**Autism Independent UK**
## **Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 30th September 2021**
## **Charity name and number:**
Autism Independent UK, registered charity number 803003
## **Correspondence address:**
199/203 Blandford Avenue Kettering Northants NN16 9AT
## **Trustees who served during the year:**
Pam York Chair Pam Lovett Secretary Eileen Bell Treasurer (resigned in November 2020) Bianca Palagefiu
All served throughout the year with the exception of Eileen Bell who resigned in November 2020.
## **Custodian trustees in respect of land and buildings held:**
The Charity Commission
## **Professional advisers**
**Bankers:** NatWest Bank plc 43 High Street Rushden Northants **Solicitors:** Wilson Browne 4 Grange Park Court Roman Way Northampton **Independent examiners:** McShane Wright Chartered Certified Accountants 2 College Street Higham Ferrers Northants
Page 1
**Autism Independent UK**
## **Autism Independent UK Trustees' Annual Report for the year ended 30th September 2021**
## **Constitution**
Autism Independent UK is registered with the Charity Commissioners (No. 803003) and constituted by Deed
of Trust. This charity was formerly known as The Society For The Autistically Handicapped (SFTAH).
## **History, objectives and activities**
Autism Independent UK was constituted by Deed of Trust. The constitution was adopted on 12 February 1990 and amended on 16 October 1999. The deed of trust is in the process to be updated this year to be run by a management committee. The charity was formerly known as The Society For The Autistically Handicapped (SFTAH) which it continues to use as a working name. Other names used by the charity are, Autism On Line (AOL) and Autism For All. The objects of the charity are to encourage greater awareness of autism, to assist in improving the quality of life of sufferers and their families through the provision of training and to build a long term housing complex also to provide a voice for those with autism in matters of local and national government policy towards them and those involved in their care.
The main activities of the charity throughout the year have stalled, this is due to covid19. We would have liked to have continued to provide training and recreational facilities for the sufferers of autism and related conditions and support and training for carers, families and professionals involved in the support of Autistically handicapped individuals.
Our main objective is to continue to increase our housing portfolio to be able purchase and build the housing complex.
This year, as last, has been very hard for all at the charity with working, training and general activities all reduced due to Covid-19 and its variants. There has therefore been little achieved and forward planning has all but stalled.
## **Management and governance arrangements**
Where required, new trustees are appointed by the other trustees as a body and are inducted by the Chief Administrator, K Lovett. The day to day operation of the charity is made by the management committee.
As disclosed last year, Pamela Lovett (acting secretary) on the management committee, is the wife of K Lovett, the Chief Administrator. We are actively looking for a replacement for her.
As reported last year, Mrs Bell resigned as treasurer, citing that the amount of work involved is too extensive and complex and conflicts with her other day to day business. We have been seeking a new treasurer. That said, during covid and the work and rules involved, most say no, saying it's like a full-time job with too much responsibility, too many rules and regulations. In the short term, the Chief Administrator will be taking this role.
The trustees are all members of the management committee. This committee is the sole body for decision making. This is to be updated in our constitution during the coming year.
The trustees regularly review the risks the charity faces and, because of its investment policy, the major risk facing the charity is that a fall in property prices may affect the ability of the charity to achieve the purchase of a group home as quickly as it wants. However, there is no borrowing attaching to any of the freehold properties at present so there would be no impact on its ability to continue to achieve its main objects.
Page 2
## **Autism Independent UK**
The charity has invested in land and buildings as part of its strategy to establish the group home. This will give it both an income and security for future purchase of the group home.
The charity employs 3 members of staff:
## **Achievements, performance and future plans**
The Society's major achievements during the year were:
- Housing project has still in phase 2, actively searching for appropriate land to purchase to start phase 3including negotiating with North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) for this land. NNC are looking into other sites that may come up for sale but, to date, none have been found;
- continuing to expand the charity's collateral base for a group home project;
- continuing to expand the resource holdings in the information centre – adding further literature to the resource library;
- moved to a web based library and producing on-line training videos (Law, Education, Autism);
- continuing to produce animated films for Social Stories, social learning and understanding.
Proposed developments for the future
- to continue to search for appropriate land for group homes project;
- to publish all charity newsletters, constitution, accounts, meetings via Worldwide Web (covid restrictions);
- to make information free via electronic means…. Web etc.;
- to continue to improve the telephone information service;
- to increase training events (covid restrictions);
- to expand advocacy via the Web and other electronic means;
- to supply free of charge the Carer and update Card service to carers of Autistic persons, helping them to be more aware of the available resources;
- to start planning for phase 3 housing project, buildings, grants, donations;
Fundraising activities are limited to requests for grants and aid from corporate and other donors. The charity wishes to expand on this during the coming years (and looking at professional fundraisers) to enable the group home to be established quickly.
## **Financial review, investment policy and reserves**
As has been stated, a primary aim of the charity is to establish a group home for young autism sufferers. In this respect it has continued its investment in domestic property to give both an income and to increase its capital base, although no additional properties were purchased this year.
Reviews of values are carried out regularly to ensure that returns are reasonable. The returns for this year (both net rental and estimated capital growth) amount to 10.1% (2020 7.7%). This reflects the current housing market. The trust has chosen not to adopt formal ethical investment policies although attention is paid as to whom properties are rented. The net incoming resources for the year before unrealised gains or losses on investments amounted to £150,748 (2020 - £138,955).
Unrestricted funds at the end of the year amounted to £1,700,875 (2020 - £1,550,127), which represents in excess of 20 years' general expenditure (excluding workshop costs which are covered by specific income).
## **Statement of trustees' responsibilities**
Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which show a true and fair
view of the state of affairs of the charity and its financial activities for that period. In preparing those financial
Page 3
## **Autism Independent UK**
statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been
- followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the
- charity will continue in operational existence.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at
any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply
with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for
taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
This report was approved by the committee on 8 July 2022 and signed on its behalf by:
Trustee
Page 4
**Autism Independent UK**
## **Independent Examiners' Report to the Trustees of Autism Independent UK**
We report to the trustees on our examination of the accounts for the above charity for the year ended 30th September 2021, which are set out on pages 5 to 11.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the Autism Independent UK you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
We report in respect of our examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out our examination we have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
We have completed our examination. We confirm that no material matters have come to our attention in connection with the examination giving us cause to believe that in any material respect:
- accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
- the accounts do not accord with those records; or
- the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
We have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
McShane Wright Chartered Certified Accountants
2 College Street Higham Ferrers Northants NN10 8DZ
Page 5
**Autism Independent UK**
## **Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 30th September 2021**
|**September 2021**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2021**|**2020**|
||**Unrestrict**
**ed funds**
**Restricte**
**d funds**
**Total**
**funds**|**Total**
**funds**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**|**£**|
|**Incoming resources:**|||
|Membership, donations and grants:|||
|
Donations and Legacies|132,241
-
132,241|80,350|
|
Grants|36,103
-
36,103|21,028|
||168,344
-
168,344|101,378|
|Trading income:|||
|
Seminar and workshop fees|2,229
-
2,229|89,034|
|Sales of course materials,|||
|and learning materials|-
-
-|-|
||2,229
-
2,229|89,034|
|Investment income:|||
|Interest receivable|67
-
67|778|
|Rent receivable|53,063
-
53,063|52,426|
||||
|**Total incoming resources**|£223,703
-
£223,70|£243,616|
||||
|**Resources expended:**|||
|
Direct charitable expenditure:|||
|
Seminar and workshop costs|1,997
-
1,997|29,318|
|Depreciation on charitable|1
-
1|3|
|
Loss on sale of fxed assets|-
-
-|-|
||1,998
-
1,998|29,321|
|Other expenditure:|||
|Publicity|-
-
-|4,420|
|Wages|51,354
-
51,354|51,532|
|Premises costs|13,620
-
13,620|8,808|
|Travel costs|-
-
-|1,662|
|Postage and telephone|1,110
-
1,110|1,534|
|
Printing, copying, stationery and|2,643
-
2,643|5,062|
|
Sundry other expenses|75
-
75|75|
|
Bank charges|237
-
237|398|
|
Professional fees|830
-
830|713|
|Depreciation|1,088
-
1,088|1,136|
|Loss on sale of fxed assets|-
-
-|-|
||70,957
-
70,957|75,340|
|**Total resources expended**|£72,955
-
£72,955|£104,661|
||||
|**Net incoming resources**|150,748
-
150,748|138,955|
|
**Other recognised gains and**|||
|
Unrealised gains/(losses) on|-
148,550
148,550|89,000|
|Balances brought forward|1,550,127
982,008
2,532,13|2,304,18|
||||
|**Balances carried forward**|£1,700,875
£1,130,55
£2,831,4|£2,532,1|
||||
Page 6
## **Autism Independent UK**
There were no recognised gains or losses for either financial year other than those shown above.
The notes on pages 8 to 11 form part of these financial statements.
## **Balance Sheet at 30th September 2021**
|**Balance Sheet at 30th September 2021**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**2021**||**2020**|
|**Note**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Fixed assets**|||||
|Tangible fxed assets
3||29,545||30,166|
|
Fixed asset investments
4||1,982,35
0||1,833,80
0|
|||2,011,89
5||1,776,10
5|
|**Current assets**|||||
|Prepaid expenses and income tax
recoverable|2,138||2,503||
|Cash at bank|820,015||668,025||
||822,153||670,528||
|**Creditors: amounts falling due**
**within one year**
5|(2,615)||(2,359)||
||||||
|**Net current assets**||819,538||668,169|
||||||
|**Net assets**||£2,831,4
33||£2,532,1
35|
||||||
|**Fund**
**s**|||||
|Unrestricted
6||1,700,87
5||1,550,12
7|
|Restricted
6||1,130,55
8||982,008|
||||||
|||£2,831,4
33||£2,532,1
35|
||||||
These financial statements were approved by the committee on 8 July 2022 and signed on its behalf by:
Trustee
Page 7
**Autism Independent UK**
|**Cash Flow Statement for the year ended 30th**
**September 2021**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2021**
|**2020**|
|**Note**
**£**|**£**
**£**|**£**|
|**Net cash infow from fnancial**
**activities**
7|152,391|138,811|
|**Returns on investment and**
**servicing of fnance**|||
|
Interest received|67|778|
||||
|**Capital expenditure**|||
|Purchase of tangible fxed assets|(468)|-|
||||
|**Increase in cash**
8|151,990|139,589|
|**Cash at 1st October 2020**|668,025|528,436|
||||
|**Cash at 30th September 2021**|£820,01
5|£668,02
5|
||||
Page 8
**Autism Independent UK**
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 30th September 2021**
## **Accounting policies**
## **1. Basis of accounting**
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention as modified for the inclusion of investment properties at valuation and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 and with the Charities Act 2011.
## **2. Investment income**
Investment income is recorded when receivable.
## **3. Fixed assets**
Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets at rates calculated to write off the cost, less estimated residual value, of each asset over its expected useful life, as follows:
Office and other equipment 20% pa reducing balance Caravans 20% pa reducing balance Learning materials 25% pa reducing balance Land Nil Portakabin and sitework 25% pa reducing balance Building 2% pa straight line
Tangible fixed assets costing less than £50 are not capitalised.
## **4. Investment properties**
Investment properties are revalued annually and included at market value. Market value is the open market estimated selling price. Where this has been given on a banding basis by the valuer, the lowest value is taken.
## **5. Incoming resources**
In the case of grants, these are recognised as soon as the money is received and any conditions relating to the grants have been met.
Any grants for a specific purpose, either because they were requested for that purpose by the charity or because the donor specified the use, are include in income as restricted funds in the statement of financial activities. All other grants are included as unrestricted funds.
Income from seminars and workshops is recognised when the event is held irrespective of when the money is received.
Rental income is recognised as received.
## **6. Resources expended**
Expenditure on seminars and workshops is included when the event is held irrespective of when invoices are received or money expended. This matches with the treatment of receipts for seminars and workshops.
All other revenue expenditure is recognised when incurred on an accruals basis. Irrecoverable VAT is charged as part of the relevant cost.
## **7. Taxation**
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## **Autism Independent UK**
The charity is exempt from taxation on its income and gains where they are
||**Ofice**
**and**
**other**
**equipm**
**ent**
**Learnin**
**g**
**material**
**s**
**Land,**
**portacab**
**in,**
**sitework**
**Total**|
|---|---|
||**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|**Cost**||
|At 1st October 2020|82,741
1,350
36,039
120,130|
|Additions|468
-
-
468|
|Disposals|-
-
-|
|||
|At 30th September 2021|£83,209
£1,350
£36,039
£120,598|
|||
|**Depreciation**||
|At 1st October 2020|78,197
1,348
10,419
89,964|
|Charge for the year|1,080
1
8
1,089|
|Disposals|-
-
-|
|||
|At 30th September 2021|£79,277
£1,349
£10,427
£91,053|
|||
|**Net book amount**||
|At 30th September 2021|£3,932
£1
£25,612
£29,545|
|||
|At 30th September 2020|£4,544
£2
£25,620
£30,166|
|||
applied for charitable purposes.
## **8. Tangible fixed assets**
The net book amount at 30th September 2021 represents fixed assets used for:
|||
|---|---|
||**Ofice**
**and**
**other**
**equipm**
**ent**
**Learnin**
**g**
**material**
**s**
**Land,**
**portacab**
**in,**
**sitework**
**Total**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|**Direct charitable**
**purposes**||
|Teaching aids|3,328
1
-
3,329|
|Recreational|-
-
25,612
25,612|
||3,328
1
25,612
28,941|
|**Other purposes**||
|Management and||
|administration|604
-
-
604|
|||
||£3,932
£1
£25,612
£29,545|
Page 10
**Autism Independent UK**
## **9. Investment properties**
|**9. Investment pro**|**perties**|
|---|---|
||
**205**
**209**
**207**
**211**
**179**|
||**Blandfo**
**rd**
**Blandfo**
**rd**
**Blandfo**
**rd**
**Blandfo**
**rd**
**Blandfo**
**rd**|
||**Avenue**
**Avenue**
**Avenue**
**Avenue**
**Avenue**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|**Cost**||
|At 1st October 2020|58,520
132,952
71,373
56,368
160,920|
|Additions|-
-
-
-
-|
|||
|At 30th September
2021|£58,520
£132,952
£71,373
£56,368
£160,920|
|**Revaluations**||
|At 1st October 2020|156,480
147,048
146,577
148,632
57,030|
|Revaluation|20,000
19,950
22,000
12,500
14,550|
|||
|At 30th September
2021|£176,480
£166,998
£168,577
£161,132
£71,580|
|||
|**Carrying value**||
|At 30th September
2021|£235,000
£299,950
£239,950
£217,500
£232,500|
|||
|At 30th September
2020|£215,000
£280,000
£217,950
£205,000
£217,950|
|||
||**114**
**177**
**82**
**Blandfo**
**rd**
**Blandfo**
**rd**
**Blandfo**
**rd**
**Avenue**
**Avenue**
**Avenue**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
166,889
155,596
153,162
955,780
-
-
-
-
£166,889
£155,596
£153,162
£955,780
93,111
64,354
64,788
878,020|
|||
|||
|||
|**Cost**||
|At 1st October 2020||
|Additions||
|||
|At 30th September
2021||
|||
|**Revaluations**||
|At 1st October 2020||
Page 11
## **Autism Independent UK**
|Revaluation|19,950
25,050
14,550
148,550|
|---|---|
|||
|At 30th September
2021|£113,061
£89,404
£79,338
£1,026,5
70|
|||
|**Carrying value**||
|At 30th September
2021|£279,950
£245,000
£232,500
£1,982,3
50|
|||
|At 30th September
2020|£260,000
£219,950
£217,950
£1,833,8
00|
|||
The properties consist of various houses on Blandford Avenue which are currently being let at a commercial rent on a short term lease.
The premises were revalued on 15 September 2021 by Lime Tree Lettings and Sales Ltd, Independent Estate Agents.
## **10.Creditors – amounts falling due within one year**
||**2021**
**2020**|
|---|---|
||**£**
**£**|
|Other creditors|2,615
2,359|
|||
## **11.Funds**
|**11.Funds**||
|---|---|
|||
||**At 1**
**Unrealised**
**At 30**|
||**October**
**Incomin**
**g**
**gains/**
**(losses)**
**Outgoin**
**g**
**Septemb**
**er**|
||**2020**
**resource**
**s**
**on**
**revaluation**
**Resourc**
**es**
**2021**|
||**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|**Restricted**
**funds:**||
|Building Project
fund|982,008
148,550
1,130,558|
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**|1,550,127
223,703
(72,955)
1,700,875|
|||
||£2,532,135
£223,703
£148,550
(£72,955
)
£2,831,43
3|
|||
The restricted funds have been established by way of donations from various donors. These are restricted in that the request by the charity was for donations for the specific purpose identified above.
In the case of the Building Project fund, all donors were informed that until such time as the properties were completed for use as a group home for young adults with autism, they would be rented out on short term lets.
Fund balances are represented by:
||**Tangibl**||**Net**||
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**e fxed**|**Investmen**|**current**||
||**assets**|**ts**|**assets**|**Total**|
Page 12
**Autism Independent UK**
||**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|---|---|
|**Restricted funds:**||
|BuildingProject Fund|-
1,130,558
-
1,130,55
8|
|**Unrestricted funds**|29,545
851,792
819,538
1,700,87
5|
|||
||£29,545
£1,982,350
£819,53
8
£2,831,4
33|
|||
## **12.Reconciliation of net incoming resources to net cash flow from financial activities**
|
**fnancial activities**||
|---|---|
||**2021**
**2020**|
||**£**
**£**|
|Net incoming resources|150,748
138,955|
|Depreciation|1,089
1,139|
|(Increase)/Decrease in debtors|365
(147)|
|Increase/(Decrease) in creditors|256
(358)|
|Interest receivable|(67)
(778)|
|||
|Net cash infow from fnancial
activities|£152,391
£138,811|
|||
## **Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt**
The charity carries no debt. All movements in cashflows are either added to ore deducted from funds.
Page 13