Overall GiG Score: 18 ?
Finance Score: -4
Governance Score: 8
Support Score: 14
  • Low unrestricted reserves: -2
  • Multiple Deficits and declines: -5
  • Fundraising costs low: +3
  • 12+ Trustees: -1
  • Good trustee age range: +3
  • Dynamic board: +3
  • Gender balanced board: +3
  • Grant maker support: +14

LAW CENTRES FEDERATION 

To relieve charitable need and financial hardship, provide assistance to Law Centres and encourage the formation of Law Centres in the United Kingdom. To advance the education of the public by assisting Law Centres in improving knowledge and practice of the law, and administration of justice in areas of the law which are of particular concern to poor people and directed to the relief of poverty.
Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • 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 and gender and dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

  • There are 17 trustees whereas the Charities Commission recommends a maximum of 12

Financial issues to consider:

  • Unrestricted reserves appear to be dangerously low at the latest year end
  • Income has been volatile and on several occasions in recent years less than spending
Established: 23 years
(34 years as a company)

www.lawcentres.org.uk

info@lawcentres.org.uk

020 36371330

Charity Commission for England and WalesCompanies HouseFacebookX
UN SDGs
?

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?
Sources of Income ?
Y/E Income
£k
Spending
£k
Surplus/
Deficit
Fundraising
Cost £k
Total
Funds £k
Unrestricted
Funds £k
Mths
Rsrvs
Staff Volun-
teers
31/03/23£913£1,069£-157£43£281£1131.3120
31/03/22£1,058£1,227£-170£37£437£3123.1132
31/03/21£4,571£4,425£146£29£607£3060.8120
31/03/20£1,533£1,680£-147£27£461£1891.383
31/03/19£1,177£838£339£22£608£771.172
31/03/18£847£849£-3£21£268£540.870
31/03/17£503£622£-119£22£271£1302.560
31/03/16£740£615£124£18£390£1823.580
31/03/15£587£508£79£49£266£169470
31/03/14£713£784£-71£66£186£590.980
31/03/13£852£960£-108£73£257£931.2110
31/03/12£1,008£1,065£-57£55£366£2042.3120
31/03/11£1,196£1,009£187£64£423£1912.3130
31/03/10£1,244£1,186£58£73£236£1451.5130
31/03/09£1,029£935£95£59£178£941.2120
31/03/08£1,308£1,310£-3£54£111£710.6100
31/03/07*£1,399£1,422£-23£39£114£620.5100
31/03/06£842£858£-16£0£0£0n/a00
31/03/05£648£532£116£0£0£0n/a00
31/03/04£899£799£100£0£0£0n/a00

Financial Ratios
Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 4.8%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 4.1%
Senior Staff Costs/Total Spending: 7%
Highest pay band: £60,000-£70,000
Liabilities/Assets: 36%
Liabilities/Income: 18%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 40%
Reserves/Spending: 1.3 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 3 months
Quick Ratio: 1.8
Asset Split ?
What it does
  • Disability
  • Education/Training
  • General Charitable Purposes
  • Other Charitable Purposes
  • The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who works here?
  • 12 employees
Who it helps
  • Children/Young People
  • Elderly/Old People
  • Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
  • Other Defined Groups
  • People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
  • People With Disabilities
  • The General Public/Mankind
How it operates
  • Acts as an umbrella or resource body
  • Provides advocacy/advice/information
  • Provides services
  • Sponsors or undertakes research
Where it operates
  • Northern Ireland, Throughout England And Wales,

Who's supporting them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

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

Major supporters in last 5 years
Ministry of Justice£6,000,000
Home Office£1,115,322
National Lottery Community Fund£699,000
The Legal Education Foundation£415,000
Paul Hamlyn Foundation£290,000
AB Charitable Trust£255,000
Esmee Fairbairn£166,834
Trust for London£105,000
Specific Donations
Amount When
Months
To be used for
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Law Centres Federation
£13,000 27/02/2023
Towards unrestricted core costs as a Cost of Living Uplift
Paul Hamlyn Foundation - Backbone grants 2022-23 supporting a thriving civil society
£250,000 06/12/2022
The Law Centres Network (LCN) strives for a just and equal society where everyone’s rights are valued and protected. They support their member Law Centres to set up, initiate new services and ....more
The Legal Education Foundation - Securing the future of Law Centres: Building a diverse and effective workforce
£30,000 09/11/2022
Funding to scope a workforce development framework in Law Centres to help build and sustain a diverse and effective workforce.
The Bell Foundation - Upholding the Right of Victims Y1
£10,815 05/10/2022
Law Centres Network through this project facilitates learning & provides evidence for improved practice across Law Centres. They develop strategies based on a human-rights approach to address ....more
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Law Centres Federation
£130,000 22/06/2022
Towards unrestricted core costs to rebalance civil justice via harnessing Law Centres’ unique evidence and working with local communities and partner organisations
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to Law Centres Network
£50,000 17/06/2022
An unrestricted grant of £50,000 (This grant is renewable - year 4 of up to 5 years). The Law Centres Network supports a national network of Law Centres which deliver legal advice, casework and ....more
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to Law Centres Network
£20,000 20/01/2022
A restricted grant of £20,000 towards the salary of the North Wales Law Centre Development Manager. The North Wales Law Centre will provide legal advice, casework and representation in social ....more
Paul Hamlyn Foundation - Covid-19 Emergency Funding: Civil justice learning and advocacy
£40,000 13/09/2021
The Law Centres Network strives for a just and equal society where everyone’s rights are valued and protected. They support their member Law Centres, set up new Law Centres, initiate new services ....more
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to Law Centres Network
£50,000 09/09/2021
An unrestricted grant of £50,000 (This grant is renewable - year 3 of up to 5 years). The Law Centres Network supports a national network of Law Centres which deliver legal advice, casework and ....more
Comic Relief - SAFE as Houses ? Swift Access to Free Advice
£69,862 28/04/2021
When Jimmy* was referred to his third advice agency after calling up yet another number, he gave up even though the local Council was threatening eviction. It was just too much; all this stress being ....more
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to Law Centres Network
£5,000 12/11/2020
A restricted grant of £5,000 towards the costs of the annual LCN conference. The Law Centres Network supports a national network of Law Centres which deliver legal advice, casework and ....more
The Legal Education Foundation - Law Centres Network Digital Vision 2020 (Phase 4)
£365,000 11/11/2020
To upgrade digital infrastructure for 13 Law Centres to enable remote service provision and ensure a minimum standard for digital equipment and robust systems across the network.
National Lottery Community Fund - Law Centre Service COVID-19 Service Adaption
£205,000 08/07/2020
6
Law Centres Network will use funding to provide direct assistance to Law Centres across England. The funding will be used to support the centres to adapt their services for clients who need to access ....more
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to Law Centres Network
£50,000 07/07/2020
An unrestricted grant of £50,000 (This grant is renewable - year 2 of up to 5 years). The Law Centres Network supports a national network of Law Centres which deliver legal advice, casework and ....more
Trust for London - Law Centres Network
£105,000 03/06/2020
24
The funding is for LCN to use data, relationships, and ‘seats at the table’, from 5 years working with EU citizens, to understand groups unlikely to apply for Settlement. This will inform ....more
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Law Centres Network
£23,834 05/05/2020
6
towards unrestricted costs as a COVID-19 Fast Response grant
Three Guineas Trust - The Justice Fund
£100,000 30/04/2020
The Justice Fund, an appeal to provide financial support for law centres at risk of closure.
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to Law Centres Network
£30,000 23/04/2020
A restricted grant of £30,000 towards the Law Centre in a Box project. This project will develop a package of resources and training to support and strengthen Law Centres across the country.
The Legal Education Foundation - Covid-19 support to members
£20,000 09/04/2020
Providing support to Law Centres in dealing with the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis including business continuity and accessing government support.
Ministry of Justice - Covid-19 Specialist Advice Services
£3,000,000 01/04/2020
The Law Centres Network has distributed £3m to Law Centres across England & Wales. This funding has helped Law Centres to continue to provide vital legal advice throughout the pandemic, increase ....more
Home Office - LAW CENTRES FEDERATION (G)
£365,919 01/04/2020
This grants scheme will enable organisations to provide practical support to vulnerable EU citizens to help them make their EU Settlement Scheme application by 30 June 2021 and continuing support ....more
Ministry of Justice - Covid-19 Specialist Advice Support Scheme
£3,000,000 01/04/2020
Address cashflow issues for nfp advice providers during Covid-19, enabling them to adapt, expand, and continue to deliver services throughout the pandemic.
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to Law Centres Network
£50,000 02/07/2019
An unrestricted grant of £50,000 (this grant is renewable - year 1 of up to 5 years). The Law Centres Network supports a national network of Law Centres which deliver legal advice, casework and ....more
National Lottery Community Fund - Realising Law Centres 2020 Digital Vision
£494,000 19/06/2019
47
This project is to help Law Centres Network develop digital tools to respond to technology changing society and raising expectations, as well as the behaviours that influence how people interact with ....more
Home Office - EU Settlement Grant Scheme Funding 2019-20
£749,403 01/04/2019
This grants scheme is enabling organisations to provide practical support to vulnerable EU citizens through information-giving, advice and provision of technology and assistance to help them make ....more
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Law Centres Network
£143,000 23/10/2018
36
Towards the Head of Policy, who will deliver access to justice policy work and lead the development of LCN's external relations and advocacy work.
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to Law Centres Network
£20,000 24/04/2018
£20,000 towards core costs. The Law Centres Network supports a national network of Law Centres which deliver legal advice, casework and representation to defend those most vulnerable and ....more
John Ellerman Foundation - Core funding
£90,000 30/11/2017
36
Towards the core costs of supporting law centres across the UK which provide legal help for disadvantaged people.
Trust for London - Law Centres Network
£156,600 04/10/2017
24
The funding is to support Protecting Rights of Europeans before Brexit project will provide advice to EEA citizens and their family members living in London on protecting residence rights in the ....more
The Baring Foundation - Grant to Law Centres Network
£29,940 16/05/2017
To develop capacity and expertise for LCN and member Law Centres to integrate a human rights based approach into their discrimination work with migrant workers.
AB Charitable Trust - Develop Law Centres & Initiate new services
£15,000 21/10/2014
£15,000 towards core costs
AB Charitable Trust - Develop, champion sustainable, quality Law Centres
£15,000 23/04/2013
£15,000 towards core costs
National Lottery Community Fund - Widening Access to Justice: Linking Online Resources with Local Legal Advic
£10,000 08/03/2012
11
This is a project by a charity in the City of London serving beneficiaries England-wide. The group will use the funding to create a new website which will be more user friendly and simplify the ....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: 30-88
Legal constitution
  • Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 26/09/2001, number: 1088588
  • Registered at Companies House on 17/10/1989, number: 02433492
Gift Aid
  • Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid
Policies in force
  • Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
  • Campaigns and political activity 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
  • Trustee expenses policy and procedures
  • Volunteer management
Filing Record
20 returns made; AR07: 244 days late,
Main office

1 Lady Hale Gate
Gray's Inn
LONDON
WC1X 8BS

Objectives

(A) TO RELIEVE CHARITABLE NEED, IN PARTICULAR FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, AND IN SO DOING PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO LAW CENTRES AND ENCOURAGE THE FORMATION OF LAW CENTRES IN TH UNITED KINGDOM. (B) TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC BY ASSISTING LAW CENTRES IN IMPROVING AND DIFFUSING KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAW AND THE PRACTICE OF THE LAW AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, HAVING REGARD ESPECIALLY TO THOSE AREAS OF THE LAW WHICH ARE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN TO POOR PEOPLE OR ARE DIRECTED TO THE RELIEF OF POVERTY.

Defined Area of Benefit:

UNITED KINGDOM

Data Sources

Charity Commission for England and Wales
360 Giving
CharityBase
Authorised officials of this charity can add information to this page (including a Donate Now button) for no cost

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