Finance Score: 2
Governance Score: 1
Support Score: 14
  • Low unrestricted reserves: -2
  • Reasonable growth: +1
  • Fundraising costs low: +3
  • 12+ Trustees: -1
  • Good trustee age range: +3
  • Mainly male board: -1
  • Overall weighted support: +14
Overall GiG Score: 17 ?

THE RCJ AND ISLINGTON CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAUX

PROMOTING ANY CHARITABLE PURPOSE FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BY THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION, THE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF HEALTH AND RELIEF OF POVERTY, SICKNESS & DISTRESS IN PARTICULAR, BUT WITHOUT LIMITATION,FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE HAVING BUSINESS AT ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE AND OTHERS LIVING OR WORKING THROUGHOUT ENGLAND & WALES , IN PARTICULAR IN THE LB OF ISLINGTON AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • There has been reasonable growth in spending over the last 3 years relative to the previous period
  • Fundraising costs are unusually low relative to funds raised
  • A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers including the Government
  • The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of age

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

  • Why are there 17 trustees whereas the Charities Commission recommends a maximum of 12?
  • The Board is predominantly male

Financial issues to consider:

  • Unrestricted reserves appear to be dangerously low at the latest year end

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?
Sources of Income ?
Y/E Income
£k
Spending
£k
Surplus/
Deficit £k
Fundraising
Cost £k
Total
Funds £k
Unrestricted
Funds £k
Mths
Rsrvs
Staff Volun-
teers
31/03/23£4,092£3,468£624£1£1,470£7952.757200
31/03/22£3,317£3,241£76£0£846£7342.762200
31/03/21£3,387£3,556£-169£1£770£6262.161200
31/03/20£3,187£3,029£159£0£939£7022.856208
31/03/19£2,667£2,547£120£0£780£6122.949208
31/03/18£2,171£2,117£53£1£660£5833.3450
31/03/17£2,243£2,170£73£1£607£4772.6430
31/03/16£2,207£2,304£-97£1£534£3772400
31/03/15£2,523£2,389£133£38£666£3571.8330
31/03/14£2,348£2,340£8£13£532£3531.8310
31/03/13£2,738£2,633£105£20£524£3671.7260
31/03/12£2,570£2,486£84£68£419£3401.6260
31/03/11*£955£989£-34£3£335£3103.8220
31/03/10£1,018£933£85£3£368£3544.6220
31/03/09£851£810£42£3£283£2123.1190
31/03/08£800£749£51£3£242£1422.3210
31/03/07£594£622£-28£3£191£200.4160
31/03/06£512£540£-28n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/05*£647£463£184n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/04£461£479£-18n/an/an/an/an/an/a

Financial Ratios
Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 0%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 0%
Senior Staff Costs/Total Spending: 2%
Highest pay band: £60,000-£70,000
Liabilities/Assets: 15%
Liabilities/Income: 7%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 54%
Reserves/Spending: 2.7 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 5 months
Quick Ratio: 4.6
Asset Split ?
Balance Sheet History
Established: 29 years

www.rcjadvice.org.uk

admin@rcjadvice.org.uk

02079477646

Charity Commission for England and WalesCompanies House
UN SDGs
?
Listed activities
  • Disability
  • Education/Training
  • General Charitable Purposes
  • The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
GiG Classification
  • Practical support, advice & companionship
How it operates
  • Provides advocacy/advice/information
  • Provides services
Where it operates
  • Throughout England And Wales,
Who it helps
  • Children/Young People
  • Elderly/Old People
  • Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
  • Other Defined Groups
  • People With Disabilities
  • The General Public/Mankind

Who supports them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years
Ministry of Justice£1,804,181
Access to Justice Foundation£1,158,037
The Legal Education Foundation£328,587
Trust for London£121,000
Cripplegate Foundation£107,463
Cloudesley£69,500
Nesta£50,000
City Bridge Trust£42,106
Specific Donations
Amount When
Months
To be used for
Cloudesley - Grant to Citizens Advice Islington
£52,500 18/06/2024
Outreach advice worker
Cloudesley - Grant to Citizens Advice Islington
£3,000 01/05/2024
Cloudesley Partner top-up grant - cost of living 2024
Access to Justice Foundation - Improving Lives Through Advice Grant
£500,000 01/03/2024
The Improving Lives Through Advice programme is made possible by a £30 million grant from The National Lottery Community Fund, thanks to National Lottery players. Working in partnership with the largest community funder in the UK, the Improving ....more
London Legal Support Trust - Centres of Excellence 2023
£10,000 28/12/2023
Long term core funding for specialist free legal advice organisations, along with in-kind help and support with ongoing development. Aiming to support a sustainable and robust specialist advice sector.
Cloudesley - Grant to Citizens Advice Islington
£3,000 19/09/2023
Cloudesley Partner welfare grant 2024
Cloudesley - Grant to Citizens Advice Islington
£3,000 22/06/2023
Cloudesley Partner top-up grant - cost of living 2023
The Legal Education Foundation - A grant to RCJ Advice
£200,000 25/05/2023
A grant to RCJ Advice under the LEF's Stronger Sector grant programme
Cripplegate Foundation - Grant To RCJ Advice Citizens Advice Islington
£33,707 25/04/2023
TAP Generalist Adviser - Year 3 of 3
Cripplegate Foundation - Grant To RCJ Advice Citizens Advice Islington
£5,000 10/03/2023
Islington Giving Crisis Appeal grants
Cripplegate Foundation - Grant To RCJ Advice Citizens Advice Islington
£3,370 04/01/2023
Cost of living increase
London Legal Support Trust - Centres of Excellence 2022
£10,000 22/12/2022
Long term core funding for specialist free legal advice organisations, along with in-kind help and support with ongoing development. Aiming to support a sustainable and robust specialist advice sector.
Trust for London - RCJ and Islington Citizens Advice Bureaux
£11,000 29/09/2022
This is a cost of living uplift for grant reference 360G-trustforlondon-MAIN-S2-01.06.2021-9125
Cloudesley - Grant to Citizens Advice Islington
£3,000 27/09/2022
Cloudesley Partner welfare grant 2023
Access to Justice Foundation - Help Accessing Legal Support (HALS)
£112,500 13/09/2022
Help Accessing Legal Support (HALS) is a programme of The Access to Justice Foundation with the Ministry of Justice. We are working with organisations to sustain and improve access to early social welfare and family legal advice, to enable users ....more
Cripplegate Foundation - Grant To RCJ Advice Citizens Advice Islington
£33,026 29/06/2022
TAP Generalist Adviser - Year 2 of 3.
Access to Justice Foundation - Improving Outcomes Through Legal Support (IOTLS) grant
£61,261 23/05/2022
The funding programme aims to support organisations working to sustain and improve access to early social welfare and family legal support and advice, to enable users to resolve these problems as early as possible and avoid the need for court or ....more
Cloudesley - Grant to Citizens Advice Islington
£3,000 17/05/2022
Cloudesley Partner Grant 2022 - awarded May 2022
Ministry of Justice - Advice and Support for Those Released from Custody Following a Miscarriage of Justice
£98,271 01/04/2022
To provide advice and support to the victims of miscarriages of justice referred by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
Ministry of Justice - Finding Legal Options for Women Survivors (FLOWS)
£800,000 01/04/2022
To assist women survivors of domestic abuse apply for emergency protection from courts.
London Legal Support Trust - Centres of Excellence 2021
£10,000 14/12/2021
Long term core funding for specialist free legal advice organisations, along with in-kind help and support with ongoing development. Aiming to support a sustainable and robust specialist advice sector.
Trust for London - RCJ and Islington Citizens Advice Bureaux
£110,000 13/10/2021
24
The funding is for its Employment Law Advice Service (ELAS) which since December 2020 have been delivering legal advice on how to solve disputes to retain employment, casework and representation in cases where the client is vulnerable or the case is ....more
Cloudesley - Grant to Citizens Advice Islington
£2,000 14/09/2021
Cloudesley Partner Pilot Grant for the period 14 September to 31st Dec 2020
Cripplegate Foundation - Grant To RCJ Advice Citizens Advice Islington
£32,360 19/05/2021
TAP Generalist Adviser - Year 1 of 3
Access to Justice Foundation - Legal Support for Litigants in Person
£422,976 10/05/2021
The Litigant in Person Support Strategy (LIPSS) is a partnership of national organisations working together to improve the experience of people facing the legal process alone throughout England and Wales.
Ministry of Justice - FLOWS (Finding Legal Options for Women Survivors)
£800,000 01/04/2021
To assist women survivors of domestic abuse apply for emergency protection from courts.
The London Community Foundation - Grant to The Real Junk Food Project - Twickenham (TRJFP)
£4,828 04/12/2020
5
The funding is for additional staffing to ensure TRJFP operates effectively and efficiently to meet the growing demands of food poverty in our community for those most impacted by Covid-19. Funding is also required for addition consumable and PPE ....more
Access to Justice Foundation - Joint Initiative Flexible COVID-19 Grant
£61,300 19/08/2020
A flexible grant as part of wave 1 of the Community Justice Fund. A pooled fund to support the specialist legal welfare advice sector in its response to COVID19
The Legal Education Foundation - FLOWS: Finding Legal Options for Women Survivors
£30,000 17/06/2020
Examining options for developing a sustainable funding model for FLOWS, alongside engaging key policy stakeholders in relation to the service's long-term development and the Domestic Abuse Bill.
City Bridge Trust - Grant to RCJ Advice & Citizens Advice Islington
£42,106 08/05/2020
A grant of £42,106 to fund the essential and urgent costs outlined in the application, so that the organisation can carry on providing support to Londoners.
Nesta - AC01098
£50,000 17/04/2020
3
Legal Access Challenge programme grant to The RCJ & Islington Citizens Advice Bureau Grant Ref AC01098
Ministry of Justice - Advice and Support for Those Released from Custody Following a Miscarriages of Justice
£105,910 01/04/2020
To provide advice and support to those released from custody following a Miscarriage of Justice, through self referral or from CCRC
The Legal Education Foundation - JFF Host 2020
£98,587 13/03/2020
A grant to RCJ Advice to fund one Justice First Fellowship as part of cohort 7. Co-funded by City Bridge Trust.
Nesta - AC00940
£50,000 23/09/2019
0
Legal Access Challenge programme grant to The RCJ & Islington Citizens Advice Bureau Grant Ref AC00940
Ministry of Justice - HMPPS - Miscarriage of Justice
£100,000 01/04/2019
To provide advice and support to those released from custody following a Miscarriage of Justice, through self referral or from CCRC
Ministry of Justice - ALB - Cafcass - Supported Child Contact Centres (SCCC) Grant 19-20
£2,805 01/04/2019
Provide support for contact centres
DCMS - The RCJ and Islington Citizens Advice Bureau
£649,889 01/04/2019
The purpose of the Tampon Tax Fund is to allocate the funds generated from the VAT on sanitary products to projects that improve the lives of disadvantaged women and girls.
Cripplegate Foundation - Grant To Royal Courts of Justice Citizens Advice
£20,222 10/10/2018
TAP - Welfare Benefits Generalist Adviser. 1 x 3 day position to work in community outreach with Partners HOYD and ILC. (2 days outreach advising 10 clients & 1 day writing up/follow up)
DCMS - The RCJ and Islington Citizens Advice Bureau
£521,430 01/04/2018
The purpose of the Tampon Tax Fund is to allocate the funds generated from the VAT on sanitary products to projects that improve the lives of disadvantaged women and girls.
Cripplegate Foundation - Grant To Royal Courts of Justice Citizens Advice
£20,000 08/11/2017
Towards the cost of the Three Advice Projects (TAP)
Ministry of Justice - Litigants in Person Scheme 2
£317,232 01/07/2017
To provide support to litigants in person to help them access sources of information and free legal advice, to assist them to navigate the court process, and where appropriate to support them to represent themselves at court.
Ministry of Justice - Litigants in Person Scheme 1
£105,735 01/04/2017
To provide support to litigants in person to help them access sources of information and free legal advice, to assist them to navigate the court process, and where appropriate to support them to represent themselves at court.
National Lottery Community Fund - Make it Work
£358,063 08/04/2015
36
This project will use the funding to provide a new service that has been developed to support residents from Islington, who are in low paid work or zero hour contracts and struggling due to poverty, to sustain their employment. The project will work ....more
National Lottery Community Fund - Advice & Support for Litigants in Person:London (ASLIP)
£350,000 13/05/2013
24
This new project is designed as a 'hub, and spoke' model. The Royal Court of Justice Citizens Advice bureau (RCJ CAB) acts as the 'hub' giving advice to litigants in court proceedings, and sharing their knowledge, skills and initiatives with the ....more
National Lottery Community Fund - Inspiring Financial Confidence for Young People in Islington Social Housing
£959,200 02/08/2012
36
This project to support young social housing tenants will see the creation of a website and Facebook page providing access to advice services and signposting to financial products and services, workshops for young people coaching on budgeting and ....more
Show more rows

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (17)
Current Trustees appointed
Gender Split
Based on 15/17 persons

Age Range of Trustees: 34-78
  • ALEXANDER STEVENS CARRUTHERS Appointed: 2012, Occupation: Solicitor
  • ALI SALLAWAY Appointed: 2007, Occupation: Lawyer
  • ANDREW LAURENCE DENNY Appointed: 2020, Occupation: Solicitor
  • CHRISTINE HOWARD Appointed: 2013, Occupation: Chartered Legal Executive Fcilex
  • GRAHAM PAUL KINGSBY HUNTLEY Appointed: 1998, Occupation: Solicitor
  • GUY JEFFREY PENDELL Appointed: 2019, Occupation: Solicitor
  • HOLLY WARE Appointed: 2019, Occupation: Solicitor
  • JOHN HINE, Occupation: Consultant
  • JAMES WILLIAM GILBEY Appointed: 2014, Occupation: Chartered Accountant
  • JON GALE Appointed: 2018, Occupation: Solicitor
  • NICHOLAS MARK ATKINS Appointed: 2003, Occupation: Solicitor
  • PAUL THWAITE Appointed: 2012, Occupation: Solicitor
  • PAULA HODGES Appointed: 2016, Occupation: Solicitor
  • PATRICK WILLIAM ROBINSON Appointed: 2016, Occupation: Solicitor
  • ROGER GEORGE LEESE Appointed: 2012, Occupation: Solicitor
  • SAAMAN POURGHADIRI-ESFAHANI Appointed: 2020, Occupation: Barrister
  • THE RIGHT HON LORD JUSTICE PETER JACKSON (Chair) Appointed: 2018, Occupation: Judge
Legal constitution
  • Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 03/11/1995, number: 1050358
  • Registered at Companies House on 06/10/1995, number: 03110908
Gift Aid
  • Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid
Other Regulators
  • Financial Conduct Authority
Policies in force
  • Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
  • Complaints handling
  • Complaints policy and procedures
  • Conflicting interests
  • Financial reserves policy and procedures
  • Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
  • Internal risk management policy and procedures
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
  • Safeguarding policy and procedures
  • Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
  • Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
  • Social media policy and procedures
  • Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
  • Volunteer management
Filing Record
20 returns made; AR11: 1 days late, AR05: 1 days late,
Main office

ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE
STRAND
LONDON
WC2A 2LL

Objectives

THE CHARITY'S OBJECTS ARE TO PROMOTE ANY CHARITABLE PURPOSE FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BY THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION, THE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF HEALTH AND THE RELIEF OF POVERTY, SICKNESS AND DISTRESS IN PARTICULAR, BUT WITHOUT LIMITATION, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE HAVING BUSINESS AT THE ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE AND OTHERS LIVING OR WORKING THROUGHOUT ENGLAND AND WALES, IN PARTICULAR IN THE LONDON BOROUGH OF ISLINGTON AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

Defined Area of Benefit:

IN PARTICULAR BUT WITHOUT LIMITATION LONDON

Data Sources

Charity Commission for England and Wales
360 Giving

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