2022-03-31-accounts

Annual Review 2021- 2022 AEM Autism East Midlands

Welcome

The last year started while still under the challenges that the pandemic presented but ended on a real high. Our services continued to develop as restrictions around Covid gradually lifted. Meanwhile, work took place to develop a new respite service.

We rounded off the year with an Excellence in Inclusion award from the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce in recognition for our approach to diversity and inclusion. Over the following pages you’ll read about our past year and how our services continued to develop.

George Smith: Chair of Trustees

As I sat down to write my introduction to this 2021/2022 Annual Review, I reflected on the previous year’s turmoil and the impact of Covid.

Although Covid restrictions have eased, we are acutely aware of its continuing presence and the need for relevant precautions.

I wrote briefly, previously, on the impact that Covid had had on our services. While this continued throughout 2021, the impact eased as the restrictions eased.

I am immensely proud that we have been able to maintain all our existing services and, in the case of day provision, restore them to in service provision. We have even been able to carry out improvements to our building stock to ensure that services continue to occupy buildings fit for purpose.

I have absolutely no doubt that all this would not have been possible without the support of our exemplary staff at all levels within the organisation. They have bent over backwards to ensure that our service users have received the care and attention that they thoroughly deserve.

My gratitude goes to all Autism East Midlands employees, and to my fellow Trustees for their continuing support throughout a challenging year.

“

The Senior Team is hugely grateful to frontline staff and managers for their commitment to the people we support ...“

Jane Howson: Chief Executive Officer

Our Vision

The last year has been another tumultuous year. We had more rounds of lockdowns and restrictions to navigate and our frontline staff were subject to twice weekly testing and continued wearing of PPE.

A world which recognises, understands and values autistic people, and where they and their families receive the services and support they need throughout their lives.

We didn’t see the bounce in recruitment anticipated at the end of the pandemic and, along with most other employers, we find ourselves facing ongoing staff shortages.

Despite this, staff continued to give it their all and, despite some very high levels of Covid absence at times, kept the Our show on the road. The Senior Team is hugely grateful to frontline staff and managers for their commitment to the people we support. Mission

We opened a new supported living service in Northampton, re-opened our Family Support Services face to face, and our Employment Team helped many autistic people find a job, some for the first time. Students returned to school, day services built back up again and the people we support tentatively reengaged in their communities.

To advocate, provide and develop high-quality services, information, and support, in partnership with others, for all those whose lives are affected by autism.

We rounded off the year in the best way as we received an Excellence in Inclusion award from the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce in recognition for our approach to diversity and inclusion.

To recognise and respond to the needs of the individual, enabling autistic people to live their lives with dignity, choice and independence.

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Highlights of our year included:

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As the restrictions of Covid began to ease our
service users were able to return to doing some
of the activities they had missed. Service users
at our Bolsover service, for example, were able
to return to their favourite activities.
For Lee trips out to the cinema on a Sunday
morning and going to the hydro pool were
back on the agenda. Another thing which Lee
has missed out on was not being able to get
out and do his own shopping and he was very
happy to return to doing that again.
HIGHLIGHtS
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59 139 506 Our year in numbers People supported people supported children and young through registered throughout day people accessed our residential services. services. Northamptonshire service.

After restrictions started lifting, our Hamilton service reintroduced activities again. Service users had talked about wanting to do the day trips they had enjoyed in previous years that they had missed over the Covid period. A series of trips were planned around their special interests including a trip to Crich Railway Museum, the dinosaur exhibition at Wollaton Park, and a trip to Cleethorpes. Service users got involved with planning where to go, how much it was going to cost and the route to take on the bus.

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200
hours of activities were organised
by the Northamptonshire service
including 9 youth clubs and 12
holiday clubs.
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including 9 youth clubs and 12
holiday clubs.
36
online activities were Our Family Support Hub in Loughborough organised
organised from baking forest schools where fire lighting, den building, wand
workshops to gaming sessions making, stick painting, and bug hunting were just
for children and young people. some of the activities that took place.
After the lockdown
76
we enjoyed our first
family get together
at The Poplars,
where all families
arrived at allocated
times and were able
hours of activities to enjoy a special
organised by the afternoon tea in a
Family Support Hubs.
safe setting.
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
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3 129 4 environmental audits were carried out at Sutherland House School families took part in regional railway students completed Silver Family Support Hub stations. Duke of Edinburgh work sessions. experience opportunities.

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60 students were on the roll at Sutherland House School this year.

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24
induction courses were
held and attended by
223 employees.
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A new supported living service opened in Northamptonshire. This purpose-built scheme was developed in partnership with the local authority in Northamptonshire and NHS England and built by Northampton Partnership Homes. The four sets of two semi-detached bungalows provide care and support to eight individuals.

More than 90 autistic individuals were supported by our employment team.

During healthy eating week, students at Sutherland House School studied the artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo. Inspired by his work, our students created their own portraits using fruits and vegetables as well as investigating and identifying objects within his work.

“Thank you - you don’t realise what a blessing all these sessions are for us. After a dreadfully trying 16 months thanks to Covid, having these clubs as respite care is an absolute God send for us.” Parent, whose daughter was able to return to the youth clubs again.

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22
school students
passed life and living
skills courses,
which included arts
and crafts, healthy
living and maths.
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Many of our services,
including those in Worksop,
took to gardening during
lockdown. Over the
summer our service
users continued to grow
vegetables and reaped the
rewards of their hard work.
583
people attended our
training courses.
HIGHLIGHTS
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2021 - 2022
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As soon as restrictions lifted we were able to provide environmental audits again. We were invited to visit various businesses to help them identify areas that could be a challenge to autistic individuals. Joined by some of our service users, we were able to examine areas and recommend practical solutions. One of the first places we visited was Nottingham Castle. Fresh from its £30m revamp, the visitor attraction asked us to go along to review their site to ensure it met the needs of autistic visitors.

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25
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Our Children and Young People’s Service organised outdoor pursuits including a trip to Rutland Water Reserve for some exploring, kayaking, raft building and paddle boarding. Other activities ranged from trips to a llama trekking farm, an escape room, and climbing wall adventure centre, among many other venues.

autistic people were supported into paid or voluntary employment.

Sutherland House School student, Kieran, likes horses and so loved it when he got the chance to spend time at Nottingham’s Broadview Riding School. He went on to return to the stables and gained valuable work experience. He was able to learn more about the stables and proved to be a great worker as he enjoyed sweeping and clearing the stables and grooming and caring for the horses.

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8 Sutherland House
School students passed
their Duke of Edinburgh
Bronze Award sectional
certificates and
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4 completed their Duke
of Edinburgh Silver
Award.
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Ideagen Plc presented
Sutherland House School
with a generous donation
of laptops for our students
to use.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Feel Good Fridays have become a firm “The team make every effort to engage the favourite at Sutherland House School. Students enjoy taking part in wellbeing children by watching and remembering what they and mindfulness sessions that include are interested in and encouraging them to play, yoga and relaxation to round off the week. which enables parents to chat, share stories and experiences. We think the service is wonderful!” A parent of a child supported by AEM’s Children and Young People’s Service

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Success stories include:

Quality

We will always ensure the continued improvement of the quality of our services.

Oak Tree Rise transforming lives

Here at Autism East Midlands, we pride ourselves on providing professional support that addresses the needs of individuals, builds trust with carers, and enables the enjoyment of meaningful lives.

In late 2020, we got the opportunity to take part in shaping an innovative development; a new, purpose-built supported living service in Northamptonshire. The following year Oak Tree Rise opened its doors for the first time, offering support to eight individuals with autism, learning disabilities and highly complex needs.

They were each either transitioning from out of county secure hospitals, or whose current placements were at risk of breaking down. We worked in close partnership with a local housing association to offer intensive staff support within self-contained accommodation.

Assessments took place in the months leading up to its launch, and these were carried out with involvement from both operational managers and our in-house clinical team.

Developing a new service in the middle of a global pandemic presented a huge challenge. However, the efforts have been worthwhile as Oak Tree Rise has genuinely transformed the lives of the service users who live there, and who have exceptionally complex needs.

David *

Leo * (*not his real name)

(*not his real name)

After time spent in secure hospital care, Leo was moved to a residential care service. It was far from his family though and they faced a 300-mile round trip to visit him. He had difficulties managing anger and frustration and this wasn’t helped by being so far from his family. Meanwhile, he had little in the way of meaningful activity to fill his days and he had difficulties with trust and very poor self-esteem.

*David had spent nearly all his life in secure or restrictive environments before moving into his new flat at Oak Tree Rise. He was placed in care as a baby following abuse and neglect in his family home and this continued in one of the residential schools he was moved to, which later closed down.

Early trauma and neglect had a huge effect his days and he had difficulties with trust on his self-worth, and he had developed and very poor self-esteem. behaviours of concern, which placed both him Our team planned a structured period of and others at risk of harm. He was resident in transitional work, which involved support a secure hospital when referred to AEM, and staff travelling to his current service so that the team carried out a period of transition they could get to know each other. Since where they spent time getting to know him. moving into his flat, he’s celebrated his *David has no family, so is entirely dependent 21st birthday and gained the role of service on professional support. Consistent, groundsman. This has not only helped to compassionate and patient staff who boost his confidence but also prepared him understand the impact of his life experiences for future work opportunities.

David has no family, so is entirely dependent on professional support. Consistent, compassionate and patient staff who understand the impact of his life experiences to date have been absolutely key. He has started to trust familiar staff and feel safe enough to spend time with them and he is gradually accepting that he is valued. The team take pleasure in seeing the positive changes in David and seeing him take part in everyday activities that we all take for granted such as a new haircut.

By understanding some of the factors that were contributing to his frustration and angry outbursts, the team has also been able to support him to develop strategies to manage his emotions. It means he is able to live a much more fulfilling life.

“As a values-led organisation, we’re proud of the work we have carried out at Oak Tree Rise and in the contributions we have made to enabling autistic individuals with highly complex needs to live fulfilling, enjoyable lives. Understanding the complexities of our service users, and providing person-centred support, underpinned by evidence-based practice, is the best way forward.” Louise Haggar, Consultant Clinical Psychologist / Lead Psychologist Adult Services

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People are at the heart of all we do. Our services hold regular Service User Voice meetings to ensure everyone has their views heard. It was at one of the meetings at our Sherwood Day Centre that the suggestion was made for a crazy golf course.

Voice

We will always put in place systems to ensure that the voice of autistic people is at the heart of everything we do.

This comes from our service users and students through our Voice forums to the newly formed STRIVE group.

STRIVE was formed in 2021 to act as a ‘voice’ for the autistic community in the workplace.

The group was set up specially to work with autistic employees across the organisation and look at ways to improve and encourage the best support for staff in the workplace.

“As someone newly diagnosed, I found the group supportive in helping me to understand how my autism impacts my work. The group allowed me to be myself and reduced the ‘masking’ of my autistic traits allowing me to understand my own autism and excel in my role.”

Its name came from a group discussion. Members decided it was fitting to call it STRIVE as they wanted to strive to create best practice in the workplace.

During the year they met every two months with the aim of helping to make the work environment more inclusive for people on the autism spectrum. Their meetings provided a place for members of the group to share experiences and talk about areas that might affect autistic people in the workplace.

• “The group gave me a space to share ideas with like-minded people and to gain support.”

Looking beyond AEM, members of STRIVE have also played a part in the development of a project to create a social space for autistic adults.

It was recognised that there was a need for facilities to offer autistic adults with the chance to take part in social activities. External adviser and partner, Hannah Harris came along to one of the STRIVE meetings to talk to the group. Members shared their experiences, offered feedback and have taken an active role in the creation of this much needed group.

As we go to print, the project is progressing. An update will appear in next year’s Annual Review. We’ll also follow its progress on our website www.aem.org.uk.

It was constructed by staff with service users, Ben and James, during a woodwork session. Everyone has enjoyed using it so much that sessions were arranged at the driving range at Sutton in Ashfield and proved so popular they now take place monthly.

“Building was good with Andy. I enjoyed it. It’s really good to play and good fun.” James

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“The building of the course went very well,
we did it as part of the woodwork session.
It is good fun using it, we use the score
cards, play 8 holes going around twice.”
Ben
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“ STRIVE is all about promoting a better understanding of autism within the workplace. We want to make sure that the right support is there for staff who are autistic. Our aim is to improve communication between autistic and nonautistic staff. We want to create an environment that is inclusive to all.” Ben Brown, Nominated Chair of STRIVE

5 13 4 autistic employees members received expressed interest in support through the the group group in the workplace

meetings took place

This is only the start for STRIVE…. The group has big plans to develop its role over the coming year. Plans are already in place to look at ways of improving communications across the organisation to help create a better understanding between autistic and non-autistic staff.

The group aims to create a positive environment for all staff while meeting the sensory needs of our autistic staff. They will be highlighting the benefits of the group and extending their reach across the organisation. This includes plans to produce a newsletter to staff between the two monthly meetings.

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Evidence Based Support

We will always continue to engage with the wider autism community, within the East Midlands, but also nationally.

When service users have challenging behaviours it can often stop them from living life to the full and accessing activities within the community.

We believe all behaviours have meaning. Our staff work closely with our clinical team to understand why individuals behave in ways that may be harmful to themselves or others. Together we find ways to help them improve their quality of life.

Here’s how the right support helped *Michael

A man in his late 20s, *Michael is autistic with intellectual disabilities and communication difficulties. He’s a very sociable man with a great sense of humour.

He came to stay temporarily at our Worksop service after experiencing a crisis in his home situation. It was soon clear though that he felt at home and so his stay was extended.

When he began to engage in some challenging behaviours, the Clinical Team explored triggers to these and found that MP was struggling to communicate his preferences to supporting staff. Not surprisingly, he was finding this very frustrating. Further assessment of his communication highlighted how much he enjoys using technology, so he was given an iPad to help him communicate. He’s now able to use it to make choices around activities, which gives him a greater sense of independence.

His delight in being able to communicate better is clear not only by his trademark huge grin and enthusiasm, but also in a huge reduction in behaviours of concern.

“All your hard work organising these things is very much appreciated. It’s lovely for my son to have some social activities like this as he doesn’t have friends or socialise at school or anything. An evening activity like this makes him feel a little more like other teenagers. Thank you!”

A mum, whose son attends our Children and Young People’s Service

The pandemic had a long-term effect on so many people nationally. At our Mundy Street Day Centre in Heanor one gentleman had not left the centre for upwards of two years. The staff team worked together during 2021 and he is now going out nearly every day and is really enjoying going to local parks and walks.

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Maximum Impact

During the year the Employment Team concentrated on delivering the Well for Work programme across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, part funded by the European Social Fund.

More than 90 autistic clients were supported from areas as far afield as the High Peaks in Derbyshire to south Nottinghamshire.

We will always ensure the maximum impact of our services.

The team supported 24 people into employment within a wide range of sectors, ranging from care to warehousing and digital media.

In addition, others were able to develop skills in job search techniques and CV compilation, gain work experience placements or volunteering opportunities. Some achieved basic skills qualifications in maths and English and completed digital skills bootcamp courses.

Particular highlights include clients who have entered employment within AEM. One gained an administration position at Head Office and two secured roles as autism practitioner/support workers in our Nottingham day centre.

“In the past, I had started to give up and think that there wasn’t a job that I could do with my needs. Since then, my AEM coach has told me about jobs I’d never even thought of before and has helped me with things that I really struggle with - such as contacting employers and dealing with paperwork. The opportunity she found for me at the hospital has given me a lot of hope. Things seem to be progressing well, and I’m very happy that I was referred to the service.” Alasdair, a participant in our employment services support programme

The year was rounded off with an Excellence in Inclusion award from the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce in recognition for our approach to diversity and inclusion.

Our Autism Forward programme, funded by the Autism Forward Charity, has complemented the Well for Work delivery by supporting clients predominately as an on-line service across the wider East Midlands area. With a smaller caseload Autism Forward has had 20 clients, with six gaining employment in the last 12 months. This service is something we intend to develop further.

We will continue making links with employers, arranging work experience placements and supporting reasonable adjustments in the workplace for clients. The last 12 months has seen an increased network of referral routes and support agencies and we look forward to developing new partnerships in order to access new service providers in order to achieve our outcomes of employment, training, education and wellbeing.

A further exciting phase for the future will include investigating and developing options for social enterprise vehicles which will provide social outcomes in the form of placements and training with qualifications, with the potential for new job creation as the enterprises grow.

“Before being referred to Autism East Midlands, I was struggling repeatedly with job searching and finding employment, becoming frustrated with my situation. When I began working with my work coach at AEM on these challenges, I found I was quickly making progress in those areas and was receiving help more suitable to the difficulties unique to my autism.

My coach was both friendly and encouraging in her work and made the process more hopeful than previous job seeking efforts had ever been. An administration position at AEM became available and my coach encouraged me to apply. Happily, I was successful in my application for the role.

Since starting with AEM as an admin officer, I’ve found myself integrating very quickly into the company. I get on well with my fellow staff at head office. I can work productively on all the tasks I am allocated and work within a structure that suits me. I’m finding myself more outwardly confident in speaking with colleagues and members of the public and in the work that I do. It has been a great benefit to me as a person to have found a place here in AEM as I have done.”

Aaron Fairburn, Admin Officer at Autism East Midlands

“We are a global agri-food manufacturer with a positive attitude towards supporting those at risk of social exclusion. Our Worksop site has developed a relationship with Autism East Midlands which has flourished due to their positive ability to candidate-match their client’s needs to ours. They’ve also ensured suitable and ongoing encouragement is in situ for the employer and client post placement. We have benefited tremendously from the support offered by Autism East Midlands which has enabled us to fulfil a functional gap in our recruitment strategy, helping us progress further in embracing diversity.” Deborah Stephenson, Human Resources Officer, at Cerealto Siro, Worksop

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Thank You!

Without the vital support of our funders, donors, and supporters, we wouldn’t be able to provide all the services we do for people with autism. Together we’re making a difference. Particular thanks go to …

Addooco Ltd, Chesterfield

Arnold Clark Automobiles

ASGS Security Services AW Lymn Funeral Directors Badby United Reform Church

Charities Trust J Parry Evans

We are always humbled by the support we receive and in September were delighted to receive a donation of £130 by young Grace , who lives near our Head Office. She was keen to support an autism charity, in recognition of a family member who has been diagnosed with the condition. She donated £130, which she has raised during a cake bake and sale.

And we are constantly amazed by the people who carry out fundraising challenges for us. These include nine runners, who took on both the Robin Hood and in Sheffield Half Marathons support of AEM and raised over £2,100 .

There were also 11 amazing supporters, who took on the Peak District Ultra Challenge - running and walking distances from 25k to 100k over 26 hours to raise more than £5,200 for AEM.

Nottinghamshire photographer, Lamar Francois also helped to raise funds for Autism East Midlands through the sale of a calendar.

Mazars Charitable Trust

Next Plc

Prov Grand Lodge of Nottinghamshire Charity

Thoresby Charity The Grey Trust

Masonic Charitable Foundation

We also received separate legacies from the estates of Mr Strutt and Mr Butler .

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Trustees’ Report For the year ended 31 March 2022

Reference and administrative details of the company, its trustees and advisers for the year ended 31 March 2022.

report and financial statements of the charitable company comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the charitable company’s governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2019).

Trustees

L Davies (resigned 5 May 2022)

K R Doble

G J Smith T Ousley

R J C Woodford

R W Bell

J D Morgan P Parr

R M Valentine

A Bridge (appointed 1 February 2022, resigned 16 July 2022)

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

a. Policies and objectives

Company registered number: 02053860

The charity exists to offer support and serve people with an autisticspectrum disorder and their families and carers in the East Midlands and respond to changes in government policy and campaigns within the charity’s strategic objectives.

Charity registered number: 517954

Registered office: Unit 31 Crags Industrial Estate Morven Street, Creswell, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 4AJ

Chief executive officer: Jane Howson

b. Strategies for achieving objectives

Independent auditors: Smith Cooper Audit Limited, 2 Lace Market Square, Nottingham, NG1 1PB

Our vision

A world which recognises, understands and values autistic people, and where they and their families receive the services and support they need throughout their lives.

Bankers: Lloyds Bank Plc, 4 Romulus Court, Leicester, LE19 1WL

Our mission

Trustees’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

To advocate, provide and develop highquality services, information, and support, in partnership with others, for all those whose lives are affected by autism.

The Trustees present their annual report together with the audited financial statements of the group and company for the year 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022. The annual report serves the purposes of both a trustees’ report and a directors’ report under company law. The trustees confirm that the annual

To recognise and respond to the needs of the individual, enabling autistic people to live their lives with dignity, choice and independence.

Evidence based support

Quality

We will continue to engage with the wider ‘autism community’ to ensure that we are engaged with the research agenda.

To ensure the continued improvement of the quality of our services by focussing on the following areas:

• Continuing the improvement of the environments within which we work and provide services to ensure they meet the sensory needs of our beneficiaries.

• We will ensure that our delivery and interventions are evidence based – wherever evidence exists.

• We will ensure that we keep ourselves informed of innovative practice and adjust our delivery in line with innovation.

• All of our environments will be designed to minimise restrictions to individuals and maximise their independence.

• We will further develop our digital training and

• • By becoming the employer of choice in our resources and make them available to all staff. field, enabling us to recruit and train staff Maximum impact

• aligned with our values and skilled in working We will invest in our development of services

• with autistic people.

• We will invest in our development of services

• with autistic people. that support autistic people to access work. We

• • Ensuring the practice in all our services offers will do so in order to access greater resources,

• purposeful activity enabling individuals we demonstrate models of effective practice and support to maximise their independence in all influence the national agenda around employment. areas of their lives. We will do so as an organisation and also in

• • We will improve our measurement of and focus partnership with others.

• We will improve our measurement of and focus on person centred services and the delivery of meaningful outcomes for everyone accessing our support.

• To increase participation of autistic people in paid employment

• We will develop employment and employability services that enable autistic people that are new to the organisation to access support and develop opportunities for existing students and service users, including the development of social enterprises, micro social enterprises and selfemployment opportunities.

• We will understand our performance by utilising our quality assurance matrix informed by our review and audit processes.

Increasing the voice of autistic people

We will ensure that the ‘voice’ of autistic people (in whatever form that takes) is at the heart of everything we do by enabling people to fully participate in all planning and reviews that pertain to them and/or the service that they access.

We will continue to grow the number of people accessing our support both in number and in geographic spread. This will include opening new or satellite services.

By supporting autistic people to play a central role in our organisation, as employees, service users, in our performance management and governance.

We will develop services that target autistic people with whom our contact is currently minimal and who are often isolated and find it difficult to find services that meet their needs. In particular, we will develop services that offer social opportunities and advice and guidance for adults without a learning disability.

We will systematically engage with service users in whatever way is most effective for them. We will use this ongoing dialogue to ensure that the decisions we make, both large and small, are shaped by autistic people.

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Financial Review For the year ended 31 March 2022

Achievements and performance

a. Review of activities and key performance indicators

The charity has continued its financial prudence and has weathered the worst periods of Covid while continuing to support staff and service users to keep safe and maintain wellbeing. Post pandemic, the biggest issue has been the recruitment and retention of staff. This has slowed the full reopening of day services and placed all of our services under pressure.

We were very fortunate to receive 2 legacies this year and these monies have been set aside to maintain our charitable activities, being shared between Employment and Children’s Services.

Adults Services

Recruitment issues delayed the opening of our Whitegates respite service, but the majority of the redevelopment work was completed within the year. This service offers 6 self-contained units within a large Victorian villa and grounds within the heart of Worksop.

As Covid restrictions became more limited we supported service users to reengage with the wider community and some of the activities they had enjoyed pre pandemic.

Our new supported living service in Northampton opened and sees us supporting people who had previously been placed a long way from home, often in a hospital setting. This service more than most has seen lives transformed and families reconnected.

Children’s Services

Sutherland House School continues to develop and support 65 children. A restructure of the curriculum with a focus on accredited learning

has led to many more children working towards accreditation this year. We continue to work towards minimal restriction and as close to zero physical intervention as possible. We do so by having a Positive Behaviour Support ethos throughout the school.

Our Family Support Hubs (funded by the National Lottery) now reach across the East Midlands from Northampton to Gainsborough and in between. These remain a critical service for families with a child or children on the spectrum. In Northampton our children’s activity programme is in its third year of Children in Need funding and enables children to experience lots of activities such as Forest Schools and youth clubs that are specific to their autism needs.

b. Investment policy and performance

The Memorandum and Articles of Association give the Trustees unrestricted powers of investment. Trustees have reviewed the investment policy this year. Our primary investments are in the ongoing development of new services so that we can support more people and in existing services in order to improve the quality of our offer.

We will maximise the return on any cash held in accounts by reviewing the best available interest rates.

c. Factors relevant to achieve objectives

Autism East Midlands aims to increase its support for people whose lives are affected by autism, whether this is for carers or people receiving direct support. We continue to engage with local employers and companies by providing training and awareness of autism to their staff.

a. Going concern

After making appropriate enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern basis can be found in the Accounting Policies.

b. Financial risk management objectives and policies

Autism East Midlands has sought to manage its financial risks through regular monitoring of its income streams and also seeking to make a wide range of cost savings.

c. Principal risks and uncertainties

Financial support, such as infection control grants, workforce retention grants and coronavirus recovery grants mean that, whilst we have seen a financially positive year, 2022 to 2023 is looking much harder.

The recruitment and retention of sufficient staff remains a critical factor for AEM as well as other social care providers. The national shortage of staff means that there is increasingly upward pressure on wages for us to be able to compete. Social care needs the much heralded long term funding solution promised by the current Government now more than ever.

These annual accounts show the pension deficit as a result of participation in the Local Government Pension Scheme. This is a £12.5m deficit as at 31 March 2022 following an estimated actuarial revaluation. The previous actuarial revaluation showed a deficit of £16.5m which was included in the 2020/21 financial statements. The scheme was closed to new participants from April 2013 to limit the future liability. The way the scheme is funded changed in April 2014, and Autism East Midlands paid £119k in the year (2021 £115k) to contribute towards reducing the deficit in addition to routine contributions.

d. Surplus

A surplus of £5,001,907 (2021: Deficit of £4,045,688) has been achieved in the year. This includes an increase in restricted funds of £121,349 (2021: £18,739 reduction).

Total funds at 31 March 2022 are in a deficit of £3,172,115 (2021: £8,174,022 deficit), consisting of £231,013 restricted funds (2021: £109,664), £9,113,872 unrestricted funds (2021: £8,184,314) and a pension deficit of £12,517,000 (2021: £16,468,000 deficit).

e. Principal funding

The charity derives the majority of its income from the provision of services, together with grants and donations received for particular projects.

Autism East Midlands receives over 90% of its funding from government funded bodies. This includes Local Authorities, Health Authorities and the Education and Skills Funding Agency.

f. Material investments policy

The Memorandum and Articles of Association give the Trustees unrestricted powers of investment. The charity’s current investment strategy is to deposit funds in short and medium term interest bearing accounts with UK banks.

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Structure, governance and management

a. Constitution

The company is registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee, its charity number is 517954. It was established under a Memorandum of Association which sets out the objects and powers of the charity and is governed under its Articles of Association. The Board of Trustees (previously the Council of Management) are the Trustees for the purposes of charity law and the directors for the purposes of company law.

The principal object of the company and the group is to provide services to people with an autistic spectrum condition and their families and carers in the East Midlands.

b. Methods of appointment or election of Trustees

The management of the Group and the Company is the responsibility of the Trustees who are elected and coopted under the terms of the Memorandum of Association.

c. Policies adopted for the induction and training of Trustees

Through the Trustees work within the Board Committee meetings and through their involvement with family members, Trustees are already familiar with the practical work of the charity. New Trustees are given a comprehensive induction pack and training sessions to familiarise themselves with the charity and the context in which it operates. This training covers issues such as the responsibilities of the Trustees, the main documents which set out the operational framework of the charity, the current financial position and reserves of the charity and any future plans and objectives. They are also given a range of informative literature detailing the services on offer. All Trustees are encouraged to visit the school and adult care centres on a regular basis and to take part in other organised activities.

d. Pay policy for senior staff

The key management personnel of the charity are identified in Note 26 of the accounts and are responsible for directing, controlling, running and operating the Trust on a day-to-day basis. All directors give of their time freely and therefore

none received remuneration in the year. Details of Trustees’ expenses are disclosed in Note 11 of the accounts and related party transactions in Note 26.

The pay of senior staff is reviewed annually and normally increased in line with other staff. The Trustees benchmark against pay levels in other charities of similar size. The remuneration benchmark is the midpoint of the range paid for similar roles adjusted for a weighting of up to 30% for any additional responsibilities. If recruitment has proven difficult in the past, a market addition may also be paid in order to attract and retain high calibre personnel, with the pay maximum no greater than the highest benchmarked salary for a comparable role.

e. Organisational structure and decision making

During the year under review, the Trustees delegated the day to day running of the charity to the Executive Management Team.

The Board of Trustees delegates some areas of decision making to the following Committees:

• Sutherland House School Governing Body

• Audit and Finance Sub Committee

The Charity wholly owns two trading subsidiaries, Sutherland House (Trading) Limited and NORSACA (Trading) Limited which donate all their profits to the charity. The principal activity of Sutherland House (Trading) Limited is the provision of education services for children with autism or related conditions. NORSACA (Trading) Limited provides a range of residential and nonresidential care facilities for people with autism or related conditions.

f. Financial risk management

The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the company and the group is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the company and the group, and are satisfied that systems and procedures are in place to mitigate our exposure to the major risks.

Risks are reviewed annually, and measures put in place to mitigate those of a higher grading.

Plans for future periods

Future developments

Autism East Midlands retains its ambition to develop an additional school in a different county. Having failed to secure a suitable site in the Derby area we are undertaking a review of demand and the best location.

Whilst the Whitegates respite service has been delayed, it will be up and running in the next financial year.

As we learn to live with Covid and things return more and more to normal, we will be redeveloping our CPD offering and launching a new Leadership and Management Programme and a Practice Development Programme.

Members’ liability

The members of the company guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the company in the event of winding up.

Employee involvement and employment of disabled people

Autism East Midlands recognises the GMB Union. Employees have been consulted on issues of concern to them staff meetings and have been kept informed on specific matters directly by management. The company and the group offer exit interviews for all staff leaving the organisation and has adopted a procedure of upward feedback for senior management and the Trustees. Autism East Midlands has a staff group (the Strive Group) where all autistic staff can come together and inform the work of the charity and ensure we offer the best environment possible for autistic colleagues.

The group and the company have implemented a number of detailed policies in relation to all aspects of personnel matters including:

• Equal Opportunities Policy

• Volunteers’ Policy

• Health & Safety Policy

In accordance with the company and the group’s Equal Opportunities Policy, the company and the group has long established fair employment practices in the recruitment, selection, retention and training of disabled staff. AEM prioritises the employment of autistic people as they are underrepresented in the workforce.

Full details of these policies are available from the company and group’s offices.

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Trustees’ Responsibilities Statement

and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the group and the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

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

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 group and the company and of their incoming resources and application of resources, including their income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

Disclosure of information to auditors

Each of the persons who are Trustees at the time when this Trustees’ Report is approved has confirmed that:

• so far as that Trustee is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable group’s auditors are unaware, and

• that Trustee has taken all the steps that ought to have been taken as a Trustee in order to be aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charitable group’s auditors are aware of that information.

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP (FRS 102);

• make judgments and accounting estimates that Auditors are reasonable and prudent;

The auditors, PKF Smith Cooper Audit Limited, have indicated their willingness to continue in office. The designated Trustees will propose a motion reappointing the auditors at a meeting of the Trustees.

• state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards (FRS 102) have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the group will continue in business.

• Approved by order of the members of the board of Trustees and signed on their behalf by:

G J Smith

Trustee

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the group and the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the group and the company

Plans for future periods

Future developments

Autism East Midlands retains its ambition to develop an additional school in a different county. Having failed to secure a suitable site in the Derby area we are undertaking a review of demand and the best location.

Whilst the Whitegates respite service has been delayed, it will be up and running in the next financial year.

As we learn to live with Covid and things return more and more to normal, we will be redeveloping our CPD offering and launching a new Leadership and Management Programme and a Practice Development Programme.

Members’ liability

The members of the company guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the company in the event of winding up.

Employee involvement and employment of disabled people

Autism East Midlands recognises the GMB Union. Employees have been consulted on issues of concern to them staff meetings and have been kept informed on specific matters directly by management. The company and the group offer exit interviews for all staff leaving the organisation and has adopted a procedure of upward feedback for senior management and the Trustees. Autism East Midlands has a staff group (the Strive Group) where all autistic staff can come together and inform the work of the charity and ensure we offer the best environment possible for autistic colleagues.

The group and the company have implemented a number of detailed policies in relation to all aspects of personnel matters including:

• Equal Opportunities Policy

• Volunteers’ Policy

• Health & Safety Policy

In accordance with the company and the group’s Equal Opportunities Policy, the company and the group has long established fair employment practices in the recruitment, selection, retention and training of disabled staff. AEM prioritises the employment of autistic people as they are underrepresented in the workforce.

Full details of these policies are available from the company and group’s offices.

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Independent Auditors’ Report to the Members of Autism East Midlands

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Autism East Midlands (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities, the Consolidated Balance Sheet, the Company Balance Sheet, the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion, the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and of the parent charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2022 and of the group’s incoming resources and application of resources, including 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 Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the Group in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

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

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

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

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report other than the financial statements and our Auditors’ Report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the Annual Report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

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

• the information given in the Trustees’ Report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements.

• the Trustees’ Report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees’ Report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• the parent charitable company has not kept adequate and sufficient accounting records, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the parent charitable company 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, 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 Group’s and the parent 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 Group or the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

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Independent Auditors’ Report to the Members of Autism East Midlands (continued)

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

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of noncompliance with laws and regulations. Based on our understanding of the charitable company and industry, we identify the key laws and regulations affecting the charitable company. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below.

We identified that the principal risk of fraud or noncompliance with laws and regulations related to:

• Management bias in respect of accounting estimates and judgements made;

• Management override of control;

• Posting of unusual journals or transactions.

We focused on those areas that could give rise to a material misstatement in the charitable company’s financial statements. Our procedures included, but were not limited to:

• Enquiry of management and those charged with governance around actual and potential litigation and claims, including instances of noncompliance with laws and regulations and fraud;

• Reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged with governance where available;

• Reviewing legal expenditure in the year to identify instances of noncompliance with laws and regulations and fraud;

• Reviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations;

• Performing audit work over the risk of management override of controls, including testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business and reviewing accounting estimates for bias. In particular; defined benefit pension liabilities.

It is the primary responsibility of management, with the oversight of those charged with governance, to ensure that the entity’s operations are conducted in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations and for the prevention and detection of fraud.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or noncompliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of noncompliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities 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 Auditors’ Report.

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 Auditors’ 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 its members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Sarah Flear (Senior Statutory Auditor)

for and on behalf of

PKF Smith Cooper Audit Limited

Statutory Auditors 2 Lace Market Square Nottingham NG1 1PB

PKF Smith Cooper Audit Limited are eligible to act as auditors under terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

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Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities incorporating Income and Expenditure Account For the year ended 31 March 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Total Funds
Funds 20221 Funds 2022 2022 2021
Note £ £ £ £
INCOME FROM:
Donations and legacies 2 263,854 248,036 511,890 476,072
Charitable activities 5 4,096,973 4,096,973 2,114,979
Charitable activities - subsidiary undertakings 3 10,333,194 10,333,194 9,832,935
Investments 4 100 100 104
Other Income 6 52,990 94,776 147,766 186,883
TOTAL INCOME 14,747,111 342,812 15,089,923 12,610,973
EXPENDITURE ON:
Charitable activities - subsidiary undertakings 3 8,661,104 8,661,104 8,686,321
Charitable activities 7 5,561,449 215,463 5,776,912 3,155,340
TOTAL EXPENDITURE 14,222,553 215,463 14,438,016 11,841,661
NET INCOME /(EXPENDITURE) BEFORE TRANSFERS 524,558 127,349 651,907 769,312
Transfers between Funds 17 6,000 (6,000)
NET INCOME / (EXPENDITURE) BEFORE OTHER RECOGNISED
530,558 121,349 651,907 769,312
GAINS AND LOSSES
Actuarial gains on defined benefit pension schemes 24 4,350,000 4,350,000 (4,815,000)
NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS 4,880,558 121,349 5,001,907 (4,045,688)
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS:
Total funds brought forward (8,283,686) 109,664 (8,174,022) (4,128,334)
Net movement in funds 4,880,558 121,349 5,001,907 (4,045,688)
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD (3,403,128) 231,013 (3,172,115) (8,174,022)
----- End of picture text -----

Consolidated Balance Sheet As at 31 March 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
Note £ £ £ £
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets 12 7,489,036 6,676,529
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors 14 933,511 521,569
Cash at bank and in hand 21 4,125,325 4,482,266
5,058,836 5,003,835
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 15 (1,557,072) (1,606,602)
NET CURRENT ASSETS 3,501,764 3,397,233
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 10,990,800 10,073,762
Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year 16 (1,645,915) (1,779,784)
NET ASSETS EXCLUDING PENSION LIABILITY 9,344,885 8,293,978
Defined benefit pension scheme liability 24 (12,517,000) (16,468,000)
TOTAL NET ASSETS (3,172,115) (8,174,022)
CHARITY FUNDS
Restricted funds 17 231,013 109,664
Unrestricted funds:
Unrestricted funds excluding pension liability 17 9,113,872 8,184,314
Pension reserve 17 (12,517,000) (16,468,000)
Total unrestricted funds 17 (3,403,128) (8,283,686)
TOTAL DEFICIT (3,172,115) (8,174,022)
----- End of picture text -----

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by: G J Smith, Trustee

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Company Balance Sheet As at 31 March 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
Note £ £ £ £
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets 12 7,489,036 6,676,529
Investments 13 6 6
7,489,042 6,676,535
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors 14 3,366,939 3,753,725
Cash at bank and in hand 1,679,260 1,074,725
5,046,199 4,828,450
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 15 (1,544,489) (1,431,271)
NET CURRENT ASSETS 3,501,710 3,397,179
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 10,990,752 10,073,714
Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year 16 (1,645,915) (1,779,784)
NET ASSETS EXCLUDING PENSION SCHEME LIABILITIES 9,344,837 8,293,930
Defined benefit pension scheme liability 24 (12,517,000) (16,468,000)
TOTAL NET LIABILITIES (3,172,163) (8,174,070)
CHARITY FUNDS
Restricted funds 17 235,667 109,664
Unrestricted funds:
Unrestricted funds excluding pension liability 17 9,109,170 8,184,266
Pension reserve 17 (12,517,000) (16,468,000)
Total unrestricted funds 17 (3,407,830) (8,283,734)
TOTAL FUNDS (3,172,163) (8,174,070)
----- End of picture text -----

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows For the year ended 31 March 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
Note £ £
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities 20 1,105,607 1,720,799
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from the sale of tangible fixed assets 2,886
Purchase of tangible fixed assets (1,462,548) (274,290)
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES (1,462,548) (271,405)
CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS IN THE YEAR (356,941) 1,449,394
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 4,482,266 3,032,872
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT THE END OF THE YEAR 21 4,125,325 4,482,266
----- End of picture text -----

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on and signed on their behalf, by:

G J Smith, Trustee

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Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2022

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

1.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements

Autism East Midlands is a private company limited by guarantee and incorporated in England within the United Kingdom. The address of the registered office is given in the company information of these financial statements. The company’s registration number is 02053860.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 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) (effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Autism East Midlands meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.

The financial statements are presented in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company.

The significant accounting policies that have been applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below

1.2 Basis of consolidation

The financial statements consolidate the accounts of Autism East Midlands and all of its subsidiary undertakings (‘subsidiaries’).

The Company has taken advantage of the exemption allowed under section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 and has not presented its own Statement of Financial Activities in these financial statements.

For the year ended 31 March 2022 the company generated a surplus of £1,050,907 prior to actuarial gains/ losses (2021: £1,047,313 surplus).

1.3 Company status

The company is a company limited by guarantee. The members of the company are the Trustees named on page 1. In the event of the company being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the company.

1.4 Fund accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the company and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

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

Investment income, gains and losses are allocated to the appropriate fund.

1.5 Income

All income is recognised once the company has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.

Donated services or facilities are recognised when the company has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use of the company of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the general volunteer time of the Friends is not recognised and refer to the Trustees’ Report for more information about their contribution.

On receipt, donated professional services and facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the Company which is the amount it would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.

Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation. Income tax recoverable in relation to investment income is recognised at the time the investment income is receivable.

Other income is recognised in the period in which it is receivable and to the extent the goods have been provided or on completion of the service.

1.6 Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Group; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the institution with whom the funds are deposited.

1.7 Expenditure

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is categorised under the following headings:

• Expenditure on charitable activities; and

• Other expenditure represents those items not falling into the categories above.

• Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure arose.

Support costs are those that assist the work of the charity but do not directly represent charitable activities and include office costs, governance costs, administrative and payroll costs. They are incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity and include project management carried out at Headquarters. Where support costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to the costs of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities on a basis consistent with the use of the resources.

Fundraising costs are those incurred in seeking voluntary contributions and do not include the costs of disseminating information in support of the charitable activities.

Charitable activities are costs incurred by the company in the delivery of its activities undertaken to further the purposes of the company, including support costs and costs relating to the governance of the company apportioned to charitable activities.

1.8 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets are carried at cost, net of depreciation and any provision for impairment. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following bases:

At each reporting date the company assesses whether there is any indication of impairment. If such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is determined to be the higher of its fair value less costs to sell and its value in use. An impairment loss is recognised where the carrying amount exceeds the recoverable amount.

amount.
Freehold property	-	2% Straight Line
Freehold refurbishment	-	5% 33% Straight Line
Vehicles & equipment	-	35% 100% Straight Line
Leasehold improvements	-	Over the shorter of the
		period of the lease or the
		useful economic life

Costs of repairs and maintenance to property together with the expenditure incurred bringing the buildings up to fire safety regulations are written off in the period to which expenditure is incurred.

The company continually replaces and updates existing equipment. The majority of this expenditure is on small items costing less than £3,000 and no detailed register, other than for IT equipment, of these is kept. All items costing under £3,000 are written off to repairs and maintenance in the period in which the expenditure is incurred.

1.9 Investments

Investments in subsidiaries are valued at cost less provision for impairment.

1.10 Operating leases

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities on a straightline basis over the lease term.

1.11 Taxation

The company is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the company is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.

1.12 Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

1.13 Cash at Bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and shortterm highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

1.14 Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance Sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

1.15 Government grants

Grants are included in the Statement of Financial Activities on a receivable basis. The balance of income received for specific purposes but not expended during the period is shown in the relevant funds on the balance sheet. Where income is received in advance of meeting any performance related conditions there is not unconditional entitlement to the income and its recognition is deferred and included in creditors as deferred income until the performancerelated conditions are met. Where entitlement occurs before income is received, the income is accrued.

1.16 Financial instruments

The group 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 with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

1.17 Pensions

Retirement benefits to some employees of the trust are provided by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The company is an admitted body of the LGPS, admitted by Nottinghamshire County Council.

The LGPS is a defined benefit funded scheme and the assets are held separately from those of the company in separate trustee administered funds. Pension scheme assets are measured at fair value and liabilities are measured on an actuarial basis using the projected unit method and discounted at a rate equivalent to the current rate of return on a high-quality corporate bond of equivalent term and currency to the liabilities. The actuarial valuations are obtained at least triennially and are updated at each balance sheet date. The amounts charged to operating surplus are the current service costs and gains and losses on the settlements and curtailments. They are included as part of staff costs. Past service costs are recognised immediately in the Statement of Financial Activities if the benefits have vested. If the benefits have not vested immediately, the costs are recognised over the period vesting occurs. The expected return on assets and interest cost are shown as a net finance amount of other finance costs or credits adjacent to interest. Actuarial gains and losses are recognised immediately in other gains and losses.

The pension charge for the defined benefit pension scheme is based on a full actuarial valuation dated 31 March 2022.

1.18 Irrecoverable VAT

The charity is registered for VAT, however due to the mixed nature of the supplies it makes, it has irrecoverable VAT arising due to partial exemption which is included in resources expended.

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2. INCOME FROM DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Total funds Total funds
funds 2022 funds 2022 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
Donations 263,854 248,036 511,890 476,072
Total 2021 341,428 134,644 476,072
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provides residential and day care services for adults with autism or a related condition. The charity owns 100% of the ordinary share capital of the subsidiary companies. A summary of results predistribution to the charity is shown below. The amount of gift aid from Sutherland House (Trading) Limited was £754,041 (2021 £637,688). The amount of gift aid from Norsaca (Trading) Limited was £918,049 (2021 £508,926).

3. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES - INCOME FROM SUBSIDIARY UNDERTAKINGS

The wholly owned subsidiaries, Norsaca (Trading) Limited and Sutherland House (Trading) Limited, are incorporated in the UK and pay all of their taxable profits to the charity by gift aid. Sutherland House (Trading) Limited provides education services for children with autism or a related condition. Norsaca (Trading) Limited

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Total funds Total funds
funds 2022 funds 2022 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
INCOME
Sutherland House (Trading) Limited - income 4,693,714 4,693,714 4,153,604
Norsaca (Trading) Limited - income 5,639,480 5,639,480 5,679,331
10,333,194 10,333,194 9,832,935
EXPENSES
Sutherland House (Trading) Limited - expenses 3,939,673 3,939,673 3,515,916
Norsaca (Trading) Limited - expenses 4,721,431 4,721,431 5,170,405
8,661,104 8,661,104 8,686,321
Net income from subsidiary undertakings 1,672,090 1,672,090 1,146,614
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
CURRENT ASSETS OF THE SUBSIDIARIES WERE:
Sutherland House (Trading) Limited 1,574,552 3,029,599
Norsaca (Trading) Limited 1,333,227 537,104
CURRENT LIABILITIES OF THE SUBSIDIARIES WERE:
Sutherland House (Trading) Limited (1,574,501) (3,029,548)
Norsaca (Trading) Limited (1,333,224) (537,101)
Total net assets of the subsidiaries 54 54
----- End of picture text -----

4. INVESTMENT INCOME

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Total funds Total funds
funds 2022 2022 2021
£ £ £
Bank interest 100 100 104
Total 2021 104 104
5. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Unrestricted Total funds Total funds
funds 2022 2022 2021
£ £ £
Provision of services 4,096,973 4,096,973 2,114,979
Total 2021 2,114,979 2,114,979
----- End of picture text -----

6. OTHER INCOMING RESOURCES

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Total funds Total funds
funds 2022 funds 2022 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
Other income 44,961 44,961 36,883
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme 8,029 8,029 150,000
Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund 84,943 84,943
Coronavirus Infection Control and Testing Fund 9,833 9,833
52,990 94,776 147,766 186,883
Total 2021 186,883 186,883
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7. ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES Summary by fund type

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Total funds Total funds
funds 2022 funds 2022 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
Provision of services 5,493,489 215,463 5,708,952 3,063,169
Fundraising 67,960 67,960 92,171
5,561,449 215,463 5,776,912 3,155,340
Total 2021 3,007,957 147,383 3,155,340
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8. ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE BY ACTIVITIES

----- Start of picture text -----
Activities undertaken Support costs Total funds Total funds
directly 2022 2022 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
Provision of services 3,232,089 2,476,863 5,708,952 3,063,169
Fundraising 67,960 67,960 92,171
3,300,049 2,476,863 5,776,912 3,155,340
Total 2021 1,042,801 2,112,539 3,155,340
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Analysis of direct costs

----- Start of picture text -----
Total funds Total funds
2022 2021
£ £
Staff costs 8,240,140 7,420,802
Agency costs 964,267 195,406
Costs recharged to subsidiaries (5,904,358) (6,573,407)
3,300,049 1,042,801
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Analysis of support costs

----- Start of picture text -----
Total funds Total funds
2022 2021
£ £
Staff costs 1,470,104 1,618,261
Depreciation 548,527 485,246
Other staff costs 143,628 101,276
Premises costs 868,217 862,848
IT costs 307,507 489,511
Legal & professional costs 140,042 146,675
Insurance costs 164,737 130,010
Travel costs 176,442 128,917
Other support costs 333,229 78,379
Office costs 106,793 104,959
Governance costs 27,854 22,208
Marketing costs 6,128 18,701
Catering cost 151,774 116,684
Costs recharged to subsidiaries (1,968,119) (2,191,136)
Total 2,476,863 2,112,539
----- End of picture text -----

9. AUDITORS’ REMUNERATION

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
Fees payable to the Group’s auditor for the audit of the Group’s annual accounts 17,305 16,475
Fees payable to the Group’s auditor in respect of:
All taxation services not included above 1,035 1,025
10. STAFF COSTS
Group Group Company Company
2022 2021 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
Wages and salaries 8,044,087 7,520,184 8,044,087 7,520,184
Social security costs 641,207 597,399 641,207 597,399
Other pension costs (Note 24) 709,950 636,480 709,950 636,480
Operating costs of defined benefit pension schemes 315,000 285,000 315,000 285,000
9,710,244 9,039,063 9,710,244 9,039,063
The average number of persons employed by the Group and Company during the year was as follows:
Group and Group and
Company Company
2022 2021
No. No.
Teaching staff 105 92
Care staff 297 281
Management and Administration 30 38
432 411
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The number of employees whose employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) exceeded £60,000 was:

----- Start of picture text -----
Group 2022 Group 2021
No. No.
In the band £60,001 - £70,000 1
In the band £70,001 - £80,000 1 1
In the band £80,001 - £90,000 2 1
In the band £100,001 - £200,000 1 1
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11. TRUSTEES’ REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES

During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits (2021 £NIL).

During the year ended 31 March 2022, expenses totalling £474 were reimbursed or paid directly to 1 Trustee (2021 £70 to 1 Trustee).

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12. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Group and Company

----- Start of picture text -----
Freehold property Vehicles & Assets under Leasehold
Total
and refurbs equipment construction improvements
£ £ £ £ £
Cost
At 1 April 2021 8,772,329 846,615 257,448 9,876,392
Additions 728,405 162,124 572,019 1,462,548
At 31 March 2022 9,500,734 1,008,739 572,019 257,448 11,338,940
Depreciation
At 1 April 2021 2,396,886 545,529 257,448 3,199,863
Charge for the year 386,737 161,789 548,526
Impairment charge 101,515 101,515
At 31 March 2022 2,885,138 707,318 257,448 3,849,904
Net book value
At 31 March 2022 6,615,596 301,421 572,019 7,489,036
At 31 March 2021 6,375,443 301,086 6,676,529
----- End of picture text -----

13. FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS

----- Start of picture text -----
Investments in subsidiary companies
Company £
Cost and NBV
At 1 April 2021 6
At 31 March 2022 6
----- End of picture text -----

14. DEBTORS

----- Start of picture text -----
Group Group Company Company
2022 2021 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
Due within one year
Trade debtors 817,168 420,020 355,454 128,564
Amounts owed by group undertakings 2,895,142 3,523,612
Other debtors 53,906 10,080 53,906 10,080
Prepayments and accrued income 62,437 91,469 62,437 91,469
933,511 521,569 3,366,939 3,753,725
15. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR
Group Company
2022 2021 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
Bank loans 138,274 134,561 138,274 134,561
Trade creditors 279,567 279,567
Other taxation and social security 486,023 577,128 486,023 577,128
Other creditors 87,222 282,627 87,222 123,076
Accruals and deferred income 845,553 332,719 832,970 316,939
1,557,072 1,606,602 1,544,489 1,431,271
----- End of picture text -----

Principal Subsidiaries

The following were subsidiary undertakings of the company:

----- Start of picture text -----
Company Company number Basis of control Holding
Norsaca (Trading) Limited 08056114 Equity share capital 100%
Sutherland House (Trading) Limited 03381476 Equity share capital 100%
----- End of picture text -----

The financial results of the subsidiaries for the year were:

----- Start of picture text -----
Income Expenditure Profit for the year Net assets
Company
£ £ £ £
Norsaca (Trading) Limited 5,639,480 (4,721,431) 918,049 3
Sutherland House (Trading) Limited 4,693,714 (3,939,673) 754,041 51
----- End of picture text -----

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16. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE AFTER MORE THAN ONE YEAR

----- Start of picture text -----
Group Company
2022 2021 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
Bank loans 1,645,915 1,779,784 1,645,915 1,779,784
----- End of picture text -----

Included within the above are amounts falling due as follows:

----- Start of picture text -----
Group Company
2022 2021 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
Between one and two years
Bank loans 142,185 138,275 142,185 138,275
Between two and five years
Bank loans 452,282 439,354 452,282 439,354
Over five years
Bank loans 1,051,448 1,202,155 1,051,448 1,202,155
The aggregate amount of liabilities payable or repayable wholly or in part more than five years after the reporting date is:
Group Company
2022 2021 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
Repayable by instalments 1,051,448 1,202,155 1,051,448 1,202,155
----- End of picture text -----

Bank loans and mortgages are secured on the charity’s freehold properties. The interest rates on the loans are 2.83% and 3.1% and repayments are repayable monthly.

17. STATEMENT OF FUNDS

Statement of funds - current year

----- Start of picture text -----
Balance at 1 Transfers Gains/ Balance at 31
Income Expenditure
April 2021 in/out (Losses) March 2022
£ £ £ £ £ £
UNRESTRICTED FUNDS
General Fund 8,184,266 4,413,917 (5,162,449) 1,678,090 9,113,824
Reserves - subsidiaries 48 10,333,194 (8,661,104) (1,672,090) 48
Pension reserve (16,468,000) (399,000) 4,350,000 (12,517,000)
(8,283,686) 14,747,111 (14,222,553) 6,000 4,350,000 (3,403,128)
RESTRICTED FUNDS
Parenting Fund 7,698 (321) 7,377
Jones Trust 23,498 37,500 (6,000) 54,998
Wilson Foundation 16,000 (6,530) 9,470
Lottery - Autism Family Support Hubs 55,085 88,285 (80,233) 63,137
Children in Need 4,488 35,581 (22,230) 17,839
Building Better Opportunities 2,895 5,438 (8,333)
Duke of Edinburgh 3,040 (3,040)
BNA Charitable Organisation 75,000 75,000
Old Heanorians 3,192 3,192
Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund 84,943 (84,943)
Infection Control Fund 9,833 (9,833)
109,664 342,812 (215,463) (6,000) 231,013
Total of funds (8,174,022) 15,089,923 (14,438,016) 4,350,000 (3,172,115)
----- End of picture text -----

released to the Statement of Financial Activities in line with the depreciation charged on the assets acquired.

Parenting Fund represents a donation received to fund a programme to assist and support the parents of autistic children and adults.

Children in Need Funding received from BBC Children in Need substantially contributes towards the running of the ‘Out and About’ programme in Northampton a community based programme helping autistic children reduce isolation, build confidence and develop social and life skills through recreational and leisure activities.

The Lottery Autism Family Support Hubs fund represents a three year project facilitating the setting up of family support groups in the East Midlands.

Wilson Foundation this fund provides trips in the Community to all young people irrespective of support needs.

BNA Charitable Organisation Funding received from the BNA Charitable Organisation contributes towards redeveloping the garden of a large building in Worksop (Whitegates) to be a centre for Autistic individuals in crisis.

Building Better Opportunities this fund allows us to support adults to make progress towards employment, training or volunteering.

Jones Trust The Jones Trust made a contribution towards the capital cost of creating and equipping a science laboratory in our school. This donation has been fully spent but the income is being

Old Heanorians This funding received from Old Heanorians is to support the Heanor Family Support Hub.

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17. STATEMENT OF FUNDS (continued) Statement of funds - prior year

----- Start of picture text -----
Balance at 1 Transfers in Gains/ Balance at 31
Income Expenditure
April 2020 /out (Losses) March 2021
£ £ £ £ £ £
UNRESTRICTED FUNDS
General Fund 7,118,215 2,643,394 (2,729,957) 1,152,614 8,184,266
Reserves - subsidiaries 48 9,832,935 (8,686,321) (1,146,614) 48
Pension reserve (11,375,000) (278,000) (4,815,000) (16,468,000)
(4,256,737) 12,476,329 (11,694,278) 6,000 (4,815,000) (8,283,686)
RESTRICTED FUNDS
Parenting Fund 7,698 7,698
Jones Trust 29,498 (6,000) 23,498
Wilson Foundation 16,000 16,000
Lottery - Autism Family Support Hubs 40,172 87,999 (73,086) 55,085
Children in Need 26,645 6,993 (29,150) 4,488
Building Better Opportunities 8,390 16,902 (22,397) 2,895
Children in Need 2 2,750 (2,750)
Nottingham Community Foundation 10,000 (10,000)
Hobson Charity 10,000 (10,000)
128,403 134,644 (147,383) (6,000) 109,664
Total of funds (4,128,334) 12,610,973 (11,841,661) (4,815,000) (8,174,022)
----- End of picture text -----

18. SUMMARY OF FUNDS

Summary of funds - current year

----- Start of picture text -----
Balance at 1 Transfers Gains/ Balance at 31
Income Expenditure
April 2021 in/out (Losses) March 2022
£ £ £ £ £ £
General Funds (8,283,686) 14,747,111 (14,222,553) 6,000 4,350,000 (3,403,128)
Restricted funds 109,664 342,812 (215,463) (6,000) 231,013
(8,174,022) 15,089,923 (14,438,016) 4,350,000 (3,172,115)
Summary of funds - prior year
Balance at 1 Income Expenditure [Transfers in/] Gains/ Balance at 31
April 2020 out (Losses) March 2021
£ £ £ £ £ £
General Funds (4,256,737) 12,476,329 (11,694,278) 6,000 (4,815,000) (8,283,686)
Restricted funds 128,403 134,644 (147,383) (6,000) 109,664
(4,128,334) 12,610,973 (11,841,661) (4,815,000) (8,174,022)
----- End of picture text -----

19. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

Analysis of net assets between funds - current year

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Total funds
funds 2022 funds 2022 2022
£ £ £
Tangible fixed assets 7,434,038 54,998 7,489,036
Current assets 4,882,821 176,015 5,058,836
Creditors due within one year (1,557,072) (1,557,072)
Creditors due in more than one year (1,645,915) (1,645,915)
Provisions for liabilities and charges (12,517,000) (12,517,000)
Total (3,403,128) 231,013 (3,172,115)
Analysis of net assets between funds - prior year
Unrestricted Restricted Total funds
funds 2021 funds 2021 2021
£ £ £
Tangible fixed assets 6,653,031 23,498 6,676,529
Current assets 4,917,669 86,166 5,003,835
Creditors due within one year (1,606,602) (1,606,602)
Creditors due in more than one year (1,779,784) (1,779,784)
Provisions for liabilities and charges (16,468,000) (16,468,000)
(8,283,686) 109,664 (8,174,022)
20. RECONCILIATION OF NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Group Group
2022 2021
£ £
Net income for the year (as per Statement of Financial Activities) 651,907 769,312
ADJUSTMENT FOR:
Depreciation charges 548,526 485,246
Impairment of property valuation 101,515
Profit on the sale of fixed assets (2,885)
(Increase)/decrease in debtors (411,942) 576,622
Decrease in creditors (183,399) (385,496)
FRS102 pension adjustments 399,000 278,000
NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES 1,105,607 1,720,799
----- End of picture text -----

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21. ANALYSIS OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

----- Start of picture text -----
Group Group
2022 2021
£ £
Cash in hand 4,125,325 4,482,266
TOTAL 4,125,325 4,482,266
----- End of picture text -----

22. ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN NET DEBT

----- Start of picture text -----
Other noncash At 31 March
At 1 April 2021 Cash flows changes 2022
£ £ £ £
Cash at bank and in hand 4,482,266 (356,941) 4,125,325
Debt due within 1 year (134,561) 134,561 (138,274) (138,274)
Debt due after 1 year (1,779,784) (4,405) 138,274 (1,645,915)
2,567,921 (226,785) 2,341,136
----- End of picture text -----

24. PENSION COMMITMENTS (continued)

Principal actuarial assumptions at the Balance Sheet date (expressed as weighted averages):

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
% %
Discount rate at 31 March 2.6 2.00
Future salary increases 3.2 2.85
Future pension increases 3.2 2.85
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
At 31 March At 31 March
2022 2021
Years Years
Mortality rates (in years)
for a male aged 65 now 21 21.6
at 65 for a male aged 45 now 22.3 22.9
for a female aged 65 now 23.8 24.3
at 65 for a female aged 45 now 25.2 25.7
----- End of picture text -----

Sensitivity analysis (applied to gross defined benefit liability)

23. CAPITAL COMMITMENTS

At 31 March 2021 the group and company had capital commitments as follows:

----- Start of picture text -----
Group Group Company Company
2022 2021 2022 2021
£ £ £ £
Contracted for but not provided in these financial statements 575,000 575,000
----- End of picture text -----

24. PENSION COMMITMENTS

Retirement benefits to employees of the Group are provided by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The company is an admitted body of the LGPS, admitted by Nottinghamshire County Council.

The LGPS is a funded defined benefit pension scheme, with the assets held in separate trusteeadministered funds. The total contribution made for the year ended 31 March 2022 was £291,000 (2021: £349,000), of which employer’s contributions totalled £254,000 (2021: £301,000) and employees’ contributions totalled £37,000 (2021: £48,000). The agreed contribution rates for future years are 20.8% per cent for employers and 12.5% per cent for employees.

Pension scheme assets are measured at fair value and liabilities are measured on an actuarial basis using the projected unit method and discounted at a rate equivalent to the current rate of return on a high-quality corporate bond of equivalent term and currency to the liabilities. The actuarial valuations are obtained at least triennially and are updated at each balance sheet date. The amounts charged to operating surplus are the current service costs and gains and losses on the settlements and curtailments. They are included as part of staff costs. Past service costs are recognised immediately in the Statement of Financial Activities if the benefits have vested. If the benefits have not vested immediately, the costs are recognised over the period vesting occurs. The expected return on assets and the interest cost are shown as a net finance amount of other finance costs or credits adjacent to interest. Actuarial gains and losses are recognised immediately in other gains and losses.

----- Start of picture text -----
At 31 March At 31 March
The assets in the scheme and the expected rates of return were: 2022 2021
£ £
Discount rate +0.1% 33,679,000 36,044,000
Discount rate -0.1% 35,156,000 37,634,000
Mortality assumption - 1 year increase 35,914,000 38,450,000
Mortality assumption - 1 year decrease 32,968,000 35,279,000
Pension increase rate +0.1% 35,114,000 37,586,000
Pension decrease rate -0.1% 33,718,000 36,090,000
The Group’s share of the assets in the scheme was:
Fair value at 31 Fair value at 31
March 2022 March 2021
£ £
Equities 13,262,000 12,972,000
Gilts 645,000 721,000
Other bonds 1,493,000 1,522,000
Property 2,813,000 2,160,000
Cash 1,225,000 1,089,000
Other 2,454,000 1,898,000
Total market value of assets 21,892,000 20,362,000
----- End of picture text -----

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The actual return on scheme assets was £1,857,000 (2021 £3,705,000).

24. PENSION COMMITMENTS (continued)

The amounts recognised in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities are as follows:

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
Current service cost (315,000) (285,000)
Interest on obligation (327,000) (264,000)
Past service cost (23,000)
Administrative expenses (11,000) (7,000)
Total amount recognised in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities (653,000) (579,000)
----- End of picture text -----

Movements in the present value of the defined benefit obligation were as follows:

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
Opening defined benefit obligation 36,830,000 28,393,000
Current service cost 315,000 285,000
Contributions by scheme participants 37,000 48,000
Actuarial (gains)/losses (2,897,000) 8,124,000
Interest cost 731,000 660,000
Past service costs 23,000
Estimated Benefits paid net of transfers (607,000) (703,000)
Closing defined benefit obligation 34,409,000 36,830,000
----- End of picture text -----

25. OPERATING LEASE COMMITMENTS

At 31 March 2022 the Group and the Company had commitments to make future minimum lease payments under noncancellable operating leases as follows:

----- Start of picture text -----
Group 2022 Group 2021
GROUP AND COMPANY £ £
AMOUNTS PAYABLE:
Not later than 1 year 133,804 77,644
Later than 1 year and not later than 5 years 173,209 249,064
Later than 5 years 49,372
307,013 376,080
----- End of picture text -----

26. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Company has not entered into any related party transaction during the year, nor are there any outstanding balances owing between related parties and the Company at 31 March 2022.

The key management personnel of Autism East Midlands comprise the Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer, the Director of Adult Services, Finance Director and Headteacher. The remuneration of key management personnel during the year totalled £398,576 (2021 £362,696) for short term employment benefits and £28,964 (2021 £28,396) for postemployment benefits.

Movements in the fair value of the Group’s share of scheme assets were as follows:

----- Start of picture text -----
2022 2021
£ £
Opening fair value of scheme assets 20,362,000 17,018,000
Interest income 404,000 396,000
Actuarial gains 1,453,000 3,309,000
Administrative expenses (11,000) (7,000)
Contributions by employer 254,000 301,000
Contributions by scheme participants 37,000 48,000
Closing fair value of scheme assets (607,000) (703,000)
21,892,000 20,362,000
----- End of picture text -----

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Our achievements over the past year have been the result of the work of our dedicated staff, combined with the significant support of all our partners. If you would like to get involved in our work, we would love to hear from you.

For more information... W aem.org.uk T 01909 506 678 E [e-mail] Autism East Midlands

This information can be provided in a more accessible format by contacting [e-mail]

Registered office: Autism East Midlands, Unit 31 Crags Industrial Estate, Morven Street, Creswell, Worksop, Nottinghamshire S80 4AJ Registered charity no. 517954 Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England no. 2053860