www.thedtgroup.org Registered Charity No. 800797 and SC038972 **2** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Contents** |**Contents**
The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report**& Accounts**2020-21**|| |---|---| |Strategic Report|**3**| |About The Disabilities Trust|**4**| |Welcome from our Chair of Trustees|**6**| |A message from our Chief Executive|**10**| |Key highlights of 2020 – 2021|**13**| |Our strategy|**16**| |Our achievements|**19**| |The way forward|**41**| |Trustees’ Annual Report|**42**| |Financial review|**43**| |Directors’ report|**48**| |Trustees’ responsibilities statement|**62**| |Auditor’s report|**64**| |Financial statements|**69**| |Get involved|**102**| TheDJ5 IRwi&AccoLrt520￿￿ Strategi Report li **4** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **About The Disabilities Trust** ## **Our purpose** We are a charity that works alongside people with an acquired brain injury, autism, and learning or physical disabilities to help them live as independently as possible. Established 40 years ago, we have a proven track record of providing high quality services across the UK. These include: seven brain injury assessment and rehabilitation centres, seven residential care homes, 26 supported living accommodations and two hospitals for people with brain injuries, 11 residential care homes and seven supported living accommodations for people with autism and learning disabilities, four residential care homes for those with complex physical disabilities, and a school for children with autism and learning disabilities. We also provide person-centred support to people in their own homes. Our services support around 750 people each year. 91% of our services are rated as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ or considered compliant by their respective regulators, the Care Quality Commission, Care Inspectorate Wales, Care Inspectorate Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland or OFSTED. We are also the largest not-for-profit brain injury service provider in the UK. We provide the individual care, support and rehabilitation that people need to live as full a life as possible. Staff work closely with those we support, their families and friends, local and health authorities, housing associations and others. Dedicated teams support people to move forward with their lives. They include specialists like physiotherapists, psychologists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) practitioners. We use innovative technologies and evidence-based clinical approaches to help the people we support thrive. Through our Foundation, we also campaign, conduct research and pilot new ideas to amplify the voices of people who do not access our core services. This includes survivors of domestic abuse and those in the criminal justice system with a brain injury. Find out more at **www.thedtgroup.org** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Our Mission, Vision & Values** ## **Mission** Every day we strive to enable the people we support to do more than they could the day before. ## **Vision** To be the first choice for people with complex autism, learning or physical disabilities and brain injury and for everyone who supports them. ## **Our Values** **WE ARE AGILE** We are forward thinking, responsive, resilient and flexible to make sure we continue to evolve and spot potential. ## **WE ARE RESOURCEFUL** We spend time and money wisely empowering people to think differently at the same time as being practical and commercial. ## **WE ARE COURAGEOUS** We do the right thing, step up, try new things, are strong and bold while managing risk. **WE ARE CONNECTED** We collaborate, create positive relationships, listen and learn from others and keep our promises. **WE HAVE HEART** We show dedication, passion, humility and care to make a long-lasting and measurable difference. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Showing strength in the face of adversity** ## **Welcome from our Chair of Trustees** This year has been one of the most challenging in The Disabilities Trust’s 40-year history - but I’m pleased to see we have emerged even stronger. Week after week, our staff faced the difficult realities that Covid-19 brought and which they continue to manage. The impact of three national lockdowns, and additional local restrictions in some areas, have deeply affected the people we support, their families and relatives, and our staff who felt the full impact of frequently changing government guidance. All our staff, from those on the frontline to our support services, pulled together. The dedicated and unified approach, from rigorous infection control procedures, to training, vital communications to keep everyone connected and the continued vaccination rollout, kept our services safely running for the people we support and their families. I am immensely proud of everyone at The Disabilities Trust for their tireless and selfless contributions in the face of such adversity. ## **Keeping life moving in the pandemic** This year, we adapted with agility to the unprecedented changes the pandemic brought, to ensure that the people we support could continue to enjoy the things they like doing, albeit in a slightly different way. Being part of the local community is important for many of the people we support but the pandemic made this challenging. With cafes closed for most of the year, residents at Kent House in Aylesbury and Ty Aberdafen in Llanelli, Wales raised money to open their own. This gave them the chance to sit and enjoy a coffee and meet safely with family and friends. Music therapy sessions continued online at many of our services, including Osman House in Leeds. Funded by generous donations from our supporters and run by music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins, the sessions improved people’s confidence, self-esteem, hand-to-eye coordination and speech. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** Staff at Heathermount school supported children and young people with autism, and their families, to continue to learn at home. Students received laptops, and teachers maintained daily contact and sent out work packs. All the staff went above and beyond to support students and their families, another shining example of what makes The Disabilities Trust so special. ## **Supporting people with disabilities** The people we support, and our staff have shown tremendous resilience during the pandemic, and there are many positives to reflect on. Specialist teams continued to support people with brain injuries to become more independent. In 2020, eight in ten people with brain injuries (80%) were discharged to a more independent setting, including supported living accommodation run by The Disabilities Trust. ## **Managing our finances** The pandemic also brought unexpected costs for the charity, including purchasing personal protective equipment, implementing additional infection control measures, creating outdoor and indoor visiting spaces as well as increased staff costs as a result of self-isolation. Lockdown and national infection rates also impacted admissions and introduced the need for further infection control measures. To ensure the people we support and our staff were kept safe we successfully applied and received Covid-19 grants from local government, to contribute towards these extra costs, which have been key to our ability to respond and adapt to the impact of the pandemic. By recruiting someone to manage these grants, we could report back to funders on stringent criteria including vaccination rates, infection rates and supply of PPE. ## **Starting a new beginning** This year, three new trustees joined the Board: Eve Castel, Caroline Reid, and Marianne Waite. It’s important we have a team of trustees from a variety of backgrounds who bring different experiences and opinions to discussions. After 19 years on the Board, and four as Chair, I’m stepping down in November 2021 when my term comes to an end. I have the pleasure of handing over to our new Chair, Kathryn Greenberg, who I am confident will support the Trust to achieve its exciting ambitions and contribute to the Trust’s outstanding legacy. The organisation is very different to the one I joined but continues to make an enormous difference to people’s lives. My time on the Board has been challenging, at times difficult, but also incredibly rewarding and without doubt, has been the most fulfilling role of my career. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** We have taken many difficult decisions in response to an ever tougher financial and regulatory environment, have begun reshaping the organisation and our Board, very reluctantly closed some services but equally, embarked upon our most ambitious investment programme ever, all to ensure the charity is successful and well placed for the future. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to meet some truly amazing people. Be they the people we support, their friends and families, members of staff or fellow trustees, it has been a gathering of like-minded individuals who work tirelessly towards a single goal – that is, to ensure the people we support can live their best lives. Service visits, meeting the people we support, their families and our staff has been the highlight of my time on the Board and I sincerely regret that Covid put paid to those visits over the past 18 months. As I step down, so too do Michael Green and Roger Hoyle. Roger served for seven years as a trustee but also as our representative on the Board at York House as well as Chair of the Finance and Investment Committee where his financial experience and knowledge of healthcare was invaluable. Michael served for 11 years as a trustee and was also Vice Chair during my tenure. I am incredibly grateful for his support and guidance over the years. Michael’s drive and encyclopaedic knowledge of the property sector also meant he played a pivotal role in the proposal for our new £23m hospital development in York - the largest single investment in the history of the Trust. As the three of us step down, I recognise that we take with us our knowledge and experience but equally, we leave an incredibly talented team of trustees and a superb senior leadership team (SLT). The Board and the SLT are well placed to continue to ensure the Trust grows and remains successful and I genuinely look forward to watching from the side-lines and feeling proud to have played a small part in the Trust’s success. It has been an honour and a privilege, and I wish the people we support, their families and friends, our dedicated staff and my friends and colleagues, every success for the future. I have no doubt that the charity will continue to do great work to improve the lives of the people we support. ## **Stephen Howell** Chair of the Trustee Board **9** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** # **Heart, courage, agility, connectivity and resourcefulness** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Influencing change** ## **A message from our Chief Executive** ‘Heart, courage, agility, connectivity and resourcefulness’. ## These are some of the attributes I’ve seen in abundance over the last year from people across the Trust – our staff and the people we support alike. Although this has been a testing year for the Trust and the sector, it has also shown the true worth of social care and its ability to meet the needs of the most vulnerable, and keep our communities afloat and connected in a crisis. I have been extremely proud of how our staff dealt with and continue to respond to the Covid pandemic. From the Senior Leadership Team’s agility and dedication in the face of rapidly changing circumstances, setting direction and showing the way through the pandemic, to the persistence of our frontline workers in keeping the people we support safe; every single person at the Trust played their part. I am also pleased at how we debate about the future of social care, as well as working with the people that we support to amplify the needs of people with disabilities. ## **Bold campaigning** Covid-19 has undoubtedly increased the profile of health and social care. In response, the Trust has been more involved in the national debate and become more visible, giving us the opportunity to grow and extend our reach and influence. This year, we provided virtual tours of our services for local MPs so they could see for themselves how the pandemic was affecting disabled people and represent their needs to decision makers. At the outset of the pandemic, we campaigned for better personal protective equipment for social care staff and stood with families calling for disabled people, and those with autism and learning disabilities, to be higher up the vaccine priority list. I am extremely proud that our influencing work has changed the law to better protect survivors of domestic abuse who have a brain injury. As a direct result of our five-year research programme, from April 2021, prisoners have been screened for a brain injury sustained through violence. And thanks to our campaigning with MP Chris Bryant, and work in prison and probation services, there has been further change. Now, domestic abuse protection orders consider acquired brain injury as part of the range of needs any survivor may have. We hope these changes will ensure that survivors of domestic abuse with a brain injury get the support they need to address their often-hidden disability. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Sharing expertise** More widely, we are speaking out and sharing our expertise. Our webinars for health professionals and commissioners, led by our clinical teams, have been very successful at generating discussion on innovative research and practice with others in the sector. We have also been commissioned by NHS England to provide an innovative e-learning programme for healthcare practitioners in 112 prisons in England. Our training will support them to develop skills to identify and improve ways of working with people who have brain injuries. We will continue to focus on sharing our expertise, campaigning and influencing in our next five-year strategy. This will help us to support people to become more independent and amplify the voices of those we support and those with disabilities who cannot access our core services. ## **Investment and growth** This year, we continued to grow, with the opening of new supported living services in Liverpool and Glasgow. These are creating opportunities for people with brain injuries to live more independently. We also extended Eastfields, a brain injury rehabilitation unit, next to Graham Anderson House hospital, in Glasgow, to allow more people with brain injuries to move from an acute hospital to a residential unit to continue their rehabilitation. We will continue to grow bespoke services to create additional capacity and provide accommodation of a high standard. This includes relocating from our existing York House Hospital where we currently support up to 38 people and building an exciting £23 million flagship specialist hospital in York, which will provide vital support for 40 people with complex brain injuries and allow us to retain 145 jobs. The new hospital will be a ‘capable environment’, which means it will effectively support people with brain injuries to have positive interactions and opportunities. ## **Integrated care** In the year ahead, you’ll see us continuing to call for integrated health and social care, so that the people we support can have better experiences, especially when they’re moving from hospital care to community-based services. More joined-up working will put an end to artificial silos that too often keep health and social care apart and have a negative impact on the outcomes of the people we support. Integrated services are key to transforming outcomes and, ultimately, creating positive experiences for everyone accessing our health and care system. We will campaign loudly and boldly for the UK government to make good on their promise of care reform, representing the views of the people we support and their families. Changes should recognise the heroic efforts of staff, and the urgent need for investment. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** I cannot sign off without acknowledging how truly challenging, and unprecedented, the past year has been. Like many of us at the sharp end of delivering support in the social care sector, we were not left untouched by the toll of the pandemic. Be it the people we support being isolated from family and friends or, sadly, the passing of the loved ones, we remember those who did not make it through the coronavirus pandemic or who are left forever changed by it. Thank you so much for your continued support for The Disabilities Trust. With your help, we will keep up with the demands of our ever changing world, make sure we protect the people we support, their families, communities and staff and help to improve the lives of people living with a disability. ## **Irene Sobowale** Chief Executive “We will campaign loudly and boldly for the UK government to make good on their promise of care reform, representing the views of the people we support and their families. Changes should recognise the heroic efforts of staff, and the urgent need for investment.” **13** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Key highlights** In a challenging year, we continued to provide excellent care for people with brain injury, autism, learning or physical disabilities, helping them to live as independently as possible. This year, **we supported 749 people living with an acquired brain injury, autism, learning or physical disabilities.** We **welcomed 246 people to our services** during the year and 269 – 36% of those we supported – were discharged, with many moving on to more independent living. We are **supporting more people with brain** **injuries** with two new supported living services in Glasgow and Liverpool. We also extended our brain injury rehabilitation unit in Glasgow and found a suitable site to develop a 40-bed flagship hospital in York. Our **1,617 resilient and dedicated staff** adapted quickly to work together in a new way during the pandemic and went above and beyond for the people we support. Almost **three quarters (73%) of the therapeutic goals of the people we support were achieved** in 2020. Maintaining strong management of our finances in the pandemic helped offset additional pandemic infection control costs. We applied for Covid-19 grants from local authorities, **raising over £1.4 million to** **cover some of the extra costs.** Our **new fundraising strategy is helping us to allocate substantial funds for** **life-enhancing projects and activities** for the people we support. In 2020-21 we used £130,082 of voluntary income to help pay for everything from music therapy to gym equipment at our services. **Our research helped change the law** so that prisoners are now screened for brain injury. Domestic abuse protection orders now consider acquired brain injury as part of the range of needs any survivor may have. **We switched most of our face-to-face training to being delivered virtually in an** **agile way** to ensure our staff have the skills they need to do their job during the pandemic. In total, 26,785 e-learning training modules, 424 business critical face-to-face and 267 training courses were delivered by webinars. **14** **----- Start of picture text -----**
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## “I never gave up.” Hannah, 33, has a brain injury caused by an overdose in 2019. She lives at Speyside, our supported living accommodation in Blackpool. Below, Hannah and support worker Jasmine share their perspectives on the journey of rehabilitation they have been on. ## **Hannah’s story** “I got in with the wrong crowd and was feeling very low, so I made the decision to take my own life. Afterwards I was in a coma, and my mum was told I would never walk and talk again. When I arrived at Speyside, I was in a wheelchair, but I was so determined to improve that, each day, I would go for a short walk around the block to build up my walking. One day I decided to push myself even further. I walked to a nearby shop with a staff member. That was about half a mile. I no longer need a wheelchair. I never gave up. My dreams and hopes for the future are to live independently with my son and a dog. I would say to people ‘never to give up’ as my determination has got me to where I am. Always think positive.” ## **Jasmine s perspective’** “Hannah’s progress has been incredible. When she first came to us, she would have to point to things that she wanted. During her recovery, she would be surrounded by tubes which scared her son and made her very upset. After help from the speech therapist, Hannah learnt techniques to speak clearer and slower, and she improved considerably. However, during lockdown, she wasn’t able to see her son or other family members for a long period of time. Hannah was able to call her son and mum, but it just wasn’t the same. Hannah is very social and enjoys going out, so to go from doing that to nothing has been very hard for her. Hannah has now learnt to deal with her negative thoughts. She knows to speak to staff or people close to her and seeks help when is needed. This is a really positive move for Hannah.” The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** **In a challenging year, we continued to provide excellent care** **16** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Our strategy** During the course of delivering our five-year strategy, we supported thousands of people with an acquired brain injury, autism, learning or physical disabilities. In 2017, we launched a new strategic plan to make sure The Disabilities Trust remained relevant, adaptable and sustainable. Each year the Board of Trustees and senior leadership team reviewed progress against the strategic plan to make sure we were delivering what we committed to and were having a positive impact on the lives of the people that we supported. We supported thousands of people living with an acquired brain injury, autism, learning or physical disabilities to regain or increase their independence. Covid-19 challenged us in continuing to deliver our strategic priorities, but we are on track to deliver what we set out to do in 2017 – and put our values at the heart of our work. - We showed we are adaptable and **agile** . During these difficult circumstances, we remained **courageous** , continuing to provide excellent services despite the challenge of the pandemic. - We made sure our services were sustainable by being **resourceful** and reviewing - costs and our fee rates. This meant we could continue to provide a high standard of care and appropriate support to people using our services. - We remained **connected** by supporting our staff to continue learning and take part in training using different delivery methods because of Covid-19, helping them to show **heart** – dedication, passion and humility – during a challenging time. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Our focus** To achieve the objectives in our five-year strategic plan, we focused on three overarching areas of work, underpinned by a series of goals. These are: ## **Building firm foundations** We made sure the organisation was sustainable and managed effectively, so we could continue to provide high-quality, personalised care and support to the people using our services. ## **Being leading edge** We invested in technology and researched new ways to support people with complex needs. ## **Remembering we are a charity** We made sure our fundraising income had an impact, identified gaps in policy and practice, and influenced decision makers. TheDl5abiI￿1eST[USt | knr•J&lReport&AccoLnts 201fyX rsonalise pro The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Our achievements** ## **Building firm foundations** ## **Goal one: Adopting a personalised approach** Developing the right leadership and organisational systems supports staff to work in creative, person-centred ways. **Student numbers stayed consistent at** 76 - [ Adopting a one team approach helped to keep our geographically dispersed ] staff connected during the pandemic. We had monthly webinars with our chief executive and members of the senior leadership team so staff could ask questions and be kept informed during the pandemic. We also hosted regular webinars for families with members of our senior leadership team and started to publish well-received monthly family newsletters to share news from our services, which now reach more than 220 people a month. These have helped to keep families updated on the latest guidance about the pandemic, including visiting regulations, and to feel more connected to their relatives. - [ To make sure school governance was robustly monitored, and to increase ] transparency and openness, we appointed a new Chair of Governors and a school improvement partner to work closely with and support the school leadership team to continuously improve the quality of support and education delivered at Heathermount School. Despite the pandemic, student numbers stayed consistent, with 76 children and young people attending Heathermount School in 2020-21. “During 2020-2021, we faced things as educators and parents that we never imagined. All the staff at Heathermount have been fabulous throughout. My child has felt like an individual the whole way through, his needs and that of our families being taken into consideration constantly. The senior leadership team has called weekly, and the tutor has called every day and sent work packs. My child has changed beyond recognition since starting at Heathermount and this has changed life for us as a family.” **Parent of a child at Heathermount School** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** - [ We recruited a strategic lead and two specialist practitioners to join our ] Positive Behaviour Support team who help people with autism and learning disabilities to address and change behaviours of concern. Staff supported pupils to learn about social distancing and meet with their parents. This helped reduce their anxiety and challenging behaviour. - [ Training in conflict management techniques and physical interventions have helped ] to keep the people we support and staff safe. 237 service staff were trained by in-house experts and external agencies to understand how to manage and de-escalate high-risk behaviours. As a result, they feel well equipped to do this safely. 237 - **services staff training** - **in conflict management techniques and physical interventions** - [ We provided the opportunity for the people we support to give us their feedback ] remotely during the pandemic. For example, we spoke to people about the Government’s National Disability Strategy which aims to make practical changes to maximise inclusion in society. Now, we are using this approach so that people who use our services can tell us what they think about the care and support we provide. ## National Disability Strategy - Strategy •[ Staff better understand what person-centred care and support is and how to put it] **provided the** into practice, thanks to online training delivered by the Social Care Institute for - **opportunity for the** Excellence. 63 managers, members of the senior leadership team and Trustees, - **people we support** completed personalisation training between February 2020 and June 2021. - **to give us** - **their feedback** - [ We have strengthened the rights of people living in our supported living ] accommodation by replacing licence agreements with assured shorthold tenancy agreements (AST). Licence agreements are for short-term temporary lets and AST are long-term agreements for sole or main residences. We have provided people with accessible literature to explain the changes. “We support people to gain independence, develop new skills and relearn others. We do this by ensuring their needs are at the centre of everything we do. I take enormous pride in watching the people we support meet their rehabilitation goals. Working at Ty Aberdafen has given me the opportunity to be a part of their incredible journey.” **Jennifer Carpenter, team leader at Ty Aberdafen** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Building firm foundations** ## **Goal two: Supporting our staff** We aim to be an Employer of Choice for people who share our values and want to make a positive difference to the people we support. **Set up a** EDI Committee **to feed into equality, diversity and inclusion strategy** **Brought together** 65 **managers from across the organisation** - [ We introduced values based recruitment and performance processes to recruit] the right people who will live our values and deliver high quality services. We rewarded staff who went the extra mile in living our values through our Achieving Excellence awards. - [ We prioritised the wellbeing of staff through various initiatives including a] weekly wellbeing newsletter, which contained mental health advice and signposted to other useful support materials, and online yoga and meditation classes. Staff who were shielding during the pandemic, or on furlough, received regular welfare check-in phone calls. Also, we provided mental health first aid refresher training for managers as well as resilience training to help them support staff and themselves. We provided managers with training for managing remote teams to assist with this change. - [ Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is hugely important to us and so we set up] listening forums to hear from staff about potential barriers and issues. As a result, we have introduced a variety of initiatives including setting up a committee to drive forwards our EDI agenda. This work is feeding into an equality, diversity and inclusion strategy. - [ Our annual managers conference, ‘Stronger Together’ went online in April 2021, ] and focused on bringing together 65 managers from all areas of the organisation to discuss a variety of topics, including learning from the pandemic. This helped to enhance team work and equip managers with the skills and knowledge to carry out their roles even more effectively during this challenging time. “A lot of food for thought to reflect on and consider how some of the great practices discussed in other services could be rolled out in my own. Thank you to everyone for the past year for their part in keeping us all up and running and safe. I doubt anyone will ever know all the ‘unsung heroes’ out there but I salute you all.” **Attendee of our 2021 conference for managers** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Building firm foundations** ## **Goal three: Providing high quality services** We strive to continuously improve the quality of our care to make sure it’s leading edge and so we can support people in the best ways. - [ Measuring the impact of our support for disabled people helps to assess the ] effectiveness of our work. Overall, almost three quarters (73%) of the therapeutic goals of the people we support were achieved in 2020. 73% - [ We made changes to Datix, the reporting system we use to record incidents across ] our services. This includes a new section where staff can record choking incidents to help them learn more about dysphagia, a condition in which a person’s ability to eat and drink is disrupted. **of the therapeutic goals of the people we support were achieved in 2020** ## Maybo Training **is helping to reduce risk of ‘behaviours of concern’ and the use of restraint** - [ New quality assurance business partners reviewed our service level agreement, ] which outlines the way we work to improve services. - [ New key performance indicators were introduced this year for all areas of care ] and support. These were: falls, physical intervention, deaths, medication errors and pressure sores. This is helping us to monitor incidents and keep people safe. - [ We reviewed and improved how we managed deprivation of liberty safeguards ] and monitor our compliance in order to ensure we are using the least restrictions. - [ We are working to achieve affiliation for Maybo training across our services where ] it is needed. This training is helping to reduce the risk of ‘behaviours of concern’ and the use of restraint. “Datix is an essential tool to manage my role as a busy area manager working across geographically dispersed services effectively. It allows me to ensure services are safe and effective when I am not on site.” **Wendy Baylis-Waring, Area Manager at The Disabilities Trust** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** - [ We are developing a data warehouse using two data analysis tools in order to draw ] together information from across the organisation so service managers have access to live data. This means they get a clear picture of how their service is performing against key performance indicators. - [ Our new whistleblowing policy was developed and approved, and we appointed ] to our new Freedom to Speak role. They will provide confidential support and advice to staff raising serious concerns and malpractice, embedding an open and transparent culture across the organisation. ## **We kept the people who use our services safe during the pandemic by:** **-** embedding a high standard of infection control. The Care Quality Commission focused on infection control rather than carrying out wider audits. The regulator made unannounced telephone calls to service managers and some in-person visits. We achieved 100% positive outcomes for infection control reviews by putting processes and systems in place to manage Covid-19. 100% **positive outcomes achieved for infection control reviews** **-** carrying out remote quality service reviews as it wasn’t safe to carry out site visits. We commissioned external quality assurance consultants to carry out the remote reviews to make sure we had an independent overview of the level of compliance within services. This helped us to monitor all our services during the pandemic and make improvements. **-** keeping a live database informing us if staff and people using our services were isolating, shielding or had tested positive for Covid-19, this enabled the operations team to manage staffing levels safely. - supporting staff who needed to be absent during the pandemic by providing - occupational sick pay and furloughing staff where appropriate. All staff had access to our Employee Assistance programme to support them as needed. - employing a nurse to support services which had Covid-19 outbreaks. - following our business continuity plan which was used to govern the organisation - during the pandemic. This outlined the step-by-step process to follow during a crisis and what should be done to prevent risks. This meant we knew exactly what we needed to do, helping us to make quick, safe decisions and save lives. - developing a new eLearning tool to train people on incident reporting so we - didn’t have to carry out face-to-face training during the pandemic. - Scanning the latest government guidance and providing regular communications - to staff to enable them to do their jobs. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Building firm foundations** ## **Goal four: Maintaining our financial viability** Being financially sustainable will make sure we can provide reliable and consistent care and support for disabled people. - [ Maintaining strong management of our finances in the pandemic helped us ] provide excellent care. We carefully monitored the level of additional money we were spending on personal protective equipment, catering and staff. Importantly, we pursued Covid-19 grant funding from local government, raising over £1.34 million to contribute towards extra costs. £1.34m - [ We worked with a company to review and align our rental income with market ] rates to make sure our services are sustainable. This generated additional income which can be reinvested into the properties. We also appointed a procurement company to look at how we get the best deals on everything we buy, from photocopiers to specialist equipment. - **Covid-19 grant** - **funding from local** •[ We used a national tool called CareCubed, previously known as the Care Funding ] **government to** Calculator, to make sure we received a fair level of funding from local authorities. - **contribute towards extra costs** The tool assesses the type of support people need, how long it takes for a carer to carry out each task and how many times they need to be done in a week. This is helping us to make sure that individuals receive the right levels of support based on their assessed needs. - [ We submitted five successful tender applications in 2020-21 for framework ] agreements with local authorities to provide services for disabled people in their areas. These agreements place us as a preferred provider so we have a pipeline of referrals. “Maintaining strong management of our finances in the pandemic helped us provide excellent care.” The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Building firm foundations** ## **Goal five: Good governance** To deliver safe, quality services for disabled people, we work hard to have effective and efficient processes, systems and policies, integrating the latest technology into what we do. - [ We strengthened our accountability by using an external consultancy to undertake ] a review of our governance. A report identified positive findings, as well as scope for further improvements in response to the updated Code of Governance for larger charities; specifically, the new principles relating to integrity and equality, diversity and inclusion. This will further enhance oversight and ensure an ongoing process of good governance aligned to best practice. Microsoft Teams & Office 365 **introduced across our organisation** - [ As part of good governance, we reviewed all terms of reference for Board ] committees making sure there are clear lines of accountability and responsibility for each committee to improve oversight and scrutiny of activity. We also introduced new areas of scope for existing committees, including influencing, policy and fundraising. This led to a new research framework being introduced to maximise the visibility and impact of our research activities. Since the new framework, which set out clear research priorities, was introduced we have received seven new study proposals. Some of these are now underway and others are being reviewed by the committee. - [ This year, we started to introduce Microsoft Teams and Office 365 across our ] organisation which has helped staff collaborate, keep in touch and connect. We are also starting to migrate organisational data to cloud storage. This work is ongoing and will help keep data safe and secure and make us more efficient. - [ Integrating our payroll systems, Core and Planday, has freed up staff time as ] payroll will no longer rely on manual processes. It will also make it easier to analyse important data, like how many staff are available for shifts. **26** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## “I feel safe here.” Lynda lives at Victoria House, our purpose-built centre providing accommodation and support for people with complex and high dependency needs in Hull. “After I lost my husband, who was my main carer, I had two strokes and two falls and broke my foot. I moved to a residential home in Wales where I felt isolated and lonely. My brother lives in Hull and found Victoria House. I was scared about moving here as it’s such a big home. But I feel safe here. Everyone is so lovely. I have come out of my shell and got involved in all the activities as much as I can. I have rediscovered my passion for art, for example. If I want to spend time on my own in my room, the staff give me the privacy to do so. My family are happy that I am happier here and that it is a lovely place to live. The views are amazing and I love all the parties and BBQs we have on the grounds. The staff are beyond belief. They are so attentive and caring and always willing to chat and offer advice. I never thought I would be happy in a residential home and living with others when I became poorly. But I couldn’t be happier now. I can recommend living here. I am so grateful for all the help and care I get.” The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21 We deliver safe, quality services for disabled people** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Being leading edge** ## **Goal one: Delivering new services** We are developing new services with commissioners to meet the needs of disabled people around the UK. - [ We are supporting more people with brain injuries to live independently. ] In May 2021, we opened two new supported living services: Colston Road in Glasgow, which can accommodate four people, and Mill Street in Liverpool which has 13 self-contained flats. These new services support our zones of influence work, which involves developing a ‘continuum of care’ – or consistent and integrated care – across key regions. ## New Services **We opened two new supported living services** - [ We have extended Eastfields, a brain injury rehabilitation unit, next to Graham ] Anderson Hospital, to include 12 extra beds. The work started in September 2019 and was completed in February 2021. It’s allowing more people with brain injuries to move from a hospital setting to rehabilitation. - [ Our £2.5 million refurbishment work at Daniel Yorath House in Leeds has ] progressed which will provide a better environment for people at the service. Residents at the service provided their input, giving their feedback on one refurbished room which has new technology to control electrical appliances, curtains and lighting. All doors across the building will have push buttons and a key fob system to make it more accessible for the people we support. ## Eastfields Extension - **Allowing more people with brain injuries to move from a** - **hospital setting to rehabilitation** - Following Covid delays, the work is due to start in October 2021 and finish by December 2022. “We are supporting more people with brain injuries to live independently.” The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Being leading edge** ## **Goal two: Investing in technology** Technology improves life for disabled people and our staff. ConnectAbility **Life Enhancing project began to find out how smart devices can reduce isolations and increase confidence** - [ We are starting to digitalise the journey of someone through our organisation, ] from enquiry and referral, to moving on. This will bring data into one place and revolutionise the support we offer people, allowing them to manage their day-to-day activities, visualise progress towards their rehabilitation goals and feedback on their needs. For example, we will use the data to produce reports for people to take with them when they visit their GP or hospital, providing a more holistic approach to care. •[ Our two-year research project ConnectAbility Life Enhancing Project is aiming ] to find out how smart devices can help the people we support and reduce isolation and increase confidence. We are gathering statistics and feedback from people staying at six of our brain injury, autism, learning and physical disabilities services. This research will feed into a broader assistive technology strategy which will formalise the use of assistive technologies, making sure they are available to benefit as many people as possible. - [ Sensors are helping us support people who use our services towards independence. ] We are piloting them in one of the independent flats at Daniel Yorath House to unobtrusively monitor day-to-day activities such as cooking, showering and sleeping. This provides a risk assessment before people move on to independent living. At Redford Court, data from sensors helped us put support plans in place to improve people’s disturbed sleep. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Being leading edge** **Goal three: Exploring pioneering approaches to delivering support** We are pioneering clinically-led services for disabled people, adapting what we do based on the latest evidence. ## Centrally Recording Outcomes - **For occupational** - **therapy, physiotherapy and speech and** - **language therapy** - [ We applied a new focus to clinical quality and outcomes and considered new ] ways of working including developing dependency assessment tools to understand the needs of individuals so we can provide the specialist service they need. - [ A new Clinical Director has joined the Trust and will focus on building on our ] existing clinical rehabilitation programmes, as well as our research. - [ A new clinical dashboard was created for clinicians and will be developed next ] year. This will do allow clinicians to see live data including incident, accidents and safeguarding reports. This information allows our clinicians to understand clinical changes and adapt rehabilitation accordingly. - [ We developed a method to centrally record outcomes for occupational therapy, ] physiotherapy and speech and language therapy. Collating these measures will make it easier to capture and report results from individual services and across the organisation. “I was impressed with the thorough review for the person I’m working with at York House. It gave a great overview of her current presentation, along with how the team has worked with her from the date she was admitted.” **Commissioner** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## Neuropsychiatry+ Model **at York House is helping clinicians to identify common signs of progress for people with brain injuries** - [ Integrating back into the community is an important part of people’s rehabilitation. ] As people with brain injuries couldn’t access their local communities for extended periods of time, our therapists adapted their rehabilitation. This involved creating a community within each of the services, including offering work placements so people could practise job skills. - [ Our neuropsychiatry+ model at York House is helping clinicians to identify ] common signs of progress for people with brain injuries. This means we can better understand when to start neurobehavioural rehabilitation with people with brain injuries to get the best possible outcomes. Used at York House, this evidence-based rehabilitation model combines psychiatry and psychology to help people deal with emotional, physical, social and cognitive changes. The model also provides guidance for staff to compassionately manage challenging behaviour. - [ What are the challenges for someone progressing in their brain injury ] rehabilitation? What are the benefits of neurobehavioural rehabilitation? Our clinicians discussed these questions and more at webinars for everyone from health professionals to commissioners. We started to run these free webinars to demonstrate our expertise in brain injury rehabilitation. We got great feedback on the four webinars, which were attended by 181 people. “Just watched the webinar and very much enjoyed and found it very helpful.” **Wendy Baylis-Waring, Area Manager at The Disabilities Trust** **----- Start of picture text -----**
32 The Disabilities Trust | Annual Report & Accounts 2020-21
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“Enjoying the benefits of music therapy.” Since receiving regular music therapy sessions, John, a resident at Ty Aberdafen, our brain injury rehabilitation service in Wales, has been able to tell others how he’s feeling. With Nordoff Robbins music therapist, Lucie Phillips, he made up some short songs which help him say short phrases such as ‘Excuse me I’m hungry’ and ‘I need to go shopping for.…’. John has learnt that it’s easier to communicate using a rhythm or tune. Weekly music sessions with Nordoff Robbins music therapists like Lucie, have helped the people we support at York House, Osman House and Daniel Yorath House too. They have helped the residents with their confidence, self-esteem, control, hand-to-eye coordination and speech. During the pandemic, therapists were able to move sessions online to make sure residents still got to enjoy making music. This was only possible through £34,000 of fundraising income. 33 TheD15abilrtie5TIu5t | knr•JilReport&AccrHffjts201& Amplifying the voices of disabled VOLKSWIAGEN The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Remembering we are a charity** ## **Goal one: Amplifying the voices of disabled people** The Disabilities Trust Foundation makes a difference to the lives of people who can’t access our core services, including those who are homeless and in the criminal justice system. ## We helped change the law **so that all prisoners are now screened for a brain injury** - [We helped change the law so that all prisoners are now screened for a brain ] injury. As a direct result of our five-year research programme, from April 2021 prisoners have been asked if they have a brain injury sustained through violence. And thanks to our campaigning and work with prisons, probation and police, domestic abuse protection orders now consider acquired brain injury as part of the range of needs any survivor may have. These commitments represent important steps as we work to develop the improved support survivors need. - [Our new research study will help provide better support for survivors of ] domestic abuse living with brain injuries in the community. We are working alongside survivors to design everything from the research methodology for this work, to the final report. - [People who have suffered a brain injury and are in the criminal justice system ] can get tailored support and their behaviour is better understood, thanks to our work in prisons. Our Linkworkers are in two prisons in Wales and make sure offenders with a brain injury are identified and get the support they need. The prisons renewed their relationship with us until summer 2021. “People working in prisons often think those with brain injuries come across as aggressive or rude. They stand too close or do not pay attention to instructions. Prisoners find lessons in controlling their emotions and anger particularly helpful. Overworked prison staff are grateful for the smoother interactions.” **Philippa Birch, Linkworker for the Disabilities Trust, who trains prison staff about the needs of people with brain injuries and the behaviours they may display** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** “The Disabilities Trust’s work to increase awareness of the causes and symptoms of acquired brain injury, supported by specialist training, a roll-out of screening tools, and clearly identified care pathways, can help ensure frontline services provide a truly whole-person response. We look forward to continuing working with The Disabilities Trust, alongside survivors and colleagues in the domestic abuse sector to better understand the emerging link between brain injury and domestic abuse.” **Jess Asato, Head of Public Affairs at SafeLives** - [Our work with SafeLives and other partner organisations is helping to raise ] awareness of brain injuries with professionals who work with survivors of domestic abuse. We worked with partners to research the understanding domestic abuse practitioners have of brain injury and its potentially life-changing impact. Our research found that practitioners don’t have the knowledge to recognise symptoms of brain injury and aren’t aware of appropriate screening tools which could help to identify someone who has one. The research report, Brain injury and domestic abuse - An invisible impact, recommends that all professionals who work with survivors of domestic abuse have training on the impact of brain injury. **Produced** Brain Injury and domestic abuse - An invisible impact **our research report** ## **Shaping policy** People who use our services helped shape the UK government’s National Strategy for Disabled People by responding to a survey and sharing their views about life before and during the pandemic. The survey showed that: **Over half Almost More than Almost Over three six in 10 nine in 10 nine in 10 in five 51** % **59** % **91** % **89** % **63** % said they people scored people said either agreed or said the paid either never their life the place they strongly agreed support they or hardly satisfaction live in either that they have receive helps ever felt between eight mostly or enough people them either feel lonely and 10 out of 10 completely meets close to them to more in control their needs get the support or much more they need in control The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Remembering we are a charity** ## **Goal two: Shaping policy** Using our 40-years’ experience, we are shaping policy to improve the lives of disabled people. - [This year, we responded to six government consultations on everything from ] funding social care to workforce burnout in the NHS and social care. This has allowed us to have our say on the issues affecting the health and social care sector. - [People with disabilities were affected disproportionately by the pandemic. ] We stood with families to represent and campaign for their rights in the vaccination rollout. Our virtual tours gave MPs the opportunity to see what life was like for disabled people in the pandemic. **Responded to** 6 - **government** was like for disabled people in the pandemic. - **consultations from funding social care to workforce** •[We represented the families we support to the UK government through regular ] **burnout in** commentary on the debate on social care. For example, we highlighted the risks - **the NHS and social care** that social care workers were taking to support people during the pandemic and demanded better personal protective equipment. 50,300 **people see our tweets each month** - [Our research is highlighting the challenges experienced by people with brain ] injuries and proposing how professionals can help. Research papers from our clinicians were accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals: ABI in female prisoners and Brain Injury Needs Indicator. We will be involved in more research to support people with brain injuries after signing off our research framework. We are positioning ourselves as a thought leader, supporting innovation. - [We are reaching more people through social media, especially by sharing the ] stories of the people we support. This is helping to raise our profile. On Twitter, our tweets are seen by 50,300 people each month. On Facebook, our individual posts have reached up to 3,300 people. “It was so lovely to talk with Caroline. When you think how busy people are yet she took time to call us and see how we are coping with the pandemic at Shinewater Court.” **Shinewater Court resident Jayne talking about a virtual visit from MP Caroline Ansell** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Remembering we are a charity** ## **Goal three: Creating impact with voluntary income** We aim to use the income we generate through fundraising to enhance the lives of the people we support. - [We are putting processes in place which make it easier to build relationships ] with donors. Our customer relationship management process will allow us to process donations quicker, track interactions with donors and supporters, and record people’s interests and fundraising activities. - [Our new fundraising strategy is helping us focus on getting more fundraising ] income. By considering national trends in fundraising, especially with our brain injury work, we are aiming to increase our income in a sustainable way over the next five years. Our strategy is to target trusts and foundations and individual donors. We are using this money to meet the needs of the people we support, funding what they want. For example, we have funded everything from in-house cafes at services to music therapy. “The new gym is an outstanding facility which will enhance the rehabilitation experiences of the people we support. This space supports the exploration of different types of exercise in a fun way, improving someone’s mental and physical health.” **Lauren Colley, physiotherapist, commenting on the new gym at Graham Anderson House, paid for by over £8,500 of fundraising income** **----- Start of picture text -----**
38 The Disabilities Trust | Annual Report & Accounts 2020-21
“I’m Running
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In 2020, Robert Collins raised more than £3,500 for The Disabilities Trust by walking the length of the London Marathon in 10 hours and 22 minutes. This was for the 2.6 challenge which was set up after the London Marathon was cancelled. Robert has a personal connection to the charity as, in 2018, he was knocked off his bike by a car and sustained a brain injury. “My everyday life was profoundly affected by my brain injury. I will always have issues with things like my memory and concentration because the injury is permanent. But Graham Anderson House set me firmly on the right track to maximise my recovery. Their personalised and intensive rehabilitation programme improved my cognitive ability and gave me strategies to manage my condition. They also helped me and my family to understand the injury and its effects. Thanks to their exceptional care and support, I’ve been able to rebuild my new life. I want to say sincere thanks to the amazing team at Graham Anderson House.” **39** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Volunteers** Volunteers play an important role in supporting disabled people offering invaluable support. For example, they arrange trips for residents to get out and keep motivated or help maintain properties, including painting, gardening and clearing, so that we can continue to provide a high-quality service for the people we support. We couldn’t deliver such person-centred services without the work of our volunteers. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Supporters** We would like to thank our amazing supporters who fund and help to raise money for our vital work improving the lives of disabled people. Thanks so much to everyone listed below and all our individual supporters who raised an incredible total. - **Andor Charitable Trust** - **Bruce Wake Charitable Trust** - **CAF America** - **Corporé** - **Dean & Shelton Country Show** - **Depot Road Allotment Society** - **GM Morrison Charitable Trust** - **Gwyneth Forrester Trust** - **Holbeck Charitable Trust** - **Hull & East Riding Charitable Trust** - **Nick Thatcher** - **Miss A B Pollen Trust** - **Mitchell Instruments** - **Quills Office Supplies Ltd** - **The Charles & Elsie Sykes Trust** - **The Garrison Church Plate Fund** - **The Ian Askew Charitable Trust** - **The Masonic Charitable Foundation** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **The way forward** We have achieved so much over the course of this strategy; there is a lot to celebrate We have put in place firm foundations, which will enable us to keep building for the future, creating leading-edge approaches for the people we support and growing our charitable approach and ethos. **It is time now to look to the future.** We will be beginning a new strategic approach, maximising the charity’s impact and ensuring our long-term sustainability; this is an approach which will carry us boldy forward for the next five years and will represent a more focussed and bold direction. Early in 2022, we will launch our new five-year strategy and reposition ourselves in the marketplace with a new brand. We will continue to use our expertise to work with the people we support to live as independently as possible and we will grow our high-quality services across the UK to support people to live their best lives. We will also continue to build our campaigning and research activity and pilot new ideas to amplify the voices of people who cannot access our core services and the voices of those we support. ## “It’s good there are places like York House.” **Sam, 53, from Manchester, had a road traffic accident which left him with a brain injury. When he first came to York House in 2018, Sam was verbally and physically aggressive, agitated and experiencing hallucinations. In 2021, Sam was discharged to a care home close to where he lives.** “After the accident, I was scared and depressed. My brain injury made me quiet. I used to talk more. I had a job repairing fences, but I couldn’t use the machinery anymore. The staff at York House really helped me. I practised cooking and cleaning, took part in arts and crafts and joined a gardening group. It’s relaxing and I’m not scared of anything. I’m now able to walk better and cope with my injury. It’s good there are places like York House.” **York House Hospital will be moving to an alternative site, the Chocolate Works, to develop a new, purpose-built service.** **42** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Trustees’ Annual Report** Trustees present their report and the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ending 31 May 2021. The trustees’ annual report constitutes the annual accounts and the directors’ report for Companies Act purposes. These financial statements comply with the: - Charities Act 2011 - Companies Act 2006 - Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 - Requirements of the charity’s governing document - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015). The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Summary** The Disabilities Trust has moved from a net deficit of £0.1 million in 2020 to a £6.5 million net surplus in 2021, an increase of £6.6 million. This is primarily the result of substantial gains on investments. Costs have remained broadly consistent. - [ Total operating income amounted to £51.5 million in 2021, compared to £50.1 million in 2020, an ] increase of £1.4 million. - [Total operating expenditure decreased by £0.3 million from £51.3 million in 2020 to £51.0 million in ] 2021. - [Investment gains of £5.3m were as a result of the investment portfolio seeing an upsurge due to ] the recovery of the stock market post-Covid. - [The total net assets of the Group at 31 May 2021 were £100.3 million, an increase of £6.5 million ] from 2019/20. - [On the 22 September 2021, York House Ventures Limited moved from being a joint venture to a ] wholly owned subsidiary of the Trust. The joint venture made a deficit to the year to 31 May 2021 as a result of lower occupancy and income relating to the pandemic. In the 2020/21 financial year the total additional costs incurred by the Trust due to Covid-19 were £3.8 million (2019/20 £0.7 million) which consisted in the most part of additional personal protective equipment and staffing costs. We have mitigated these costs as much as possible by: using the Government furlough scheme of which £0.3 million was received during the year; working with funders to recover additional costs; and using the Government funding awarded to local authorities for additional costs incurred within adult social care due to Covid-19. Despite this, there remained an overall additional net cost of £2.0 million in the financial year (2019/20 £0.4 million). We continue to seek ways to mitigate the continuing additional costs we face due to the pandemic. ## **Here is a summary of our operating and non-operating activities:** ||2021|2020| |---|---|---| |Operating activity|£m|£m| |Operating income (excluding investment income)|51.5|50.1| |Operating expenditure|(51.0)|(51.3)| |Operating (defcits) / surplus|0.5|(1.2)| |Non-operating activity|£m|£m| |Investment income|0.7|1.0| |Investment gains / losses|5.3|0.1| |Non-operating surplus|6.0|1.1| |Overall net (defcits) / surplus|6.5|(0.1)| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Investments** Our investments have been acquired in accordance with the powers available to the Trustees or by way of legacy. They are subject to an investment policy which is reviewed on an annual basis. The current policy delegates management of investments to firms of investment managers within defined parameters. Trustees also employ an independent investment consultant to assist with financial advice, select investment managers, as well as providing support to define the objectives they are set and monitor their performance. The present investment managers for the Trust are Rathbones Investment Management Limited, Cazenove Capital and CCLA Fund Managers Limited. Each manager has specific investment objectives and a mandate in line with our investment strategy. The overarching aim is to maximise returns whilst making sure the charity’s liquidity requirements are met. The Trustees also set what asset classes are permissible, the extent to which they are invested and the credit ratings in their selection. We do not prescribe the nature of companies in which we invest through the stock market. The primary objective is to achieve optimal financial returns in order to deliver on our charitable objectives. In appointing investment managers, we have delegated ethically responsible investment so that we can best meet the needs of the people we support. The value of the charity’s investment portfolios at the end of May 2021 was £37.8 million (2020: £32.8 million). Dividend and investment income from our investment portfolios was £0.8 million, consistent with 2020. Gains on our investments were £5.3 million in the year (2020: gains of £0.1 million). This performance met the Board’s objectives in relation to delivering returns. ## **Investments held by nominees** Our investments include £15.6 million managed by Rathbone Investment Management Limited, £7.5 million managed by Cazenove Capital and £14.7 million by CCLA Fund Managers Limited. These are held on the charity’s behalf. For investments managed by Rathbone Investment Management Limited, UK investments are registered in the name of Rathbone Nominees Limited and overseas investments are deposited with The Bank of New York Mellon as nominee. Investments managed by Cazenove Capital are registered in the name of the custodian or designated nominee. Cash holdings are held in the client’s own name or a designated client account. Schroder & Co. Limited is the custodian of the investment position shown at year end. Our investments managed by CCLA Fund Managers Limited are held on our behalf in a COIF Charities Ethical Investment Fund and are valued at a mid-market price. No other people acted as nominee for the charity this year. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Reserves** As a charity, our aim is to maximise our impact and the rehabilitation, care and support that we are able to provide to people with brain injuries, autism, learning or physical disabilities. In order to do this, current reserves must be sufficient to meet the start-up costs of new services or expansion of existing services, agreed by Trustees. Reserves must be sufficient to ensure our existing services are financially viable to mitigate the crystallisation of any financial and reputational risks. Overall, Trustees consider a minimum reserve of £10 million is required to cover this which is articulated in the Trust’s Reserves policy. The current level of unrestricted available reserves amounting to £18.3 million is sufficient to meet this policy. We will continue to open new services when appropriate opportunities arise and hold the funds to action this. The Trust is investing in an alternative site, the Chocolate Works, to develop a new, purpose-built site for York House Hospital and this project has a total commitment of £23 million with project completion expected in November 2023. The commitments are fully reflected within designated funds. Trustees continue to review the level of reserves, with the consideration of the difficulties in maintaining funding levels. They incorporate this into the strategy, which is regularly monitored and modified, as appropriate. The reserves policy is derived from the five-year strategic review and reflects the charity’s future plans and financial commitments. Trustees have considered our policy on reserves and designated funds for investing in fixed assets. The total designated fixed asset reserve is currently £71.5 million (2020: £49.9 million). After taking restricted funds of £0.3 million into account and a surplus on the revaluation reserve of £10.2 million, our total funds amounted to £100.3 million on 31 May 2021. Trustees consider the assets of each fund (including the revaluation reserve) are sufficient to meet current and future commitments. ## **Funds held on behalf of others** At year end, The Disabilities Trust Group, as custodian Trustee, held a total sum of £296,000 in its bank accounts, compared to £408,000 at the end of the previous year. This sum was held separately in identifiable bank accounts and was not included in the balance sheet. ## **Payments to suppliers** Settlement terms are agreed with suppliers as part of our contracts with them. It is the charity’s policy to pay in accordance with those terms. Other creditors are paid in accordance with invoice terms. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Going concern** We have prepared forecasts to the end of 2022 which consider our cash position, sources of income and planned expenditure. These forecasts incorporate key challenges surrounding the ongoing pandemic, including the reconfiguration of service delivery to ensure beneficiaries and staff remain safe. The forecasts include additional costs and savings arising from our response and have considered sensitivities surrounding our income pipeline. The charity has a strong portfolio of investments and financial performance, which continues to be monitored regularly. The Trustees have scrutinised the key assumptions within forecasts and are satisfied that the current level of free reserves, available investment and cash balances are adequate to meet the Group’s obligations as they fall due. Having regard to the above, the Trustees are satisfied that there are no material uncertainties around the decision to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing these financial statements. ## **Fundraising** We support people and companies to give to The Disabilities Trust by promoting individual and regular giving, event fundraising, legacies and corporate support. We also write trust and grant applications and manage a community of volunteers. Our local services also carry out fundraising activities to raise money for our assessment and rehabilitation centres, residential and care homes, and supported living accommodation. We send application forms, fundraising packs and merchandise, and keep in regular contact with fundraisers. We always write to supporters to thank them for their fundraising. All communication with supporters complies with GDPR. This ensures that The Disabilities Trust does not unreasonably intrude on a person’s privacy or is unreasonably persistent. We are committed to The Code of Fundraising Practice which sets the standards for fundraising carried out by all charitable institutions and third-party fundraisers in the UK. The Disabilities Trust is also an organisational member of the Institute of Fundraising, Fundraising Preference Service and Fundraising Regulator, as well as the Data & Marketing Association. The Trust has safeguarding policies and procedures in place to protect vulnerable people and other members of the public. We have not received any complaints from the Fundraising Preference Service and do not undertake any third-party fundraising. Our fundraising promise sets out our commitment to being honest, keeping contact details safe, and support donors. This helps make sure supporters are not put under pressure to donate and know how to make a complaint. 48 TheDI5ab1￿E5TrUSt l knr•JilRepOrt&AccoL￿ts2oIts2I Directors, Report The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Constitution** As a registered charity, The Disabilities Trust is regulated by the Charity Commission (England and Wales) and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) in Scotland. The charity is incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee and governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association, which were last modified on 13 July 2020. The Disabilities Trust owns a subsidiary, the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust Limited which is dormant. At 31 May 2021, The Disabilities Trust also held a 50% interest in a joint venture, York House Ventures Limited. On the 22 September 2021, York House Ventures Limited moved from being a joint venture to a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trust. Further details are shown in Note 15 on page 90. ## **Public Benefit** The principal beneficiaries of the work of The Disabilities Trust are disabled adults and children who are supported either within specialist units, supported living services or Heathermount School. Secondary beneficiaries of the work of The Disabilities Trust are families and the general public via our campaigning work. The Trust’s Foundation allows us to invest resources into improving the lives of disabled people who may not have access to statutory-funded services. External grants support initiatives that would be difficult to attract mainstream or traditional sources of funding. The Board of Trustees review the charity’s aims and objectives each year to make sure our purpose and activities are aligned. The charity’s achievements and activities are discussed in full in the strategic report. The Trustees have referred to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the aims and objectives and planning future activities. In particular, the Board considered how planned activities contribute to the Trust’s aims and objectives, exploring: - [what we have achieved ] - [the outcomes of our work in the previous 12 months] - [the success of each aspect of our work] - [the benefits to, and impact on, the people we support ] All Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity. Expenses claimed from the charity are set out in Note 10 on page 85 of the financial statements. **50** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Section 172 (1) statement** The Trustees as Directors of The Disabilities Trust, are aware of their duty under s.172 of the Companies Act 2006 to act in the way which they consider, in good faith, would be most likely to promote the success of the Company for the benefit of its members as a whole and, in doing so, to have regard (amongst other matters) to: - [The likely consequences of any decision in the long term] - [The interests of the Company’s employees] - [The need to foster the Company’s business relationships with suppliers, customers and others] - [The impact of the Company’s operations on the community and environment] - [The desirability of the Company maintaining a reputation for high standards of business conduct] - [The need to act fairly as between members of the Company.] As a charitable company, the Directors of The Disabilities Trust promote the success of the charity to achieve its charitable purposes: The charitable objects of The Disabilities Trust are to relieve the needs of people with developmental, learning, physical or acquired disabilities or conditions, in particular but not exclusively by the provision of care, special housing units, facilities and supported living services. The Directors of The Disabilities Trust consider that they have fulfilled their duties in accordance with section 172(1) of the UK Companies Act 2006 and have acted in a way which is most likely to promote the success of the Group for the benefit of its members as a whole in the following ways: ## **Communities** The Disabilities Trust works in partnership with communities, promoting inclusion through its campaigning work, local charity initiatives and the work of The Foundation. Recent projects include campaigning and providing free tools to extend the reach of our brain injury training, working in partnership with the NHS, Commissioners, Police and other charities and voluntary membership organisations. Refer to Goal three: Creating impact with voluntary income on page 37 for more details. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Engagement with Stakeholders** The Trustees remain committed to effectively engaging with all stakeholders and are mindful that the Trust’s success depends on its ability to engage effectively, work together constructively and to consider stakeholder views in decision-making. The Trustees acknowledge a number of key internal stakeholders (our employees and the people we support within our services) as well as external stakeholders (families, commissioners, Fellows and Patrons, donors, general public, strategic and commercial partners, government agencies, public health bodies, customers and suppliers) of The Disabilities Trust. During this year, regional Service User Forums were suspended due to Covid-19, though the people we support in our services were encouraged to share their feedback via video media at intervals, which were communicated to staff, managers and trustees. This year, Relatives Webinars were introduced to provide an opportunity for relatives to engage with the Senior Leadership Team on any matters and on our response to Covid-19; we also supported those who use our services with opportunities to contribute to organisational and national surveys. A system to capture complaints, compliments and comments was introduced this year to ensure that the SLT and Board can capture and monitor stakeholder views centrally. The Trustees consider and discuss information from across the organisation to understand the impact of the Trust’s operations and the interests and views of key stakeholders. The Trustees also review financial, clinical and operational performance, as well as information covering areas such as key risks, quality assurance and regulatory compliance. This information is provided to the Board of Trustees through regular performance reports within meeting packs circulated in advance of each Board of Trustees meeting and via in person presentations. The Board therefore possess an overview of the organisation’s engagement with stakeholders enabling them to comply collectively with their duties under section 172 of the Companies Act 2006. ## **Engagement with employees** The long-term success and performance of The Disabilities Trust is directly linked to the talent, motivation and skills of our employees, and we recognise the importance of developing our employees and building our capability as an organisation. We regularly review the support we provide to employees and seek to make improvements, where appropriate. Our dedicated staff work hard to support people with complex needs, and we recognise their contribution. We keep staff apprised on what is happening across the organisation and seek their views where employees are directly impacted. Managers update staff in regular team meetings, briefing discussions and training sessions. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** We use a variety of channels to communicate with colleagues. Our monthly staff magazine, dtFocus, provides an insight into the lives of the people we support, our weekly Managers’ Bulletin keeps Managers up-to-date with important developments and the weekly Wellbeing newsletter provide features and tools to support staff wellbeing. The Disabilities Trust operates across England, Scotland and Wales so it is important that staff feel connected. We use a range of technology to do this: the Chief Executive hosts a live webinar quarterly which is recorded and shared with all staff to share latest news, regular communications are issued to all staff on key initiatives, Covid-19 and significant matters, a new intranet Connect has been launched this year and staff also have access to Yammer, an internal social network, to connect. The Trustees receive regular qualitative and quantitative updates on employee matters from the Director of People and Organisational Development including analysis received through the employee engagement surveys, regular EDI updates and quarterly performance reports on a number of people metrics to understand any workforce trends. This provides the Board with assurance that there are effective mechanisms to link engagement and performance and the continued strength of the Trust’s culture. More recently the Trustees have additionally been focused on mitigating employee risks arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, including how best to support employees physical and mental health during the challenging period. For further details on how The Disabilities Trust is supporting staff see the “Our achievements” section on pages 19 to 38. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Governance and decision making** The Disabilities Trust has an objective to relieve the needs of people with developmental, learning, physical or acquired disabilities or conditions, in particular but not exclusively by the provision of care, special housing units, facilities and supported living services. The Disabilities Trust continues to adopt and apply the principles of the Code of Governance for larger charities, recently updated in December 2020 supporting the Board’s aim to develop high standards of governance. The charity is governed by a Board of Trustees which meets at least four times a year and is supported by several Board Committees in order to provide assurance and dedicated oversight to the matters for which is it responsible. As well as Board meetings, all trustees are expected to contribute to those committees where their individual skills can be of most benefit, in discussion with the Chair. The Trustees have delegated the day-to-day management of the charity to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who is supported by the Senior Leadership Team in delivering the agreed strategic objectives. In 2020, the Board commissioned a thorough independent governance review by consultants Campbell Tickell to evaluate compliance with the Code of Governance for larger charities and identify any areas for improvement. The report concluded that: - [The Board acts in the best interests of the charity and provides constructive challenge to the ] senior leadership team. - [Board governance documentation was well-written and regularly reviewed.] - [A consideration of risk was embedded throughout the organisation.] - [Existing governance systems allowed the Trust to react quickly and flexibly to the Covid-19 ] outbreak. - [The Board is committed to greater diversity.] The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** The Trustees have several committees with specific areas of focus and who each review their scope and Terms of Reference annually: **----- Start of picture text -----**
Meetings
Committee Focus Members
per year
Audit & Risk • Internal Audit • Richard Wilson (Chair) 4
Committee • External Audit • Michael Green
• Annual Report & Accounts • Roger Hoyle
• Financial compliance • Themis Sara Livadeas
• Internal controls
• Risk management
• Business Continuity
Finance & • Financial performance • Roger Hoyle (Chair) 4
Investment • Capital Investment • Michael Green
Committee • Investment Fund management • Caroline Drugan
• Reserves & cashflow • Richard Wilson
• Property & Estates • Matthew James
• Fundraising • Heather Eve Castel
Quality & • Quality Assurance • Themis Sara Livadeas 4
Governance • Clinical effectiveness (Chair)
Committee • User outcomes • Christopher Philipsborn
• User experience and engagement • Matthew James
• Safeguarding • Stephen Waring
• Regulatory reporting and compliance • Marianne Waite
• Health & Safety • Caroline Reid
• Information governance
• Whistleblowing
Remunerations • CEO & SLT remuneration • Stephen Howell (Chair) 2
& Nominations • Staff pay awards • Michael Green
Committee • Stakeholder awards • Stephen Waring
• Employee benefits structures
• Board composition
• Trustee recruitment
• Succession planning
Research • Clinical and applied research • Caroline Drugan (Chair) 4
Development • Research development • Stephen Waring
Policy & • Research governance framework • Matthew James
Influencing • Partnership and funding • Christopher Philipsborn
Committee opportunities • Marianne Waite
• National and local influencing and • Caroline Reid
campaigning opportunities
York House • Business of the Joint Venture, York • Roger Hoyle (Trustee) 3
Board House service • William Chidgey
• Anne Bygrave (R)
• Irene Sobowale
Heathermount • To review the performance of the • Anne-Catherine Buxton
School Board of School; and (Chair)
Governors • Promote high standards of • Caroline Drugan
educational attainment (Trustee) (R)
• Anne Bygrave (R)
• Lisa Lovatt
See further members:
www.heathermount.
co.uk/governors
**----- End of picture text -----**
The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **How principal risks are managed** The Board of Trustees (“the Board”) acknowledges its responsibility to ensure that the charity’s risk management framework is effective. The Board regularly reviews the charity’s process for identifying, prioritising, escalating and managing risks and, where applicable, the charity’s system of internal controls to manage these risks. The Board reviews the effectiveness of the charity’s approach to risk at least every year. The charity regularly monitors and reviews its risks at both a strategic and operational level via a risk management system with a mature risk matrix to determine those risks meeting the threshold for Board reporting. The significant risks to the Trust are regularly reviewed by the senior leadership team and the Audit and Risk Committee on behalf of the Board. The Board has ultimate responsibility for the Trust’s principal risks and the long-term consequence of decisions as well as the interests of all stakeholders. The principal risks for The Disabilities Trust are set out below: ## **Risk Type: Operational** **Risk Description:** A lack of transparency may develop into an adverse culture, which could result in abuse or breaches of human rights of the people we support. ## **Mitigations:** - [New Quality Framework developed to review and monitor services;] - [Remote Quality Service reviews throughout the pandemic and onsite reviews recommenced;] - [Priority matrix developed to ensure services are reviewed on a risk basis in line with CQC’s new ] approach; - [Regular review of key data “early warning” indicators.] - [New local service audits introduced;] - [All serious level 3 incidents reviewed;] - [New Safeguarding Strategy, Policy & Training implemented with competency assessments] - [Safeguarding Lead roles implemented within every service] - [Whistleblowing policy reviewed and communicated to staff;] - [Freedom to Speak Up Guardian introduced;] - [System introduced to centrally record complaints, compliments and comments for improved ] oversight and assurance; - [Compliance checks for all permanent and agency staff in place] - [Staff Engagement Survey held in 2021 and organisational action plan communicated] - [Values-based recruitment introduced] - [Being our Best supervision and appraisal system continues to be refined in response to feedback] The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Risk Type: Reputational / Financial** **Risk Description:** There is a risk to The Disabilities Trust that the organisational strategy to ensure long-term sustainability could result in reputational or financial damage ## **Mitigations:** Financial: - [Continuing to explore opportunities for growth (organic, strategic & acquisition) with three new ] schemes in the development pipeline; - [Restructure of the Business Development Team to support growth, acquisition and occupancy ] targets; - [Fee alignment work continues across services, ensuring that weekly fees reflect assessed needs;] - [Robust framework for investment proposals to ensure they are financially viable and sustainable ] in the long-term; - [Independent commercial and legal advice engaged to ensure compliance with Charity and ] Company Law and that the Trust’s assets are managed responsibly; ## Reputational: - [Reviewing and addressing services where care quality does not meet the high standards of the ] Trust or align with best practice; - [Clear process for complaints procedures and Subject Access Requests;] - [Detailed communications and stakeholder engagement plans to positively and proactively ] manage relationships; - [Proactive management of social media and feedback websites;] - [Equality Impact Assessments undertaken to identify any negative impact of strategic ] decision-making; - [Working with funders to ensure alternative placements best meet needs and using advocates ] where necessary. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Trustee recruitment and term of office** Trustees are a critical resource and give their time freely in support of The Disabilities Trust. They are elected to the Board by Trustees for a term of three years. Each trustee may serve a maximum of three terms. Recruitment of new Trustees is overseen by the Remuneration and Nominations Committee who undertake an open recruitment process, recommending new candidates for appointment when necessary and ensuring appropriate recruitment and succession plans are in place for elected Trustees. On appointment, each Trustee agrees to comply with a Code of Conduct and the Fit and Proper Person policy and declares any interests which are held within a register of interests and which is monitored and updated on a regular basis and reviewed annually. Once appointed, Trustees undertake a comprehensive onboarding and induction programme led by the Chair and CEO and take part in a colleague buddying system. New Trustees are provided with key information about the Trust and its strategic objectives, corporate policies and copies of the Code of Governance for larger charities and the independent guidance from the Charity Commission on trustee duties. Any training needs are identified through the annual effectiveness reviews so that trustees are able to successfully discharge their duties. Covid-19 has prevented visits to the Trust’s specialist services, though meeting staff and those we support is a compulsory part of the usual induction. This year was a timely opportunity to further the Board’s commitment to diversity, reviewing current trustee skills and board composition, and undertaking a trustee recruitment campaign seeking to increase Board diversity. Green Park supported the successful trustee recruitment and Chair recruitment processes, positively resulting in the recruitment of four new, diverse and skilled trustees joining the Board in 2021. November 2021 sees the last of the agreed Board member transitions with the resignations of three members and full compliance with the recommended nine-year term expected in November 2021. In very exceptional circumstances, the Board may use their discretion by asking a Trustee in a key role, for example, a Committee Chair or the Board Chair, to serve an extra term of three years. If Trustees use this discretion, the matter will be documented in the Board minutes. From 2023, the exception will be removed. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Remuneration policy** The Remuneration & Nominations Committee meet at least twice a year and are responsible for overseeing the charity’s pay and reward structures, approving annual pay uplifts for the workforce and to review the remuneration package for the CEO. The Chief Executive is responsible for setting the remuneration packages for other SLT members, subject to a maximum increase of 10% of the starting salary in any financial year. SLT salaries are reviewed every two years to ensure consistency with external benchmarks. ## **Equality statement** We are proud of our diverse workforce which reflects the breadth of people we support. The Disabilities Trust embeds the principles of the Equality Act in everything we do. Through staff training and strong leadership, we are encouraging inclusivity and diversity across the organisation. ## **Trustees** The following Trustees held office during the year: |Mr S Howell|Appointed Chair 20 Nov 2017,
Resigned 29 Nov 2021| |---|---| |Ms H E Castel|Elected 28 May2021| |Dr C S Drugan|| |Mr M Green|Resigned 29 Nov 2021| |Ms K M Greenberg|Elected 27 Sept 2021,
Appointed Chair 29 Nov 2021| |Mr R A Hoyle|Resigned 29 Nov 2021| |Mr M James|| |Ms T S Livadeas|| |Mr C E Philipsborn|| |Ms C E Reid|Elected 28 May2021| |Ms M C Waite|Elected 28 May2021| |Mr S H Waring|| |Mr R W Wilson|| |Mrs C M Yorath|Resigned 13July2020| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Senior Leadership Team** The Trustees have delegated the day-to-day management of the charity to the Chief Executive Officer who appoints the Senior Leadership Team: |Mrs I Sobowale|Chief Executive Officer| |---|---| |Mrs A Bygrave|Director of Operations(Resigned 4July2021)| |Ms N Carey|Director of People and Organisational Development| |Mr W Chidgey|Director of Corporate Services| |Mr G Fisher|Director of Digital(Appointed 11Jan 2021)| |Ms L Lovatt|Director of Operations – Learning/Autism Disabilities,
Physical Disabilities and Education(Appointed 5Jul 2021)| |Mrs V Pilkington|Director of Governance andQualityAssurance| |Ms V Francis|Director of Communications and Foundation| |Mrs L Robertson|Director of Business Development| |Dr R Coetzer|Clinical Director(Appointed 6 Sep2021)| |Ms K Mitchell|Director of Brain InjuryOperations(Appointed 26Jul 2021)| ## **Streamlined energy and carbon reporting Energy consumption** Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) is the new legislative reporting requirement in the financial review for the year ending on or after 31 March 2020. It mandates that all large organisations must report on the operational energy consumption and associated emissions. CO2e, or carbon dioxide equivalent, is a standard unit for measuring carbon footprints (where “kg” is kilograms and “t” is thousands of kilograms). The high-level breakdown is as follows: ## **2021** ||Gas|Electricity|Transport|Total| |---|---|---|---|---| |kWh|7,038,655|1,888,152|616,379|9,543,187| |Mileage|||542,414|542,414| |kgCO2e|1,295,091|778,013|162,486|2,235,590| |tCO2e|1,295|778|162|2,235| ## **2020** ||Gas|Electricity|Transport|Total| |---|---|---|---|---| |kWh|8,376,798|3,153,936|908,298|12,439,032| |Mileage|||751,322|751,322| |kgCO2e|1,541,306|1,299,579|239,008|3,079,893| |tCO2e|1,541|1,300|239|3,080| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Energy and associated carbon emissions** The Disabilities Trust total CO2 emission from grid electricity is 778 tCO2e (2020: 1,300 tCO2e) and 1,295 tCO2e (2020: 1,541 tCO2e) for emissions from natural gas. This is used for operational buildings and care homes. There were higher emissions over the winter months which is due to increased heating demands. The primary reason for the significant reduction is electricity usage is a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic as office based employees have been working remotely rather than from the office. ## **Intensity metric** An intensity metric gives The Disabilities Trust an indicator of carbon performance based on an operational figure. In this case, we have used the number of people we support to indicate this performance with 567 people (2020: 603) we support emitting an average of 3,942.8 kgCO2e each (2020: 5,107.6 kgCO2e). This will be measured annually and compared against previous years. **----- Start of picture text -----**
2021 2020
Number of people we support 567 603
kgCO2e 2,235,590 3,079,893
KgCO2e per person 3,942.8 5,107.6
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **DT initiatives** This section highlights energy and carbon improvement projects undertaken during the year and those that are currently underway: - **[Smart meters: ]**[In order to obtain an accurate and detailed picture of each building’s ] consumption, we are changing all of our meters to smart ones. ## **Energy sources** We are measuring the scope one and two emissions. All energy data was collated by our main energy suppliers SSE and E.ON. Transport data and the number of people we support was collated internally. We obtained energy usage for a number of sites for a winter and summer month. These figures were extrapolated over the year for all of our services. The number of people we support at each unit was used as the basis for calculating the energy usage for units. Scope one: Transport and vehicles Scope two: Electricity and gas supply. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Calculations** The following figures were used to convert energy to CO2 figures. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Litre kWh Co2e
Gas N/A 1 0.183997
Electricity N/A 1 0.41205
Petrol 1 9.1 2.31
Diesel 1 10 2.68
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Legislative and administration information** ## **Name of the charity:** The Disabilities Trust ## **Company registration number:** 2334589 ## **Country of incorporation** : United Kingdom ## **Charity registration number:** England and Wales: 800797 Scotland: SCO38972 ## **Registered office:** First Floor, 32 Market Place, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9NP ## **Auditors:** Crowe UK LLP, 55 Ludgate Hill, London, EC4M 7JW ## **Bankers:** Barclays Bank plc, Level 28, 1 Churchill Place, London, E14 5HP ## **Solicitors:** DAC Beachcroft LLP, 100 Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1BN ## **Investment Managers:** Rathbone Investment Management Limited, 8 Finsbury Circus, London, EC2M 7AZ Cazenove Capital, 1 London Wall Place, London Wall, Barbican, London, EC2Y 5AU CCLA Investment Management, Senator House, 85 Queen Victoria St, London, EC4V 4ET The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Trustees’ responsibilities statement** The Trustees (who are also Directors of The Disabilities Trust for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law, the Trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law), including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Under company law, the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the Group and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the Group for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to: - [Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently] - [Observe the methods and principles set out in the Charities SORP (FRS 102)] - [Make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent] - [State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any ] material - [Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to ] presume that the Group will continue in business. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s and Group’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and the Group and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and the provisions of the trust deed. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and the Group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. Each of the Trustees confirm that: - So far, as each Trustee is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware - The Trustees have each taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as Trustees in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charitable company’s auditor is aware of that information. The Trustees’ report (including the Strategic Report) has been approved by the Board of Trustees of The Disabilities Trust on 29 November 2021 and signed on their behalf by: ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Mr S Howell Chair of Trustee Board The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Auditor’s report** Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members and the Trustees of The Disabilities Trust ## **Opinion** We have audited the financial statements of The Disabilities Trust (‘the charitable company’) and its joint venture (‘the group’) for the year ended 31 May 2021 which comprise The Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities, Group and Charity Balance Sheets, Consolidated statement of Cash Flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). In our opinion the financial statements: - [give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and the charitable company’s affairs as at ] 31 May 2021 and of the group’s 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 and ] the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and Regulations 6 and 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (amended). ## **Basis for opinion** We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Conclusions relating to going concern** In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s or the group’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue. Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report. ## **Other information** The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard. ## **Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006** In our opinion based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit - [the information given in the trustees’ report, which includes the directors’ report and the ] strategic report prepared for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and - [the strategic report and the directors’ report included within the trustees’ report have been ] prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Responsibilities of trustees** The directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. ## **Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements** We have been appointed as auditor under section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and under the Companies Act 2006 and report in accordance with the Acts and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder. Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. Details of the extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations are set out below. A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud** Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We identified and assessed the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements from irregularities, whether due to fraud or error, and discussed these between our audit team members. We then designed and performed audit procedures responsive to those risks, including obtaining audit evidence sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks within which the charitable company and group operates, focusing on those laws and regulations that have a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The laws and regulations we considered in this context were the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, together with the Charities SORP (FRS 102). We assessed the required compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our audit procedures on the related financial statement items. In addition, we considered provisions of other laws and regulations that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which might be fundamental to the charitable company’s and the group’s ability to operate or to avoid a material penalty. We also considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the charitable company and the group for fraud. The laws and regulations we considered in this context for the UK operations were, CQC Regulations for service providers and managers, taxation legislation, employment legislation and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Auditing standards limit the required audit procedures to identify non-compliance with these laws and regulations to enquiry of the Trustees and other management and inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any. We identified the greatest risk of material impact on the financial statements from irregularities, including fraud, to be within the timing and recognition of contract income, recording the impact of CQC regulatory reviews and the override of controls by management. Our audit procedures to respond to these risks included enquiries of management and the Audit & Risk Committee about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities, sample testing on the posting of journals, reviewing accounting estimates for biases, reviewing regulatory correspondence with the Charity Commission, and reading regulatory reports and minutes of meetings of those charged with governance. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. For example, the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations (irregularities) is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely the inherently limited procedures required by auditing standards would identify it. In addition, as with any audit, there remained a higher risk of non-detection of irregularities, as these may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations. ## **Use of our report** This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006, and to the charitable company’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body and the charitable company’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. ## **Tim Redwood** Senior Statutory Auditor For and on behalf of Crowe U.K. LLP Statutory Auditor London ## 8 December 2021 69 •5TIW | knr•Jil ncial", ¥s$a*èiDents .: The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Financial statements** ## **Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities** – Incorporating Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 May 2021 |Income from
Note|Total
unrestricted
fund
£’000|Total
restricted
funds
£’000|Total funds
2021
£’000|Total funds
2020
£’000| |---|---|---|---|---| |Donations and legacies
3
Charitable activities:
Improving the lives of people with disabilities
4
Investment income
5
Share of (deficit)/surplus of joint ventures
15
**Other income**
6
**Total income**
**Expenditure on:**
Raising funds
7
Charitable activities:
Improving the lives of people with disabilities
8(i)
Other
**Total expenditure**
**Net income/(expenditure) before gains on**
**investments**
11
Gains/(losses) on investment assets
**Net income/(expenditure) before transfers, gains and**
**losses**
**Transfers between funds**
19&20
**Net movement in funds**
**Total funds brought forward**
Total funds carried forward
19&20|-
48,473
712
(153)
1,752
50,784
106
49,315
-
49,421
1,363
5,232
6,595
434
7,029
92,982
100,011|1,439
-
-
-
-
1,439
-
-
1,539
1,539
(100)
-
(100)
(434)
(534)
826
292|1,439
48,473
712
(153)
1,752
52,223
106
49,315
1,539
50,960
1,263
5,232
6,495
-
6,495
93,808
100,303|202
49,720
984
69
154
51,129
85
51,055
152
51,292
(163)
45
(118)
-
(118)
93,926
93,808| All gains and losses recognised in the current and preceding financial year are included in the consolidated statement of financial activities. The accompanying accounting policies and notes form an integral part of these financial statements. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Consolidated and charity balance sheets** As at 31 May 2021 |Note|Group
2021
2020
£’000
£’000|Group
2021
2020
£’000
£’000|Charity
2021
2020
£’000
£’000|Charity
2021
2020
£’000
£’000| |---|---|---|---|---| |**Fixed assets:**
Intangible assets
13
Tangible assets
14
Investments
15
Net assets in joint ventures
15
**Total fixed assets**
**Current assets:**
Debtors
16
Cash at bank and in hand
**Total current assets**
**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
17
**Net current assets**
**Total assets less current liabilities**
**Provisions for liabilities**
18
**Net assets (excluding pension scheme liability)**
**Defined benefit pension scheme liability**
25
**Total net assets**
**The funds of the charity:**
Restricted income funds
19
Unrestricted funds
20
- revaluation reserve
- designated funds
- pension reserve
-general funds
**Total unrestricted funds**
**Total funds**|1,523
46,948
37,807
(129)
86,149
6,741
14,352
21,093
(6,629)
14,464
100,613
(310)
100,303
-
100,303
292
10,224
71,471
-
18,316
100,011
100,303|1,915
47,963
32,751
95
82,724
6,402
11,466
17,868
(6,503)
11,365
94,089
(281)
93,808
-
93,808
826
5,746
49,878
-
37,358
92,982
93,808|1,523
47,203
37,807
-
86,533
6,669
14,352
21,021
(6,629)
14,392
100,925
(310)
100,615
-
100,615
292
10,224
72,159
-
17,939
100,323
100,615|1,915
48,218
32,751
-
82,884
6,402
11,466
17,868
(6,503)
11,365
94,249
(281)
93,968
-
93,968
826
5,746
50,133
-
37,263
93,142
93,968| The charity generated a net surplus of £6.6m in 2021 before results of subsidiaries and JVs were consolidated into the Group financial statements (2020: net deficit £0.1m). The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Trustees on 29 November 2021 and were signed on its behalf by: ## **Mr S Howell – Chair** Company number: 2334589 The accompanying accounting policies and notes form an integral part of these financial statements. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Consolidated statement of cash flows** For the year ended 31 May 2021 |Note|2021
£’000|2020
£’000| |---|---|---| |Cash fows from operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities
22
Cash fows from investing activities
Dividends & interest from investments
Proceeds from the sale of property, plant and equipment
Purchase of property, plant and equipment
Purchase of intangible fixed assets
Net (purchase)/proceeds from sale of investments
Gift aid received from joint ventures
Net cash (expensed)/generated by investing activities
(Decrease)/Increase in cash and cash equivalents in the year
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting year
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting year|1,665
712
3,935
(2,299)
(448)
(853)
174
1,221
2,886
11,466
14,352|1,645
984
3,517
(3,482)
(417)
(7,355)
276
(6,475)
(4,833)
16,299
11,466| The accompanying accounting policies and notes form an integral part of these financial statements. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Notes to the financial statements** For the year ended 31 May 2021 ## **1. Principal accounting policies** Our principal accounting policies are set out below. ## **Basis of preparation** The following accounting policies have been applied consistently in dealing with items which are considered material in relation to the Group’s financial statements. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) – (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006. The Disabilities Trust meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy. The accounts are presented in £ Sterling. ## **Going concern** We have prepared forecasts to the end of 2022 which consider our cash position, sources of income and planned expenditure. These forecasts incorporate key challenges surrounding the ongoing pandemic including the reconfiguration of service delivery to ensure staff and beneficiaries remain safe. The forecasts include additional costs and savings arising from our response and have considered sensitivities surrounding our income pipeline. The charity has a strong portfolio of investments and financial performance, these continue to be monitored regularly. The Trustees have scrutinised the key assumptions within forecasts and are satisfied that the current level of free reserves, available investment and cash balances are adequate to meet the Group’s obligations as they fall due. Having regard to the above, the Trustees are satisfied that there are no material uncertainties around the decision to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing these financial statements ## **Subsidiary undertakings and joint ventures** The consolidated statement of financial activities and Group balance sheet incorporate the financial statements of the charity and its subsidiary undertakings on a line by line basis. The Group’s share of the results of the joint ventures is included in the consolidated statement of financial activities and the Group’s share of the net assets of the joint ventures is included in investments in the Group balance sheet. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** In the charity’s own financial statements, the investment in subsidiary undertakings is stated at the net book value of the assets of the subsidiary undertakings at the date of acquisition. The charity’s investment in the joint ventures is stated at cost. Investments in subsidiaries are reviewed for impairment annually. Hamilton Lodge Trust Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Disabilities Trust which provided services to people with learning disabilities and autism, ceased trading on 31 August 2017 further to the Trustees’ decision as a result of its continued operating deficits. The Disabilities Trust has continued to wind down the charity in 2020 and the company was formally struck off the register on 22 September 2020. On the 22 September 2021, York House Ventures Limited moved from being a joint venture to a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trust. ## **Income** Voluntary income including donations, gifts, legacies and grants, is recognised where there is entitlement, probability of receipt and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability. Such income is only deferred when: - [The donor specified that the grant or donation must only be used in future accounting periods, ] or - [The donor has imposed conditions which must be met before the charity has unconditional ] entitlement. The following specific policies apply to certain categories of income: - [Income from fees is recognised as services are provided. Any amount received in advance of ] services being provided is included as deferred income. The majority of our funding is received from local authorities. - [Donated goods or services are included in the financial statements at an estimate based on the ] value of the donation to the group. - [Grants are included in the statement of financial activities when the conditions for receipt have ] been complied with. - [Investment income is included in the statement of financial activities when receivable, including ] recoverable tax. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Expenditure** Expenditure has been charged to the statement of financial activities on an accrual basis. Costs are shown inclusive of any related value added tax. Expenditure categories noted below are analysed in the various notes to the financial statements: ## •[Raising funds] Costs of raising funds are the costs incurred in attracting voluntary income. ## •[Charitable activities ] These are the costs involved in activities where the aim is the objectives of the Group. They include direct costs, support costs and governance costs as detailed below. ## •[Direct costs] These include the cost of direct service delivery including all staff and other directly attributable costs. ## •[Support costs] Support costs include the costs of the central support office functions such as central management, financial administration, human resources, information systems and finance costs. They have generally been allocated to cost categories on the basis of staff costs and staff numbers, which, in turn, is judged to allocate costs on a reasonable basis consistent with the activity’s usage. ## •[Governance costs] Governance costs include those incurred in the governance of the charity and its assets and are primarily associated with constitutional and statutory requirements. ## **Lease contracts** Operating lease rentals are charged to the statement of financial activities on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Intangible fixed assets and depreciation** Depreciation is calculated to write down the cost less estimated residual value of all intangible fixed assets over their expected useful lives. The rates generally applicable are: Computer software - 25% per annum ## **Tangible fixed assets and depreciation** Depreciation is calculated to write down the cost less estimated residual value of all tangible fixed assets other than freehold land by equal annual instalments over their expected useful lives. The rates generally applicable are: |rates generally applicable are:|| |---|---| |Freehold buildings|2%per annum| |Short leasehold improvements|overperiod of lease| |Computers|25%per annum| |Fixtures and fttings|15%per annum| |Motor vehicles|33.3%per annum on high mileage vehicles| |Motor vehicles|15%per annum onpeople carriers| No depreciation is provided on freehold land. Impairment reviews are only carried out if there is an indication that the recoverable amount of a tangible fixed asset is below its net book value. Properties under construction are stated at cost. Cost comprises directly attributable costs and borrowing costs. Such properties are not depreciated until they are reclassified after completion. There is a de minimis capitalisation limit of £5,000. ## **Investments** Investments are stated in the balance sheet using the mid-price at market value. All realised and unrealised gains and losses are taken to the statement of financial activities and are reflected in “(losses)/gains on investment assets”. Realised gains and losses are calculated as the difference between market value at the beginning of the year and sale proceeds. Unrealised gains are derived from movement in market value during the year. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Stocks** Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. In determining the cost of raw materials and consumables, the purchase price is used. ## **Debtors** Trade and other debtors are recognised at the transaction amount, net of trade discounts and are reduced by amounts which are not considered to be recoverable. ## **Cash at bank and in hand** Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term 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. ## **Creditors** Creditors and provisions are recognised where the group and the charity have a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due. ## **Employee benefits** Short term employee benefits and contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as an expense in the period in which they are incurred. Redundancy costs are recognised as an expense in the period in which the charity becomes irrevocably committed to incurring the costs and the main features of the plans have been announced to affected employees. ## **Pension costs** We have a defined contribution scheme for the benefit of employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund. ## **Foreign currency** Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at the exchange rate ruling at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities in foreign currencies are translated at the rates of exchange prevailing at the balance sheet date. Exchange differences are included in the consolidated statement of financial activities for the period in which they are incurred. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Fund accounting** We have various types of funds for which we are responsible, and which require separate disclosure. These are as follows: ## •[Restricted income funds] Donations or legacies are earmarked by the donor for specific purposes. From these funds, the donation and income deriving therefrom may be used in accordance with the specific purposes. ## •[Unrestricted funds] ## -[ Designated funds] We may, at our discretion, set aside funds for specific purposes which would otherwise form part of the general funds of the organisation. Specifically, the charity sets aside funds for the following: - The amount which represents the investment made in intangible and tangible fixed assets for use by the charity. - Sums for use by The Disabilities Trust Foundation which is a fund that has been set up to allow the charity to support and work with new and existing initiatives which would otherwise struggle to attract mainstream or traditional funding. - The amount of the revaluation reserve on investments held by the charity which represents cumulative investment gains on investments. ## -[General funds] Funds are expendable in furtherance of the objectives of the charity. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **2. Judgements in applying accounting policies and key sources of estimation uncertainty** In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees have made the following judgements: ## **Leases** The classification of leases entered into by the Group either as a lessor or a lessee as operating leases or finance leases. These decisions depend on an assessment of whether the risks and rewards of ownership have been transferred from the lessor to the lessee on a lease by lease basis. ## **Impairment** The determination of whether there are any indicators of impairment applicable to the Group’s tangible assets. Factors taken into consideration in reaching such a decision include the economic viability and expected future financial performance of the asset and where it is a component of a larger cash-generating service, the viability and expected future performance of that service. ## **Tangible fixed assets** Tangible fixed assets, other than investment properties, are depreciated over their useful lives taking into account residual values, where appropriate. The actual lives of the assets and residual values are assessed annually and may vary depending on a number of factors. In re-assessing asset lives, factors such as technological innovation, product life cycles and maintenance programmes are taken into account. Residual value assessments consider issues such as future market conditions, the remaining life of the asset and projected disposal values. ## **Dilapidation provisions** Dilapidation provisions have been provided in these financial statements reflecting the Group’s estimate of repair costs which will need to be undertaken when returning leased properties back to their original state. The provisions are based on the average provision required for each property leased. ## **Payroll accruals** Payroll accruals have been provided in these financial statements as the compensation owed to employees to the end of the period plus any payroll taxes related to those unpaid wages. The May payroll is used and any salaries etc for the month of May are removed (because these are actuals) along with any backpay, stakeholder or one off payments are removed, leaving those elements that would be characteristic of the May pay These are divided by 31 and multiplied by 26 days which were the remaining days after the cut-off date. A provision is made for the NI and Pension. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **3. Donations and legacies** ## **Group** |**Group**||| |---|---|---| ||Total
funds
2021
£’000|Total
funds
2020
£’000| |Legacies
Grants
COVID-19 grant income
Other donations and gifts|-
151
1,106
182
1,439|174
21
-
7
202| ## **4. Income from charitable activities** Improving the lives of people with disabilities ## **Group** |**Group**||| |---|---|---| ||Total
funds
2021
£’000|Total
funds
2020
£’000| |Fee income:
Physical disabilities
Autism
Brain injury
Education
Community services
COVID-19 Fee income
Ancillary services to joint ventures:
Management charges to joint ventures|4,892
8,633
21,985
4,560
7,212
641
550|4,711
8,659
24,067
4,363
7,380
-
539
49,720| ||48,473|| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **5. Investment income** ## **Group** |**Group**|| |---|---| ||Total
funds
2021
Total
funds
2020
£’000
£’000| |Bank deposit interest receivable
Dividend income from listed investments|90
79
622
905| ||712
984| ## **6. Other income** ## **Group** ||Total
funds
2021
Total
funds
2020
£’000
£’000| |---|---| |Surplus on sale of fixed assets
Other income|1,379
33
373
121
1,752
154| ## **7. Expenditure on raising funds** ## **Group** ||Total
funds
2021
Total
funds
2020
£’000
£’000| |---|---| |Fundraising costs
Investment management costs|44
23
62
63| ||106
86| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **8. Charitable activities** ## **(i) Group** Improving the lives of people with disabilities ## **Total funds** |**Total funds**|| |---|---| ||Activities
undertaken
directly
Support
costs
Total funds
2021
Activities
undertaken
directly
Support
costs
Total funds
2020
£’000
£’000
£’000
£’000
£’000
£’000| |Physical disabilities
Autism
Brain injury
Education
Community services
The DT Foundation
Total charitable activities|5,794
1,190
6,984
5,648
1223
6,871
7,720
1,574
9,294
7,885
1,618
9,503
17,887
305
18,192
19,922
4,543
24,464
2,831
1,384
4,215
2,485
314
2,799
5,947
4,420
10,367
5,826
1,423
7,249
256
7
263
163
6
169| ||40,435
8,880
49,315
41,928
9,127
51,055| ## **2021 Support costs allocation** ||Physical
disabilities
£’000|Autism
£’000|EducationCommunity
Services
£’000
£’000|EducationCommunity
Services
£’000
£’000|Brain
injury
£’000|The DT
Foundation|
Total
2021
Basis of
allocation
£’000| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Central
support costs
Staff and
training
Other
Governance|600
574
16|
793
759
22|154
147
4|698
668
19|2,227
2,132
61|3
3
-|4,475 Staff nos.
4,283 Staff nos.

122 Staff nos.

~~8,880~~| ||~~1,190~~|~~1,574~~|~~305~~|~~1,385~~|~~4,420~~|~~6~~|| The allocation of support costs has been made on the basis of the Trustees’ best estimate of time spent on supporting each activity during the year. The Group prepares individual budgets and management accounts for each accommodation unit and costs are directly attributed during the year; the amounts included above for “unit costs” are the support costs allocation of these directly attributable costs. The central support costs are the costs borne by the charity for central office services including quality control, business development, communications, management accounting, payroll administration, budgeting, information technology, people services and learning & development. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **9. Staff number and costs** Staff costs during the year were as follows: ||Group
2021
£’000|Group
2020
£’000| |---|---|---| |Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Cost of defined benefit pension schemes
Cost of defined contribution pension schemes
Other employee benefits
Payments made to independent third parties for the provision of staff
Total payroll and staff related costs|30,194
2,495
-
1,556
345
34,590
4,400
38,990|28,843
2,666
-
1,433
163| |||33,105
4,788| |||37,893| The costs of an additional 124 (2020: 120) care staff and 14 (2020: 13) administrative staff are recharged to the joint ventures for which their services are exclusively used. Payments made to independent third parties for the provision of staff relate to costs incurred as a result of staff vacancies and cover being required pending recruitment. They also include costs arising as a result of cover being required during sickness or holiday. Wages and salaries shown above include the following which have been fully provided in the accounts and fully funded by the Group ||Group
Group
2021
2020
£’000
£’000| |---|---| |Redundancy costs & termination payments|331
152| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** The average number of persons engaged in the provision of welfare services to residents of the Group and the charity during the year, analysed by category, was as follows. ||rou
202
Numbe|p
roup
1
2020
r
Number| |---|---|---| |Provision of care
Administration|1,38
18|9
1,424
7
178| ||1,57|6
1,602| The number of employees paid over £60,000 (excluding pension contributions) during the year was as follows: ||Group|Group| |---|---|---| ||2021|2020| ||Number|Number| |£60,001 to £70,000|8|9| |£70,001 to £80,000|7|6| |£80,001 to £90,000|2|1| |£90,001 to £100,000|1|2| |£100,001 to £110,000|1|1| |£110,001 to £120,000|1|-| |£120,001 to £130,000|1|3| |£160,001 to £170,000|1|-| |£180,001 to £190,000|-|1| |£190,001 to £200,000|-|-| The Trustees consider that, along with themselves, members of the Senior Leadership Team (as detailed in the Trustees’ Report) are the Group’s and the charity’s key management personnel. The total amount of employee benefits paid to members of the Senior Leadership Team in respect of their services to The Disabilities Trust (including remuneration, employer’s pension contributions, employers National Insurance and other benefits) was £1,124,618 (2020: £1,101,558) for the Group. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **10. Remuneration of Trustees** No Trustee received any form of remuneration during the year (2020: £nil). Travel expenses incurred in the course of attending the charity’s affairs and amounting to £193 (2020: £10,909) for the Group and the charity were reimbursed to 1 Trustee during the year (2020: 8). Due to the impact of Covid-19 and Board meetings being delivered remotely, costs of Trustees’ meetings amounted to £253 in the year (2020: £7,859). Recruitment and retainer fees expensed during the year totalled £45,300 (2020: £nil) as a result of a Board recruitment phase resulting in three new trustees and a new Chair. The Trustees have used funds of the charity to purchase indemnity insurance at a cost of £2,095 (2020: £2,188). ## **11. Net income before gains on investments** |**11. Net income before gains on investments**|| |---|---| ||Group
Group
2021
2020
£’000
£’000| |The net income for the year is stated after charging/(crediting)
Auditor’s remuneration for statutory audit services
- parent
- subsidiaries
Auditor’s remuneration for taxation services
Auditor’s remuneration for other assurance services
Depreciation and other amounts written off tangible fixed assets
Depreciation and other amounts written off intangible fixed assets
Loss on disposal of tangible fixed assets
Hire of other assets - operating leases
Profit on sale of tangible fixed assets|45
43
3
3
2
2
1
1
1,619
1,739
840
797
52
39
457
1,031
(1,379)
(33)| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **12. Tax** The company is registered as a charity and its income is applied solely for charitable purposes. As a result, it is entitled to rely upon the relevant taxation exemptions and reliefs as set out in the Corporation Taxes Act 2010. Any profit generated by York House Ventures Limited (YHV), the joint venture company, is paid to the joint venture parties under the Gift Aid Scheme, following the yearend and is subject to corporation tax until then. As a result, the income from joint ventures of the Group for the year includes the impact of tax charged on the results for YHV for the year. ## **13. Intangible fixed assets** |**13. Intangible fixed assets**|| |---|---| ||Group and
Charity
Computer
software
£’000| |Cost
At 1 June 2020
Additions
Disposals
At 31 May 2021
Amortisation
At 1 June 2020
Provided in the year
Disposals
At 31 May 2021
Net book value
At 31 May 2021
Net book value
t 31 M 2020|4,509
448
-
4,957
2,594
840
-
3,434
1,523
1915| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **14. Tangible fixed assets** ## **Group** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Land and Motor Fixtures Computers Assets Total
buildings vehicles and under
fittings construction
£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
Cost
At 1 June 2020 58,072 268 6,660 1,650 2,784 69,434
**----- End of picture text -----**
|dditions
isposals
onstruction complete
t 31 May 2021
epreciation
t 1 June 2019
rovided in the year
isposals
t 31 May 2021
et book value at
1 May 2021
et book value at
1 May 2020|545
(2,426)
3,962
60,153
14,372
1,106
(750)
14,728
45,425
43,700|13
(54)
-
227
225
10
(54)
181
46
43|276
(863)
-
6,073
5,695
351
(843)
5,203
871
965|251
(22)
-
1,879
1,178
152
(22)
1,308
571
471|1,214
-
(3,962)
36
-
-
-
-
36
2,784|2,299
(3,365)
-
68,368
21,470
1,619
(1,669)
21,422
46,948
47,963| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| All tangible fixed assets are utilised for the Group’s charitable purposes. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Charity** All tangible fixed assets are utilised for the charity’s charitable purposes. ||Land and
Buildings
£’000|Motor
vehicles
£’000|Fixtures
and
fttings
£’000|Computers
£’000|Assets
under
construction
£’000|Total
£’000| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Cost or valuation
At 1 June 2020
Additions
Disposals
Construction complete
At 31 May 2021
Depreciation
At 1 June 2020
Provided in the year
Impairment
Disposals
At 31 May 2021
Net book value at 31
May 2021
Net book value at 31
May 2020|58,156
546
(2,426)
3,962
60,238|268
13
(54)
-
227|6,660
276
(863)
-
6,073|1,650
251
(22)
-
1,879|2,786
1,214
-
(3,962)
38|68,520
2,300
(3,365)
-
68,455| ||14,204
1,106
-
(750)|225
10
-
(54)|5,694
351
-
(843)|1,179
152
-
(22)|-
-
-
-|21,302
1,619
-
(1,669)| ||14,560|181|5,202|1,309|-|21,252| ||45,677|46|871|570|39|47,203| ||43,952|43|966|471|2,786|48,218| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **15. Fixed asset investments** ## **Group** ||Listed
securities
£’000|Cash on
deposit
£’000|Total
£’000| |---|---|---|---| |Market value at 1 June 2020
Disposals
Additions
Movement in cash held as part of investment portfolio
Net gains/(losses)
Market value at 31 May 2021|29,505
(4,834)
5,517
-
5,232|3,246
-
-
(859)
-
2,387|32,751
(4,834)
5,517
(859)
5,232| ||35,420||37,807| ## **Charity 2021** ||Total|Total| |---|---|---| ||£’000|£’000| |Market value of investments at 31 May (as above)|37,807|32,751| |Investment in subsidiaries||| |Deemed cost at 1 June|-|124| |Write off of investment in Hamilton Lodge Trust Limited|-|(124)| |Deemed cost at 31 May 2021|-|-| |At 31 May 2021|37,807|32,751| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **Investment portfolio** ||Group
2021
£’000|Group
2020
£’000|Charity
2021
£’000|Charity
2020
£’000| |---|---|---|---|---| |Market value
Listed securities
Fixed Interest investments
Cash|14,531
20,889
2,387
37,807|11,113
18,392
3,246|14,531
20,889
2,387
37,807|11,113
18,392
3,246| |||32,751||32,751| ## **Subsidiaries** The charity’s subsidiaries at 31 May 2021, all of which are directly controlled by the charity were as follows: Principal activity Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust Limited (‘BIRT’’) Dormant Hamilton Lodge Trust Limited (‘HL’) Services to people with learning disability & autism (not operating) On 30 November 2017, the charity merged with Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT) (Company registration number: 2863860; Charity registration number: 800797-1 (England & Wales) and SCO43579 (Scotland), a 100% subsidiary, whose activities were the provision of services to people with acquired brain injury. At 31 May 2021 the charity had a 100% interest in Hamilton Lodge Trust Limited through which the charity provided services to people with learning disabilities and autism. Hamilton Lodge Trust Limited ceased trading on 31 August 2017. ## **Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust:** Company registration number – 2863860 (England & Wales) Charity registration numbers – 800797-1 (England & Wales) and SCO43579 (Scotland) ## **Hamilton Lodge Trust Limited** Company registration number – 489657 (England & Wales) Charity registration numbers – 306080 (England & Wales) The company was dissolved on 22 September 2020 and removed from the Charity Register. ## **Joint ventures** At 31 May 2021 the charity had a 50% interest in the share capital of York House Ventures Limited which provides a rehabilitation hospital for people with brain injuries together with ongoing care facilities. On the 22 September 2021, York House Ventures Limited moved from being a joint venture to a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trust. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **York House Ventures Limited** Profit and Loss for the year ended 31 May 2021 ||2021
Group’s
share
Total
(50%)|2021
Group’s
share
Total
(50%)||2020
Group’s
share
Total
(50%)|2020
Group’s
share
Total
(50%)| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |Turnover
Cost of sales
Administrative expenses
Net interest receivable
Profit before tax
Tax on profit on ordinary activities
Share of profit|£’000
5,923
(5,512)
(717)
-
(306)
-
(306)|£’000
2,962
(2,756)
(359)
-||£’000
6,269
(5,453)
(651)
5
170
(32)
138|£’000
3,135
(2,726)
(326)
2| |||(153)
-
(153)|||85
(16)
69| ## **York House Ventures Limited** Balance sheet as at 31 May 2021 ||2021
Group’s
Share
Total
(50%)
£’000
£’000|2021
Group’s
Share
Total
(50%)
£’000
£’000|2020
Group’s
Share
Total
(50%)
£’000
£’000|2020
Group’s
Share
Total
(50%)
£’000
£’000| |---|---|---|---|---| |Fixed assets
Current assets
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Provisions for liabilities
Net (deifict)/assets|57
926
(1,240)
-
(257)|29
463
(620)
-|82
1,199
(1,091)
(11)
190|41
599
(545)
(5)| |||(128)||95| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **16. Debtors** |**16. Debtors**||||| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Group
2021
£’000|Group
2020
£’000|Charity
2021
£’000|Charity
2020
£’000| |**Falling due within one year**
Trade debtors
Amounts owed by joint ventures
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income|4,461
866
62
1,352
6,741|4,625
499
334
944|4,461
866
62
1,280
6,669|4,625
499
334
944| |||6,402||6,402| ## **17. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year** ||Group
2021
£’000|Group
2020
£’000|Charity
2021
£’000|Charity
2020
£’000| |---|---|---|---|---| |Trade creditors
Amounts owed to subsidiary undertakings
Taxation and social security
Accruals and deferred income
Other creditors|966
-
706
4,630
327
6,629|562
-
703
4,461
777|966
-
706
4,630
327
6,629|562
-
703
4,461
777| |||6,503||6,503| Accruals and deferred income includes deferred income as follows: ||Group
2021
£’000|Group
2020
£’000|Charity
2021
£’000|Charity
2020
£’000| |---|---|---|---|---| |Fees received for care to be provided
after 31 May 2021
Deferred grants|1,996
307
2,303|1,734
218|1,996
307
2,303|1,734
218| |||1,952||1,952| The deferred income at 31 May 2021 has been credited to the 2022 Statement of Financial Activities. Deferred income at 31 May 2020 was credited to the 2021 Statement of Financial Activities. Accruals and other creditors include pension contributions of £207,000 (2020: £206,000) for the Group and the charity. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **18. Provisions for liabilities** ## **Group and Charity** |**Group and Charity**||| |---|---|---| ||Total
£’000|Dilapidations
provision
£’000| |At 1 June 2020
Amounts provided for in the year
At 31 May 2021|281
29|281
29| ||310|310| ## **19. Restricted income funds** |**Group 2021**|Balance at
1 June
2020
£’000|Movement
Income
£’000|in resources
Expenditure
£’000|Transfers
unrestricted
funds (note 21)

£’000|Balance at
31 May
2021
£’000| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |Other grants
COVID-19 grants
ConnectAbility appeals
Sundry
Total group restricted funds|218
-
118
489|-
1,106
-
333|-
(1,106)
-
(483)|(218)

-

(118)

(98)|-
-
-
292| ||826|1,439|(1,539)|(434)|292| |**Group 2020**|Balance at
1 June
2019
£’000|Movement
Income
£’000|in resources
Expenditure
£’000|Transfers
unrestricted
funds (note 21)

£’000|Balance at
31 May
2020
£’000| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |Sundry (HL)
Other grants
ConnectAbility appeals
Sundry
Total group restricted funds|7
197
128
444|-
22
-
180|(7)
(1)
(10)
(135)|-

-

-

-|-
218
118
489| ||776|202|(152)|-|826| Other grants are comprised of donations made covering projects for spend at services. ConnecAbility appeals relate to funds raised for a hub at Shinewater and other funds for equipment. The COVID-19 grants were provided to assist with infection control and rapid testing. Sundry is comprised of grants provided to Heathermount school to improve the conditions and facilities for the pupils. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **20. Unrestricted funds** ## **Group 2021** |**Group 2021**||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Balance at
1 June
2020
£’000|Income
and gains
£’000|Outgoing
resources
£’000|Transfers
restricted
funds
(note 20)
£’000|
Other
transfers
£’000|
Balance at
31 May
2021
£’000| |Revaluation reserve
Net surplus on Investments
5,746
4,479
-
-
-
10,224
Designated funds
Investment in intangible and
tangible fixed assets
49,878
-
-
-
(1,407)
48,471
Investment in Chocolate Works
-
-
-
-
23,000
23,000
Total designated funds
49,878
-
-
-
21,593
71,471
General funds
37,358
51,538
(49,421)
434
(21,593)
18,316
Total unrestricted funds
92,982
56,017
(49,421)
434
-
100,011
There is a commitment of £23 million for development of The Chocolate Works. The Trustees have
authorised that these funds are designated to fund the project.
**Group 2020**||||||| ||Balance at
1 June
2019
£’000|Income
resources
£’000|Outgoing
resources
£’000|Transfers
restricted
funds
(note 20)
£’000|
Other
transfers
£’000|
Balance at
31 May
2020
£’000| |Revaluation reserve
Net surplus/(deficit) on
revaluation
Designated funds
Investment in tangible and
fixed assets
The DT Foundation
Total designated funds
General funds
Total unrestricted funds|5,701
52,388
-
52,388
35,061
93,150|45
-
-
-
50,972
50,972|-
-
(164)
(164)
(50,976)
(51,140)|-
-
-
-
-
-|-
(2,510)
164
(2,346)
2,346
-|5,746
49,878
-
49,878
37,358
92,982| The purpose of the designated funds is explained in the accounting policies. The transfers shown above are as follows: Group £’000 Transfers to fixed asset designated fund from unrestricted funds (1,407) Transfers to development of The Chocolate Works 23,000 Transfers to fixed asset designated fund from unrestricted funds Transfers to development of The Chocolate Works The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **21. Analysis of net assets between funds** ## **Group 2021** |**Group 2021**|||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Intangible
fxed
assets
£’000|Tangible
fxed
assets
£’000|Fixed
assets
investments
£’000|Net current
assets
£’000|Provisions
for
liabilities
£’000|Transfers
£’000|Total
£’000| |Restricted
Unrestricted
Revaluation reserve
Designated funds
General funds|-
-
1,523
-
1,523|-
-
46,948
-
46,948|-
10,225
-
27,453|292
-
-
14,172|-
-
-
(310)
(310)|23,000
(23,000)
-|292
10,225
71,471
18,315
100,303| ||||37,678|14,464|||| **Group 2020** ||Intangible
fxed
assets
£’000|Tangible
fxed
assets
£’000|Fixed
assets
investments
£’000|Net current
assets
£’000|Provisions
for
liabilities
£’000|Total
£’000| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Restricted
Unrestricted
Revaluation reserve
Designated funds
General funds|-
-
1,915
-
1,915|-
-
47,963
-
47,963|-
5,746
-
27,100|826
-
-
10,539|-
-
-
(281)
(281)|826
5,746
49,878
37,358
93,808| ||||32,846|11,365||| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **22. Reconciliation of net income/expenditure to net cash flow from operating activities** |
**from operating activities**||| |---|---|---| ||2021
£’000|2020
£’000| |Net (expenditure)/income for the reporting period
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges
Gains on investments
Loss/(profit) on sale of tangible fixed assets
Decrease in stocks
(Increase)/decrease in debtors
Increase in creditors
(decrease)/increase in provisions
Dividends and interest received
Share of profit/(loss) in joint venture
Net cash provided by operating activities|6,495
2,459
(5,232)
(1,314)
-
(340)
126
29
(712)
153
1,665|(118)
2,536
(45)
6
11
194
201
(87)
(984)
(69)
1,645| ## **23. Capital commitments** Capital commitments at the end of the financial year for which no provision has been made: ||Group
2021
£’000|Group
2020
£’000|Charity
2021
£’000|Charity
2020
£’000| |---|---|---|---|---| |Authorised but not contracted|23,000
23,000|4,500
4,500|23,000
23,000|4,500| |||||4,500| The capital commitments above are phased up to and including 2022/23 (2020: 2020/21) with £23,000,000 (2020: £4,500,000) falling due within one year for the Group and £23,000,000 (2020: £4,500,000) for the charity. These commitments relate to the relocation of York House Hospital to an alternative site, the Chocolate Works, to develop a new, purpose-built service. Planning permission has been granted and project completion is expected in November 2023. They will be financed from existing reserves and future surpluses. The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **24. Commitments as lessee** The total of future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases is as follows: |**Group and Charity**|2021
Land and
Buildings
£’000|2021
Other
£’000|2020
Land and
Buildings
£’000|2020
Other
£’000| |---|---|---|---|---| |Within one year
Between one and five years
In five years or more|250
268
852
1,370|68
91
-
159|274
436
901
1,612|125
159
-
284| ## **25. Pension costs** ## **Defined contribution schemes** The charity makes payments to individual employees’ personal pension plans. There is also a defined contribution pension scheme for the benefit of employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund. There were no prepaid contributions at either the beginning or the end of the financial year. Group contributions amounted to £1,556,000 (2020: £1,433,000) during the year of which £207,000 (2020: £206,000) had not been paid at the year end. ## **26. Funds held as custodian Trustees** At the year end, the Group held monies totaling £265,000 (2020: £296,000) on behalf of its clients and the charity held monies totaling £255,000 (2020: £263,000). These monies are not included within the balance sheet and are held separately in clearly identifiable bank accounts. ## **27. Transactions with other related parties** ## **Group and charity** ## **York House Ventures Limited** During the year, the Group received the following payments from York House Ventures Limited (“YHV”), the joint venture company: |The Disabilities Trust
Staff costs
Management charge
Other charges|2021
2020
£’000
£’000
3,480
3,477
550
539
87
-| |---|---| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **28. Comparative SoFA** |**28. Comparative SoFA**|||| |---|---|---|---| |Income from:|Total
Unrestricted
funds
£’000|Total
Restricted
funds
£’000|Total
funds
2020
£’000| |Donations and legacies
Charitable activities:
Improving the lives of people with disabilities
Investment income
Share of surplus of joint ventures
Other income
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
Charitable activities:
Improving the lives of people with disabilities
Other
Total expenditure
Net income/(expenditure) before gains on investments
Gains on investment assets
Net movement in funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward|-
49,720
984
69
154
50,927
85
51,055
-
51,140
(213)
45
(168)
93,150
92,982|202
-
-
-
-
202
-
-
152
152
50
-
50
776
826|202
49,720
984
69
154
51,129
85
51,055
152
51,292
(163)
45
(118)
93,926
93,808| The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## **29. Post balance sheet events** On 22 September 2021, The Disabilities Trust purchased the 50% shareholding in York House Ventures Limited from The Retreat York. This resulted in 100% ownership of the company by The Disabilities Trust. From this date, the company will be a wholly owned subsidiary undertaking included in the parents’ group accounts by way of the equity method of valuation. The intention is to transfer the activities and remaining assets over to The Trust during 2022. The results for the year and balance sheet at 31 May 2021 for York House Ventures Limited are disclosed in Note 15 on page 90. **101** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** ## “Resident fundraising.” Residents at Kent House put their pedal power to the test by taking part in a cycling challenge to collectively cycle 250 miles and raise £300 for a new cafe. “Lockdown has been difficult for those we support and their families, as the government restrictions have meant they can’t spend time together within the social areas in the service,” says Hazel Dias-Fernandes, a physiotherapist at Kent House, which provides rehabilitation for people with an acquired brain injury. “This money will enable them to create a little coffee corner away from the main unit where everyone can meet with their family members during visits.” Residents helped fundraise for other in-service cafes at York House and Ty Aberdafen. **102** The Disabilities Trust | **Annual Report** & Accounts **2020-21** “Everything changed when I had my brain injury. One minute everything was good, then I felt sad a lot. I was really struggling. At Daniel Yorath House, I did sessions with my clinical team, physio and attention process training. They helped me with talking and walking. Daniel Yorath House gives people a place to get better and work on themselves. I would recommend them. It is good rehab.” **Luwam, 31, who has Wilson’s disease, spent around two years at Daniel Yorath House before moving to Sovereign Mill supported living in October 2020** ## **Get involved** If you want to know more about how we can help you, a family member or the people you work with, do get in touch. Or if you’d like to donate, you can be sure every gift we receive goes towards supporting disabled people to be as independent as possible. Visit: www.thedtgroup.org Tel: 01444 237254 Email: fundraising@thedtgroup.org ## **About The Disabilities Trust** We are a charity that works alongside people with an acquired brain injury, autism, and learning or physical disabilities to help them live as independently as possible. For over 40 years, our high-quality services across the UK have supported people to move forward with their lives. These include: brain injury assessment and rehabilitation centres, hospitals, care homes, supported living accommodation, care in people’s homes and a school. Our services support around 750 people each year. We are the largest not-for-profit brain injury service provider in the UK. We also campaign, conduct research and pilot new ideas to amplify the voices of people who can’t access our core services. Our dedicated teams of specialists provide the individual support people need to live as full a life as possible. They work closely with those we care for, their families and friends, local and health authorities, housing associations and others. **Find out more at www.thedtgroup.org**