MID & EAST ANTRIM COMMUNITY ADVICE SERVICES LTD INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF MID & EAST ANTRIM COMMUNITY ADVICE SERVICES LTD Oplnlon We have audited the financial slatements of Mid & East Antrlm Community Advice Services Ltd (the 'charity'J for the year ended 31 March 2023 which comprise the statement of financial aGtivities, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows and Ihe notes lo the financial statements, including slgnificant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, Including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable In the UK and Republic of Ireland {Uniled Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). In our opinlon, the financial stalements: give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company's affairs as at 31 March 2023 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, for the year then ended; have been properly prepared in accordance wilh United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and have been prepared in accordance with the requiremenls of the CompaniesAct 2006. Basls for opinion We conducled our audit in accordance with Inlernational Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAS (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under Ihose slandards are further described in the Audilors responsibilities for the audit of the financial slalements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC'S Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibllities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtalned is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. Concluslons relating to going concern In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees, use of the golng concern basis of accountlng in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertaintles relatlng to events or conditions that, Indivldually or collectively, may cast signiflcant doubt on the charity's ability to contlnue as a going concern for a perlod of at leasl twelve months from when the financlal statements are authorlsed for issue. Our responsibiSities and the responsibllilies of the trustees wlth respect to going concern are descrlbed in the relevanl seclions of this report. other Informatlon The oth@r information ¢omprSses the informalion Included In the annual report olher than the financial statements and our auditor's report Ihereon, The trustees are responsible for the other Informatlon contalned withln the annual report. Our opinlon on the financial statemenls does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance concluslon thereon. Our responsibillty is to read the other information and, In doing so. conslder whether the other informalion Is materially in¢onslstent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audlt, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we Identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material mlsstatements, we are requlred to determine whether this gives rise to a material mlsstatement n the financlal statements themselves. If. based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of thls other information, we are requlred to report that fact. We have nolhing to report In this regard. Matters on whlch we are required to report by exceptlon We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relalion to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion: the information given in the financial statements is inconsistent in any material respect with the trustees, report. or sufficient ac¢ounling records have not been kept., or the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records., or we have nol received all Ihe information and explanations we require for our audit.
MID & EAST ANTRIM COMMUNITY ADVICE SERVICES LTD INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT (CONTINUED) TO THE TRUSTEES OF MID & EAST ANTRIM COMMUNITY ADVICE SERVICES LTD Responslbllities of trustees As 6xplained more fully in the statement of Iruslees, responsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for fihe purpose of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being salisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is n9ssary to enable the preparatlon of financial statements that are free from material misslatemenl, whether due to fraud or error, In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charily's abilily 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 Ilquidate the charltable company or lo cease operatlons, or have no realislic alternatlve but to do so. Auditor's responslbilities for the audit of the financlal statements We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder. Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement. whether due to fraud or error. and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted In accordance wilh 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 tho aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decislons of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance 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.
MID & EAST ANTRIM COMMUNITY ADVICE SERVICES LTD INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT (CONTINUED) TO THE TRUSTEES OF MID & EAST ANTRIM COMMUNITY ADVICE SERVICES LTD Extent to which the audlt was consldered capable of detectlng Irregularitles, Includlng fraud Wa identlfy and assess the rlsks of materlal misstatement of the financlal statements, whether due to fraud or error, and Ihen design and perform audit procedures responslve to Ihose risks, including obtaining audit evldence that is sufficient and appropriat8 to provide a basls for our opinlon. n Id8nlifylng and assessing potontial risks of material mlsstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compllances with laws and regulations. we considered the following: The natura of the industry and sector, control environment and business performance. including the company's remuneratlon pollcles for directors, bonus levels and performance largets, if any; Results of our enqulries of management about thelr own identiflcation and assessment of the risks of irregularitles. Any matters we identified having obtained and reviewed the company's documentation of their policies and procedures relating lo: Identifying, evaluating and complying with laws and regulations and whether they were aware of any instance of non-compliance., Detecling and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they have knowledge of any actual . suspected or alleged fraud; and The inlernal controls established to mltigate risks of fraud or non-compliance wilh laws and regulalions- The matters discussed among the audit engagement team regarding how and where fraud might occur in Ihe financial statements and potential indicators of fraud. As a result of these procedures, we considered the opportunities and incentives Ihat may exist wilhin Ihe company for fraud and identified the greatest potential for fraud in income recognitlon. In common with all audits under ISAS (UK) we are also required to perform specific procedures to respond to the risk of management override. We also obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that the company operates in, focusing on provisions of those laws and regulations that had a direct effect on the determlnation of material amounts and disclosures In the financial statements. The key laws and regulatlons we Gonsidered in this context included the Companies Act 2006, and local lax leglslation. In addition, we considered provisions of other laws and regulations that do nol have a direct effect on the financial statemenls but compliance with which may be fundamental to the company's ability to operate or to avoid a material penalty. Audlt response to risks Identlfled Our procedures to respond to the risks Idenlified included the following: Reviewing Ihe financial statement disclosures and lesting lo supporting documentation lo assess compliance with provisions of relevant laws and regulations described as havlng a direct effect on the financial statemenls; Enquirlng of management concerning actual and potential litigation and claims; Performing analyllcal procedures to identify any unusual or unexpecled relationships Ihat may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud. Reading minutes of meellngs of those charged with governance and reviewing correspondence with tax authoritSes', and In addressing the risk of fraud through management override of controls, testing the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments; assessing whether the Judgments made in making accounting estimates are indicative of a potential bias., and evaluatlng the business rationale of any significant transactions that are unusual or outslde the normal course of business. We also communicated relevant identified laws and regulations and potenllal fraud risks to all engagement team members and remained alert to any Indications of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations Ihroughout the audit. Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected 80me material misstatements In the financial slatements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with audiling standards. In addition, as with any audit, there remains a higher risk of non-detection of irregularities, as they may involve collusion, forgery intentional omissions. misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls. We are not responslble for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detecl non- compliance with all laws and regulations. A further description of our responsibilitles is available on the Financial Reporting Council's website at.. htlps',11 www.frc.org..ukJauditorsresponsibililies. This description forms part of our auditor's reporl.
MID & EAST ANTRIM COMMUNITY ADVICE SERVICES LTD INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT (CONTINUED) TO THE TRUSTEES OF MID & EAST ANTRIM COMMUNITY ADVICE SERVICES LTD Use of our report This report is made solely to the charitable Gompany'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 charilatle company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or forthe opinions we have formed. Simon Hopper FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor} for and on behalf of MBS Chartered Accountants Statutory Auditor 3 High Street Larne Co. Antrim BT40 1JN 19 December 2023 MBS Chartered Accountants is eligible for appointment as auditor of the charity by virtue of its eligibility for appointment as auditor of a company under of section 1212 of the Companies Acl 2006.