HOWARD LEAGUE FOR PENAL REFORM (INCORPORATING THE HOWARD CENTRE FOR PENOLOGY)(THE)

• ◆

  3 officer resignations in last 12 months

  Multiple officers have left the board recently — see the People section for who.

Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. About these numbers

Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.

Accounting basis

FRS 102

Reporting scope

Standalone (parent only)

Auditor

Sayer Vincent LLP

Audit opinion

Unqualified (clean)

Going concern

Affirmed

“The Board have assessed the charity's financial position and its ability to continue operating for the foreseeable future. This assessment has considered the charity's current financial resources, expected income streams (robust fundraising pipeline) and expenditure commitments. As of 30 June 2025, the charity reported total funds of £2,058,502, comprising £1,500,000 in designated investment funds, £541,310 in unrestricted free reserves, and £17,192 in restricted funds. Despite reporting a net expenditure deficit of £432,235 for the year, the charity maintains a strong cash position with £468,857 held at bank. The sale of the charity's property in November 2024 for £2.4 million significantly strengthened liquidity. The Board have reviewed forecasts and budgets for the next 12 months and have considered the impact of known risks and uncertainties. Based on this review, the Board have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.”

Significant events

• “In October 2024, we appeared on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and gave television interviews to BBC Breakfast, ITV News and Channel 4 in response to the government's early release scheme and the announcement of an independent sentencing review to be led by David Gauke.”
• “In December 2024, our analysis of the prison capacity crisis was reported by Sky News, the Times, the Guardian, the Daily Mail and the Independent, prompted by a report from the National Audit Office.”
• “In April 2025, we criticised the government's decision to authorise the use of PAVA spray in prisons holding children, with our response being reported by ITV News, LBC, the Times, the Guardian, the Mirror and the Independent.”
• “From June 2025, we worked closely with the Independent for several weeks to promote the recommendations of a working group that we convened, aimed at ending the detention of people on IPP sentences.”
• “The guide was launched in the summer of 2024, explaining both the rules as they applied at the time and the forthcoming changes. The guide was later updated in September 2024 and then again in February 2025 to reflect the announcement of relevant commencement dates.”
• “In June, the collaboration between the Howard League and Peters and Peters was recognised at the annual The Lawyers Awards, receiving a 'highly commended' award in the category of pro bono initiative of the year.”
• “In July 2025, we issued judicial review proceedings in the High Court, submitting that the decision to authorise PAVA was unlawful because the Secretary of State for Justice failed to understand and investigate sufficiently: the physical and psychological damage that PAVA spray will cause to children in custody; the likely discriminatory use of PAVA spray against Black and minority ethnic children, Muslim children and children with disabilities; and whether introducing PAVA spray would increase violence and cause more harm overall.”
• “In September 2025, the High Court gave permission for the case to go ahead and on an expedited timetable. It is expected to be heard before the end of the year.”
• “In April 2025, we issued legal proceedings in the High Court, challenging a separation policy in force at Oakhill secure training centre, which allowed staff to lock children and young people alone in their rooms for longer than the law permits.”
• “In September 2025, we were given permission by the Court for the case to proceed and an urgent hearing was scheduled for November 2025. Subsequently, the government conceded the claim.”
• “In July 2024, we issued a judicial review challenging the procedural fairness of five adjudication charges heard by the Independent Adjudicator at HMYOI Swinfen Hall, who refused to adjourn a hearing despite the absence of paperwork or an opportunity to take instructions and advise the client. He found the client guilty and awarded him 36 days (which was reduced on appeal to the Prison Casework Unit to 28 days).”
• “The Court considered the case on 31 October 2024 and quashed the findings of guilt and 28 days' punishment in our client's favour, awarding inter partes costs.”

Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers

Filings

6

last 12 months

Capital events

0

last 24 months

Officers appointed

1

last 12 months

Officers resigned

3

last 12 months

Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.

• Turnover

  —

  Not reported

• Cash

  +410%

  £91,933 → £468,857

• Net assets

  -17.4%

  £2,490,737 → £2,058,502

• Employees

  -9.1%

  22 → 20

• Wages

  -14.3%

  £1,190,725 → £1,019,940

Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. The comparison is only shown when the latest and prior accounts cover broadly equal-length periods — short or long stubs (typical around incorporation or a year-end change) are suppressed rather than misrepresented. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers