2024-05-31-accounts

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

----- Start of picture text -----
2023–24
----- End of picture text -----

Annual Re ort p

The Disabilities Trust (Company Registration number: 02334589)(T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

About Brainkind	3
A message from our Chief Executive	4
Welcome message from our Chair of Trustees	6
The year in numbers	7
Our achievements	8
Looking to the future	26
Trustees’ Annual Report	28
Financial review	29
Directors’ Report	37
Trustees’ responsibilities statement	47
Auditors’ Report	49
Financial Statements	54

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

About Brainkind

We are the UK’s leading charity dedicated to helping individuals thrive after a brain injury and other neurological conditions. Our services include hospitals, neurological centres, residential homes, and community-based support. We deliver innovative, personalised, and compassionate rehabilitation alongside ongoing support.

With decades of experience in delivering top-quality neurorehabilitation, we recognise the profound impact a brain injury or neurological condition can have on every aspect of a person’s life. That is why we offer comprehensive care and support, ranging from immediate rehabilitation after hospital discharge to long-term support aimed at enhancing quality of life.

Our clinical experts work together to assess how a brain injury or neurological condition affects an individual’s cognitive, emotional, physical, and social abilities. Our multidisciplinary teams include physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and nurses. Together, they help individuals work toward greater independence and achieve their unique rehabilitation goals – whatever they might be.

Find out more at brainkind.org

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

A message from our Chief Executive

The past year has been a transformative one for our organisation, as we embraced our new identity as Brainkind. As the UK’s leading charity supporting people with brain injuries and neurological conditions, we have made significant strides in strengthening our impact and reaching those who need us most.

A proud highlight of 2024 was the opening of our sustainable, state-of-the-art hospital in York. After years of planning, collaboration, and construction, this purpose-built facility is already revolutionising the brain injury rehabilitation we provide and is having a significant positive impact on the people receiving support there. With its innovative technology and welcoming design, it sets a benchmark for future service developments.

In addition, we expanded our reach by acquiring three neurological centres from Sue Ryder. This enabled us to welcome 380 new colleagues and support a further 121 people, with conditions such as Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis.

Earlier in the year, we launched our impactful report, Too Many to Count, which sheds light on the critical link between domestic abuse and brain injury. The report sparked vital conversations and new partnerships, and aims to drive systemic change, enabling staff and volunteers to better identify and support those affected.

All these achievements have been underpinned by our new brand identity, reflecting the modern, compassionate, and optimistic organisation that we are. This rebranding, coupled with a renewed focus on brain injury and neurological care, has propelled us forward and positioned us for continued growth despite a challenging external environment.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Post-pandemic pressures, including funding shortages, rising inflation, and an ageing population, have highlighted the fragility of our sector and the urgent need for reform. In these testing times, collaboration and rethinking the way we work is essential.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to our employees for their dedication and compassion. Their wellbeing remains a top priority, and we’ve introduced initiatives to support their mental health and make Brainkind a great place to work. I’m also thankful to our supporters, partners, trustees, and volunteers, whose contributions have been instrumental in our success.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to putting the needs of those with brain injuries and neurological conditions at the forefront of everything we do. We will continue to enhance our services, advocate for sector-wide change, and work together to achieve our goals.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we will continue to make a difference.

Irene Sobowale Chief Executive

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Welcome message from our Chair of Trustees

Over the past year, Brainkind has continued to grow and evolve. We have expanded our services, strengthened our team and renewed our focus on providing the highest quality care.

Our mission remains the same: to support people living with brain injuries and neurological conditions, helping them to thrive and live fulfilling lives.

A key priority has been our work to create new care pathways that provide the right support, at the right time and in a costeffective way. Wojciech, who suffered a brain injury in 2022, is a great example of how this approach works. (You can read more about Wojciech’s story on page 18 of this report.)

After hospital treatment, Wojciech moved to our neurological centre in Milton Keynes. There, he worked with our multi-disciplinary team to receive cognitive rehabilitation. Then, as he became more independent, he was able to transition to one of our nearby supported living services. By investing in the whole pathway, we have been able to deliver and personalise care plans enabling flexibility and better outcomes.

Living more independently, Wojciech now has more control over his life. At the same time, we have been able to reduce his overall care costs and ease the pressure on the NHS.

Being a charity means we can do more. We continue to focus on clinical excellence and advocate for better policies and practices for people with brain injuries and neurological conditions. We also push for increased funding and improvements in the wider social care sector. We collaborate and persevere.

Looking ahead, we’re optimistic about the positive impact we can continue to have. Brain injury can affect anyone, and when it does, we’re here to provide support. The people we support deserve the very best.

I want to thank all our employees and volunteers for their hard work and dedication. Your commitment to improving people’s lives makes a real difference.

We’re also grateful to our supporters, fundraisers, Trustees and partners who have made our success possible. We look forward to continuing to work together.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us over the past year, I want to acknowledge your effort in delivering our mission.

Yours sincerely

Kathryn Greenberg Chair of Trustees

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Our year in numbers

489 supported

We provided innovative rehabilitation and ongoing care to 489 people in our brain injury and neurological care services.

1,884

colleagues continued to provide excellent support to people who use our services.

81% of people needed less supervision when they were discharged from our services.

It’s been a busy and productive year for Brainkind. We’ve expanded our services, welcomed new colleagues and supported many people. Here are some of our highlights:

94% rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’

314

people supported through our Brain Injury Linkworker service.

94% of our services are now rated ‘good’, ‘outstanding’ or the equivalent rating, in England, Scotland and Wales.

235

76

people were admitted to our services and

volunteers work across our services, in a range of roles.

202

were discharged.

69%

Over two thirds of people who were discharged took part in more social activities than before.

86%

Almost nine in ten people (86%) moved to more independent accommodation following our support.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Our achievements

Here’s what we have achieved this year for people with brain injuries or other neurological conditions ...

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Growing our services

We want to provide the right services in the right places to help people thrive after a brain injury or after being diagnosed with a neurological condition. This means we are committed to developing our offer to meet people’s needs, and to support them to live independently.

----- Start of picture text -----
Hospitals
Neurological centres
Residential homes
Supported living services
----- End of picture text -----

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Our flagship neurological hospital opens

The Brainkind Neurological Centre York officially opened in Spring 2024, providing high-quality rehabilitation for people with acquired brain injuries. The state-of-the-art hospital enables people from Yorkshire – and further afield - to recover and access rehabilitation tailored to their needs.

The people we support were involved in its development and design to ensure it met their needs. The building is designed to be fully accessible, incorporating a range of assistive technologies that support people to lead more independent lives.

From wearable devices that control doors to powerassisted access points, the hospital is committed to breaking down physical barriers. Personalised smart TVs, integrated with platforms like Amazon Alexa, provide daily reminders and act as a central hub for other technological advancements.

Colleagues successfully moved everyone we supported at our previous site at York House to the brand-new building in February, so that everyone can benefit from our state-of-the-art facility.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central, was invited to officially open the hospital. She said:

“

Having worked as a physiotherapist, I know the huge benefits of physical rehabilitation, so it is really interesting for me to see that a gym, sensory room and accessible gardens are part of the state-of-the-art facilities here.

“

I am really pleased that this service is based in York and is already forging partnerships in the local community. This hospital will benefit people in York, and nationally, who have an acquired brain injury or other neurological conditions.”

Dr Miles Rogish, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, said:

“ I am so impressed by the finer details of this building. The behavioural architects have done a really good job. Everything from the acoustics to the inside and outside spaces have really been thought about to foster a sense of community.”

The new hospital was shortlisted for an award by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Their awards showcase the most inspirational initiatives and developments in land, real estate, construction and infrastructure, and our building was shortlisted in the Community Benefit Project category.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

In November 2023, we acquired three complex neurological care centres in Lancashire, Hertfordshire and Suffolk from the charity Sue Ryder. The purchase represents a substantial expansion of our operational capacity, adding 121 registered beds.

Acquiring new services

These services provide rehabilitation and specialist nursing care to people with neurological conditions including Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis. These three locations are a natural extension of the existing services we provide, and the acquisition consolidates our position as the leading charitable provider of brain injury care in the UK.

“ The acquisition of the Sue Ryder neurological services enables us – together with our new experienced colleagues – to provide support and rehabilitation to more people, but also give compassionate care to a wider group of people with a range of neurological conditions. We are excited to be able to expand our services and expertise, to help us care for more people with neurological conditions and brain injuries.”

Dr Rudi Coetzer, Director of Clinical Services, Brainkind

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Developing new services to support our clinical pathway

Our care pathway, which you can read more about below, helps to ensure that we provide the right care and support when people need it – whether at a neurological care centre, at a residential rehabilitation service or in the community.

This pathway will influence the development of new services, with the following planned over the coming years:

a new supported living offering in Glasgow, providing a pathway from our brain injury hospital in the city, Graham Anderson House, and our neurological care centre, Eastfields
a new residential service in Essex to grow our care pathway in this area
a new neurological care centre in Hertfordshire, which will strive to meet the highest standards of accessible design, creating a tailored service.

A community-driven landscape project

The Brainkind Neurological Centre Lancashire is based in the Fulwood area of Preston and is committed to involving people supported onsite in key decisions.

One such project is the ongoing redesign of the outdoor space, to encourage exercise and connections with nature. The project is led by the Service Director, alongside Steve, a resident and retired graphic artist.

Residents will help to choose the final design and are actively involved in fundraising to support the garden’s development.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Working together with those we support

Our personalisation programme aims to change the relationship between people, professionals and the health and care system. Personalisation recognises the expertise, capabilities and potential of individuals, families and communities to deliver better health and wellbeing outcomes.

The programme provides a shift in power and decisionmaking to one of co-production that enables people to have more choice and control.

Listening to the views of those we support, and acting on them is important to us. This year, our survey of people we support told us:

Satisfaction
91% of respondents expressed satisfaction with the care and support provided
Positive experiences
94% felt treated kindly, and 90% felt treated with dignity and respect
Encouraging feedback Comments included, “My support team is fantastic,” and “The service exceeded my expectations”.

While the survey results were highly positive, we also identified areas for improvement, including respondents who reported feeling bored or lonely, or uninvolved in their service planning. We are committed to addressing these concerns and are working with those we support to implement necessary changes.

Golden Whisk winners share best practice

Jane Percy House, our residential home in Northumberland, won Brainkind’s inaugural Golden Whisk Award for excellence in catering services. The award recognises commitment to person-centred care and to providing delicious, nutritious food.

The idea for the Golden Whisk Award came from feedback from services, and the competition was co-produced and co-judged with people we support.

Jane Percy House impressed the judges with their collaborative approach to menu planning. The team worked closely with residents to develop menus that were both enjoyable and nutritious. They also considered dietary needs, environmental impact through using home grown produce and local suppliers, and the overall dining experience.

To share best practice and continue to improve, we’ve launched a new Golden Whisk Best Practice forum online, to bring together chefs, people we support and speech and language therapists to discuss and share ideas.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Brain Injury Linkworker service expands

Brainkind plays a vital role in supporting people with brain injuries within the prison system. Our Brain Injury Linkworkers work closely with prison staff to provide people who may have sustained brain injuries with tailored support. This includes assessment and diagnosis, advocacy, education and post-release support.

The Linkworker service engages with people who may have otherwise disengaged from previous support available in prison.

This year, the team has focused on assessing the impact the programme has on the mental health of people in prison. The findings indicate that taking part in the Linkworker service reduced symptoms related to anxiety and depression.

“[I am really proud of ] this result, which is real recognition of all the hard work, passion and great colleagues we have at Brainkind. I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who runs the services, everyone who works in the services and also those of us who support our services behind the scenes. Together we can achieve so much.”

Evalution published in the Journal of Men’s Health in August 2023 showed that at the start of the intervention, 32 (64%) individuals were classed as having severe anxiety, in comparison to only 17 (34%) individuals by the end of intervention.

The service expanded to His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Berwyn in January 2024, and now offers coverage for all His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Services (HMPPS) in Wales. The service continues to operate at a high level, with a positive response from people in prison or on probation, and the staff in HMPPS settings who the service supports.

This year, we have also continued to offer training as part of the service to HMPPS staff teams in Cardiff, Swansea and North Wales, including 175 staff at the annual HMPPS Insights Festival in October 2023.

Irene Sobowale, Chief Executive

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Brainkind tops CQC ratings

We were pleased to announce in May 2024 that we had secured the top spot in the UK for our CQC (Care Quality Commission) ratings, in a league table comparing the largest, adult specialist care home providers. We achieved the highest ranking, with 94% of Brainkind services in England rated by CQC as either “good” or “outstanding” overall.

Quality has always been at the heart of Brainkind. Our values guide our approach to quality assurance, driving continuous improvement and delivering exceptional standards of care, support and treatment.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Delivering leading-edge clinical practice around brain injury

This year, our research showed the breadth of our work and strengthened our position as a voice of influence. These efforts enhance our understanding of brain injury, enabling us to better support the people who use our services through innovative research and thought leadership.

Sharing our clinical expertise

We aim to be a leader in clinical practice and research. To achieve this, it is important to have a strong reputation in the academic world. We do this by carrying out research, publishing papers, presenting at conferences and building relationships with universities and professional groups.

We work to align the research we carry out with the broader strategic goals of Brainkind - for example, by placing an emphasis on outcomes-derived research and exploring new technology.

Our annual conference was launched back onto the conference circuit after a very successful event in York in September 2023 for the first time since 2017.

The event, “Every Interaction is Rehab”, brought together a diverse group of professionals from the field of neurorehabilitation, including clinicians, researchers and practitioners, with keynote speakers and interactive workshops discussing the latest research and new approaches to support people with brain injuries. The conference helped cement our reputation as the leading charity working in this space.

Our clinical pathway

Delivering excellent care and support for people with brain injuries or other neurological conditions is central to our mission, and our care pathway is a route through rehabilitation, designed to guide people from diagnosis to recovery. The pathway helps ensure that people receive the right care at the right time.

This year, we worked to refine our offering nationwide to provide the best care pathways for people we support. Step-down support is a crucial part of this journey. It involves gradually reducing the intensity of support a person receives as their condition improves. This might involve someone moving from one of our hospitals to a neurological centre, or from a residential home to one of our supported living services. The aim is to help people regain their independence and reintegrate into their daily lives.

By providing each of the different stages of the pathway under the Brainkind umbrella, we are able to improve outcomes and simplify the process for the people we support.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Wojciech’s steps to recovery

At 40, Wojciech knew only a handful of people in the UK, and due to the Covid pandemic he was cut off from his family in Poland. Then he suffered a ruptured aneurysm, and his life changed forever.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Despite being in good health, in October 2021 Wojciech’s flatmate came home from work, to find him unconscious, and called an ambulance.

Wojciech says:

“ I have no memory of that day; I don’t know what happened. I just woke up in the hospital a few weeks later.
“ I was unsteady on my feet and felt really uncoordinated; my memory was full of holes, I struggled to remember basic things about my life, but I could still speak English. After a few weeks, my childhood memories started to return, but the present was still a mystery.

First steps to recovery

Wojciech’s ruptured aneurysm resulted in a haemorrhagic stroke, which caused a severe brain injury. Although physically well, Wojciech was still suffering from severe cognitive and memory impairment and was moved to one of Brainkind’s neurorehabilitation centres – Thomas Edward Mitton House in Milton Keynes - for further cognitive rehab to develop his insight and independence.

Wojciech says: “The people at Thomas Edward Mitton house have been brilliant and helped me recover. I learnt English at school back in Poland. However, when I woke up it felt like everyone was talking so fast, I couldn’t keep up.

“With my memory problems and sight issues, I had to work really hard with the physiotherapist, occupational therapists, care team and speech and language team. Everyone worked so hard to help me.”

Towards the end of 2022, a place became free at Brainkind’s supported living service in Twyford Lane, Milton Keynes. Wojciech explains how moving to this service has helped with his recovery: “All the hard work paid off, and I moved to a supported living house in November 2022. The house at Twyford Lane is part of the Brainkind services, and it’s just down the road from Thomas Edward Mitton House, so all the teams know me.

“[It gives me a chance to go ] back and volunteer once a week at Thomas Edward Mitton house which is really important to me; I want to give something back and help others like me so that they can see with hard work, they too can recover.”

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

What the future holds

Although he has recovered physically from the stroke, Wojciech faces many cognitive challenges. He explains: “I struggle to follow movies now, and my memory problems make it hard to keep long stories straight in my head, but I love watching stand-up comedy and always enjoy comedy specials.”

Being supported at Twyford Lane helps Wojciech to focus on the things he enjoys. He says: “I live with two other people in supported living who I get on well with; we do some things together, but we have 24-hour support if we need it. The staff who support us here are great. They help me to do things that I find difficult, like shopping, long journeys, those kinds of things.

“

I am unsure if I will ever be able to live independently again, which makes me sad. Still, the thought of being alone is pretty scary. What’s great about our place is that we can get help when needed, and the staff are just like friends who are here if we need them, but they leave us be if we don’t.”

“

My rehabilitation and recovery have been challenging and sometimes very lonely without my family, but the staff and my flatmates have become a family to me, and I am strong now.”

How technology supports our clinical model

We recently partnered with SyncVR to test how VR (virtual reality) could support people with a brain injury. A trial at Redford Court aimed to understand whether apps could help people manage their anger and anxiety, while at Kerwin Court we tested whether VR could help improve the value of physiotherapy.

Senior Research Fellow, Sara da Silva Ramos, said: “We are confident that having VR headsets will be of benefit to many and are hoping to be able to implement this technology across Brainkind, not only to improve the experience that the people we support have while in our services, but also to use research to further our quest towards understanding exactly who benefits most from which VR environments.”

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Telling our story: driving social action around brain injury

We want brain injury to be part of everyday conversations. We also want to improve policy, practice and funding for people with brain injuries. This will help us to find new ways to reach the people we support.

Groundbreaking report launch

In January 2024, Brainkind published “Too Many to Count”, our report which revealed that one in two people who have experienced domestic abuse in England and Wales may be living with a brain injury.

The report was the first of its kind to explore this link and was the result of months of research by our Policy, Influence and Social Change team.

Stephanie Bechelet, Domestic Abuse and Brain Injury Researcher at Brainkind, conducted over 60 interviews with women who had experienced domestic abuse as part of the research. Stephanie said: “Our research findings highlight the complexities faced by people who have experienced domestic abuse. These issues are compounded by our evidence that reveals one in two people who have experienced domestic abuse may be living with brain injury. Our recommendations focus on how we can work together to close the gaps in knowledge and practice around domestic abuse and brain injuries.”

The report revealed significant overlap between brain injury and mental health symptoms, highlighting not only the risk of incorrect diagnosis, but also the complexity of accurately identifying brain injury in this group.

Stephanie Bechelet appeared on BBC Woman’s Hour with Dr Annmarie Burns, Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist, to discuss the report, which was the lead story on the programme. It also featured in The Independent and sector press.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Connecting through our brand

A new approach to fundraising

In September 2023, we unveiled a new brand identity to promote our position as the UK’s leading charity dedicated to brain injury support. The rebranding reflects our commitment to providing compassionate, person-centred care and showcases our expertise in the field.

Our new brand’s empathetic, optimistic tone and accessible language resonate with our audiences. They underscore our partnership with those we support, conveying a message of hope and resilience. We’ve developed comprehensive guidance to equip our teams with the tools to effectively communicate using our brand.

This year, our brand has been introduced to key stakeholders, including commissioners and healthcare professionals, the media, fundraisers and the general public. It has featured prominently at conferences, in the media, on new signage and digitally via our new website and social channels.

As a charity supporting people with brain injuries, we provide therapies and equipment that are often not covered by the NHS or local authorities. To continue offering these vital services, we rely on an effective fundraising programme.

Historically, our fundraising efforts have been largely at a local level, with individual services taking responsibility for securing donations. While this approach has been valuable, we recognise the need for a more centralised and strategic approach. This year, we have established a dedicated fundraising team and developed a new strategy to better embed fundraising into our organisational culture.

Our new fundraising strategy aims to develop new fundraising proposals to attract donations from individuals, businesses and trusts. Our fundraising team will provide local services with high-quality content and materials, along with guidance and compliance advice, so they can engage potential donors.

In addition to local fundraising, we will focus on securing grants, establishing larger scale corporate partnerships and collaborating with like-minded organisations. Recent successes include a generous donation from the Kirby Foundation to fund a sensory room at our new York hospital. We have also been named charity of the year by York Racecourse, a significant milestone in our fundraising journey.

To ensure that donations are used effectively, we have formed a fundraising steering committee which evaluates funding applications and determines how best to allocate resources. By drawing on the expertise of our clinical teams and the buying power we have nationally, we can maximise the impact of our fundraising efforts.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Case study: Bel learns to walk again

Bel is supported at Brainkind’s West Heath House in Birmingham. When she arrived in January, she used a wheelchair but recently she’s made a massive step forward in her rehab journey. For the first time, she’s been able to go out into the community without her wheelchair.

This wouldn’t have been possible without the care and hard work of Brainkind’s staff. We spoke to Bel to hear more about her experience. Bel told us: “I’m happy. The team have always praised me and congratulated me when I have achieved something. I’ve worked hard daily and not given up. I couldn’t have done it without my physio support and my therapy assistant, Kim. I can’t imagine life in the wheelchair now.”

Bel had physio sessions four times a week with specialist physio, Anisha, and Kim helped her with exercises for her arms and legs. She also used an exercise bike regularly. Bel started by practising walking with support bars, then progressed to using the treadmill and even climbing stairs.

After building up her strength inside the service, Bel started trying longer distances outdoors with her walker. She gradually needed less and less support.

When we asked Bel about her future goals, she said:

“I want to be able to walk with a walking stick. When I’m discharged, I’d ideally like to be able to do more for myself and complete daily tasks independently.”

Bel also had some advice for staff who are helping people reach their goals: “Staff need to push the people they support to their limits, to be respectful of people they support, be consistent and work hard.”

“[I want to be able to walk with a ] walking stick. When I’m discharged, I’d ideally like to be able to do more for myself and complete daily tasks independently.”

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Working together effectively

Our people are the heart of our organisation, and by ensuring Brainkind is a great place to work, we can provide the best care and support for those who need it.

EDI activity: a year of progress

Recognising excellence

Our Recognising Excellence Awards are awarded every six months to people or teams who have excelled in their work and who live Brainkind’s values: agile, resourceful, courageous, connected and heart.

This year has seen us take significant strides with our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives, driven by our commitment to create a more inclusive environment – making Brainkind a community where everyone feels they belong.

The awards are important to us, and all our winners are selected from nominations made by our employees. Once a year, our winners are invited to come together and celebrate their achievements at a ceremony.

We are working to deliver an EDI plan, built on our values and based on the data and input we receive from colleagues and people we support. Our EDI group, formed in 2023, is a committee of Brainkind community representatives interested in positive change. They meet regularly to plan and monitor EDI activity and share their thoughts, experiences and ideas.

Our new LGBTQIA+ Group is our first Employee Resource Group at Brainkind. The groups have been created to give colleagues opportunities to raise awareness and provide resources around a specific interest or protected characteristic.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Meet Jean-Michel: award-winning support worker

In 2024, Jean-Michel was recognised for his outstanding work by winning the Operational Employee of the Year category at Brainkind’s Recognising Excellence Awards. He was also shortlisted for the Specialist Carer of the Year award at the National Care Awards.

Jean-Michel joined Brainkind in 2021 as a support worker at Shinewater Court, a residential home in Eastbourne that supports people with brain injuries and other neurological conditions.

Jean-Michel says: “About 15 years ago, I moved to the UK from France. Before working in care, I had a very different career — I was a butcher! But I started working for Brainkind and my first care work experience was here.”

Anita Cobb, Manager at Shinewater Court, says: “Jean-Michel is an exceptional member of our team. He consistently goes above and beyond for the people we support, whether it’s working extra shifts or accompanying residents to social events. His positive and enthusiastic attitude is invaluable.”

James, one of the people we support at Shinewater Court, has formed a close bond with Jean-Michel. James’s brother says: “Jean-Michel takes James out for a monthly haircut, something which is

important to James and his pride in his appearance. Recently Jean-Michel has been encouraging James to do his regular physio exercises, to help build his strength and support him in his walking.”

“I know that when Jean-Michel is on his days off or on holiday, James misses JeanMichel, and looks forward to his return and tales of adventure. They are definitely firm friends, and Jean-Michel is someone who James can confidently rely on and trust.”

Jean-Michel is thrilled to have received this recognition. He says: “I’ve built more relationships in this job than in any other one across my career. A support worker job is more person-centred and so working with people closely gives me a lift. I have a feeling that I am doing good.”

“I was supposed to retire next year, but I’ve decided to stay on for a few more years. I’m not ready to leave yet. This job gives me a sense of purpose. It’s hard to explain, but it’s something I’m really proud of.”

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Looking to the future

As we look toward the future, our commitment to growing our reach, providing leading clinical expertise, and driving social action remains at the heart of what we do - as does our focus on both our people and digital innovation, as we seek to deliver exceptional, personcentred care.

Growing our reach

Following a period of expansion and acquisition, we are now looking to focus on growing the number of people we support in our existing services, allowing us to reach more people and provide high quality care and support for people living with brain injury and neurological conditions.

Leading-edge clinical expertise

Providing leading clinical expertise remains at the centre of what Brainkind does as an organisation. This commitment to clinical excellence enables us to provide higher quality care, evidence-based practices and improved outcomes for the people we support. Our aim is to establish our organisation as a leader in best practices, setting a benchmark for quality and compassion in social care.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Championing social action

Our mission goes beyond just delivering excellent care - we are dedicated to driving positive social change. By advocating for policies and initiatives that benefit vulnerable people, we aim to address systemic inequalities and improve access to care for all.

Our people approach

Our people are our greatest asset, and their dedication and passion drive everything we do. We are committed to fostering a workplace culture that values and supports each team member, investing in their growth and wellbeing. By creating opportunities for career advancement, encouraging innovation, and providing a supportive work environment, we enable our team to thrive.

Digital innovation

In an evolving world, innovation is key to staying responsive to the needs of our colleagues and the people we support. We are embracing new technologies and care models that improve efficiency, enhance service delivery, and expand our impact. We will continue to explore ways to enhance the quality of our services while maintaining the personal touch that defines our care. Innovation empowers us to adapt, respond, and ultimately provide a higher standard of support.

As we look ahead, we remain steadfast in our commitment to growing our reach, advancing our clinical excellence and advocating for social action. Together, we are building a future where our services provide excellent care for more people with brain injuries and neurological conditions.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Trustees’ Annual Report

The Trustees present their report and the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 May 2024. 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 2019).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Financial review

Brainkind has moved from a £11.3 million net surplus in 2023 to a £4.3 million net deficit in 2024, a decrease of £15.6 million. This is substantially due to the surplus on sale of fixed assets in 2023 and a planned deficit following the divestment of services in 2023.

Summary

Following a challenging year in 2022/23, to improve our financial sustainability in 2023/24, we actively focused on:

improving revenues by working to agree fee uplifts as well as working on aligning all current fees to fully reflect the costs incurred in providing our care
working to reduce our agency expenditure by improving recruitment and retention
increasing occupancy levels within our current services
investing in acquiring new services and continuing to invest to improve our existing services.

In 2024 we saw a gain of £1.2 million (2023: loss of £0.8 million) in our financial investments. The UK economy is recovering faster than expected. The euro area is also starting to bounce back after a year of near stagnation. Meanwhile global markets have continued to soar.

The overall financial results have changed from the 2022/23 financial year to the 2023/24 financial year as follows:

total operating income decreased from £67.5 million in 2023 to £61.1 million in 2024
total operating expenditure increased by £11.4 million from £55.4 million in 2023 to £66.8 million in 2024
the total net assets of the Group on 31 May 2024 were £102.9 million, a decrease of £4.3 million from 31 May 2023.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

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. The Trustees also employ an independent investment consultant to assist with financial advice, select investment managers, as well as providing support to define the objectives that are set and monitor their performance.

The present investment managers for Brainkind are Rathbones Investment Management Limited 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

Investments held by nominees

Our investments include:

£4 million managed by Rathbone Investment Management Limited
£5.7 million by CCLA Fund Managers Limited.

These investments are held on the Charity’s behalf.

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 2024 was £9.7 million (2023: £32.2 million). Dividend and investment income from our financial investments, including cash on deposit, was £0.6 million, a decrease from £0.8m in the prior year. Gains on our financial investments were £1.2 million in the year (2023: losses of £0.8 million). This performance met the Board’s objectives in relation to delivering returns.

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.

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.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

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 and neurological conditions. In order to do this, current reserves must be sufficient to meet the start-up costs of new services or the expansion of existing services, agreed by Trustees. Reserves must be sufficient to ensure our existing services are financially viable and mitigate the crystallisation of a financial and reputational risk identified on our corporate risk register.

The 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.

The current total level reserves amount to £102.9m, (2023: £107.2m) £106k of which is restricted and £102.8m (2023: £107m) is unrestricted (including designated funds).

Restricted reserves

Restricted funds are currently £106k (2023: £276k).

Restricted funds arise as a result of specific stipulations as to how the funds may be used. This is often relating to a specific activity or grant that may fall over several years and therefore the balance carried forward at the year-end is committed for those activities.

Unrestricted reserves

Unrestricted funds arise when no restrictions are in place for their use. Trustees are responsible for ensuring these funds are spent in line with the Charity’s objectives in a timely fashion.

The revaluation reserve represents the net gain or deficit that has been made on our investment portfolios.

Designated reserves are funds that the Trustees have set aside to reflect particular intentions for the use of those funds.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Reserves

Revaluation reserve

The total revaluation reserve is £9.7 million (2023: £9.4 million), reflecting a net gain in the year of £1.2 million (2023: net deficit of £0.8 million).

Designated funds

The total designated funds are currently £85.3 million (2023: £86.5 million). Further details are as below:

Investment in intangible and tangible fixed assets: £85.2m (2023: £64.3m)

Representing the amount invested in the net book value of long-term assets.

Investment in Brainkind Neurological Centre in York (formerly “Investment in Chocolate Works”): £0m (2023: £5.2m)

These are funds were set aside to develop a new, purpose-built site for York House Hospital and this project had a total commitment of £24.8m. The final cost to develop the York House Hospital was £25.6m.

General funds

The general unrestricted reserves of £8.7m is regarded as being the Charity’s level of free reserves.

The Charity has a target level of free reserves of £8 million and the Trustees consider that a minimum reserve of £3 million is necessary,

Investment in neurological rehabilitation services £0m (2023: £17m)

Funds were designated as Brainkind agreed in principle to purchase four neurological care services, currently operated by the charity Sue Ryder, for an expected consideration of £17m. The final Purchase price of £11m was paid for three of these services which completed in November 2023.

an amount that it considers appropriate and prudent to maintain as a buffer against the risks and challenges faced by the Charity.

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, Brainkind, as custodian Trustee, held a total sum of £245,000 in its bank accounts, compared to £190,000 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.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Going concern

The Board has reviewed the Charity’s activities and financial position, together with factors likely to affect our current strategy. After divesting our learning disability and autism services to focus on brain injury rehabilitation and support, we are investing free cash in acquiring neurorehabilitation and neurological services and continuing to invest in our extant services.

With difficulties in both occupancy levels and labour costs, as staff shortages continued to limit admissions in some services, as well as keeping agency costs high, we ended the financial year behind budget.

The reductions in occupancy levels continue to be focused within a small number of key services, all of which are now undertaking work to improve their occupancy level.

Looking forward, in 2022/23 a detailed five-year forecast and recovery plan was undertaken, in line with the proposed plan, outlining how we plan to reduce the deficit and move to a surplus within that period. This is continuing to be reviewed and necessary corrective actions will be taken.

We have reviewed the reserve level, taking into account the impact of the agreed strategy to ensure that our reserves remain above the agreed level for the next five years. Within this review, we have looked at a low and high scenario of the impact on the reserves once all agreed and proposed investments/divestments are undertaken.

The Board has concluded that the existing level of free reserves, available investment and cash balances, coupled with strong cost control and the implementation of our new strategy, are sufficient to ensure Brainkind has the resources to continue operating as a going concern, and to meet our 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.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Fundraising

We support people and organisations to donate to Brainkind by promoting individual and regular giving, event fundraising, legacies and corporate support.

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 write to supporters to thank them for their fundraising.

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 Board is satisfied that there have been no failures to comply with The Code of Fundraising Practice.

Brainkind is also an organisational member of the Institute of Fundraising, Fundraising Preference Service and Fundraising Regulator, as well as the Data & Marketing Association.

Complaint handling

We have not received any complaints in relation to our fundraising and do not undertake any third-party fundraising.

Safeguarding and vulnerable supporters

Our fundraising promise sets out our commitment to being honest, keeping contact details safe, and supporting donors. It also highlights our commitment to protecting vulnerable people and ensures that no donation is sought or gained from someone who may not have the capacity to make an informed or considered decision. This helps make sure supporters are not put under pressure to donate and know how to make a complaint.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

How principle 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 Brainkind 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 Brainkind’s principle organisational risks and the long-term consequence of decisions as well as the interests of all stakeholders.

The key principle organisational risks are set out below:

Financial Sustainability

Risk

Mitigations

As an organisation we are therefore reviewing our costs to make sure they are sustainable and fit for purpose for the future organisational needs. We are also working closely with commissioners to ensure our services meet their needs and in doing so will create a stronger occupancy pipeline. We are fortunate enough to have a strong financial backing which ensures the organisation is sustainable in the short to medium term and we believe we have strong plans in place that will also ensure the organisation is sustainable in the longer term.

As with many other organisations in the health and social care sector, funding is always a challenge but particularly now with local authorities and the NHS having their own financial challenges. Coupled with this, high-cost inflation is also making financial sustainability in our sector a challenge. As a consequence, a number of our services are currently making deficits, hence leading to the overall deficit for the organisation in the year.

Agency Spend

Risk

As is typical in the sector, agency spend is a particular challenge for us as an organisation, not just because of the financial cost of this but also to ensure that agency workers provide the same great quality of care and support as our internal team.

Mitigations

We believe we have a strong reputation and brand and that the organisation values its people. In addition to this we are undertaking several projects that will improve our employee experience and encourage people to work for Brainkind all of which we believe will help with attracting and retaining people in the organisation going forward.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Local Authority Financial Health

Risk

Given a significant proportion of our funding comes from local authorities, challenges around local authority health has the potential to have a knock-on impact to Brainkind. A number of local authorities have already declared bankruptcy or issued financial distress signals. Some of which have issued Section 114 notices, effectively meaning they can’t balance their budgets. This is therefore a risk to our organisation.

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

Risk

Particularly given the ever-sophisticated methods of trying to hack organisations, the risk of cyber-attacks and the consequence this would have on our organisation from a business continuity perspective is always a risk.

Mitigations

We work across a diverse range of funders which therefore should spread our risk. We are also looking to contract with a number of new funders and look at opportunities in the private pay market which should further diversify our risk.

Mitigations

We have a proactive approach to cyber security, the key being not to be complacent and continually improving our controls. We also diversify our risk by not being reliant on one single third party and have attained Cyber Essentials plus certification, which is a government backed cybersecurity accreditation that amongst other things ensures we have robust cybersecurity measures in place tested through a rigorous, hands-on, technical audit by an external accredited assessor.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Directors’ Report

Constitution

In 2023 The Disabilities Trust relaunched itself as Brainkind, our new brand and trading name. Our legal name remains The Disabilities Trust.

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

Public Benefit

The principal beneficiaries of the work of Brainkind are people living with a brain injury, supported in a variety of settings, from hospitals to community. Secondary beneficiaries of the work of Brainkind are families, people living with a brain injury beyond our services and those in particular populations, including offenders and survivors of domestic abuse who are disproportionately affected by brain injury, and the general public via our campaigning, training and innovation work and bespoke services.

Our research, policy and innovation work allows us to invest resources into improving the lives of people with a brain injury 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

and Articles of Association, which were last modified on 13 July 2020.

The Disabilities Trust owns two subsidiaries:

The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust Limited which operates the activities of the Neurological Centre Lancashire and is governed under a separate board.
York House Ventures Limited, which is dormant.

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 Brainkind’s aims and objectives. This includes:

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 of the financial statements.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Section 172 (1) statement

The Trustees as Directors of Brainkind, 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, service users 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 between members of the Company.

Communities

Brainkind works in partnership with communities, providing services for people with a brain injury and other neurological conditions, as well as through its campaigning work and research. The organisation works closely with Government partners, contributing to the imminent strategy on Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). We deliver training to staff within the prison services, helping them to recognise

As a charitable company, the Directors of Brainkind promote the success of the Charity to achieve its charitable purposes:

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 Brainkind 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 Charity for the benefit of its stakeholders as a whole in the following ways:

the signs of a brain injury. We are also carrying out new research into the prevalence of brain injury amongst domestic abuse survivors, to inform policy and practice in this area. We work in partnership with multiple organisations, including the NHS, commissioners, the police and other charities and voluntary membership organisations.

Engagement with stakeholders

As part of our annual cycle, we have produced a satisfaction survey for people who use our services. Over 80% of the people we support took part in the survey with contributions from people across all of our services. The report will help inform how we improve delivery and develop our services, which ultimately enables us to focus on what’s important to and for people and shape the way we prioritise and improve the way we deliver services.

The report will be made accessible to all people we support in a range of formats and our colleagues.

The stakeholder feedback process, which includes capturing compliments, concerns, complaints, and whistleblowing reports is continually reviewed and developed in response to feedback received. We continue to see an overall increase in all feedback captured since a new process was implemented in 2023.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

We welcome this as it provides evidence of increased awareness and confidence in the feedback processes. We have continued to improve the process by enhancing colleagues’ abilities to identify, capture, investigate and respond effectively to improve stakeholders experience and support a customer focussed process. Since Autumn 2022, we have rolled out feedback/complaints management training via workshops with Regional Operational teams, to offer advice, guidance, and support, which encourages and acts on feedback and demonstrates learning. This provides assurance to the Executive/Senior Leadership Teams (SLT), and the Board as we continue to capture and monitor stakeholder views centrally to identify themes and trends and respond to these effectively.

Engagement with employees

The long-term success and performance of Brainkind is directly linked to the talent, skills and engagement of our colleagues, and we understand the importance of developing a high performing organisation through our people to benefit the people we support. We recognise the contribution of our dedicated workforce who work hard to support people with complex needs, and we continue to review and improve the experience our employees have worked for Brainkind.

We want to ensure that our workforce is connected, and we aim to have a two-way dialogue with our people by keeping them appraised of what is happening across the organisation, as well as seeking their feedback and input on a variety of topics, from our new strategy to the culture we want to build. This is done using a variety of channels, including team meetings, our magazine and newsletters, digital channels such as Connect - our intranet - and our Colleague Forum which enables us to seek the views of a cross section of our workforce who represent colleagues’ ideas and suggestions for improving Brainkind. Our annual employee engagement survey also provides people with the opportunity to have a voice and provide feedback on a range of topics.

The Trustees consider and discuss information from across the organisation to understand the impact of Brainkind’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 SLT 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.

Brainkind operates across England, Scotland and Wales so it is important that all colleagues feel connected. We use a range of online and face to face events, including CEO and SLT webinars and our annual Managers’ Conference, to share the latest news, but also to engage colleagues in aspects of strategy, culture and delivery. We also engage colleagues in specific projects, alongside the people we support. For instance, someone we support at our brain injury service, Victoria House, sat alongside members of the SLT and the Board, as well as their Support Worker, on a Steering Group to feed into the process to deliver a new brand. Their input is absolutely invaluable.

The Trustees receive regular qualitative and quantitative updates on employee matters from the Executive 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 Brainkind’s culture.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Governance and decision making

Brainkind’s objective is to support people with a Brain Injury (BI) to lead their best lives. This objective is delivered, but not exclusively, through the provision of high-quality rehabilitation, care and support, specialised homes for people and community based supported living services.

Board Committees 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 dayto-day management of the Charity to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who is supported by the SLT in delivering the agreed strategic objectives.

Brainkind continues to adopt and apply the principles of the Code of Governance for larger charities, 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

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

The Trustees have several committees with specific areas of focus and who each review their scope and Terms of Reference annually:

Committee	Focus	Focus	Members	Members	Meetings per year
Audit & Risk	•Internal Audit		•Richard Wilson (Chair)		4
Committee	•External Audit		•Tom Billington
	•Annual Report & Accounts		•Heather Eve Castel
	•Financial compliance		•Britt Iversen
	•Internal controls		•Kathryn Greenberg
	•Risk management		•Dr Annabel Bentley
	•Business Continuity
Finance &	•Financial performance		•Heather Eve Castel		4
Investment	•Capital Investment			(Chair)
Committee	•Investment Fund		•Richard Wilson
		management	•Matt James
	•Reserves & cashfow		•Tom Billington
	•Property & Estates		•Dr Annabel Bentley
	•Fundraising		•Kathryn Greenberg
Quality &	•Quality Assurance		•Matthew James (Chair)		4
Governance	•Clinical effectiveness		•Stephen Waring (SG
Committee	•User outcomes			Lead)
	•User experience and en-		•Caroline Reid MBE
		gagement	•Dr Annabel Bentley
	•Safeguarding		•Britt Iversen
	•Regulatory reporting and		•Tom Billington
		compliance	•Kathryn Greenberg
	•Health & Safety
	•Information governance
	•Whistleblowing
Remunerations	•CEO & SLT remuneration		•Kathryn Greenberg		2
& Nominations	•Staff pay awards			(Chair)
Committee	•Stakeholder awards		•Richard Wilson
	•Employee benefts structures		•Stephen Waring
	•Board composition		•Caroline Reid MBE
	•Trustee recruitment
	•Succession planning
Research	•Clinical and applied research		•Stephen Waring (Chair)		3
Development	•Research development		•Professor Tom Warner
Policy & Infuencing	•Research governance framework		•Britt Iversen •Matthew James
Committee	•Partnership and funding		•Kathryn Greenberg
		opportunities
	•National and local
		infuencing and campaigning
		opportunities

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Trustee recruitment and term of office

Trustees are a critical resource and give their time freely in support of Brainkind. 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,

Equality statement

We are proud of our diverse workforce which reflects the breadth of people we support. We work with colleagues to support their wellbeing and managers to support their understanding of individual needs to ensure that we can support colleagues in the workplace who may have or develop a disability, including those which may be unseen. Brainkind’s EDI committee meets

Remuneration policy

The Remuneration & Nominations Committee meet at least once a year and are responsible for overseeing the Charity’s pay and reward structures, approving budgets for the annual pay uplifts for the workforce and to review the remuneration package for the CEO. The Chief Executive is responsible for setting the

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 Brainkind 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.

regularly to discuss and review Brainkind’s EDI agenda with the aim of making our organisation one that is fully inclusive, and which celebrates our diversity. There are a number of activities and actions that seek to encourage inclusivity and diversity across Brainkind, including being Disability Confident and a member of the Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion.

remuneration packages for other SLT members, subject to a maximum increase of 10% (for over 10% the CEO requires Committee approval) of salary in any financial year. SLT remuneration packages are reviewed every two years to ensure they remain competitive with external benchmarks.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Trustees

Kathryn Greenberg

Heather Eve Castel

Matthew James

Caroline Reid MBE

Marianne Waite resigned 27 September 2023

Stephen Waring resigned 3 December 2024

Richard Wilson

Professor Tom Warner appointed 31 July 2023

Tom Billington appointed on 2 August 2023

Britt Iversen appointed on 31 July 2023

Dr Annabel Bentley appointed on 31 July 2023

The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Disabilities Trust trading as Brainkind

Trustees

Rudi Coetzer appointed 9 November 2023

Irene Sobowale

Richard Wilson

Michael Green

appointed 9 November 2023

Michelle Tempest

appointed 9 November 2023, resigned 18 April 2024

Senior Leadership Team

The Trustees have delegated the day-today management of the Charity to the Chief Executive Officer who appoints the Senior Leadership Team:

Irene Sobowale Chief Executive Officer

Naomi Carey Executive Director of People and Organisational Development

Graham Fisher Director of Digital

Lynsey Robertson

Director of Business Development and Programme Management

Rudi Coetzer

Director of Clinical Services Director of Clinical Services

Keeley Cremona

Director of Brain Injury Operations

Kimberly Shields Director of Legal (Resigned 31 January 2024)

Richard Jane Director of External Affairs

Shirley Rowe

Executive Director of Service Delivery (Resigned 19 January 2024)

Clynton Hall

Executive Director Finance and Business (Appointed 11 September 2023)

Emma Thayre

Head of Legal, Company Secretary and DPO (Appointed 26 February 2024)

Shelagh Murphy

Head of Quality Assurance, Compliance & Safeguarding (Appointed 1 March 2024)

Jenny Bray

Head of People Business Partners, ER & Reward (Appointed 1 March 2024)

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Streamlined energy and carbon reporting

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. The high-level breakdown is as follows:

Energy consumption

2024	Gas	Electricity	Transport	Total
kWh	33,313,639	3,087,635	1,095,377	37,496,651
Mileage			905,365	905,365
kgCO2e	6,093,065	639,295	115,312	6,847,671
tCO2e	6,093	639	115	6,848

2023	Gas	Electricity	Transport	Total
kWh	8,826,146	3,231,949	614,131	12,672,226
Mileage			508,773	508,773
kgCO2e	1,614,557	669,254	61,596	2,345,407
tCO2e	1,615	669	62	2,346

Brainkind’s total CO2 emission from grid electricity is 639 tCO2e (2023: 669 tCO2e) and 6,093 tCO2e (2023: 1,615 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.

Energy and associated carbon emissions

We divested 11 learning disability and autism services four months into the year and sold Heathermount School one month later. This led to expected decreases in energy consumption.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Intensity metric

An intensity metric gives Brainkind 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 473 people (2023: 456) we support emitting an average of 14,483.6 kgCO2e each (2023: 5,143.7 kgCO2e). This will be measured annually and compared against previous years.

	2024	2023
Number of people we support	473	456
kgCO2e	6,847,671	2,345,407
KgCO2e per person	14,483.6	5,143.7

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 cold and warm months. 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.

Calculations

The following figures were used to convert energy to CO2 figures:

	Litre	kWh	Co2e
Gas	N/A	1	0.182900
Electricity	N/A	1	0.207050
Petrol	2.08	9.5	0.22
Diesel	2.51	10.5	0.24

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Legislative and administration information

Legal name of the charity:

The Disabilities Trust

Trading name:

Brainkind

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 U.K. 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 Trowers & Hamlins LLP, 3 Bunhill Road, London, EC1Y 8YZ

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

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Trustees’ responsibilities statement

The Trustees (who are also Directors of Brainkind 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 of the incoming resources and application of resources 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 charitable company will continue in business.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, 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 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 Brainkind on 26 February 2025 and signed on their behalf by:

Kathryn Greenberg, Chair of Trustee Board

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Auditor’s Report

Opinion

Basis for opinion

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members and the Trustees of The Disabilities Trust (trading as Brainkind)

We have audited the financial statements of The Disabilities Trust (trading as Brainkind) (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31 May 2024 which comprise the Consolidated statement of financial activities, the Consolidated balance sheet, the Charity balance sheet, the Consolidated statement of cash flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

give a true and fair view of the state of the Group’s and of the parent charitable company’s affairs as at 31 May 2024 and of the Group’s incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure for the year then ended;
have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

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 United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

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.

Conclusions relating to going concern

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

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

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

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinion on other matters In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
prescribed by the Companies Act 2006 • the information given in the Trustees’ Report including the Strategic Report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements.
• the Trustees’ Report and the Strategic Report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

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

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

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

the parent charitable company has not kept adequate and sufficient accounting records, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the parent charitable company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of Trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Responsibilities As explained more fully in the Trustees Responsibilities Statement, the Trustees (who are also the directors of the of Trustees charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the Group’s and the parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Trustees either intend to liquidate the Group or the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

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

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of noncompliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below: We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks within which the charitable company operates, focusing on those laws and regulations that have a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The laws and regulations we considered in this context were the Companies Act 2006 and The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, together with the Charities SORP (FRS102) 2019. We assessed the required compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our audit procedures on the related financial statement items. In addition, we considered provisions of other laws and regulations that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which might be fundamental to the charitable company’s ability to operate or to avoid a material penalty. We also considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the charitable company for fraud. The laws and regulations we considered in this context 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 in the following areas: timing of recognition of contract income; recording the impact of the CQC regulatory review

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

and the override of controls by management, including posting of unusual journals; inappropriate treatment of nonroutine transactions and areas of estimation uncertainty.

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.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance.

The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

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

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditors’ Report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and its members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Dipesh Chhatralia Date: 27 February 2025 (Senior statutory auditor)

for and on behalf of Crowe U.K. LLP Statutory Auditor

55 Ludgate Hill, London, EC4M 7JW

ialnkindAnnual RepottandAccounts2023-24 Financial Statements 54

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Consolidated statement of financial activities (incorporating income and expenditure account)

For the year ended 31 May 2024

			Unrestricted	Restricted	Continuing	Total	Continuing	Discontinued	Total
			funds	funds	operations	funds	operations	operations	funds
Income from	Note		2024	2024	2024	2024	2023	2023	2023
			£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000

Donations and legacies		4	52	135	187	187	161	273	434
Charitable activities		5	60,080	-	60,080	60,080	44,637	3,485	48,122
Investments		6	610	-	610	610	833	-	833
Other income		7	263	-	263	263	458	17,628	18,086
Total income			61,005	135	61,140	61,140	46,089	21,386	67,475
Expenditure on:
Raising funds		8	113	-	113	113	107	-	107
Charitable activities		9	66,458	143	66,601	66,601	51,647	3,313	54,960
Other expenditure			-	-	-	-	44	269	313
Total expenditure			66,571	143	66,714	66,714	51,798	3,582	55,380
Net (expenditure)/
income before net gains/
(losses) on investments			(5,566)	(8)	(5,574)	(5,574)	(5,709)	17,804	12,095
Net gains/(losses) on
investments			1,248	-	1,248	1,248	(810)	-	(810)
Net (expenditure)/
income carried forward			(4,318)	(8)	(4,326)	(4,326)	(6,519)	17,804	11,285
Transfers between funds		23	162	(162)	-	-	-	-	-
Net movement in funds			(4,156)	(170)	(4,326)	(4,326)	(6,519)	17,804	11,285
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought
forward			106,966	276	107,242	107,242	95,957	-	95,957
Net movement in funds			(4,156)	(170)	(4,326)	(4,326)	(6,519)	17,804	11,285
Total funds carried
forward			102,810	106	102,916	102,916	89,438	17,804	107,242

The Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. The notes on pages 59 to 86 form part of these financial statements.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Consolidated balance sheet

As at 31 May 2024

As at 31 May 2024
			2024		2023
	Note		£000		£000

Fixed assets
Intangible fxed assets	14		1,871		1,466
Tangible assets	15		83,394		62,847
Investments	17		9,687		18,187
Investment property	16		50		50
			95,002		82,550
Current assets
Debtors	18	15,010		9,226
Investments	19	-		14,000
Cash at bank and in hand		3,067		10,257
		18,077		33,483
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year	20	(9,500)		(7,831)
Net current assets			8,577		25,652
Total assets less current liabilities			103,579		108,202
Provisions for liabilities	21		(663)		(960)
Total net assets			102,916		107,242
Charity funds
Restricted funds	23		106		276
Unrestricted funds	23		102,810		106,966
Total funds			102,916		107,242

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements.

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

Kathryn Greenberg Chair

Date: 26/2/25

Company number: 2334589 The notes on pages 59 to 86 form part of these financial statements.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Charity balance sheet

As at 31 May 2024

As at 31 May 2024
				2024		2023
		Note		£000		£000

Fixed assets
Intangible assets		14		1,871		1,466
Tangible assets		15		83,359		62,847
Investments		17		9,687		18,187
Investment property		16		50		50
				94,967		82,550
Current assets
Debtors		18	14,960		9,226
Investments		19	-		14,000
Cash at bank and in hand			3,067		10,257
			18,027		33,483
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year		20	(9,271)		(7,831)
Net current assets				8,756		25,652
Total assets less current liabilities				103,723		108,202
Provisions for liabilities				(663)		(960)
Total net assets				103,060		107,242
Charity funds
Restricted funds	23			10		276
Unrestricted funds	23			103,050		106,966
Total funds				103,060		107,242

The Charity’s net movement in funds for the year was £(4,182k) (2023 - £11,285k).

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements.

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

Kathryn Greenberg Chair

Date: 26/2/25

Company number: 2334589

The notes on pages 59 to 86 form part of these financial statements.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Consolidated statement of cash flows

For the year ended 31 May 2024

		2024	2023
	Note	£000	£000

Cash fows from operating activities
Net cash used in operating activities	26	(8,023)	(5,719)
Cash fows from investing activities
Dividends, interests and rents from investments		610	833
Proceeds from the sale of intangible assets		-	24,432
Proceeds from the sale of tangible fxed assets		4	-
Purchase of intangible assets		(471)	(367)
Purchase of tangible fxed assets		(11,500)	(20,881)
Proceeds from sale of investments		19,121	8,300
Purchase of investments		(8,116)	(2,481)
Movement in cash within investment portfolio		10,500	-
Purchase of neurological care division of Sue Ryder		(11,614)	-
Net cash acquired on purchase of Sue Ryder care division		58	-
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities		(1,408)	9,836
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year		(9,431)	4,117
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year		12,540	8,423
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	27	3,109	12,540

The notes on pages 59 to 86 form part of these financial statements.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

1. General information

The Disabilities Trust trading as Brainkind is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The Charity registration number is 800797.

The Charity is also registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. The Charity registration number is SC038972.

The registered office is 32 Market Place, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9NP.

2. Accounting policies

2.1. Basis of preparation of financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

The Disabilities Trust (trading as Brainkind) meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.

The Consolidated statement of financial activities (SOFA) and Consolidated balance sheet consolidate the financial statements of the Charity and its subsidiary undertaking. The results of the subsidiary are consolidated on a line by line basis.

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

2.2. Going concern

The Board has reviewed the Charity’s activities and financial position, together with factors likely to affect our current strategy. We have invested in acquiring neurorehabilitation services and continuing to invest in our existing services.

It was understood that the financial results for the 2023/24 financial year would fluctuate as we progressed through the different strategy phases.

The reductions in occupancy levels continue to be focused within a small number of key services, all of which are now undertaking work to improve their occupancy level.

Looking forward, a detailed five-year forecast and recovery plan was undertaken, in line with the proposed plan, outlining how we plan to reduce the deficit to and move to a surplus within that period.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

2.3. 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 Charity.
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.

2.4. 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 Charity. 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 use.

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.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

2.5. Interest receivable

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

2.6. Intangible fixed assets and amortisation

Intangible fixed assets represent development costs capitalised in accordance with FRS 102. These are stated at historical cost and amortised on a straight line basis over their useful lives (four years).

Goodwill is amortised on a straight line basis over its useful life of 10 years.

Negative goodwill is assessed annual for impairment and amortisation, amortisation is credited to the profit and loss account in the periods in which the non-monetary assets acquired are recovered.

Amortisation is recognised in the statement of financial activities under expenditure on charitable activities.

2.7. Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets are capitalised at cost at the acquisition date.

Depreciation is charged so as to allocate the cost less their residual value over their estimated useful lives of all tangible fixed assets other than freehold land by equal annual installments over their expected useful lives.

Depreciation is provided on the following bases:

Freehold buildings - 2% per annum

Short leasehold improvements - over period of lease

Motor vehicles - 33.3% per annum on high mileage vehicles and 15% per annum on people carriers

Fixtures and fittings - 15% per annum

Computer equipment - 25% per annum

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.

2.8. Investments

Investment properties:

Investment properties for which fair value can be measured reliably without undue cost or effort on an ongoing basis are measured at fair value annually with any change recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities. The valuations are estimated by appropriately qualified professional valuers. No depreciation or amortisation is provided in respect of freehold or leasehold investment properties.

Investment funds:

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.

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

2.9. 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.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

2.10. 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.

2.11. Current asset investments

Current asset investments include investment funds which are held for resale or pending their sale and cash on deposit with a maturity date of less than one year held for short-term investment purposes rather than cashflow. Current asset investment funds 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.

2.12. Creditors

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the Charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

2.13. Employee benefits

Short-term employee benefits and contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as an expense in the period in which they are earned.

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.

2.14. 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.

2.15. Operating leases

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Consolidated statement of financial activities on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

2.16. Pensions

The Group operates a defined contribution pension scheme and the pension charge represents the amounts payable by the Group to the fund in respect of the year.

2.17. Fund accounting

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

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

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

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

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

3. Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement

In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees have made the following judgements:

Impairment

The determination of whether there are any indicators of impairment applicable to the Charity’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 reassessing 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 to reflect the Charity’s estimate of repair costs which will need to be carried out 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 for the month of May are removed (because these are actuals) along with any backpay, stakeholder or oneoff 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 National Insurance and Pension.

Provision for bad and doubtful debts

To determine an appropriate level of bad and doubtful debt provision, we regularly review the total level of debt, age of debts and known risks that may impact recoverability, both for individual debts and for total amounts owed by funders.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

4. Income from donations and legacies

	Unrestricted funds	Restricted funds	Total funds
	2024	2024	2024
	£000	£000	£000

Other donations and gifts	40	77	117
Grants	12	58	70
Total 2024	52	135	187
		Restricted funds	Total
			funds
		2023
			2023
		£000	£000

Other donations and gifts		44	44
Grants*		390	390
Total 2023		434	434

*£273k of Grants income relates to discontinued operations.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

5. Income from charitable activities

	Unrestricted funds	Total funds
	2024	2024
	£000	£000

Physical disabilities	7,501	7,501
Autism	-	-
Brain injury	40,379	40,379
Education	-	-
Community services	9,134	9,134
Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust	3,066	3,066
Total 2024	60,080	60,080
	Unrestricted funds	Total funds
	2023	2023
	£000	£000

Physical disabilities	5,990	5,990
Autism*	1,322	1,322
Brain injury	30,107	30,107
Education*	2,163	2,163
Community services	8,540	8,540
Total 2023	48,122	48,122

*All of the Autism income and Education income relates to discontinued operations.

6. Investment income

6. Investment income
	Unrestricted funds	Total funds
	2024	2024
	£000	£000

Dividend income from listed investments	288	288
Bank deposit interest receivable	322	322
Total 2024	610	610
	Unrestricted funds	Total funds
	2023	2023
	£000	£000

Dividend income from listed investments	467	467
Bank deposit interest receivable	366	366
Total 2023	833	833

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

7. Other incoming resources

	Unrestricted funds	Total funds
	2024	2024
	£000	£000

Other income	259	259
Surplus on sale of fxed assets	4	4
Total 2024	263	263

Other income is comprised of various sources including rent and service charges receivable, external clinical supervision services, profit on the disposal of fixed assets and sundry income.

	Unrestricted funds	Total funds
	2023	2023
	£000	£000

Other income	311	311
Surplus on sale of fxed assets	17,775	17,775
Total 2023	18,086	18,086

*£17,628k of the surplus on the sale of fixed assets relates to discontinued operations in 2023. Other income is comprised of various sources including rent and service charges receivable, insurance claim settlements, external clinical supervision services, profit on the disposal of fixed assets and sundry income.

8. Expenditure on raising funds

		Unrestricted funds	Total funds
		2024	2024
		£000	£000

Fundraising costs		59	59
Investment management costs		54	54
Total 2024		113	113
	Unrestricted funds	Restricted funds	Total funds
	2023	2023	2023
	£000	£000	£000

Fundraising costs	27	8	35
Investment management costs	72	-	72
Total 2023	99	8	107

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

9. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities

Summary by fund type

	Unrestricted funds	Restricted funds	Total
	2024	2024	2024
	£000	£000	£000

Physical disabilities	8,102	143	8,245
Brain injury	40,914	-	40,914
Community services	10,380	-	10,380
The Brainkind Foundation	398	-	398
Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust	6,664	-	6,664
Total 2024	66,458	143	66,601
		Unrestricted funds	Total
		2023	2023
		£000	£000

Physical disabilities		8,535	8,535
Autism*		1,768	1,768
Brain injury		33,947	33,947
Education*		1,545	1,545
Community services		8,656	8,656
The Brainkind Foundation		509	509
Total 2023		54,960	54,960

*All of the Autism and Education expenditure on charitable activities relates to discontinued operations.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

10. Analysis of expenditure by activities

	Activities undertaken directly	Support costs	Total funds
	2024	2024	2024
	£000	£000	£000

Physical disabilities	6,863	1,383	8,246
Brain injury	33,955	6,959	40,914
Community services	8,614	1,765	10,379
The Brainkind Foundation	331	68	399
Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust	5,530	1,133	6,663
Total 2024	55,293	11,308	66,601

	Activities undertaken directly	Support costs	Total funds
	2023	2023	2023
	£000	£000	£000

Physical disabilities	7,233	1,302	8,535
Autism*	1,422	346	1,768
Brain injury	28,005	5,942	33,947
Education*	1,313	232	1,545
Community services	6,930	1,726	8,656
The Brainkind Foundation	435	74	509
Total 2023	45,338	9,622	54,960

*All of the Autism and Education expenditure on charitable activities relates to discontinued operations.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Analysis of support costs

	Physical	Autism	Brain injury	Education	Community
	disabilities				services
	2024	2024	2024	2024	2024
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000

Staff and training	707	-	3,557	-	902
Other	665	-	3,345	-	849
Governance	11	-	57	-	14
Total 2024	1,383	-	6,959	-	1,765

		The Brainkind Foundation	The Brainkind Foundation	Brain Injury	Brain Injury	Brain Injury		Total funds
				Rehabilitation Trust
			2024		2024			2024
			£000		£000			£000

Staff and training			34		579			5,779
Other			33		545			5,437
Governance			1		9			92
Total 2024			68		1,133			11,308
		Physical	Autism	Brain injury		Education		Community
	disabilities							services
		2023	2023	2023			2023	2023
		£000	£000	£000			£000	£000

Staff and training		588	156	2,682			105	779
Other		702	187	3,204			125	931
Governance		12	3	56			2	16
Total 2023		1,302	346	5,942			232	1,726
		The Brainkind Foundation		Brain Injury				Total funds
				Rehabilitation Trust
			2023		2023			2023
			£000		£000			£000

Staff and training			33		-			4,343
Other			40		-			5,189
Governance			1		-			90
Total 2023			74		-			9,622

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

11. Auditor’s remuneration

Auditors remuneration for statutory audit services:

- Parent	73	59
- Subsidiaries	4	-
Taxation compliance services	37	9
All assurance services not included above	8	1

12. Staff costs

12. Staff costs
	Group	Group	Charity	Charity
	2024	2023	2024	2023
	£000	£000	£000	£000

Wages and salaries	37,992	28,447	35,862	28,447
Social security costs	3,570	2,715	3,369	2,715
Contribution to defned contribution pension	1,738	1,408	1,689	1,408
schemes
Other employee benefts	69	46	69	46
Payments made to independent third parties for	7,555	9,045	7,220	9,045
the provision of staff
	50,924	41,661	48,209	41,661

Payments made to independent third parties for providing staff are costs incurred as a result of staff vacancies and cover being required while recruitment takes place. They also include costs arising of finding cover while staff are on holiday or off sick.

Included within wages and salaries are redundancy and termination payments of £101k (2023: £95k). These payments were made in light of a review of the resources required to deliver our five-year strategy.

The average number of persons employed by the Charity during the year was as follows:

	Group	Group	Charity	Charity
	2024	2023	2024	2023
	No.	No.	No.	No.

Provision of care	1,418	1,088	1,271	1,088
Support	211	173	194	173
	1,629	1,261	1,465	1,261

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

The number of employees whose employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) exceeded £60,000 was:

	Group	Group
	2024	2023
	No.	No.

In the band £60,001 - £70,000	8	10
In the band £70,001 - £80,000	7	4
In the band £80,001 - £90,000	5	2
In the band £90,001 - £100,000	2	1
In the band £100,001 - £110,000	2	2
In the band £110,001 - £120,000	3	2
In the band £120,001 - £130,000	1	1
In the band £130,001 - £140,000	1	-
In the band £190,001 - £200,000	-	1
In the band £200,001 - £210,000	1	-

The Trustees consider that, along with themselves, members of the Senior Leadership Team (who are listed in the Trustees’ Report) are 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 Brainkind (including remuneration, employer’s pension contributions, employers National Insurance and other benefits) was £1,569,311 (2023: £1,257,521) for the Charity.

13. Information regarding Trustees

No Trustees received any form of remuneration during the year (2023: Nil). Travel expenses of £1,426 (2023: £3,590) were reimbursed to three Trustees during the year (2023: 3).

The costs of Trustees’ meetings amounted to £Nil (2023: £7,922) in the year.

During the year, we spent £Nil on recruitment and retainer fees (2023: £9,600) as a result of a Board recruitment phase for no new Trustees (2023: four new Trustees).

The Trustees have used funds of the Charity to purchase Directors and Office Liability and Corporate Legal Liability insurance at a cost of £4,384 (2023: £4,534).

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

14. Intangible assets

Group

Group
	Software work in		Computer	Goodwill	Negative	Total
		progress	software		goodwill
		£000	£000	£000	£000	£000

Cost
At 1 June 2023		262	5,803	-	-	6,065
Additions		285	186	555	(21)	1,005
Disposals		-	(1,380)	-	-	(1,380)
Revaluations		(150)	150	-	-	-
At 31 May 2024		397	4,759	555	(21)	5,690
Amortisation
At 1 June 2023		-	4,599	-	-	4,599
Charge for the year		-	540	56	(21)	575
Impairment charge		-	(1,355)	-	-	(1,355)
At 31 May 2024		-	3,784	56	(21)	3,819
Net book value
At 31 May 2024		397	975	499	-	1,871
At 31 May 2023		262	1,204	-	-	1,466

Charity

Charity
	Software work in	Computer	Goodwill	Total
	progress	software
	£000	£000	£000	£000

Cost
At 1 June 2023	262	5,803	-	6,065
Additions	285	186	555	1,026
Disposals	-	(1,380)	-	(1,380)
Revaluations	(150)	150	-	-
At 31 May 2024	397	4,759	555	5,711
Amortisation
At 1 June 2023	-	4,599	-	4,599
Charge for the year	-	540	56	596
Impairment charge	-	(1,355)	-	(1,355)
At 31 May 2024	-	3,784	56	3,840
Net book value
At 31 May 2024	397	975	499	1,871
At 31 May 2023	262	1,204	-	1,466

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

15. Tangible fixed assets

Group

Group
	Freehold	Short leasehold	Motor	Fixtures and	Computer	Assets under	Total
	property	improvements	vehicles	fttings	equipment	construction
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000

Cost or valuation
At 1 June 2023	57,733	222	169	4,974	1,161	18,434	82,693
Additions	1,696	-	38	3,797	599	5,371	11,501
On acquisition of	10,927	-	8	65	-	-	11,000
subsidiaries
Disposals	-	(92)	(14)	(146)	(279)	-	(531)
Transfers between	23,805	-	-	-	-	(23,805)	-
classes
At 31 May 2024	94,161	130	201	8,690	1,481	-	104,663
Depreciation
At 1 June 2023	14,717	193	129	3,979	827	-	19,845
Charge for the year	1,263	29	12	436	215	-	1,955
On disposals	-	(92)	(14)	(146)	(279)	-	(531)
At 31 May 2024	15,980	130	127	4,269	763	-	21,269
Net book value
At 31 May 2024	78,181	-	74	4,421	718	-	83,394
At 31 May 2023	43,015	29	40	995	334	18,434	62,847

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Charity

	Freehold	Short leasehold	Motor	Fixtures and	Computer	Assets under	Total
	property	improvements	vehicles	fttings	equipment	construction
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000

Cost or valuation
At 1 June 2023	57,733	222	169	4,974	1,161	18,434	82,693
Additions	1,696	-	38	3,797	599	5,371	11,501
Transfers intra	-	-	(1)	(38)	-	-	(39)
group
On acquisition of	10,927	-	8	65	-	-	11,000
subsidiaries
Disposals	-	(92)	(14)	(146)	(279)	-	(531)
Transfers between	23,805	-	-	-	-	(23,805)	-
classes
At 31 May 2024	94,161	130	200	8,652	1,481	-	104,624
Depreciation
At 1 June 2023	14,717	193	129	3,979	827	-	19,845
Charge for the year	1,263	29	12	432	215	-	1,951
On disposals	-	(92)	(14)	(146)	(279)	-	(531)
At 31 May 2024	15,980	130	127	4,265	763	-	21,265
Net book value
At 31 May 2024	78,181	-	73	4,387	718	-	83,359
At 31 May 2023	43,015	29	40	995	334	18,434	62,847

16. Investment property

Group and Charity

Freehold investment property

£000

Valuation

At 1 June 2023 At 31 May 2024

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

17. Fixed asset investments

Group and Charity

Group and Charity
	Listed investments			Cash on deposit	Total
			£000	£000	£000

Cost or valuation
At 1 June 2023			15,904	2,283	18,187
Additions			8,115	-	8,115
Disposals			(5,121)	-	(5,121)
Net gains			1,246	-	1,246
Movement in cash held as part of investment portfolio		(10,500)		(2,241)	(12,741)
At 31 May 2024			9,644	42	9,686
Net book value
At 31 May 2024			9,644	42	9,686
At 31 May 2023			15,904	2,283	18,187
Investment portfolio
Investment portfolio
			2024		2023
			£000		£000

Market value
Listed securities			7,502		24,467
Fixed interest investments			661		1,075
Infrastructure, alternatives and operating assets			829		1,213
Other			523		2,328
Cash and Near Cash			172		3,104
			9,687		32,187

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Principal subsidiaries

The following were subsidiary undertakings of the Charity:

	Company	Registered offce or principal
Names	number	place of business	Principal activity

Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust	02863860	First Floor, 32 Market Place,	Residential care and social work
Limited (‘BIRT’’)		Burgess Hill, West Sussex,	activities for the elderly and disabled
		RH15 9NP
York House Ventures Limited	04735561	First Floor, 32 Market Place,	Dormant
(‘YHV’)		Burgess Hill, West Sussex,
		RH15 9NP

The financial results of the subsidiaries for the year were:

			Proft/(Loss) for
	Income	Expenditure	the year	Net assets
Names	£000	£000	£000	£000

Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust Limited	3,065	(3,179)	(114)	(114)
(‘BIRT’’)

During the year expenses of £Nil (2023 - £Nil) were recharged by the Charity to BIRT. At the year end BIRT owed £1,316k (2023: £Nil).

18. Debtors

18. Debtors
	Group	Group	Charity	Charity
	2024	2023	2024	2023
	£000	£000	£000	£000

Due within one year
Trade debtors	13,477	7,922	12,206	7,922
Amounts owed by group undertakings	-	-	1,316	-
Other debtors	203	59	131	59
Prepayments and accrued income	1,330	1,245	1,307	1,245
	15,010	9,226	14,960	9,226

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

19. Current asset investments

	Group	Group	Charity	Charity
	2024	2023	2024	2023
	£000	£000	£000	£000

Listed investments	-	14,000	-	14,000

During the year, the Charity liquidated £14m of investment funds to pay for the acquisition of four rehabilitation services from another charity. It was considered that £14m of the portfolio was held specifically for sale and had therefore been presented within current asset investments.

20. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

	Group	Group	Charity	Charity
	2024	2023	2024	2023
	£000	£000	£000	£000

Bank overdrafts	1,331	492	1,326	492
Trade creditors	1,681	1,532	1,614	1,532
Other taxation and social security	1,008	654	1,008	654
Other creditors	1,157	959	1,156	959
Accruals and deferred income	4,323	4,194	4,167	4,194
	9,500	7,831	9,271	7,831

Accruals and deferred income include deferred income as follows:

	Group	Group	Charity	Charity
	2024	2023	2024	2023
	£000	£000	£000	£000

Fees received for care to be provided	900	729	897	729
after 31 May 2023
Deferred grants	164	164	164	164
	1,064	893	1,061	893

The deferred income at 31 May 2024 will be credited to the 2025 Statement of Financial Activities. Deferred income at 31 May 2023 was credited to the 2024 Statement of Financial Activities.

Accruals and other creditors include pension contributions of £177,000(2023: £188,000).

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

21. Provisions

Group and Charity

	Dilapidations provision	Retentions provision	Total
	£000	£000	£000

At 1 June 2023	426	534	960
Additions	-	49	49
Amounts used	(50)	(296)	(346)
At 31 May 2024	376	287	663

22. Business combinations

On 15 November 2023, the Charity acquired the neurological care division of Sue Ryder for £11,000,000, which was settled in cash.

	Book value	Fair value
	£000	£000

Fixed Assets
Tangible	11,000	11,000
	11,000	11,000
Current Assets
Debtors	22	22
Cash at bank and in hand	58	58
Total Assets	11,080	11,080
Total Identifable net assets	11,080	11,080
Goodwill		534
Total purchase consideration		11,614

The results of the neurological care division of Sue Ryder since acquisition are as follows:

		Current period since acquisition
		£000

Revenue		9,243
Surplus for the period since acquisition		645

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

23. Statement of funds

Statement of funds - current year

	Balance at 1			Transfers in/	Gains/	Balance at
	June 2023	Income	Expenditure	out	(Losses)	31 May 2024
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000

Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
Investment in intangible and	64,313	-	-	20,954	-	85,267
tangible fxed assets
Investment in Brainkind	5,204	-	-	(5,204)	-	-
Neurological Centre in York
(formerly “Investment in
Chocolate Works”)
Investment in neurological	17,000	-	-	(17,000)	-	-
rehabilitation services
	86,517	-	-	(1,250)	-	85,267

General funds

General Funds -
all funds	20,449	61,005	(66,571)	1,412	1,248	17,543

Total
Unrestricted
funds	106,966	61,005	(66,571)	162	1,248	102,810

Restricted funds
Restricted Funds
- all funds	276	135	(143)	(162)	-	106
Total of funds	107,242	61,140	(66,714)	-	1,248	102,916

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Designated fund

The purpose of the designated funds is explained in the accounting policies.

The investment in intangible and tangible fixed assets represents funds spent on capitalised assets, as disclosed in notes 14 and 15.

The transfers shown above are as follows:

transfers from fixed asset general fund to unrestricted general funds - £4,321k (2023: £1,707k)
transfers from Brainkind Neurological Centre in York (formerly “Investment in Chocolate Works”) designated fund to fixed asset designated fund - £5,204k (2023: £14,079k)
transfers from restricted funds to unrestricted general funds of amounts not restricted in nature of £113k
transfers from Investment in neurological rehabilitation services designated fund to unrestricted general funds of £5,459k.

Restricted fund

Restricted funds are comprised of grants and donations made covering projects for spend at services.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

Statement of funds - prior year

	Balance at						Gains/	Gains/	Balance at
	1 June 2022	Income	Expenditure		Transfers in/out		(Losses)		31 May 2023
	£000	£000		£000		£000	£000		£000

Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
Investment in intangible	51,941	-		-		12,372	-		64,313
and tangible fxed assets
Investment in Brainkind	19,283	-		-		(14,079)	-		5,204
Neurological Centre in York
(formerly “Investment in
Chocolate Works”)
Investment in neurological	-	-		-		17,000	-		17,000
rehabilitation services
	71,224	-		-		15,293	-		86,517
General funds
General funds - all funds	24,570	67,041		(55,059)		(15,293)	(810)		20,449
Total Unrestricted funds	95,794	67,041		(55,059)		-	(810)		106,966
	Balance at					Transfers	Gains/		Balance at
	1 June 2022	Income		Expenditure		in/out	(Losses)		31 May 2023
	£000	£000		£000		£000	£000		£000

Restricted funds
Restricted Funds - all funds	163	434		(321)		-		-	276
Total of funds	95,957	67,475		(55,380)		-	(810)		107,242

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

24. Summary of funds

Summary of funds - current year

	Balance at 1			Transfers	Gains/	Balance at 31
	June 2023	Income	Expenditure	in/out	(Losses)	May 2024
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000

Designated funds	86,517	-	-	(1,250)	-	85,267
General funds	20,449	61,005	(66,571)	1,412	1,248	17,543
Restricted funds	276	135	(143)	(162)	-	106
	107,242	61,140	(66,714)	-	1,248	102,916

Summary of funds - prior year

	Balance at				Gains/	Balance at
	1 June 2022	Income	Expenditure	Transfers in/out	(Losses)	31 May 2023
	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000

Designated funds	71,224	-	-	15,293	-	86,517
General funds	24,570	67,041	(55,059)	(15,293)	(810)	20,449
Restricted funds	163	434	(321)	-	-	276
	95,957	67,475	(55,380)	-	(810)	107,242

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

25. Analysis of net assets between funds

Current period

	Unrestricted funds	Restricted funds	Total funds
	2024	2024	2024
	£000	£000	£000

Tangible fxed assets	83,393	-	83,393
Intangible fxed assets	1,871	-	1,871
Fixed asset investments	9,687	-	9,687
Investment property	50	-	50
Current assets	17,971	106	18,077
Creditors due within one year	(9,500)	-	(9,500)
Provisions for liabilities and charges	(663)	-	(663)
Total	102,809	106	102,915

Prior period

	Unrestricted funds	Restricted funds	Total funds
	2023	2023	2023
	£000	£000	£000

Tangible fxed assets	62,847	-	62,847
Intangible fxed assets	1,466	-	1,466
Fixed asset investments	18,187	-	18,187
Investment property	50	-	50
Current assets	33,207	276	33,483
Creditors due within one year	(7,831)	-	(7,831)
Provisions for liabilities and charges	(960)	-	(960)
Total	106,966	276	107,242

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

26. Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities

	Group	Group
	2024	2023
	£000	£000

Net income/expenditure for the period	(4,326)	11,285
(as per Statement of Financial Activities)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges	2,530	2,168
(Gains)/losses on investments	(1,248)	806
Dividends, interests and rents from	(610)	(833)
investments
Loss/(proft) on the sale of fxed assets	21	(17,775)
Increase in debtors	(5,761)	(2,845)
Increase in creditors	1,669	1,020
(Decrease)/increase in provisions	(298)	455
Net cash used in operating activities	(8,023)	(5,719)

27. Analysis of cash and cash equivalents

	Group	Group
	2024	2023
	£000	£000

Cash in hand	3,067	10,257
Cash held in investments	42	2,283
Total cash and cash equivalents	3,109	12,540

28. Analysis of changes in net debt

	At 1 June 2023	Cash fows	At 31 May 2024
	£000	£000	£000

Cash at bank and in hand	10,257	(7,190)	3,067
Bank overdrafts repayable on demand	(492)	(839)	(1,331)
Liquid investments	14,000	(14,000)	-
	23,765	(22,029)	1,736

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

29. Capital commitments

	Group	Group	Charity	Charity
	2024	2023	2024	2023
	£000	£000	£000	£000

Contracted for but not provided in
these fnancial statements	-	5,373	-	5,373

30. Pension commitments

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.

Contributions amounted to £1,689,000 (2023: £1,408,000)during the year of which £222,000 (2023: £189,000)had not been paid at the year end.

31. Funds held as custodian Trustees

At the year end, the Charity held monies totalling £245,000 (2023: £190,000) on behalf of its clients. These monies are not included within the balance sheet and are held separately in clearly identifiable bank accounts.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

Brainkind Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24

32. Operating lease commitments

At 31 May 2024 the Group and the Charity had commitments to make future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases as follows:

	Group	Group	Charity	Charity
	2024	2023	2024	2023
	£000	£000	£000	£000

Not later than one year	258	364	258	364
Later than one year and not later than fve years	148	104	148	104
	406	468	406	468

The following lease payments have been recognised as an expense in the Statement of financial activities:

	Group	Group	Company	Charity
	2024	2023	2024	2023
	£000	£000	£000	£000

Operating lease charges	1,058	1,097	1,035	1,097

33. Related party transactions

Information regarding Trustees transactions and balances have been disclosed separately in note 12.

Transactions and balances with the subsidiary company, Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust, are disclosed in note 16.

There were no other related party transactions in the year.

The Disabilities Trust (T/A) Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales (800797) and in Scotland (SC038972).

About Brainkind

We are the UK’s leading charity helping people to thrive after a brain injury and to live with other neurological conditions. Our services include neurological centres, rehabilitation and supported living. We provide innovative, personalised and compassionate rehabilitation and ongoing support to people with brain injuries and other neurological conditions.

Find out more at brainkind.org

Brainkind, 32 Market Place, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9NP Email: info@brainkind.org

Tel: 01444 239123

----- Start of picture text -----
Brainkind is a registered charity in England and Wales No.800797 and Scotland SC038972. brainkind.org
----- End of picture text -----

Contents

About Brainkind

A message from our Chief Executive

Welcome message from our Chair of Trustees

Our year in numbers

1,884

76

69%

86%

Our achievements

Growing our services

Our flagship neurological hospital opens

“

“

Acquiring new services

Developing new services to support our clinical pathway

A community-driven landscape project

Working together with those we support

Golden Whisk winners share best practice

Brain Injury Linkworker service expands

Brainkind tops CQC ratings

Delivering leading-edge clinical practice around brain injury

Sharing our clinical expertise

Our clinical pathway

Wojciech’s steps to recovery

Wojciech says:

First steps to recovery

What the future holds

“

“

Groundbreaking report launch

Connecting through our brand

A new approach to fundraising

Case study: Bel learns to walk again

Working together effectively

EDI activity: a year of progress

Recognising excellence

Meet Jean-Michel: award-winning support worker

Looking to the future

Growing our reach

Leading-edge clinical expertise

Championing social action

Our people approach

Digital innovation

Trustees’ Annual Report

Financial review

Summary

Investments

Investments held by nominees

Reserves

Restricted reserves

Unrestricted reserves

Reserves

Revaluation reserve

Designated funds

Investment in intangible and tangible fixed assets: £85.2m (2023: £64.3m)

Investment in Brainkind Neurological Centre in York (formerly “Investment in Chocolate Works”): £0m (2023: £5.2m)

General funds

Investment in neurological rehabilitation services £0m (2023: £17m)

Funds held on behalf of others

Payments to suppliers

Going concern

Fundraising

Complaint handling

Safeguarding and vulnerable supporters

How principle risks are managed

Financial Sustainability

Risk

Mitigations

Agency Spend

Risk

Mitigations

Local Authority Financial Health

Risk

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

Risk

Mitigations

Mitigations

Directors’ Report