Cohousing Scotland Cohousing Scotland (Formerly the Vivarium Trust) Trustees, Annual Report Financial Statements For the year ended 30 September 2025 Charity registration number: SC038745 Company registration number: SC330445
Cohousing Scotland Trustees, Annual Report and Financial Statements For the yeaT ended 30 September 2025 Contents Page Truslees, Annual Report Independent Examiner's Report Statement of Financial Actrvitie5 BaTran Sheet Notes to the Accounts 9-10
Cohousing Scotland Trustees, Annual Report For the year ended 30 September 2025 The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) present Iheir report together with Ihe financial statements and the independent examiner's report for the year ended 30 September 2025. Reference & Administrative Infomiation Charity and Company Name: Cohousing Scotland - formerly the Vivarium Trust Charity Number: SC038745 Company Number: SC330445 Registered Office 31a Bonnygate, Cupar, Fife, Scotland. KY15 4BU Trustees: Tom Morton - Convener Georgina Mcallister - Treasurer Catherine Kirkwood - Secretary David soMeell Norman MacPhail Elias Vasiloude5 Nikolaides Margaret Whitelaw until June 2025 Deirdre Campbell until April 2025 Eleanor Rose Meikle until May 2025 Independent Examiner: Chris Smith Bsc (On5) FCIE Bankers: Bank of Scotland
Cohousing Scotland Trustees. Annual Report For the year ended 30 September 2025 Structure Governance & Mana ement Cohousing Scotland is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status. It was incorporated as the Vivarium Trust on 51h September 2007. began trading on the same date and in May 2021 changed its name to Cohousing Scotland. The charity is governed by Memorandum & Articles ofAssociation dated 28th August 2007. In the event of the company being wound up, members are required lo contribute an amount not exceeding £1. Members of the Board serve as trustees of the charity and directors of the company. The maximum number of directors shall be 12 ofwhom a maximum of9 shall be Elected Directors and a maximum of 3 shall be Co-opted Directors- out of the elected directors the number of directors who are Individual Members must at all times exceed the number of directors elected by Corporate Members. Election, appointment and retirement of elected Directors are as set out in the Articles of Association of the company. The Board of Cohousing Scotland acts as a Sleering Group to oversee the charity's dual objectives ofal promoting the benefits of C¢>Housing for older people to policymakers and the general public. and b) supporting and setting up pilot cohousing developments. Ob'ectives & Activities The charity's objectives and activities are expressed in section 3 of the Memorandum of Association. as follows. "To advance education with regard to the development and operation of co-housing projects and the social benefits which can be achieved Ihrough a co-housing approach. and with particular reference to its application in addressing the special housing needs of older persons., and in furtherance of that aim. to establish and support pilot projects which demonstrate and test the practical application of affordable co-housing schemes.. Achievements & Performance This year the charity continued to work towards it5 aim of bringing cohousing into discussions around mainstream housing provision, lo strengthen the organisalion's governance and lo support our members. It does this at a time when the crisis in housing and need for new approaches remains high. but when opportunities to empower local delivery remain very sca.
Cohousing Scotland Trustees. Annual Report For the year ended 30 September 2025 Early in 2025. Cohousing Scotland held a highly su¢cessful event at the Scottish Parliament, hosled by Ariane Burgess MSP, which was well attended by MSPS and concerned stakeholders. with Housing Minister Paul McLennan addressing the group. along with colleagues from England and representatives of Scottish Groups. Prior to the public event, there was a long meeting with housing civil servants to discuss the challenges faced in delivering cohousing. Ultimately. while the event offered an opportunity to bring cohousing in front of the Scottish Government once more, it did not result in any tangible support. Building on Ihal event we worked with MSPS. Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scolland and parliamentary officers to submit an amendment to the Housing Bill to establish support for cohousing through a Scottish Cohousing Model. While the amendment solicited words of support from the new Housing Minister, Green. Labour and LibDem MSPS, it failed to be adopted due to the lack of support from the goveming SNP. Members carried out other network activities locally and nationally to promote and inform the development of cohousing, and hosted online 'Co140using Conversations, which attracted audiences both from Scotland and further afield. an in-person event as part of the Architecture Fringe programme, and inf0m1atn sharing through social media. However, it must be reported that none of the local cohousing groups has made tangible progress in delivering a built project in the past year, due to lack of national enabling support, no new groups have emerged, and there seems little prospect of this situation changing before the next parliamentary election in 2026. Without the fuel of projects progressing on the ground. Cohousing in Scotland remains an aspiration rather than a reality and the motivation for activity in the Charity is in decline. Financial Review With income of £786 for the year and expenditure of £1.074 Cohousing Scotland had a deficit for the year of £288. The deficit was funded by funds brought forward from 2024 so that at the 30 September 2025 the Trust held total funds of £3.469. all of which were unrestricted. The Trustees aim to hold a general reserve (wrestricted funds less the value oftangible assets) of £2.000 to cover ongoing runnin9 Costs and meet liabililies as they fall due. At the 30 September 2025 with a general reserve ot £3.469 the Trustees had met this tafget. This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions for small companies under part 15 of the Companies Act 2006, was approved by the trustees on 14 May 2026 and signed on their behalf by- Catherine Kirkwood - Secretary
Cohousing Scotland Independent Examinerfs Report I report on the financial statements of Cohousing Scotland for the year ended 30 September 2025 which are set out on pages 7 to 10. Responsibilities and basis of report The charity's trustees (who are also the director5 of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requiremenls ofthe Charitie5 and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 20051"the 2005 Acl") and the Charities Accounts (Scotlandl Regulations 2006 ('the 2006 Regulations") and the Companies Act 2006. I have satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under Regulation {10)(1)(a)-{cl of the 2006 Regulations or company law and is eligible for independent examination. I have therefore examined your charity's accounts as required under section {44)111(cl of the 2005 Act and Regulation 11 of the 2006 Regulations. In carying out my examination I have followed the guidance issued to independent examiners by the offi of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). My role is to state whether any material matters have come to my attention giving me cause to believe= that accounting records were not kept as required by section 44(11{a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Regulations- or that the accounts do not accord with those records: or that the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Regulation 8 of the 2006 Regulations., or that there is further infomiation needed for a proper understanding of the accounts. Independent examiner's ststement I have completed my examination and I have no concems in respect of any of the areas 1 to 4 listed above and I have found no other matters that require drawing to your attention. Chris Smith Bsc (Hons) FCIE Glascairn Cottage Aytounhill Cupar KY146JH Date..
Cohousing Scotland Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating Ino)me & Expenditure A¢¢ount) 2025 Total 2024 Total Income from: Donation for CHOISS Memberships Gift Aid Tolal income 810 425 305 481 Expenditure on: Roadshows Website Publicity & admin Travel Other Independent examination Total expenditure 17 87 112 164 24 114 140 210 203 Net incomel(expenditure) & movement in funds 288 754 Reconciliation of Funds Funds brought fOard Nel movement in funds Funds carried forward 3,757 288 3,003 754 All funds are unrestricted. The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the period. All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities. The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006. The notes on pages 9 to 10 fonn an integral part of these accounts.
Cohousing Scotland Balance Sheet AI 30 September 2025 2025 Total 2024 Total Current Assets Cash al bank & in hand Total current assets Current Liabilities Accrual of examination fee Total currenl liabilities 200 200 Net current assets Net assets Funds of the Charity Unrestricted funds Total Funds 3469 All funds are unrestricted. The directors confirm that for the financial year ended 30 September 2025: _ the company was entitled to exemption under section 477 ofthe Companies Act 2006, and no members have required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Act. However. the accounts have been examined by an independent examiner whose report appears on page 6. The directors acknowledge their responsibiltties for complying with the requirements of the 2006 Companies Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts. The accounts have been prepared in accordaThce wilh the provisions applicable to companies, subject to the small companies regime ofJh¢ 2006 Companies Act. The notes on pages 9 to 10 form an integral part of these accounts. Approved by the trustees on the 14th May 2026 and signed on their behalf by- Catherine Kirkwood - Secretary
Cohousing Scotland Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 30 September 2025 18asis of Preparation 1.1 Basis of accounting These accounts have been prepared on the basis of historic cost in accordance with: (a) The Charities & Trustee Investment Act {Scotland) Act 2005, and (b) The Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 as amended (cl The Company's Act 2C (dl Financial Reporting Standard 102 (FRS102) (Effective January 2015), (e} Charities SORP {FRS 102) (2fKI edition effective January 2019) 1.2 No changes have been made to the basis of preparation or to the previous year's accounts. 1.3. In preparing the accounts. the twstees were not required to make any judgements that would have a material effect on the numbers reported. 1.4 The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity as defined by FRS102. 1.5 The charty is dependent on the continuing support of donors. However, the trustees have no reason to consider that this will not continue or that there are any material uncertainties about the charity's ability lo continue as a going concern. 2 Accounting Polices 2.1 Form of Financial Statements The charity maintains Iwo types of funds for accounting purposes.. - (a) A general unrestricted fund that can be expended at the dis¢retion of the trustees on furthering the objects of the charity. and (b) Restricted funds that may only be used for specific purposes. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for specific purposes. No restricted funds were held during the year. 2.2 Income (a) Income is recognised and included in the Statement of Financial Activities ISOFAI when the charity becomes entitled to the income,. its receipt is probable" and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability. {b} Where income has related expenditure the income and related expenditure are reported gross in the SOFA. (cl Funds received in advance and which specifically relate to a future accounting period are treated as deferred income.
Cohousing Scotland Notes to the Financial Statsments For the year ended 30 September 2025 2.3 Expenditure & Liabilities la) Expendrture is accounted for on an accruals basrs. {bl Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation to pay out resources., it is probab they will be paid and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability. 2.4 Assets (al Tangible fixed assets are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year. They are valued al cost or, if gifted. al their value on receipt. Ib) Depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis at 25°A per annum. 2.5 Debtors (al Debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due (b) Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid 2.6 Cash Cash al bank and in hand includes cash and bank deposits repayable on demand 2.7 Creditors la) Creditor5 are recognised where the charity has an oblrgation resulting from a past event that will probably resull in the transfer of funds to a third paty and the amount due can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors are normally recognised at their settlement amounl. usually the invoice amount. (b) Accrued charges are normally valued at their settlement amount. 2.8 Taxation The charity is not liable to income or capital gains tax on its charitable activities. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the asset cost or expense to which it relates. 3 Trustee Remuneration & Expenses (a) No remuneration for services provided to the charity were paid to Tmstees or connected persons12024. Nil). (bl No out-of-pocket expenses were paid to trustees during the year (2024.. Nil).