IPR Advice

Islington People's Rights

Independent Welfare Benefits
and Debt Advice in Islington

Part Time Finance Manager

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ISLINGTON PEOPLE’S RIGHTS

1.     General background

  • Islington People’s Rights (IPR) is a registered charity, number 1077688, and a company limited by guarantee, number 01753440. It operates from one office in Islington at 6-9 Manor Gardens, London N7 6LA, (known as the Manor Gardens Centre.) 
  • IPR provides advice sessions in a number of locations across Islington, and runs an advice line three afternoons a week.
  • IPR operates as an Independent Advice Agency and specialises in welfare benefits and debt advice.  More information can be found at IPR’s website on www.ipradvice.org.uk
  • IPR has 8 permanent members of staff (all part-time other than 1 full time Specialist Caseworker), 6 of whom are Specialist Caseworkers.  The other two are the Chief Executive and Administrative Support Officer. There are 2 other locum caseworkers and 1 fixed term support worker.
  • The Finance Manager would be responsible to the Chief Executive of the organisation and liaise with them on a day-to-day basis. They would also liaise with the Treasurer and other key members of the Board of Trustees.
  • IPR employees an Administrative Support Officer two days per week, who undertakes bookkeeping tasks for the organisation, as well as other roles. The Finance Manager will not be expected to do basic book-keeping (payments and receipts ledgers) except in their absence. They will need to provide oversight and review the financial tasks undertaken by the Administrative Support Officer. 
  • The Finance Manager will produce reports for the board of trustees (number of trustees is currently 11), who meet regularly on a quarterly basis
  • IPR’s previous years accounts are available for inspection on the Charity Commission’s website: http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends88/0001077688_AC_20140331_E_C.pdf
  • IPR currently banks with the Co-operative Bank and the CAF Bank.  IPR is not VAT registered.
  • IPR reserves and funds are held in these bank accounts, plus an account with the London Capital Credit Union
  • IPR uses Sage accounting system, we do not use the projects or department modules.

2. Internal accounting procedures

  • The Finance Manager produces management accounts for the Board of Trustees, Chief Executive and Treasurer.
  • The Finance Manager oversees and reviews the bookkeeping and financial tasks undertaken by the Administrative Support Officer. 
  • IPR has an office manual, incorporating financial procedures.  These are regularly reviewed by the Treasurer and Board of Trustees.
  • Since the Covid 19 pandemic IPR has moved to online banking for all payments which are now done online, together with receipt of bank statements.  Income is either directly credited to our bank account or paid in via the post office and a paying in book.  Electronic approval processes are in place, and for payments two signatories are required.  IPR is also set up for telephone banking.
  • IPR’s average transactions volumes, over the period of a year are
    • Circa 60 suppliers and 12 staff whose expenses are processed via the purchase ledger
    • Circa 250 invoices and credit notes received and processed via the purchase ledger and 300 bills processed as cash payments (salaries, standing orders or direct debits)
    • We process circa 30 invoices and receipts, some of them via the sales ledger
  • IPR does not hold petty cash
  • IPR manages its payroll externally and also its pensions contributions.

3. Funding and Funders

  • In 2024/25 our turnover was £509,000, a decrease over the previous two years when it was £676,000. This year it is expected to be down to around £484,000.
  • Our largest funder is the London Borough of Islington, who provide a core grant for welfare benefits and debt advice and casework.
  • We have a contract to deliver services to users of mental health services from the North London NHS Foundation Trust
  • We receive grants from charitable trusts. The 2 most significant grants are from Trust for London, and from the local charity Cloudesley.
  • We are often involved in joint partnership bids, and our key partners are Islington Law Centre and Islington Citizens Advice, the other major Advice Agencies in Islington.

4. Key Tasks of Finance Manager

  • Ensuring invoices and payments are correctly recorded onto Sage Line 50
  • Preparing salary information for payroll agency on a monthly basis
  • Drawing up management accounts information as required, including
    • Budget  v actuals and projections for income & expenditure
    • Balance sheet
    • Cashflow
    • Written report
    • Other financial information, as required
  • Preparation of schedules and file for Independent Examination.

5. Budgeting

  • Prepare 1st Draft
  • Discussion with Chief Executive and Treasurer
  • Update Draft
  • Prepare written report to Board
  • Attend and present budget to Board

6. Management Accounts and Forecasting

  • Make workbook and links
  • Update forecast and download to workbook
  • Run a P&L and enter data to workbook
  • Identify Income in Arrears/ Advance
  • Look for accruals, check all invoices
  • Make provision for costs not posted
  • Post Accruals
  • Rerun P&L on SAGE
  • Review further and make and final postings and journals
  • Review Forecast in light of monthly accounts and adjust forecast if needed
  • Copy updated forecast to Management Accounts workbook
  • Make sure SAGE and Excel workbook balance
  • Run Month end on SAGE
  • Discuss with CEO and Treasurer
  • Prepare Quarterly Management Accounts for the 4 Board meetings
  • Attend Board meetings to present the Management Accounts

7. Bank Reconciliation

  • Bank Reconciliations ensure that all aspects and items of Income and Expenditure are recorded fully to SAGE
  • Bank Reconciliations
    • Co-op Community Direct Plus two statements a month
    • Co-op Instant Access
    • CAF Gold
    • CAF Cash
    • CAF Platinum
    • London Capital Credit Union (annual statement)

8. Year end procedures

  • The Annual Audit takes the form of an Independent Examination, which is appropriate given our turnover. Our financial year runs from the 1 April to 31 March.
  • An audit file is prepared in house by the management accountant which covers the following:
    • All creditors and copies of those not on the purchase ledger
    • All debtors and copies not on the sales ledger
    • A reconciliation of the salary nominal accounts to the payroll
    • Allocation of salaries and other expenses to any restricted funds
    • An annual review, comparing the current year’s income and expenditure to the previous years’
    • Year end management accounts
  • Please note that in the last two years there were no points raised by our existing auditors in their Management Letter, denoting a high standard of preparation.

IPR Impact Report 2024

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The IPR Impact Report can be downloaded here.

Chair’s Report

Welcome to IPR’s 2023 to 2024 Impact Report. It’s been an eventful and rewarding year at the charity with essential support provided to thousands of Islington residents. IPR’s amazing team of staff and volunteers team have been on the frontline of the cost of living crisis and every day has brought new challenges as well as stories of real hope.   

Helping people avoid homelessness or destitution is a critically important role for IPR. We see so many families or individuals battling poverty and needing our advice and support to get their finances back on track. In recent years disabled people have especially taken the brunt as they have been at the sharp end of welfare cuts. This situation does not look like changing soon whoever is in Government and sadly it falls to charities such as IPR to ensure that disabled residents secure their essential benefit entitlements. 

Our Caseworkers report that they have seen a big upsurge in the numbers of people with large rent and utility debts. This is the predictable outcome of the very high rates of inflation in the year and the fact that the incomes of the poorest people have simply not kept pace. To meet this need IPR has worked hard to attract the funding needed to provide our services and I’m pleased to say that our main sources of support have continued to recognise the importance of our work.   

As always I must say a huge thank you to our staff and volunteers for all of their efforts as well as the grant making trusts and other funders for their vital contributions to our work. We are particularly grateful to Islington Council for committing to a further 4 years of funding, until March 2028. The Impact Report 2023-24 reveals what we have achieved during 2023 to 2024 and our strong commitment to keep supporting those most in need into the future.

David Moore

Islington People’s Rights AGM 2024

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Tuesday 26 November, 6.30pm. Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA　

All welcome to the AGM of Islington People’s Rights [IPR] at Resource for London on Tuesday 26th November at 6.30pm. The AGM is more like a Public Meeting, and this year’s theme will be “The Cost of Living crisis”, which is affecting so many local residents, including many IPR clients.

Emily Thornberry MP (Islington South and Finsbury) and Jeremy Corbyn MP (Islington North) will address the IPR AGM. Cllr Diarmaid Ward, Executive Member for Finance and Performance, Islington Council, and Sarah MacFadyen, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Advice UK, will be the other speakers.

The AGM will be chaired by David Moore, IPR Chair, with contributions also from the IPR Chief Executive, Gerard Omasta-Milsom. They will be reflecting on IPR’s past year activities, and looking forward to the year ahead. The AGM will also serve as the launch of the IPR 2024 Impact Report.

After the speakers and formal parts of the meeting there will be refreshments and a chance to mingle with trustees, staff, partners and clients.

Please register to attend by 4pm on 15th November at IPRAGM2024.eventbrite.co.uk

IPR Impact Report 2023

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The IPR Impact Report can be downloaded here.

Chair’s Report

IPR’s 2022 to 2023 Impact Report is an opportunity for everyone at the charity to look back over another 12 eventful months. Over the year our fantastic staff and volunteers team have been working hard to alleviate the worst cost of living crisis in living memory. 

Every day brings home the great responsibility we have in preventing destitution. We see so many people who urgently need help. It may be a severely disabled person who has had an essential benefit removed or a family facing homelessness as debts have overwhelmed them. Every day the skill and dedication of our advice workers is put to the test as they battle what can often seem a very hostile system.

A good example is our project helping families with disabled children. They are entitled to disability benefits but often don’t claim them because of a lack of information, a too complex process or simply because they are too busy in their caring roles. It’s very important that Islington’s residents know we are there for them as the cost of living crisis translates into a debt crisis for thousands of residents.

Additional achievements to highlight over the year include a new partnership with the Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust that is providing support for people with acute mental health issues. IPR also secured a further two year commitment from the Thames Water Trust Fund to help people manage their water and other utility bills.

In addition to paying tribute to our staff and volunteers I must thank all of the grant making trusts whose support makes much of our work possible. In addition, a big thank you must also go to the individual donors to IPR who have supported us through events like the London Legal Walk. Every penny matters and is much appreciated.

David Moore

Out of Debt Conference; Insulation for the People

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Tuesday 14 November, 2.30-5.30pm. Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA

Islington People’s Rights [IPR] are organising the “Out of Debt Conference; Insulation for the People”, at Resource for London, on Tuesday 14 November, 2.30pm -5.30pm. The Cost of Living crisis has affected many local residents, including many IPR clients. This conference is open to all to talk about debt, and will provide help, advice and support. Information available about the various options to help those affected by these issues. Organisations who support residents in need are also encouraged to attend. Everyone can get involved in positive action.

Guest speakers invited, to be confirmed, plus workshops on key issues. Information stalls present from key organisations in the borough that provide debt advice and support, plus others helping those struggling to make ends meet. The support of Resource for London, the National Lottery Community Fund and Advice UK for this event is gratefully acknowledged.

The same day at 6.30pm the IPR AGM will take place also at Resource for London; see information below.

Please register your attendance and get your free admission ticket through Eventbrite, by 9 November 2022 at bit.ly/OutOfDebt2023. We look forward to seeing you there.