THE LIVING ROOM
The Living Room provides free, structured, daytime group therapy in a supportive community for adults who are abstinent and addressing harmful patterns involving substances or behaviours. We also offer group therapy for families and carers of those affected.
Objects
(A) TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE HEALTH OF ALL PERSONS WHO ARE IN DANGER OF BECOMING ADDICTED TO, OR DEPENDENT UPON, DRUGS OF ANY DESCRIPTION, ALCOHOL, SOLVENTS OR OTHER ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCES OR ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOURS WITHIN THE COUNTY OF HERTFORDSHIRE AND SUCH OTHER PLACES AS THE TRUSTEES SHALL FROM TIME TO TIME DECIDE BY THE PROVISION OF COUNSELLING AND RECOVERY AND SUPPORT SERVICES.(B) TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN THE FIELD OF ADDICTION TREATMENT BY THE PROVISION OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, SUPPORT SERVICES AND INFORMATION.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported a small operating deficit of £26,303 for the year ended 31 March 2025, with total funds decreasing from £336,395 to £310,092. Per the trustees' report, free reserves of £293,450 were maintained within the target range of three to four months of planned expenditure, supporting the conclusion that the charity remains a going concern.
What the accounts disclose
“For the 2025/26 financial year, they have determined that a prudent level of reserves should be equivalent to three to four months of planned expenditure—estimated at between £214,000 and £285,000.”
“It is noted for transparency that the CEO is the mother of the spouse of the Treasurer of the Board of Trustees. This relationship has been declared and recorded in accordance with the charity’s conflict of interest policy, and appropriate safeguards are in place to ensure transparency and good governance.” — page 15
Policies the charity declares
- 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
- Investing charity funds 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
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Trustees
- Richard Croftonchair
- Akhilesh Nair
- Ashley Vaughan
- Claire Evans
- Kacey Elise Parker
- Spencer James
- William Roney
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £854k | £881k |
| 31/03/2024 | £884k | £856k |
| 31/03/2023 | £920k | £909k |
| 31/03/2022 | £830k | £859k |
| 31/03/2021 | £859k | £757k |
Common questions
Is THE LIVING ROOM financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a small operating deficit of £26,303 for the year ended 31 March 2025, with total funds decreasing from £336,395 to £310,092. Per the trustees' report, free reserves of £293,450 were maintained within the target range of three to four months of planned expenditure, supporting the conclusion that the charity remains a going concern. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 19/01/2024 | £20k | Main Addiction Therapy Group - Watford |
| Postcode Lottery | 01/05/2023 | £25k | Unrestricted Funding |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 01/08/2022 | £123k | Disordered Eating Therapy Groups |
| Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation | 10/09/2021 | £8k | Healing Hearts-Treatment Group for Relationship/Love/Sex addiction |
| Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation | 26/06/2019 | £10k | Grant to The Living Room |
| Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation | 07/12/2017 | £4k | Males can Talk |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE FIDELITY UK FOUNDATION | 1 | £215k |
| THE RODDICK FOUNDATION | 1 | £82k |
| CHARITY OF SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON | 1 | £55k |
| THE BROMLEY TRUST | 1 | £50k |
| THE HISCOX FOUNDATION | 1 | £47k |
| FISHMONGERS' COMPANY'S CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £45k |
| THE A B CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £40k |
| THE FORRESTER FAMILY TRUST | 1 | £40k |
Charities like this
- THE LIVING ROOM
- ROOM TO HEAL
- LIVINGWAY MINISTRIES
- POWER TO LIVE FOUNDATION
- THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY MAGDALENE CHURCH, TORQUAY
- ACCESS FOR LIVING
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE LIVING ROOM | £854k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| THE LIVING ROOM | £854k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| ROOM TO HEAL | £442k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| LIVINGWAY MINISTRIES | £158k | — | 0 | below | — | no doubt |
| POWER TO LIVE FOUNDATION | £111k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY MAGDALENE CHURCH, TORQUAY | £221k | Under £60,000 | 0 | below | — | noted |