,070**|**36,408**|**403,325**|_370,271_|
|Publications:|||||||
|Word for Today|**753,086**|**890,630**|**140,695**|**89,620**|**1,874,031**|_1,667,562_|
|One Hope|**98,515**|**31,068**|**13,526**|**2,801**|**145,910**|_126,409_|
|Other resources|**97,673**|**263,715**|**16,687**|**8,402**|**386,477**|_369,156_|
|Other digital delivery (non broadcasting)|**375,772**|**124,670**|**79,544**|**28,006**|**607,992**|_550,396_|
|Kingdom Academy|**152,072**|**84,131**|**11,663**|**5,601**|**253,467**|_154,262_|
|One Hope|**37,271**|**19,581**|**11,746**|**2,801**|**71,399**|_63,552_|
|Prayerline|**250,811**|**82,239**|**38,224**|**11,203**|**382,477**|_349,148_|
|Ancillary expenditure: One Hope|**-**|**1,389**|**-**|**-**|**1,389**|_2,549_|
|Charitable donations|**-**|**460,712**|**-**|**-**|**460,712**|_348,058_|
|Grants paid|**-**|**148,128**|**-**|**-**|**148,128**|_191,488_|
|
Global broadcasting and publication
support|**69,983**|**83,602**|**19,446**|**14,003**|**187,034**|_170,693_|
||||||||
|**Total charitable expenditure**|**3,386,124**|**4,460,414**|**504,919**|**277,944**|**8,629,401**|_7,744,266_|
||||||||
|**Total Resources expenditure**|**3,818,409**|**4,853,948**|**630,977**|**283,545**|**9,586,879**|_8,598,641_|
29
## **UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|**Operational**
**and**
**Governance**
**6b. SUPPORT COSTS**
**£**
**Cost of generating funds:**
Fundraising and publicity
**66,336**
**Charitable activities**
Broadcasting – UK and Europe:
Radio
**58,248**
Video
**31,502**
Publications:
Word for Today
**67,717**
One Hope
**7,610**
Other resources
**8,817**
Other digital delivery (non-broadcasting)
**43,320**
Kingdom Academy
**6,751**
One Hope
**7,783**
Prayerline
**27,452**
Ancillary expenditure – One Hope
**-**
Global broadcasting and publication support
**9,622**
**Total charitable expenditure**
**335,158**|**Finance**
**Information**
**Systems**
**£**
**£**
**40,186**
**19,535**
**15,070**
**42,001**
**7,033**
**19,535**
**25,117**
**47,861**
**2,009**
**3,907**
**2,009**
**5,861**
**3,014**
**33,210**
**1,005**
**3,907**
**2,009**
**1,954**
**1,005**
**9,768**
**-**
**-**
**2,009**
**7,814**
**100,466**
**195,353**|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**126,057**
**115,319**
**58,070**
**140,695**
**13,526**
**16,687**
**79,544**
**11,663**
**11,746**
**38,225**
**-**
**19,445**
**630,977**|_Total_
_2023_
_£_
_84,557_
_105,964_
_52,437_
_129,882_
_12,735_
_15,044_
_71,449_
_9,938_
_10,236_
_34,997_
_-_
_15,803_
_543,042_|
|---|---|---|---|
Included in the above are governance costs of £49,323 ( _2023: £52,906_ ).
## **7. GRANT FUNDING ACTIVITIES**
The following grants were made during the year:
|UCB Africa
UCB Deutschland
MTU Raadio 7 UCB Meedia
UCB Switzerland
UCB Italia|**2024**
**£**
**10,166**
**33,077**
**53,138**
**35,208**
**16,539**
**148,128**|_2023_
_£_
_-_
_56,383_
_53,339_
_64,417_
_17,349_|
|---|---|---|
|||_191,488_|
During the year the charitable company made grants to the above organisations for the furtherance of Word For Today publications and broadcasting activity.
30
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **8. NET INCOMING RESOURCES FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR**
|_Net incoming resources are stated after charging:_
Auditor’s remuneration - in respect of audit
Depreciation
Amortisation
Operating lease payments
Gain/(Loss) on exchange rate|**2024**
_2023_
**£**
_£_
**19,530**
_18,600_
**278,504**
_252,513_
**5,041**
_8,047_
**1,303,931**
_1,177,912_
**(7,014)**
_(3,499)_|
|---|---|
## **9. STAFF NUMBERS AND COSTS**
The average full-time equivalent number of persons employed by the charitable company during the year was as follows:
|Costs of generating funds
Direct charitable expenditure|**2024**
**No.**
**9**
**101**
**110**|_2023_
_No._
_10_
_87_|
|---|---|---|
|||_97_|
The average headcount of persons employed by the charitable company during the year was as follows:
|Costs of generating funds
Direct charitable expenditure|**2024**
**No.**
**10**
**107**
**117**|_2023_
_No._
_11_
_101_|
|---|---|---|
|||_112_|
The aggregate payroll costs of these persons were as follows:
|Salaries
Social security costs
Other pension costs|**2024**
**£**
**3,338,005**
**304,239**
**176,165**
**3,818,409**|_2023_
_£_
_2,995,707_
_269,600_
_158,236_|
|---|---|---|
|||_3,423,543_|
31
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **9. STAFF NUMBERS AND COSTS (CONTINUED)**
The number of employees earning in excess of £60,000 per annum are detailed below:
|||**2024**|_2023_|
|---|---|---|---|
|||**No.**|_No._|
|£60,001|to £70,000|2|4|
|£70,001|to £80,000|4|2|
|£90,001|to £100,000|1|1|
Defined money purchase contributions payable with regard to the above totalled £30,493 _(2023: £27,921)._
Remuneration to Trustees amounting to £863 was made during the year ( _2023: £350_ ). This was paid to 1 (2023: 1) Trustee for speaking at a UCB Foundation Day (2023: UCB Foundation Day)
Reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses amounting to £10,354 was made during the year _(2023: £13,004)_ to 5 Trustees _(2023: 5)._
Redundancy and settlement payments were made during the year totalling £nil to 0 individuals ( _2023: £nil to 0 individual_ ). No amounts were outstanding at the year end.
The remuneration of the senior management team (including employer NI and pension contributions) was:
|
contributions) was:|||
|---|---|---|
||**2024**|_2023_|
||**£**|_£_|
|Senior management team remuneration|**632,213**|_600,970_|
The senior management team consists of 6 members of staff in 2024 _(2023: 7)_ , CEO, Managing Director, Company Secretary, IT and Technical Director, Operations Director, Communications Director and Kingdom Academy Director.
UCB provides the CEO with free accommodation on-site should it be required _._ The tax due on the benefit for the CEO was met through payroll.
32
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **10. INTANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**
|**Software**
**under**
**Development**
**£**
**Cost/valuation**
_At 1 January 2024_
_814,681_
Additions
**20,304**
Disposals
Transfers
**-**
**(154,020)**
At 31 December 2024
**680,965**
**Depreciation**
_At 1 January 2024_
_637,718_
Charge for year
**5,041**
Disposals
**-**
At 31 December 2024
**642,759**
**Net book value**
At 31 December 2024
**38,206**
_At 31 December 2023_
_176,963_|**Computer**
**Software**
**£**
_-_
**406,374**
**-**
**154,020**
**560,394**
_-_
**-**
**- **
**-**
**560,394**
_-_|**Total**
**£**
_814,681_
**426,678**
**-**
**- **
**1,241,359**
_637,718_
**5,041**
**- **
**642,759**
**598,600**
_176,963_|
|---|---|---|
|||
|
33
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **11. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**
|**Cost/valuation**
_At 1 January 2024_
Additions
Disposals
At 31 December 2024
**Depreciation**
_At 1 January 2024_
Charge for year
Disposals
At 31 December 2024
**Net book value**
At 31 December 2024
_At 31 December 2023_
|**Freehold**
**Land and**
**Buildings**
**£**
_2,978,488_
**-**
**-**
**2,978,488**
_1,268,477_
**52,420**
**-**
**1,320,897**
**1,657,591**
_1,710,011_|**Plant**
**and**
**Equipment**
**£**
_628,351_
**13,180**
**(7,190)**
**634,341**
_549,525_
**30,851**
**(7,190)**
**573,186**
**61,155**
_78,826_|**Plant**
**and**
**Equipment**
**£**
_628,351_
**13,180**
**(7,190)**
**634,341**
_549,525_
**30,851**
**(7,190)**
**573,186**
**61,155**
_78,826_|**Fixtures**
**and**
**Fittings**
**£**
_580,544_
**9,079**
**(3,830)**
**585,793**
_331,275_
**24,949**
**(3,830)**
**352,394**
**233,399**
_249,269_|**Motor**
**Vehicles**
**£**
_26,565_
**-**
**-**
**26,565**
_26,565_
**-**
**-**
**26,565**
**-**
_-_|**Motor**
**Vehicles**
**£**
_26,565_
**-**
**-**
**26,565**
_26,565_
**-**
**-**
**26,565**
**-**
_-_|**IT**
**Equipment**
**£**
_1,342,757_
**117,604**
**(8,183)**
**1,452,178**
_979,164_
**170,284**
**(8,181)**
**1,141,267**
**310,911**
_363,593_|**IT**
**Equipment**
**£**
_1,342,757_
**117,604**
**(8,183)**
**1,452,178**
_979,164_
**170,284**
**(8,181)**
**1,141,267**
**310,911**
_363,593_|**Total**
**£**
_5,556,705_
**139,863**
**(19,203)**
**5,677,365**
_3,155,006_
**278,504**
**(19,201)**
**3,414,309**
**2,263,056**
_2,401,699_|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||
||
||||||
|||
||||||||
|||||||||||
|||||||||||
Included in freehold land and buildings is land which cost £358,739 _(2023: £358,739)_ which is not subject to depreciation.
The freehold land and buildings included in the financial statements at book value were professionally valued on 30 June 1999 by Louis Taylor, Chartered Surveyors, at £1,850,000 on an open market basis. All subsequent additions have been capitalised at cost.
The cost of freehold land and buildings, determined according to the historic cost accounting rules is as follows:
|Cost
Aggregate depreciation
**Net book value**
Assets held under hire purchase agreement are as follows:
Cost
Aggregate depreciation
**Net book value**|**2024**
**£**
**2,486,576**
**(1,132,179)**
**1,354,397**
**2024**
**£**
**719,650**
**(689,543)**
**30,107**|_2023_
_£_
_2,486,576_
_(1,087,159)_|
|---|---|---|
|||_1,399,417_|
|||_2023_
_£_
_719,650_
_(643,925)_|
|||_75,725_|
34
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **12. INVESTMENTS**
|Shares in group companies|**2024**
**£**
_2023_
_£_
**312**
_312_|
|---|---|
Investments include the following:
- a 100% holding of the two £1 ordinary shares of UCB Media Ltd (formerly UCB Direct Limited), a company registered in England and Wales. The company was dormant in the current and previous year. The company has reserves of £2 _(2023: £2)_ . The company has the same registered office address as its parent charity.
- 960 NZ $1 ordinary shares in UCB International Limited, ( _2023: 960_ ) being a 19.2% holding in the company which is registered in New Zealand ( _2023: 19.2%_ ). The objects of this charitable company, which are consistent with the objects of United Christian Broadcasters, are to establish, operate, assist and encourage broadcasting production and transmission studios and stations in any part of the world for presentation of the Christian message. The gross income of this company for the year ended 31 March 2024 was NZ $794,909 ( _2023: NZ $801,250)_ and the net surplus was NZ $66,929 _(2023: NZ $107,120)_ .
- Net assets at the year ended 31 March 2024 were NZ $304,689 _(2023: NZ $237,760)._
- The shares in UCB International are held in order to provide UCB with voting rights at UCB International shareholders’ meetings.
## **13. DEBTORS: Amounts falling due within one year**
|Trade debtors
Accrued income
Prepayments
**14.**
**CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year**
Hire purchase account
Trade creditors
Taxation and social security
Other creditors
Accruals|**2024**
**£**
**750**
**144,419**
**398,751**
**543,920**
**2024**
**£**
**-**
**327,302**
**101,144**
**164,685**
**279,212**
**872,343**|_2023_
_£_
_6,402_
_160,018_
_315,860_|
|---|---|---|
|||_482,280_|
|||_2023_
_£_
_60,780_
_320,834_
_90,564_
_182,940_
_168,848_|
|||_823,966_|
35
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **15. RESERVES**
|**Movement in Reserves**
Restricted Reserves
Revaluation Reserve
General Reserve
Total Reserves
**Restricted Reserves**
Broadcasting costs (Radio)
Word for Today
Charitable donations
Prayerline
Total Restricted Reserves|_At 1_
_January_
_2024_
_£_
_159,912_
_188,712_
_10,536,131_
_10,884,755_
_At 1_
_January_
_2024_
_£_
_36,892_
_-_
_37,565_
_85,455_
**159,912**|**Incoming**
**Resources**
**£**
**2,907,391**
**-**
**7,354,564**
**10,261,955**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**£**
**2,706,575**
**11,004**
**52,294**
**137,518**
**2,907,391**|**Outgoing**
**Resources**
**£**
**(2,974,738)**
**-**
**(6,612,140)**
**(9,586,878)**
**Outgoing**
**Resources**
**£**
**(2,705,927)**
**(11,004)**
**(34,834)**
**(222,973)**
**(2,974,738)**
|**Transfers**
**£**
**-**
**(7,401)**
**7,401**
**-**
**Transfers**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**At 31**
**December**
**2024**
**£**
**92,565**
**181,311**
**11,285,956**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||
**11,559,832**|
||
||||
**At 31**
**December**
**2024**
**£**
**37,540**
**-**
**55,025**
**- **|
||||||**92,565**|
36
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **15. RESERVES (CONTINUED)**
|**Movement in Reserves**
Restricted Reserves
Revaluation Reserve
General Reserve
Total Reserves
**Restricted Reserves**
Youth App
Broadcasting costs (Radio)
Word for Today
Charitable donations
Prayerline
Total Restricted Reserves|_At 1 January_
_2023_
_£_
_402,979_
_196,113_
_8,735,209_
_9,334,301_
**At 31**
**December**
**2023**
**£**
_-_
_92,350_
_-_
_3,403_
_307,226_
_402,979_|**Incoming**
**Resources**
**£**
**2,491,250**
**-**
**7,657,845**
**10,149,095**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**£**
**8,813**
**2,257,653**
**18,234**
**36,050**
**170,500**
**2,491,250**|**Outgoing**
**Resources**
**£**
**(2,734,317)**
**-**
**(5,864,324)**
**(8,598,641)**
**Outgoing**
**Resources**
**£**
**(8,813)**
**(2,313,111)**
**(18,234)**
**(1,888)**
**(392,271)**
**(2,734,317)**|**Transfers**
**£**
**-**
**(7,401)**
**7,401**
**-**
**Transfers**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**At 31**
**December**
**2023**
**£**
**159,912**
**188,712**
**10,536,131**
**10,884,755**
**At 31**
**December**
**2023**
**£**
**-**
**36,892**
**-**
**37,565**
**85,455**
**159,912**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||
The general reserve represents the working capital of the charity. The revaluation reserve was the surplus recognised on the revaluation of the freehold land and buildings; the excess depreciation over the amount calculated on the historic cost is transferred to the general reserve each year.
The restricted reserves represent donations received for specific purposes. The total restricted donations received during the year were £2,907,391 ( _2023: £2,491,250_ ).
Youth App: Funds totalling £nil (2023: £8,813) were received for development of the App and were fully expended during the year.
Broadcasting costs (Radio): Balance of funds of £37,540 earmarked for radio costs ( _2023: £36,892_ ).
Word for Today: Funds totalling £11,004 restricted towards Word for Today costs, were received in the year ( _2022: £18,234_ ).
Charitable donations received totalled £52,294 ( _2023: £36,050_ ). Donation payments are scheduled to be made to the respective organisations during 2024.
Prayerline: Funds totalling £137,518 ( _2023: £170,500)_ were received to be spent on Prayerline running costs, including Prayerline Officer, consultancy and a new call management system.
37
## **UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **16. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS**
|Fixed assets
Current assets
Current liabilities
Fixed assets
Current assets
Current liabilities|**2024**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
**2,861,968**
**9,477,642**
**(872,343)**
**11,467,267**
_2023_
_Unrestricted_
_Funds_
_£_
_2,578,974_
_8,969,835_
_(823,966)_|**2024**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
**-**
**92,565**
**-**
**92,565**
_2023_
_Restricted_
_Funds_
_£_
_-_
_159,912_
_-_|**2024**
**Total Funds**
**£**
**2,861,968**
**9,570,207**
**(872,343)**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**11,559,832**|
||||_2023_
_Total Funds_
_£_
_2,578,974_
_9,129,747_
_(823,966)_|
||**10,724,843**|**159,912**|**10,884,755**|
## **17. PENSION COSTS**
The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charitable company in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable by the charitable company to the fund and amounted to £176,164 _(2023: £_ 158,236 _)._ Contributions totalling £29,680 _(2023: £nil)_ were payable to the fund at the year end and are included in other creditors.
38
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **18. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS**
During the year the charitable company had transactions with the following related parties:
## UCB International
There were £253,961 donation payments transactions ( _2023: £_ 263,537) with UCB International Limited, a company in which it owns 19.2% ( _2023: 19.2%_ ) of the shares. David L’Herroux, CEO, was appointed as a director of UCB International from 10.3.16 and is still currently a director of UCB International.
## Affiliates
The charitable company acts as an informal European regional hub, working in relationship with UCB International and providing assistance through grants, training, technical resources and spiritual support to other autonomous Christian broadcasters and publishers primarily throughout Europe.
The charitable company owns the building occupied by UCB Ireland and the following Trustees and officer of the charitable company are Members of UCB Ireland: A Scotland and D Stacey.
UCB Ireland also received the following financial support:
|Salary, social security and other pension costs of Station Manager
employed by UCB
Office rent charged at less than market value|**2024**
**£**
**-**
**4,216**
**4,216**|_2023_
_£_
_4,483_
_4,186_|
|---|---|---|
|||_8,669_|
During the year, rent of €5,000 ( _2023: €5,000_ ) was charged to United Christian Broadcasters (Ireland) in respect of the business premises occupied by United Christian Broadcasters (Ireland). Based upon comparable arrangements in the local area, the fair market rental value of the property is approximately €12,000 per year.
David L’Herroux in on the board of UCB France. Invoices totalling £40,066 ( _2023: £45,178)_ were paid to UCB France for the services of consultancy and chaplaincy to UCB Europe. Full disclosure was made to the UCB Board of Trustees prior to commencing this agreement. Amounts were outstanding at the year end and included in creditors of £3,145 (2023: £Nil).
A donation of £nil (2023: £8,764) was made to UCB France to assist with its cash flow. David L’Herroux is on the board of UCB France.
Amounts totalling £350 (2023: £850) were paid to New Testament Church of God for exhibition fees and advertising. E David Edwards, a Trustee of UCB, is a Director of this organisation.
Amounts totalling £863 (2023: nil) were paid to Helen Yousaf for services provided to the charity in respect of leading worship and associated services. Full disclosure was made to the UCB Board of Trustees prior to entering into this agreement.
Donations by Trustees totalled £3,860 ( _2023: £980_ ) during the financial year.
39
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **19. CAPITAL COMMITMENTS**
There were capital commitments at 31 December 2024 of £16,243 contracted for but not provided for in the financial statements ( _2023: £36,255_ ). This relates to an order for Business Central billing retention (£4,493) and a Siemens final payment for IT hardware (£11,750).
## **20. OTHER OPERATING COMMITMENTS**
At the year end, the charitable company had total future minimum lease payments under noncancellable operating leases as follows:
|Expire less than one year
Expire between two and five years
More than five years|**2024**
**£**
**1,354,002**
**4,103,890**
**495,568**
**5,953,460**|_2023_
_£_
_1,248,827_
_3,776,834_
_503,954_
_5,529,615_|
|---|---|---|
## **21. RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES**
|**Net income for the year**
**Adjustments for:**
Depreciation charges
Amortisation charges
Interest received
(Increase)/decrease in debtors
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
_Net cash provided by operating activities_|**2024**
**£**
**675,077**
**278,504**
**5,041**
**(342,545)**
**(61,640)**
**109,157**
**663,595**|_2023_
_£_
_1,550,454_
_252,513_
_8,047_
_(300,789)_
_98,147_
_50,311_|
|---|---|---|
|||_1,658,683_|
40
**UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS LIMITED NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **22. ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN NET DEBT**
|**ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN NET DEBT**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|Cash at bank and in hand
Debt due within one year
Debt due after one year|**At 1**
**January**
**2024**
**£**
_8,647,467_
_(60,780)_
_-_
_8,586,687_
|**Cash**
**Flows**
**£**
**378,820**
**60,780**
**-**
**439,600**|**At 31**
**December**
**2024**
**£**
**9,026,287**
**-**
**-**|
||||**9,026,287**|
|||||
The debt due within one year and after one year relates to hire purchase finance agreements.
|Cash at bank and in hand
Debt due within one year
Debt due after one year|**At 1**
**January**
**2023**
**£**
7,202,655
(60,780)
(60,780)
7,081,095
|**Cash**
**Flows**
**£**
1,444,812
-
60,780
1,505,592|**At 31**
**December**
**2023**
**£**
8,647,467
(60,780)
-|
|---|---|---|---|
||||8,586,687|
|||||
## **23. POST BALANCE SHEET EVENTS**
The charitable company issued a Letter of Intent on the 5[th] August 2025, to Bowmer & Kirkland Property Services, for the amount of £3.99m (excluding VAT), to enter contract to undertake a full refurbishment of the Burslem Operations site. The agreement was signed by Bowmer & Kirkland Property Services on 12[th] August 2025.
41