Quarterlytics / Healthcare / Medical - Devices / Caretech Holdings PLC

Caretech Holdings PLC

cth · AIM Healthcare
Claim this profile
Ticker cth
Exchange AIM
Sector Healthcare
Industry Medical - Devices
Employees 10,000+
← All annual reports
FY2016 Annual Report · Caretech Holdings PLC
Sign in to download
Loading PDF…
C

a

r

e

T

e

c

h

H

o

l

d

i

n

g

s

P

L

C

A

n

n

u

a

l

R

e

p

o

r

t

a

n

d

A

c

c

o

u

n

t

s

2

0

1

6

E

x

t

r

a

o

r

d

i

n

a

r

y

d

a

y

s

e

v

e

r

y

d

a

y

Annual Report and 
Accounts 2016

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial and Operational Highlights

£149.0m
£37.1m
£26.1m
38.03p

£34.2m

Revenue
increased by 19.9% (2015: £124.3m)

Underlying EBITDA(i)

increased by 14.2% (2015: £32.5m)

Underlying profit before tax(ii)

increased by 18.6% (2015: £22.0m)

Underlying diluted earnings 
per share(ii)
increased by 19.6% (2015: 31.79p)

Cash inflows from operating 
activities before adjustment 
items
(2015: £30.8m)
with net debt(iii) of £156.4m (2015: £158.5m)

2,319

£304m
6.25p

Overall care capacity 
increased by 203(v)

(2015: 2,116) 
Occupancy 1,983 (2015: 1,821)

Property portfolio
independently valued (2015: £294m)

Final dividend per share
increased by 11.6% (2015: 5.60p)

Statutory financial 
highlights

£41.3m

EBITDA(iv)
increased by 54.1% (2015: £26.8m)

£30.5m

Operating profit 
increased by 71.3% (2015: £17.8m)

36.17p

Diluted earnings per share
increased by 162.1% (2015: 13.80p)

£34.2m

Cash inflows from operating activities 
(2015: £30.8m)

(i)  Underlying EBITDA is operating profit stated before depreciation, share-based payments charge and non-underlying items.
(ii)  Underlying profit before tax and underlying diluted earnings per share are stated before non-underlying items.
(iii) Net debt was defined by the Group’s banking facilities and comprises cash and cash equivalents net of all Loans and Borrowings due to the Group’s bankers.
(iv) EBITDA is operating profit stated before depreciation, share-based payments charge and amortisation of intangible assets.
(v)  Overall capacity has increased by 203 reflecting the net of 74 additional beds in reconfigured services and new services, 41 beds from the acquisition of ROC 
North West, 102 beds from the acquisition of Oakleaf Care (Hartwell) less 20 beds withdrawn for reconfiguration, two places more in small supported living 
packages and four more added in other services.

Our Purpose
Delivering innovative social care on behalf 
of local authority and health service 
commissioners throughout the UK, 
CareTech has a long established reputation 
as a provider of high quality and safe 
services. CareTech offers a comprehensive 
outsourcing service to commissioners with 
the experience and commitment to provide 
exactly what is required.

Focusing on the high acuity social care 
population we support children and adults 
through solutions that are both individual 
and tailor made to each of our service users.

Our core services provide for people with 
learning disabilities, individuals who have or 
are recovering from mental illness, people 

with autistic spectrum disorder, people who 
have one or more physical impairments and 
provide care and rehabilitation for men with 
acquired brain injury (“ABI”). We deliver 
support through residential services and a 
wide choice of creative home-based 
options.

Our Children Services cover assessment, 
residential care, education and fostering 
options, including specialist provision for 
very complex young people. We carefully 
and professionally support any child 
irrespective of their reasons for being in 
public care. We can provide the right 
solution for complex and difficult situations 
through our nationally recognised expertise 
in provision for children and young people 
who present with sexually offending 
behaviours or who have emotional and 

behavioural disorders. Our comprehensive 
service includes education in Ofsted 
registered schools of very high quality.

CareTech pioneered transition services for 
young people leaving care and for adults 
who are making the move into their own 
home after a lifetime in residential or 
institutional settings. We remain a national 
leader in the drive to enable people to live 
in a home of their own.

We believe in opportunity and have 
developed an enviable reputation as a 
leading provider and organiser of modern 
apprenticeships within exciting projects 
across the UK.

CareTech provides high 
quality support and care 
for individuals who often 
have complex needs. 

Delivering a safe and 
secure support of very 
high quality, ensuring 
that all our service users 
enjoy extraordinary 
days, every day.

Contents

Strategic Review 
IFC 
2 
10 
12 
20 

Financial and Operational Highlights
Group at a glance
Chairman’s Statement
Strategic Report
 Chief Executive’s Statement and 
Performance Review

24  Corporate Social Responsibility
26 

Financial Review

Governance
30   Board of Directors
32   Corporate Governance Report
35   Directors’ Report
37   Remuneration Report
39  

 Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities

Financial Statements 
40  

 Independent Auditor’s Report to the 
members of CareTech Holdings PLC
 Consolidated Statement of 
Comprehensive Income
 Consolidated Statement of 
Financial Position
 Consolidated Statement of Changes 
in Equity

41  

42  

43  

44   Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow
45   Notes to the Financial Statements 
 Company Statement of Financial 
70  
Position
 Company Statement of Changes 
in Equity

71  

72   Company Statement of Cash Flow
73  

 Notes to the Company Financial 
Statements

77   Directors and Advisers

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

1

Group at a glance

 Extraordinary  
 care

Adult Services

Adult Learning  
Disabilities

Children Services

Mental Health

Foster care

Contribution to 
Group revenue:
56.6%

Capacity:
1,669 (2015: 1,496)

Split by:
 – Residential care
 – Independent 

supported living
 – Community support 

services

Contribution to 
Group revenue:
3.9%

Capacity:
114 (2015: 114)

Split by:
 – Residential care
 – Independent 

supported living

 – Community 
outreach

Contribution to 
Group revenue:
5.8%

Capacity:
301 (2015: 301)

Split by:
 – Residential care 
of children and 
young people

 – Family assessments 

in the home

Mental health provision continues to 
dominate the health and social care 
agenda. Good mental health is a significant 
contributor to a healthy community and 
national economy, while mental ill health is 
devastating to individuals and their families. 
Most commissioners are driven by a wish to 
reduce patient time in acute care and rely 
on creative outsourcing to dramatically cut 
the cost of mental health care in hospital 
and within the criminal justice system.

CareTech’s mental health team works in 
partnership with the NHS and social service 
departments to ensure a successful 
transition out of acute care and the prison 
service, delivering pathways to an ordinary 
life. We also have an outstanding track 
record for diverting people away from acute 
care and supporting them in their own 
homes. CareTech’s highly effective care 
teams are developing new ways to offer 
community support solutions and we 
believe that this will be an important growth 
platform in years to come.

“Foster care is on a rising 
trend in terms of both 
numbers placed in foster 
care and expenditure by 
local authorities.”
Laing and Buisson 2013

Foster care is undoubtedly the best care 
solution for most “looked after” children. 
Most children thrive in foster care where 
they are supported within an ordinary 
family home and with trained foster carers. 
CareTech provides for both mainstream and 
specialist foster care through local agencies 
across the UK. Unusually we offer a highly 
respected service for physically and 
intellectually disabled children as well 
as support for children with sensory 
impairments. We provide foster care family 
assessments and ongoing support to 
children who remain with their birth 
families and in their family home.

CareTech has always operated at the highest 
acuity range on the social care spectrum, 
providing individual tailor made solutions for 
people living in their own homes, residential 
care or independent supported living schemes. 
We believe that we should continue supporting 
those with the greatest need and this accords 
with local authority commissioning trends.

Adults with learning disabilities are increasingly 
being provided with direct funding to enable 
them to purchase their own care and support. 
We work actively with service users and 
advisory bodies to deliver self-directed support 
packages and see this as an increasingly 
important aspect of our service model, as well 
as offering commercial opportunity.

For many people with the most complex 
intellectual or physical challenges, residential 
care will continue to be the preferred option 
although the services will change in their 
approach as we move toward a more 
enabling, modern type of service. An 
alternative to residential care is the opportunity 
for people to live in a home of their own, 
sometimes shared with others. CareTech is a 
leader in the provision of supported living and 
offers packages of individualised self-directed 
support to people in their own homes.

For men with ABI we provide a range of 
pathways from rehabilitation through to long 
term and end of life care. CareTech offers highly 
specialised rehabilitation beds as well as a step 
down provision of community-based beds.

2 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Caring every day
Since the CareTech Group came to the 
AIM market over 11 years ago, it has 
evolved through a mix of organic and 
prudent acquisitive growth that has led 
to our current position as one of the 
best-established and reputable national 
social care providers. We have national 
coverage across England, Wales and 
Scotland in a highly fragmented UK 
social care market. We cover the 
majority of the social care spectrum 
except elderly care.

The total market value is estimated 
(Laing and Buisson 2013) to be worth 
£7bn for children services and £8bn for 
the care of younger adults (below 65 
years of age) in the learning disability 
and mental health categories. 
The private sector share of this market 
has developed through successful 
outsourcing of services over the last 
20 years and this trend is expected to 
continue. Local authorities have largely 
protected their budgets for children 
and complex younger adults.

Learning Services

Young People  
Residential Services

EQL Solutions and  
Dawn Hodge Associates

Contribution to 
Group revenue:
26.2%

Capacity:
235 (2015: 205)

Split by:
 – Residential care 
of children and 
young people

 – Education services 
for children and 
young people

For a relatively small number of children, 
residential care offers a safe and helpful 
solution for their care needs and CareTech 
has developed an extensive range of highly 
technical care and education environments 
where those children will thrive.

Our residential provision offers high staff 
ratios and highly skilled carers, capable of 
ensuring both safety and progression. 
These are high cost services where we aim 
for an intensive period of care and a strict 
timetable that delivers results at a fair price 
to commissioners. As far as practicable 
we aim to help these children through 
our therapeutic care move into a more 
normalised family style environment as 
soon as it is wise to do so.

These services are highly intensive 
operations with exceptional staff ratios and 
include on site or dedicated educational 
facilities.

Contribution to 
Group revenue:
7.5%

Capacity:
564 (2015: 301)

Split by:
 – Pre-employment 

programmes
 – Development 
programmes
 – Apprenticeships

Since modern apprenticeships started 
several years ago we have witnessed a 
dramatic shift in the way young people 
enter the adult workforce. People are 
increasingly opting for an apprenticeship 
as an alternative to or as well as attending 
University. This was especially true of the 
Care Sector but a whole new generation 
of young people are now looking at the 
apprenticeship model as their further 
training of choice.

Through acquisition and the development 
of established apprenticeship providers 
CareTech has embraced the opportunity 
to capitalise on this change and to work 
closely with government agencies to 
improve the quality and skill base of our 
national workforce. We have chosen to 
call our apprenticeship scheme a Learning 
Service to reflect the aspiration of the 
young people we work with.

Although EQL Solutions provide training 
across the whole workforce we have 
naturally developed expertise within the 
very extensive social care sector.

Learning Services addresses an adult social 
care workforce in England of some 1.16m 
people, 905,000 of whom work within the 
independent sector (Skills for Care 2013).

There are 17,300 organisations providing 
Adult Social Care in England and the 
majority of these are operating at far too 
low a scale to deliver their own training or 
apprenticeship programmes. EQL Solutions 
and Dawn Hodge Associates, which 
received an “Outstanding” from Ofsted 
earlier this year, have significant market 
presence in social care and are well 
positioned to support both smaller 
companies as well as corporate providers.

The Government aims to increase the 
number of apprenticeship starts for 
younger people and has committed to 
providing an additional £40m for 20,000 
new higher apprenticeship starts in the 
current (2016/17) academic year.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

3

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsGroup at a glance continued

 Extraordinary 
 quality

Quality is not simply compliance with the 
requirements of regulation, although that 
remains important. Our approach is to employ 
well qualified and skilled professionals who 
can ensure that we consistently exceed the 
expectation of our service users, their families, 
social workers and commissioners.

Placing people in the care of organisations that you can trust

The business of care is predicated 
on relationships, as much as it is on 
the practical support and guidance 
that we offer on a daily basis. Troubled 
children need the warmth and 
challenging support of their care 
workers while disabled adults make 
best progress within the trust that a 
great relationship brings. 

We are also mindful that social workers 
will prefer to place people in the care 
of organisations that share their 
commitment to optimism for service 
users, that they can rely on and deliver 
outstanding value.

4 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

 
CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

5

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsGroup at a glance continued

 Extraordinary
 choice

We fundamentally believe in choice for all 
our clients and our determination to provide 
this choice in all our services is uppermost 
in our commercial thinking.

Innovative Care Pathways

One of the characteristics that 
differentiates CareTech from the 
average provider is our commitment 
to opportunity. Long before it became 
fashionable we introduced the concept 
of a Care Pathway to reflect our 
optimism that users of our services can 
make progress in their lives. We were 
never content to accept that someone 
in residential care should always 
be in residential care and developed 
alternatives at an early stage in our 
development as a Group.

Client-focused innovative Care 
Pathway approach

Care and support is characterised by 
optimism and a genuine belief in the 
abilities of our service users. Everyone 
we support has an opportunity to make 
progress in their lives and our 
professional teams work hard to help 
those people understand how to move 
forward. Many years ago we began to 
describe our services as a Care Pathway, 
making clear our intention to break away 
from the old belief that care is for life. 
We have delivered on this commitment 
and everyone we support, from young 
children to profoundly disabled adults, 
shares our approach to maximise their 
independence. This is great for service 
users, rewarding for our staff and 
strongly supported by those who 
commission and sponsor our services.

6 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

7

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsGroup at a glance continued

 Extraordinary
 growth

CareTech is a public company which operates 
throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Our 
target in the next few years is to continue to 
grow and to combine this with care excellence.

National presence

Strong brand

CareTech is very well known as a care 
company in public ownership that 
operates throughout England, Scotland 
and Wales. Our national presence is 
reinforced through conferences and 
publications where the CareTech 
view is frequently sought and taken 
into account.

Financial security, probity and reliability 
combine to offer confidence in the 
CareTech brand. We offer high quality 
services with a strong ethical base with 
the benefits of scale, operating within 
friendly and trusted local service 
businesses.

8 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

9

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsChairman’s Statement

A busy 2016 creating a 
springboard for further 
growth

I am pleased to present our 
results for the year ended 
30 September 2016. 

Farouq Sheikh 
Chairman

10 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

This has been another successful and 
exceptionally busy year with the key 
highlights being:
 – Ground rent transaction raised £30m 
 – Increased organic initiatives including 

reconfigurations and property purchases

 – Completion of two acquisitions during 
the year which add to our geography 
and service offering

 – Further strengthening of management 
team and investment in IT systems
 – Benefit from the improved terms of the 
new banking facilities completed in 
July 2015

It is really pleasing to note that we have 
continued to maintain our position as a 
leading care provider with our good quality 
ratings across the Group. Moreover, we 
have extended our Care Pathways through 
successful outcomes for the people we 
support. As a result we have improved our 
capacity during the year which has led to an 
increase in all of our financial KPIs and our 
underlying EBITDA.

This has produced an impressive set of 
financial results where:
 – Revenue has increased by 19.9% to £149m
 – Underlying EBITDA has increased by 

14.2% to £37.1m

 – EBITDA has increased by 54.1% to 41.3m
 – Underlying PBT has increased by 18.6% 

to £26.1m

 – PBT has increased by 139.8% to £22.5m
 – Underlying diluted EPS had increased 

by 19.6% to 38.03p

 – Diluted EPS has increased by 162.1% 

to 36.17p

 – Improved cash inflows from operating 

activities by 11.0% to £34.2m

 – Full year dividend increased by 11.6% 

to 6.25p 

All of the above mentioned initiatives 
demonstrate a solid performance on 
delivery of both the key financial and 
non-financial metrics and puts the Group 
in the strong position to target further 
underlying EPS growth going forward.

The Group has stood out from its peer 
group of providers as a company that 
can successfully combine quality, integrity 
and sound financial acumen and has 
consistently achieved high care quality 
ratings. Our credibility as the provider of 
choice has never been stronger and we 
continue our successful growth strategy 
with a confident outlook.

In December 2015 the Company announced 
the acquisition of ROC North West for an 

i

S
t
r
a
t
e
g
c
R
e
v
i
e
w
–
G
o
v
e
r
n
a
n
c
e

–

i

F
n
a
n
c
a

i

l

S
t
a
t
e
m
e
n
t
s

initial cash payment of £8.7m. This purchase 
utilised the remainder of the net proceeds 
from the Group’s share placement in March 
2015. The whole of the £21m gross placing 
was spent on the earnings enhancing 
acquisitions of Spark of Genius, Dawn Hodge 
and ROC North West within a nine-month 
period.

In February 2016 the Company announced 
a ground rent transaction which raised £30m 
in cash to support its growth strategy. The 
innovative ground rent agreement is with the 
funds managed by Alpha Real Capital at a net 
initial yield of 3.4%. Under the terms of the 
agreement, the freehold to 41 CareTech 
properties were transferred to Alpha’s 
managed funds in exchange for a cash sum 
of £30 million and security of tenure with a 
150-year term. The commencing rent will be 
£1.07m per annum, which will rise with the 
Retail Price Index on a five-yearly compound 
basis at between 0% and 5% per annum. 

The transaction releases a significant amount 
of cash for reinvestment in growth 
opportunities whilst maintaining a virtual 
freehold interest in the properties, which are 
located mainly in the South East and represent 
less than a quarter of the Company’s freehold 
portfolio. This further highlights the extent to 
which the valuation of our freehold portfolio is 
in excess of our book cost due to the profit 
created by the transaction.

A month later in March 2016 the Company 
announced the acquisition of Oakleaf Care 
(Hartwell) for an initial cash payment of 
£18.3m, thus utilising 60% of the ground rent 
money raised. Oakleaf offers both highly 
specialised rehabilitation beds for men with 
acquired brain injury as well as community-
based stepdown provision, a service that 
reflects the Group’s Care Pathway in adult 
high acuity care.

During 2016 we again closed several services 
for reconfiguration which impacted the 
growth in revenue. Offsetting this there are 
better fees following our reconfiguration plus 
the impact of cost saving initiatives and the 
time and attendance system has further 
improved underlying EBITDA. The Group’s 
organic development programme will 
continue with further reconfigurations and 
for 2017 we have a strong pipeline of 
development opportunities with two property 
purchases soon after the year end.

In the 11 years since joining AIM, the business 
has transformed from being very focused on 
supporting adults with a learning disability 
through residential and day care settings to 

one where today we cater for young people 
and children with complex needs across a 
range of settings, be it residential, supported 
living or community support. We focus on the 
most complex and vulnerable young people 
and the market for this client group stands at 
over £10bn. There is currently an undersupply 
of specialist beds in the niche area and the 
market is growing by almost 3% per annum. 

Over the years we have developed a range 
of Care Pathways and helped many that we 
support to live more independently. This is 
a fantastic outcome for both us and the 
individuals that we support and it also helps 
local authorities meet the ever increasing cost 
of social care provision.

Even with significant growth we have 
achieved to date we still have less than 2% 
of this very large and fragmented market. 
With the increasing regulatory burden, the 
opportunity for further consolidation is even 
more attractive. 

Dividend
The Group policy has been to increase the 
total dividend per year broadly in line with 
the movement in underlying diluted earnings 
per share.

That growth in 2016 was 19.6% so the Board 
has proposed a final dividend of 6.25p 
(2015: 5.60p) per share bringing the total 
dividend for the year to 9.25p (2015: 8.40p) 
per share. This represents a full year increase 
of 10.1% year on year. The final dividend will 
be paid, subject to shareholder approval, 
on 8 May 2017, with an ex-dividend date of 
9 March 2017 and an associated record date 
of 10 March 2017.

Our Board
There have been no changes to the Board 
during the year. As a foundation for growth 
the Senior Executive Team at CareTech 
has been further strengthened following 
the appointment of John Ivers in 2015 as 
Chief Operating Officer and several senior 
appointments since with more planned, thus 
underpinning the growth of the business. 

During the year the Remuneration 
Committee, the Audit Committee and the 
Care Governance and Safeguarding 
Committee were unchanged.

Our people
We have completed our planned evolution 
into two well defined operating divisions, 
Children Services and Adult Services, and this 
has generated organisational efficiencies. 
Simplifying the structure has also supported 

planning and service delivery with a more 
powerful approach to development.

Our continuing growth, measurable success 
and forward-looking approach are a 
reflection of the hard work and dedication 
of staff and managers throughout the 
organisation. I am always drawn to the 
achievements of our excellent front line 
staff, which is inevitable as we are first and 
foremost a care organisation. Their care and 
commitment would be much less without 
the dedicated support of our administrators 
and support teams whose hard work and 
energy is critical to the success of our 
Company and the care we provide.

In March 2016 the Company announced the 
creation of the CareTech Sharesave Scheme 
which represents a Government supported 
method for any of our staff to have the 
opportunity to participate in the Company’s 
equity. Over 200 members of staff chose to 
join this new savings scheme and we plan to 
have a second CareTech Sharesave Scheme 
in 2017 as this is one part of our staff 
retention strategy.

Outlook and prospects
We understand the market and have 
anticipated shifts in social and health policy. 
Our understanding of the social care 
environment remains strong and we are 
positioned to meet market changes and 
have an improved platform for growth. 

With the money raised from shareholders last 
year, from the ground rent transaction this year 
and our own free cash flow generated from 
the business, we have major investment plans 
for 2017 and beyond with key new organic 
developments and bolt-on acquisitions. 
Importantly, we have also, and continue to, 
further strengthen our management team, 
offering a forceful blend of experience, 
commercial wisdom and dedication to care. 
I have no doubt that the next few years will 
see continuing growth and care excellence 
which will help deliver our target of double 
digit growth in underlying EPS. 

Farouq Sheikh
Chairman
23 January 2017

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 11

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial Statements 
 
Strategic Report

Creating sustainable value  
in our markets

The Directors present their Strategic 
Report on the Group for the year ended 
30 September 2016. In preparing this report, 
the Directors have complied with S414C 
of the Companies Act 2006. The Strategic 
Report should be read in conjunction with 
the Strategic Review for the Group, which 
includes the Highlights, Group at a glance, 
Chairman’s Statement, Strategic Report, 
the Chief Executive’s Statement and 
Performance Review and Financial Review. 

Our market
The care market in which the Group 
operates is a UK market worth £15bn per 
annum across the Adult Services for adults 
over the age of 18 and Children Services 
for children and young people up to the 
age of 18. 

The principal driver for commissioners in 
local authorities and the NHS is value. This is 
interpreted by them as the optimum balance 
between quality and price, but has an 
underpinning criterion determined by 
“outcomes”. CareTech has been aligned to 
this set of purchasing principals and we 
work closely with commissioners to ensure 
that we stay in tune with their approach to 
market management.

Most providers of social care have fewer 
than three services and this huge, 
fragmented range of providers dominates 
the market. However, the market has been 
steadily consolidating and a very small 
number of large “corporate” providers have 
emerged, with CareTech being one of the 
bigger players within the non-elderly care 
sector. Numerically the large providers will 
have a very small minority of the market 
capacity and all the evidence suggests that 
consolidation will continue, perhaps 
accelerating, during the foreseeable future.

Although the available resources to 
purchase social care remain largely static 
there is a known increase in demand across 
the whole spectrum, presenting purchasing 
bodies with a conundrum. One response 
has been to move money away from the 
NHS in order to allow local authorities 
greater purchasing power. However, the 
most significant change has been to a 
system of aggressive rationing. This has 
focused money on the areas of highest 
need such as complex children, very 
disabled or complex people with learning 
difficulties and hospital discharge schemes. 
This is where CareTech has developed its 
provision and helps to explain why spending 
cuts have had minimal impact on the Group.

Adult Services

Adult Learning Disabilities
 – Residential care
 – Independent supported living
 – Community support services

Mental Health
 – Residential care
 – Independent supported living
 – Community outreach

Children Services

Foster Care
 – Fostering
 – Family assessments in the home

1.4m

people, of which 85,000 
in the UK cannot live 
independently

2.4%

of the UK population will 
be referred to a specialist 
psychiatric service

£5.9bn

value per annum of market 

for residential learning disabilities 

and supported living

£14.4bn

value per annum of  

NHS/LA total spend  

on mental health

Market growth rate

5.5% pa

5.5% pa

51,340

people are placed in 
foster care in England

£1.1bn

value of foster care 

market across England

1.5% pa

Young People Residential Services
 – Residential care of children and 

young people

 – Education services for children and 

young people

17,500

children in England are looked 
after outside foster care

£1.0bn

value of residential children’s 

market across England

0.2% pa

Learning Services
 – Pre-employment programmes
 – Development programmes
 – Apprenticeship

510,000

apprenticeship starts

£1.6bn

apprenticeship budget

9.1% pa

Source: Data from Laing and Buisson 2013 report.

12 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

i

S
t
r
a
t
e
g
c
R
e
v
i
e
w
–
G
o
v
e
r
n
a
n
c
e

–

i

F
n
a
n
c
a

i

l

Adult Services

Adult Learning Disabilities

 – Residential care

 – Independent supported living

 – Community support services

Mental Health

 – Residential care

 – Independent supported living

 – Community outreach

Children Services

Foster Care

 – Fostering

 – Family assessments in the home

1.4m

people, of which 85,000 

in the UK cannot live 

independently

2.4%

of the UK population will 

be referred to a specialist 

psychiatric service

£5.9bn

value per annum of market 
for residential learning disabilities 
and supported living

£14.4bn

value per annum of  
NHS/LA total spend  
on mental health

Market growth rate

5.5% pa

5.5% pa

S
t
a
t
e
m
e
n
t
s

51,340

people are placed in 

foster care in England

£1.1bn

value of foster care 
market across England

1.5% pa

Young People Residential Services

 – Residential care of children and 

 – Education services for children and 

young people

young people

17,500

children in England are looked 

after outside foster care

£1.0bn

value of residential children’s 
market across England

0.2% pa

Learning Services

 – Pre-employment programmes

 – Development programmes

 – Apprenticeship

510,000

apprenticeship starts

£1.6bn

apprenticeship budget

9.1% pa

Source: Data from Laing and Buisson 2013 report.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 13

 
 
Strategic Report continued

A strategy to drive  
future growth

Our Business Model represents how we aim to generate 
revenue and profit from our operations.

Our Business Model
The Group aims to operate throughout 
mainland Britain in England, Wales and 
Scotland in partnership with local 
authorities and the NHS, facilitating the 
outsourcing process, driving value and 
removing risk.

During the period, the Group continued to 
develop and grow organically four existing 
operating divisions, which come under the 
two outcome-based sectors of Adult 
Services and Children Services. These four 
operating divisions are supported by the 
Learning Services division. The growth 
going forward is underpinned by the strong 
starting position that we have built carefully 

over the past few years. We continue to 
extend both our geographic coverage and 
our outcome-based Care Pathway range 
of services organically and through the 
purchase and sale of properties to meet 
the needs of our marketplace, specifically 
the requirement for greater acuity service 
provision. This ensures that CareTech is 
in a very strong position to address the 
demands of our evolving marketplace.

Our Business Model represents how we aim to 
generate revenue and profit from our operations.

N a tional presence

Adult Learning
Difficulties

Care
Governance

Learning
Services

Safeguarding
Committee

Extraordinary
days every day

Strong
brand

Mental
Health

Experienced
and committed
management

Care
Pathway

Foster Care and
Family Services

Young People
Residential Services

14 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Our resources
The key resources that we require to 
provide care are:

People to provide care
Staff and carers who have appropriate skills 
and qualities to look after children or 
adults in need of care and who remain 
fully trained.

People with skills to manage, 
train and support our people 
who provide care
Skilled staff to provide the management 
and training to our people who provide 
care.

Buildings, homes and land
The land and buildings to provide 
accommodation for residential services 
or supported living.

Financial resources
Financial stability to be able to employ 
the right staff and to provide the right land 
and buildings.

Setting out our key strategic 
priorities
We shall continue to improve the quality 
and scope of our services, increase market 
share and grow shareholder value.

Shareholder value
CareTech has delivered sustainable and 
reliable growth since the day it listed. It has 
aimed to be a defensible stock even in 
difficult times and for some time has offered 
a good quality dividend policy. We have 
every reason to believe that growth will 
continue and the management team remains 
enthusiastic about the Group’s future.

Our strategy
Our understanding of the social care 
market and our relationships with local 
authority commissioners is vital to our 
strategy. We are sensitive to the complex 
financial position that local authorities are 
in and their need to have trusted business 
partners who can help them deliver 
statutory duties efficiently and with care.

Social care expertise
Employing numerous qualified and skilled 
care workers, foster carers, teachers and 
managers, the CareTech front line teams are 
supported by a wide range of high level 
professionals such as social workers, nurses, 
therapists, psychologists and a skilled 
Medical Director with oversight of all 
interventions.

High quality
The driver for social care is an organisation’s 
ability to deliver high quality care, with 
reliable outcomes at a fair price. We believe 
that the market has recognised that 
CareTech offers the best possible balance 
between quality and value and understands 
the need for progressive thinking and 
innovation to deliver ongoing results.

Nationwide locations
The CareTech strategy is to offer a strong 
national presence with local brands and 
regional service delivery points. This supports 
development of local relationships while 
offering the comfort and security of a well 
resourced and strong Group.

Excellent reputation
The CareTech brand is strong and our 
extensive relationships across the UK are 
robust. This is reinforced by our presence at 
major industry events where we have been 
reliable sponsors and commentators. The 
most effective way that we sustain our 
reputation is by delivering what we promise 
for the people we support and by treating our 
staff well.

High occupancy
CareTech services are in demand and 
occupancy has remained high despite fears of 
local authority austerity impacting referrals. 
What’s more, the nature of referrals in recent 
years has been toward the more complex end 
of the spectrum.

Continued growth
It is well known that demographic trends show 
growth in social care in the foreseeable future.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 15

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsStrategic Report continued

Our key performance 
indicators

Our KPIs help to measure the Group’s  
performance against its strategy and objectives.

Underlying 
EBITDA

£37.1m

(2015: £32.5m)

Underlying 
profit after tax

£24.0m

(2015: £18.3m)

Underlying 
diluted EPS

38.03p

(2015: 31.79p)

Net debt

£156.4m

(2015: £158.5m)

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

£24.9m

£26.4m

£30.7m

£32.5m

£37.1m

How this is calculated
Underlying EBITDA is the Earnings before Interest, Tax, Depreciation 
and Amortisation for the year excluding non-underlying items such 
as amortisation of intangible assets which are fully described in 
note 5 to the Financial Statements.

Performance this year
The underlying EBITDA has improved by £4.6m or 14.2% year on year. 
This reflects the organic growth achieved by the core business which 
has been in part reduced by the reconfiguration work on some 
properties and improved margins and acquisitions.

£13.3m

£14.1m

£16.1m

£18.3m

How this is calculated
Underlying profit after tax is the Group’s profit after provision for 
taxation excluding non-underlying items such as amortisation of 
intangible assets after tax which are fully described in note 5 to the 
Financial Statements.

Performance this year
The underlying profit after tax has improved by £4.7m or 25.7% year 
on year. This reflects the improved underlying EBITDA and finance 
charges offset by an increased tax provision.

£24.0m

26.47p

27.43p

31.01p

31.79p

How this is calculated
Underlying diluted earnings per share is the underlying profit after tax 
(which is after adjusting for non-underlying items which are not 
considered to impact the trading performance of the Group) divided 
by the weighted number of ordinary shares which are fully described 
in notes 10 and 11 to the Financial Statements.

Performance this year
The underlying diluted earnings per share has increased by 6.24p at 
19.6% year on year. This is the increase in underlying profit after tax.

38.03p

£131.2m

£168.5m

£166.1m

£158.5m

£156.4m

How this is calculated
Net debt is defined in the Group’s banking facilities and comprises 
the balance at the year end for cash and cash equivalents net of 
bank loans outstanding and finance lease and hire purchase 
contract monies outstanding to the Group’s bankers. It does not 
include the finance lease obligations as calculated under IAS 17 
arising from the ground rent transaction which is not owed to the 
Group’s bankers. 

Performance this year
Bank debt at 30 September 2016 was £149.8m which is a reduction 
of £1.2m from 30 September 2015 of £151.0m. Finance leases with 
the Group’s bankers at the year end were £6.6m (2015: £7.5m) with 
the decrease due principally to the lease repayments net of the new 
investment in 37 new home vehicles during the year, which take our 
fleet to 462 vehicles. Net debt in total reduced by £2.1m or 1.3% 
between 30 September 2015 and 30 September 2016.

16 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

i

S
t
r
a
t
e
g
c
R
e
v
i
e
w
–
G
o
v
e
r
n
a
n
c
e

–

i

F
n
a
n
c
a

i

l

Capacity

2,319
places

(2015: 2,116 places)

Mature Estate 
occupancy

93%

(2015: 93%)

Blended 
occupancy

86%

(2015: 86%)

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

S
t
a
t
e
m
e
n
t
s

How this is calculated
The Group’s capacity is the total number of Adult Service and 
Children Service places that the Group is able to offer at that date. It is 
a total including residential care beds, independent supported living 
accommodation, community support service users and children that 
foster carers can currently look after.

Performance this year
Overall capacity has increased by 203 which is a 9.6% increase. 

ROC North West and Spark of Genius also has capacity to provide 
education to 25 children but this is not included in the capacity 
increase above.

How this is calculated
The Mature Estate occupancy is the total number of Adult and 
Children Service users placed in services that were open throughout 
the year.

Performance this year
The ratio has remained unchanged at 93% and reflects the long 
length of stay that the majority of service users have in our services.

How this is calculated
Blended occupancy is the total number of Adult and Children Service 
users actually placed as a percentage of the Group’s total capacity 
and so reflects facilities undergoing development and reconfiguration.

Performance this year
The ratio has remained at 86% and reflects the additional beds in 
reconfigured services brought back into capacity and the reduction 
in those withdrawn for reconfiguration plus new beds coming 
into service.

2,116

2,116

2,074

2,116

2,319

92%

92%

92%

93%

93%

86%

84%

86%

86%

86%

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 17

 
 
Strategic Report continued

Principal risks and our 
strategic response

Our principal risk management strategy  
is to ensure that our staff are recruited well,  
are trained and supervised properly and  
are subject to rigorous quality oversight.

Social care is a long-term contract with the 
public sector and is inherently free of risk 
so long as quality is maintained, outcomes 
are achieved and the price is right. 
However, social care does carry risks that 
will always be at the forefront of our minds. 
The most obvious risk is that a tragedy will 
occur and that the Company will be held 
to blame.

To date this has not occurred but we take 
the risk very seriously. Our principal risk 
management strategy is to ensure that our 
staff are recruited well, are trained and 
supervised properly and are subject to 
rigorous quality oversight. In addition, we 
know from experience that processes and 
documentation must be very carefully 
observed and constantly reviewed to ensure 
that it protects service users and provides 
the Company with a defendable position 
in the case of tragedy.

These matters, along with general 
safeguarding, are subject to intense scrutiny 
by our in-house compliance and quality 
teams and Board-level oversight.

Managing risk and mitigating risk
Social care is not a high risk business 
proposition but there are several unique 
factors that could cause difficulties for the 
careless or casual provider. These centre on 
the way in which care and support is provided 
and the reliability of those front line staff who 
provide it. CareTech approaches these issues 
with considerable care and exceptional 
diligence, building in quality and training 
wherever it is required but also through its 
established scrutiny protocols and firm 
leadership. We care a great deal about what 
we do and have established a reputation for 
careful management of all those processes 
that could expose us to risk.

We have thoroughly reviewed our operations. 
The Group trades only within the UK and has 
no Foreign Exchange exposure. We have 
limited exposure to nursing staff and the EU 
labour market. Our primary recruitment is 
focused on the UK labour market for support 
staff and the recruitment of new staff is the 
factor that we are managing and we continue 
to monitor closely.

In 2017 the Apprenticeship Levy is being 
introduced and we are confident that the 
Learning Division through EQL and DHA are 
well placed to take full advantage of the new 
market structure.

Our risks
All providers of health and social care are 
conscious of the need for management 
vigilance and the requirement to have a 
thorough commitment to delivering care 
that is safe and of a high quality. CareTech’s 
approach to quality and safe service delivery 
is characterised by a mixture of a dedicated 
compliance team carrying out regular audits 
of inspection and a commitment to building 
quality into everything we do.

The market for the provision of social 
care services continues to be dynamic, 
presenting both risks and opportunities. 
The overall number of people needing 
support will increase, and a smaller 
proportion of them will be placed into 
residential services. Those who do need 
a residential care solution will have more 
complex needs and are likely to require a 
wider range of services, including clinical 
and therapeutic support. Our operational 
management teams are already focusing 
on the delivery of high quality care. As we 
move forward this will become increasingly 
specialised with the benefit of professional 
qualified care co-ordinators who will 
prepare and direct personalised care 
plans within the services.

Most service users will be supported in their 
own homes through domiciliary care or in 
more formal supported living arrangements. 
This is a major growth area for care 
providers and CareTech already has a solid 
reputation for its high quality and flexible 
solutions. We are building this to a higher 
level and refining our organisational 
structure to build more rapidly on our 
successes to date.

By order of the Board

Farouq Sheikh
Chairman
23 January 2017

18 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

1. Service offer and user needs

Risk description

We have to create and staff a service offering which matches the needs of the service user and can be communicated to commissioners so it 
is carefully recorded locally at every service in order to reduce the risk of service users moving to other service providers.

2. Quality and safety

Risk description

A health and safety breach would impact its reputation, brand and compromise the safety of those in our care. We have to provide and deliver 
safe care of a high quality and the Group utilises Acoura, an independent supplier, to audit and report monthly on health and safety matters 
as well as all RIDDORS (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) so that all incidents are recorded and 
acted upon.

3. Service value

Risk description

The service offer has to be provided to meet the needs of the commissioners at a fair price and this is coming under increased scrutiny as 
commissioners regularly review value for money so the Group communicates frequently with its commissioners locally.

4. Reputation

Risk description

The Group has to have a reputation for delivering a service that is good value and takes account of all risks. The Group maintains a Risk Register 
which includes all key risks, including reputational risk, and how they are mitigated though quality of service and good communication with 
service users and local authorities and this Risk Register is reviewed monthly. 

5. Growth funding

Risk description

So that the Group can keep growing adequate funding has to be anticipated and put in place and the Group ensures that all of its facilities are 
monitored and reviewed regularly, in particular during its budget and forecasting processes.

6. Manage debt

Risk description

The level of debt obtained to fund operations and ensure that growth can occur has to be carefully managed and the different forms of leasing 
and debt are reviewed quarterly when all of the covenants are also reviewed.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 19
CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 19

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsChief Executive’s Statement and Performance Review

A solid foundation  
for growth 

It gives me great pleasure to report again on a 
successful year that reflects the hard work of 
all of our management team, the enthusiasm 
of our staff and the support of our Board.

Overview
The Group has continued to build upon its 
solid foundations and remains in a strong 
position to continue as a leading provider 
of high quality specialist social care services 
in a large and growing UK market which 
remains fragmented.

The Group has continued to develop 
through organic growth and reconfigurations 
and with the acquisitions in December 2015 
and March 2016 it has gained experienced 
management teams with skilled leaders. The 
new businesses have integrated and settled 
well, and our focus on organic growth 
remains strong.

A key recent strategy has been the 
development of the Learning Services 
division which continues to have a positive 
impact on gaining new staff, their training 
and retention. There have been a number 
of other measures like the ExSOP, Sharesave 
Scheme and Level 5 in Care Management 
training scheme for managers.

Consolidation and creating 
new opportunities
CareTech remains at the forefront of social 
care outsourcing across both Children 
Services and Adult Services in the UK and 
in the year there has been a further 
increase in working closely with 
commissioners and regulators.

National public policy continues to be 
a significant driver of local authority 
commissioning intentions and behaviour. 
For a number of years public policy 
has encouraged greater personalisation 
of health and social care for adults. 
Commissioners and leading providers 
are driving change that will mean offering 
people more choice and control over the 
care, treatment and support they receive 
while at the same time maintaining the 
quality and safety of those services.

Our care priorities drive successful outcomes 
for our service users and follow closely the 
guidance from central Government.

Haroon Sheikh 
Chief Executive Officer

20 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Our key focus for delivering quality services 
and positive outcomes is supported by the 
following key factors:

Communication 
 – We have open and frank dialogue with 

our service users, their families and social 
workers, as well as the regulators.

Independence
 – In our social care and health contracts 
we aim to help our service users to 
return to an ordinary independent life. 
It may be children who can return to 
their birth families or live independently. 
It may be adults who we can help on the 
pathway to recovery following a mental 
health breakdown, or acquired brain 
injury or people with learning disability 
who we can support towards 
independent living.

Housing care and support 
 – We know that most people aspire to have 
a place of their own, employment and 
ongoing support. We have structured 
our services, developing new provision 
and creative partnerships with housing 
providers to enable these aspirations to 
be achieved whenever possible and we 
are tailoring training to assist young 
people and adults leaving our services 
to gain employment.

Self-directed support 
 – It is pivotal to government policy that 

adults and children receiving social care 
are fully engaged in the support that they 
require. With some adults this extends 
to the provision of a cash sum enabling 
them to purchase their care and support 
directly. CareTech managers have been 
further reviewing our systems and 
delivering training throughout the 
organisation to ensure that we are able 
to deliver the requirements of self-
directed support.

Quality and dignity
 – CareTech has always delivered high 
quality care in exceptional premises. 
However, we have never been 
complacent about this and have 
undertaken reviews to ensure that we 
deliver the right quality at an acceptable 
price. We have also learned a great 
deal from the experience of our NHS 
colleagues and developed a Dignity 
Test to ensure that our front line and 
administrative staff treat all our clients 
in ways that promote dignity.

National winners of the CareTech staff awards.

Progress in the year
The year has seen continued progress as 
the Group concentrates on the introduction 
of innovative new services developed in 
partnership with local authority commissioners 
reconfigured from within our existing 
portfolio of properties or through new 
properties either purchased or rented for 
service users for supported living.

In December 2015 the Group acquired ROC 
North West and in March 2016 Oakleaf Care 
(Hartwell), so the progress has been a mixture 
of organic development and acquisitions.

ROC North West is based in Lancashire and is 
a provider of residential care and education for 
young people with complex needs. Oakleaf 
Care (Hartwell) is based in Northamptonshire 
and is a specialist in the care and rehabilitation 
of men with acquired brain injury.

Our Adult Services have added 70 beds in 
the year, being 63 in Supported Living and 
in Residential.

Children Services have added 31 beds in the 
year in three services. 

The Group also continues to realise the 
benefit of organisational improvements that 
were put in place over the past few years. 
We have continued to strengthen the 
management structure with further senior 
appointments planned and to improve the 
efficiency of our processes following further 
investment in new systems which have gone 
live or we are working on now. We are seeing 
the benefits of new executive appointments 
which continue to have a positive impact 
across the services.

New systems were procured during the year 
for the Group’s training solutions including 
e-learning with standard automated reports 
as well as for maintenance, hosting, data 
analytics and e-compliance in order to 
benefit from cutting edge technology.

These improvements have put us in a strong 
position to benefit from a number of the 
commissioning opportunities by working in 
partnership with the NHS and local authorities.

Care Pathway range and services
The Group’s focus remains the provision of 
specialist social care through its five divisions. 
This is underpinned by a well-defined range 
of provisions which meet the commissioner 
requirements. These services are now even 
more extensive and focused on providing 
high quality care and positive outcomes for 
all of our service users.

The Group continued to develop and grow its 
existing four operating divisions, which come 
under the two outcome-based sectors of 
Adult Services and Children Services. We 
continue to extend both our geographic 
coverage and our outcome based Care 
Pathway range of services organically and 
by acquisition and through the purchase and 
sale of properties to meet the needs of our 
marketplace, specifically the requirement 
for greater acuity service provision for both 
Children and Young People and Adults. 
This ensures that CareTech is in a very strong 
position to address the demands of our 
evolving marketplace.

The Learning Services division was expanded 
by the acquisition of Dawn Hodge Associates 
(DHA) late in 2015, and I am particularly 
delighted to report on the integration and 
development of our apprenticeship model 
in 2016. The team has already completed 
pioneering work by developing the 
apprenticeship model in social care, and the 
CareTech Aspire Programme which takes 
CareTech’s care staff from the foundations of 
mandatory and statutory training to offer the 
opportunity to complete a Level 2 or Level 3 
apprenticeship. At the year end, this programme 
had 359 CareTech apprentices undertaking 
the qualifications and 123 of our support staff 
had already completed a Level 2 or Level 3 
apprenticeship. There are also 64 staff 
members benefiting from Level 5, Team Leader, 
Business Administration or Customer Services.

We remain committed to the growth of 
residential care solutions for adults and 
children with the most complex needs 
and the CareTech Group has embraced 
the development of home-based solutions 
including foster care where demand for 
more specialist services remain strong. Our 
residential care services for children cater 
for young people with particularly difficult 
issues and offer a national service; with 
strong growth seen in the North of England 
with the addition of ROC North West which 
has care and educational services. Since 
that acquisition we have purchased 
properties in Scotland and North West 
England for both Spark of Genius and ROC 
North West to develop into new services. 
Our adult services offer a solid and reliable 
provision across the whole spectrum of 
service offerings which now includes 
acquired brain injuries and we see a 
particular volume demand in the area of 
supported living, balanced by renewed 
demand for more specialised residential 
care solutions.

Our strategy is to offer a bespoke range 
of options so that we can maintain the 
Care Pathways that distinguish us from 
other providers.

Overview of progress
Our focus during the past year has continued 
to be further building on the businesses 
which established the Care Pathways whilst 
introducing innovative new solutions to meet 
the challenges faced by care commissioners 
and then adding newly acquired businesses 
with complementary skills.

Capacity has increased by 203 places 
principally because we have continued to 
reconfigure services and acquired ROC 
North West and Oakfleaf Care (Hartwell). 
Occupancy levels within our mature 
services remain at a creditable 93%, or 
86% when taking into account our services 
under development and transition.

Much has been written about personalisation 
and I felt it would be useful to set out our 
own understanding and commitment to 
personalisation.

Personalisation to us means recognising 
people as individuals who have strengths 
and preferences and putting them at the 
centre of their own care and support.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 21

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsChief Executive’s Statement and Performance Review continued

The traditional service-led approach has 
often meant that people have not been able 
to procure the kind of support they need, or 
receive tailored care assisance. Personalised 
approaches such as self-directed support 
and personal budgets involve enabling 
people to identify their own needs and 
make choices about how and when they 
are supported to live their lives. 

Our two business divisions of Adult Services 
and Children Services comprise the 
following four Care Pathways and our 
Learning Services division.

1.  Adult Learning Disabilities

Revenue

£84.4m (2015: £75.7m)

Underlying EBITDA* £26.4m (2015: £24.5m)

that redevelopment of some of our long stay 
residential provision has been a great success 
over the past year and will continue to meet 
the changing requirements of commissioners 
and families.

The market for high acuity care and the 
support of people with learning disability is 
growing year on year. Demand for low-level 
support has been impacted by the cuts in 
local authority expenditure but this is not an 
area of activity in which CareTech operates. 
Conversely, resources for those with the 
highest level of need are being maintained 
and increased in some local authorities.

During the past year we have developed 
74 beds through reconfiguration of existing 
residential services. 

Capacity

1,669 (2015: 1,496)

Further new provision is under development.

Adult Learning Disabilities provides 
individually tailor-made solutions for people 
living in their own homes, residential care or 
independent supported living schemes. We 
can work with clients to deliver self-directed 
support packages.

For some people residential care will 
continue as the preferred option and we 
increasingly offer several types of supported 
living and packages of individualised 
self-directed support to people in their 
own homes.

This includes adult residential care homes, 
independent supported living and 
community support services.

In March 2016, Oakleaf Care (Hartwell) was 
acquired and added its range of pathways 
from rehabilitation through to long-term 
and end-of-life care for men with acquired 
brain injury. This acquisition builds on the 
Group’s existing neurological services and 
represents a further regional growth 
platform for the Group.

2.  Mental Health

Revenue

£5.7m (2015: £6.4m)

Underlying EBITDA* £1.7m (2015: £1.9m)

Capacity

114 (2015: 114)

The reduction in revenue in Mental Health 
arises because there have been a number of 
services reconfigured and transferred to Adult 
Learning Disabilities.

Mental Health works in partnerships with 
the NHS to ensure a successful transition 
out of acute care, delivering pathways to 
independence. We have an outstanding 
track record for helping people away from 
acute care and supporting them in their 
own homes.

The adult services for this Care Pathway 
include a community-based hospital, adult 
residential care homes, independent 
supported living and community outreach 
with some transitional services transferred 
within the Group.

The principal reason for the increase in 
underlying EBITDA of £1.9m was the 
acquisition of Oakleaf Care (Hartwell) and 
reconfiguration of homes from Mental 
Health and their reopening late in the 
current financial year

Community Mental Health has always been 
a critical but relatively neglected area of social 
care. However, this is changing as the NHS 
drives to lower bed capacity and accelerated 
early discharge from acute psychiatric 
hospital care. 

We have continued to work closely with 
local authority and NHS commissioners and 
this has helped us to achieve our growth 
through the past year. We take a long-term 
view, recognising that change will continue 
and with this in mind I am pleased to report 

The growth of social care is certain and the 
response by Government to one of the key 
difficulties is progressing. There has been 
some progress in the removal of large 
numbers of learning disabled people from 
the controversial “Treatment and Assessment 

Centres” operating at various locations 
throughout the UK. CareTech has never 
operated any centres of this type but we 
understand that the CEO of NHS England has 
been tasked with ensuring that these centres 
are re-provided as a matter of urgency. 
CareTech is seeking opportunities to support 
the project and to offer a comprehensive 
solution within its community homes.

We are well positioned for expansion 
in Mental Health and have a sustainable 
infrastructure to deliver growth. 

3.  Foster Care

Revenue

£8.7m (2015: £9.8m)

Underlying EBITDA* £2.2m (2015: £2.5m)

Capacity

301 (2015: 301)

Foster Care provides for both mainstream 
and specialist foster care in small supportive 
groups across England and Wales for children 
with disabilities. We also provide foster care 
family assessments in the home rather than 
in a residential setting.

The unchanged capacity, and a fall in revenue 
and underlying EBITDA in Foster Care arises 
due to the competitive nature of the market 
as well as the change to family assessments 
in the home. It is also due to capacity being 
reported on the new basis of children that 
carers are able to look after rather than the 
number they are approved for. 

“Foster Care is on a rising 
trend in terms of both 
numbers placed in foster 
care and expenditure by local 
authorities.”
Laing and Buisson 2013.

This trend is driven by cost considerations, 
where fostering is considerably less expensive 
than residential care and by perceived quality 
care factors. It is generally held that fostering 
in an ordinary family home delivers better 
quality than any residential setting. However, 
the rising tide of fostering has been 
constrained by the challenge of finding foster 
carers with the right skill and motivation 
alongside preference by social workers to 
place within local authority services rather 
than the independent sector.

*  Before unallocated costs.

22 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

In 2013, 46% of children placed in foster homes 
were outsourced to the independent sector. 
This compares with 67% placed in residential 
homes operated by independent providers.

Our Foster Care teams and Young People 
Residential Services teams are working 
alongside each other to offer the best 
outcomes for young people.

Our market intelligence suggests that most, if 
not all, independent sector fostering agencies 
are still experiencing some degree of “hold 
back” at present. However, the consensus 
view is that this will not last long and local 
authorities will inevitably return to progressive 
outsourcing of foster care provision.

Outsourcing is well established in the culture 
of most local authorities, but the current 
austerity measures have led a small number 
of authorities to reflect on the 50% fee 
premium paid for independent fostering. This 
disparity of cost can be attributed in part to 
the fact that the most complex and therefore 
high cost cases are placed in the care of 
independent providers. However, it is also 
clear that local authorities fail to undertake a 
full cost analysis of their in-house provision. 
Wherever this has been done, outsourcing is 
demonstrably much better value.

Demand for foster care has increased overall 
but we have noted an increasing trend among 
some local authorities to make provision 
in-house for all but the most complex 
children. In our view this is an expensive and 
unsustainable approach that exposes local 
authority commissioners to risk. Our own 
services are being maintained at an 
acceptable level. 

Looking forward, we are training our foster 
carers with the skills required to manage more 
complex work and have linked the fostering 
division with our residential team for children so 
that we can maintain an effective Care Pathway.

4.  Young People Residential Services

Revenue

£39.0m (2015: £22.4m)

Underlying EBITDA* £11.8m (2015: £8.2m)

Capacity

235 (2015: 205)

A number of children and young people need 
to live in specialised residential services and 
receive education. As far as practicable we 
aim to help these children move into a more 
normalised family style environment.

This segment contains children residential 
care homes, which includes facilities for 
children with learning difficulties and 
emotional behavioural disorders (“EBD”), 
and small specialist schools.

In December 2015 ROC North West was 
added and gave a further geographic 
spread to fit between the current children’s 
residential services in Scotland (Spark of 
Genius and ACAD) and North Wales (Branas 
Isaf) and services in Staffordshire and 
Yorkshire. It also strengthened the residential 
care and education services for young people 
with complex needs, especially EBD.

In the year this segment benefited from new 
services which have added 30 beds. In 2015 
we also acquired Spark of Genius which 
provides significant benefits across the divisions 
due to their well established education facilities 
across Scotland and North East England.

Children residential services have been 
growing as our reputation for quality care and 
support spreads. We are currently developing 
new beds and places that have been 
commissioned during the past year. 

5.  Learning Services

Revenue

£11.2m (2015: £10.0m) 

Underlying EBITDA* £1.0m (2015: £0.9m)

Learning Services comprises EQL Solutions 
which was acquired in 2013 and is a national 
provider specialising in employment and 
training services to young people and adults 
and Dawn Hodge Associates, a regional 
provider specialising in the social care sector 
was acquired in 2015.

Their intensive pre-employment, development 
and apprenticeship programmes use public 
funds from the Skills Funding Agency to lay 
the foundations for individuals to achieve their 
career goals while helping to provide businesses 
with the vital skills they need in their workforce.

As well as supporting the workforce, EQL 
Solutions has also developed programmes 
for service users by enhancing the pathways 
to independent living and employment. Young 
people leaving care, for example, often do not 
know where to find the right job opportunities 
or have the opportunity to access employer-
focused training. We can now bridge that gap 
by supporting young people as they make the 
transition to adult life. We are also exploring 
how best to help individuals return to 
employment after mental illness and to give 

people with learning disabilities the skills and 
confidence to gain employment so that they 
are able to live more independently.

Early mapping with CareTech’s core 
business has gone well. Good progress has 
been made in identifying the potential for 
EQL Solutions to add value to CareTech’s 
attraction and recruitment of staff and their 
retention, helping new employees gain the 
skills and qualifications to grow a successful 
career in care through an apprenticeship.
I am pleased to confirm that we have made 
good progress with Learning Services and 
the team are strongly motivated to develop 
their initiatives in the world of social care 
through the Aspire Programme and the 
Team Leader programme.

Aspire has been developed as a unique 
and innovative scheme that will ensure all 
CareTech’s support workers receive 
mandatory and statutory training to the 
highest standard whilst also being offered 
the opportunity to complete a Level 2 or 
Level 3 apprenticeship which has been 
carefully tailored to suit their role and 123 
completed this apprenticeship.

CareTech apprentices have now begun their 
training with 359 CareTech support workers 
undertaking the apprenticeship programme.

The Team Leader programme has 64 staff 
members on Level 5 programmes.

In early 2016 Dawn Hodge Associates 
retained its Ofsted “Outstanding” rating 
which is an achievement that we are very 
pleased to report.

In 2017 with the introduction of the 
Apprenticeship Levy there will be significant 
changes to the sector, but we believe that 
we are well placed to take advantage of the 
new market conditions.

The services of EQL Solutions and Dawn 
Hodge Associates complement each other 
and provide the foundations for a strong 
learning division within the Group.

Haroon Sheikh
Chief Executive Officer
23 January 2017

*  Before unallocated costs.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 23

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsCorporate Social Responsibility 

We have continued to strive for long-lasting 
improvements in our services in a way that 
is consistent with the interests and concerns 
of our stakeholder community. As always, 
the driving force underpinning CareTech’s 
operation continues to be the provision of the 
highest quality of care to our service users.

24 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

We care about our service users
Service users are the reason for our existence 
and satisfying their needs remains our key 
objective.

As our organisation grows, we strive to 
maintain a culture which never forgets the 
important relationship we have with our 
service users. We seek to nurture these 
relationships and see them as partnerships 
of mutual interest and respect, with our 
person-centred approach ensuring service 
user interests are safeguarded and 
vulnerabilities minimised.

The further expansion of our Care Pathway 
strategy seeks to provide our service users 
with “whole of life” solutions to their needs, 
maximising independence where possible by 
encouraging education, promoting choice, 
being proactive with family members, 
providing training for employment where 
feasible and nurturing personal ambition 
where helpful. In the year we have been 
celebrating the achievements of our service 
users across the country, they have been busy 
creating art pieces for an art competition 
and the finalists are having another awards 
presentation in early December 2016 
following the success in December 2015.

We are determined to preserve the dignity 
of those we care for and fully support 
Government initiatives to this end. We see 
making each day as fulfilled as possible for 
our service users as a vital ingredient to their, 
and our, success.

We care about the environment
We seek to maximise environmental 
standards in all areas of our organisation. 
Energy costs are now more closely monitored 
centrally and with the installation of smart 
meters being rolled out across our services 
we are seeking to encourage more efficient 
consumption of energy, without 
compromising service user care.

Clinical waste management has an 
environmental impact and we are focused on 
ways to make this more effective whilst still 
adhering to statutory requirements.

We aim for minimal waste production and 
waste-free processes. Encouraging the 
involvement of our workforce in seeking new 
ways to “be green” is important and we are 
striving to reduce our carbon footprint in all 
commercial areas including promoting 
recycling initiatives, developing a carbon 
offset scheme for paper usage, using public 
transport where feasible and improving our 
energy efficiency.

We care about our staff
We remain committed to ensuring employees 
share in the success of the Group and fully 
appreciate that Group performance is affected 
by the relationship we have with them.

Sustaining the retention and development 
of employees is also critical to our continued 
success and we remain of the belief that 
fostering a positive workplace culture is the 
best way for our employees to thrive. 
Supporting them with regular supervision, 
training and clear career development 
programmes promotes staff continuity and 
leads to improved standards of care quality.

In early December 2015 we held our first staff 
awards ceremony with ten categories for staff 
and staff teams across each division. A larger 
event was held in December 2016.

Out of a total of 4,440 staff at the end of 
September 2016, 69% are female and equal 
opportunity for all remains at the heart of our 
recruitment policies and the diversity of our 
workforce bears this out. We value our staff at 
all levels and work closely with them through 
our robust human resources department to 
foster consultation in all matters, ensure fair 
pay for all, maximise conditions of service 
and facilitate flexible working where feasible.

Our sharesave share option scheme has been 
re-launched in March 2016 to offer new 
invitations regularly and will be available to all 
our employees. This participation, along with 
regular senior management share option 
awards, contributes to the fulfilment of our 
desire to reward staff for loyalty, diligence and 
commitment to high standards of service.

We are planning to repeat both share 
schemes in 2017.

We care about quality and safety
As a Group, our aim is to provide a safe 
working environment for service users, staff 
and visitors. We value the well-being of all 
stakeholders and develop policies to this end.

Maintaining workplace infrastructures is 
a core objective and sustained investment 
in information technology, furniture, facilities 
and equipment enable working environments, 
be they operational or administrative, to be 
safe and productive.

Regulation is vigorously applied with routine 
and regular inspections being made by the 
Care Quality Commission (“CQC”) and Ofsted 
in England and the services are regulated by 
the Care and Social Services Inspectorate 
Wales (CSSIW) in Wales and by the Care 
Inspectorate for Scotland.

We continue to resource our own highly 
experienced internal quality and compliance 
teams which undertake a programme of 
regular inspection and assessment and give 
constructive feedback backed by training and 
supervision if the requirement is there. We 
engage the services of outsourced expert 
advisers ensuring best practice and 
procedures are maintained.

During the year we undertook a Staff 
Engagement Survey which involved all staff 
and looked at values and questions across five 
engagement drivers. The feedback has led 
to a Communication Plan that will lead to 
improved communication across the Group.

We care about our communities
Doing business the right way is of 
fundamental importance to us. A successful 
business needs to operate in healthy, thriving 
communities and needs to be seen as a good 
neighbour to those communities.

We have a team of in-house training staff 
delivering courses on all relevant subjects, 
enabling our workforce to gain the skills, 
knowledge and confidence to provide the 
care and support to our service users on 
a daily basis.

We have direct involvement in a variety of 
community-based programmes further 
improving our service reputation and helping 
to foster a strengthened relationship with 
local authorities.

Being a socially responsible organisation 
with a focus on developing our ethical 
standards aligned with our economic 
objectives remains a core aim and we strive 
to identify the real value of our organisation, 
beyond its financial bottom line. Considering 
non-financial values such as reputation, 
employee commitment and service user 
fulfilment helps us develop longer-term 
opportunities, ultimately adding to the 
financial bottom line.

Behaving responsibly and maximising the 
benefits of a strong relationship with our 
stakeholders is an integral part of a continuing 
process of building long-term value.

Outlook
The coming year shows every sign of being 
good for health and social care providers 
and especially for those with an established 
reputation for quality and innovation. 

This year there has been significant policy 
development and we see some indicators 
that local authorities have recognised the 
need to maintain, or grow their social care 
budgets.

In our view we are in a period in which 
consolidation will again feature strongly 
within the corporate sector and we are 
alert to quality opportunities that may arise. 
However, we are mindful about acquisition 
and have robust criteria which must be 
satisfied to ensure that any acquired 
business fits our long-term strategic 
objectives.

This has been another progressive year for 
CareTech and I am indebted to the strong 
management team who have overseen the 
provision of diligent and tailored services in 
what has been a challenging environment 
for the care sector. 

CareTech provides high quality care, 
support and outcomes to our service users. 
I remain proud to lead the Group, delivering 
a quality of care that makes a difference to 
so many lives.

Haroon Sheikh
Chief Executive Officer
23 January 2017

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 25

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsFinancial Review

The Group has a platform 
for further acquisitions 
and growth

The Group has made further good 
progress and has made two acquisitions in 
the year plus the ground rent fundraising 
so has a platform for further acquisitions 
and growth.

Results
The underlying operating profit improved 
by 11.1% at £32.0m compared with £28.8m 
last year. Up to 2013 the Group had been 
making strategic acquisitions to gain market 
share and extend the Care Pathway range of 
services. Since 2013 the focus had been on 
organic development and cost efficiencies, 
but with the Share Placement and improved 
banking facilities, the Group made two 
acquisitions last year and a further two 
acquisitions this year and continues to be 
well placed to make further acquisitions.

Underlying diluted earnings per share 
increased by 19.6% to 38.03p (2015: 31.79p) 
per share and underlying profit after tax has 
risen by 31.1% to £24.0m (2015: £18.3m). 
Basic and diluted earnings per share 
increased by 162.1% to 36.17p (2015: 13.80p) 
and profit after tax increased by 186.3% to 
£22.9m (2015: £8.0m).

Table 1 – Condensed Income Statement before non-underlying items 

Revenue
Gross profit
Administrative expenses excluding depreciation and 
share-based payments
Underlying EBITDA
Underlying EBITDA margin
Depreciation
Share-based payments charge
Underlying operating profit
Net financial expenses
Underlying profit before tax
Underlying taxation
Underlying effective tax rate
Underlying profit for the year
Weighted average number of diluted shares (millions)
Underlying diluted earnings per share
Full year dividend per share

Growth
19.9%

14.2%

11.1%

2016
£m
149.0
54.3

(17.2)
37.1
24.9%
(5.0)
(0.1)
32.0
(5.9)
26.1
(2.1)
7.8%
24.0
63.2
38.03p
9.25p

2015
£m
124.3
47.7

(15.2)
32.5
26.1%
(3.6)
(0.1)
28.8
(6.8)
22.0
(3.6)
16.4%
18.4
57.7
31.79p
8.40p

Table 2 – Revenue

Adult Learning Disabilities
Mental Health
Adults Residential Services
Young People Residential Services
Foster Care 
Learning Services
Childrens Services
Less unallocated Group costs

2016
Revenue
£m
84.4
5.7
90.1
39.0
8.7
11.2
58.9
–
149.0

2016
Underlying
EBITDA
£m
26.4
1.7
28.1
11.8
2.2
1.0
15.0
(6.0)
37.1

2015
Revenue
£m
 75.7
6.4
82.1
22.4
9.8
10.0
42.2
–
124.3

2015
Underlying
EBITDA
£m
24.5
1.9
26.4
8.2
2.4
0.9
11.5
(5.4)
32.5

Michael Hill 
Group Finance Director

26 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Cash inflows from operating activities before 
tax and non-underlying items paid were 
£34.2m (2015: £30.8m), an increase of 11.0%. 
Net debt to the Group’s bankers (as defined in 
the Financial and Operational Highlights on 
the inside front cover) at the year end of 
£156.4m has reduced by £2.1m for the year 
(2015: £158.5m).

The Condensed Income Statement before 
non-underlying items for the year is 
summarised in table 1.

Revenue
Revenue of £149.0m (2015: £124.3m) was 
19.9% higher than in 2015. 

In the year there were two acquisitions, 
ROC North West and Oakleaf Care (Hartwell), 
and revenue includes £12.0m from these 
acquisitions.

In the established Adult Learning Disabilities 
segment we continued to experience high 
levels of occupancy and reported 93% 
occupancy at 30 September 2016. When this 
is blended with the facilities that are being 
reconfigured and so are under development, 
the overall occupancy level during the 
second half of the year and at 30 September 
2016 was 86% of capacity (September 2015: 
86%). As in recent years the demand for 
residential services continues to be 
encouraging for high acuity users.

As set out in the Chief Executive’s statement 
and note 4 to the Accounts, we are again 
reporting segmental information for the 
financial year and last year which includes 
information on client capacity and revenue 
for each segment.

The continued development of our Care 
Pathways and a growing range of service 
options has led to the proportion of Adult 
Learning Disabilities revenue moving from 
60.9% in 2015 to 56.6% in 2016 and EBITDA 
before Group costs from 64.6% in 2015 to 
61.3% in 2016.

The Young People Residential Services total 
revenue has risen by 74% with Mental Health 
falling by 11%, Foster Care falling by 11% and 
Learning Services rising by 12%. Their total 
proportion of the EBITDA before Group costs 
has increased from 33% in 2015 to 36.4% in 
2016 due mainly to the higher margin 
generated by the Adult Learning Disabilities 
division services.

Underlying EBITDA and total EBITDA
Underlying EBITDA has grown by 14.2% from 
£32.5m in 2015 to £37.1m in 2016. In the year 
there were two acquisitions, ROC North West 
and Oakleaf Care (Hartwell), and the 
underlying EBITDA includes £3.1m from these 
acquisitions. Underlying EBITDA margin has 
decreased from 26.1% to 24.9% mainly due 
to the margin in the total of the acquired 
businesses being at a lower rate than the other 
businesses, and the growth in services 
businesses that require little capital expenditure 
like Foster Care and the Learning Division.

The Adult Learning Disabilities, Mental Health 
and Young People Residential Services 
segments have higher margins but normally 
require considerable capital expenditure to 
increase capacity, whilst Supported Living, 
Foster Care and Learning Services operate at 
a lower margin in part because they do not 
require capital expenditure to increase capacity 
and are not reliant on the Group’s properties.

Administrative expenses, before depreciation 
and share-based payments charges, were 
£17.2m (2015: £15.2m) and increased by £2.0m 
during the year. In 2015 they represented 12.2% 
of Group revenue and in 2016 this further 
improved to 11.5% of Group revenue.

There has been a further considerable effort 
in the year to reduce administrative expenses 
with further back office systems centralisation 
and procurement successes for the Group.

The reconfiguration of services is a central 
part of the Board’s strategy to grow organically. 
It enhances average fee rates and maintains 
the Group’s reputation as a provider of 
highest quality of care. 

In the year there has also been a greater focus 
on purchasing properties which are then 
converted to new services.

The number of employees in management 
and administration has increased by 74. The 
Time and Attendance system has been 
implemented across all of the residential 
services in the year which will further our 
back office centralisation and ensure that staff 
are paid more accurately and quickly, as well 
as giving reliable data on staff rotas and 
attendance in each service.

Total EBITDA has increased from £26.8m in 
2015 to £41.3m in 2016.

Operating profit and profit before tax
The depreciation charge is £5.0m (2015: 
£3.7m) and reflects the investment in land 
and buildings, motor vehicles and fixtures, 
fittings and equipment.

After this charge and the share-based 
payments, underlying operating profit grew 
11.1% to £32.0m (2015: £28.8m).

Total operating profit increased by 71.3% to 
£30.5m (2015: £17.8m).

Net underlying financial expenses of £5.9m 
(2015: £6.8m) decreased again over the 
previous year due to the effects of the 
ground rent transaction monies and the 
new banking facilities, though there were 
additional finance leases taken out on new 
home vehicles during the year.

Underlying profit before tax was £26.1m 
(2015: £22.0m) which is an increase of 18.6%.

Total profit before tax increased by 139.4% 
to £22.5m (2015: £9.4m).

Taxation and diluted earnings 
per share
The effective underlying tax rate was 7.8% 
(2015: 16.4%) and reflects management’s 
expectations of future capital investment 
through organic developments and 
reconfigurations relative to available capital 
allowances, the impact of the reduction in 
the main rate of corporation tax in the year 
and also the release of a provision for tax no 
longer required.

The weighted average number of shares in 
issue rose by 9.6% mainly due to the share 
placement from March 2015 whilst the 
underlying diluted earnings per share rose 
by 19.6% to 38.03p in 2016 from 31.79p 
in 2015.

Basic and diluted earnings per share 
increased by 162.1% to 36.17p respectively 
(2015: 13.80p).

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 27

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsFinancial Review continued

Dividends
Our policy has been to increase the total 
dividend per year broadly in line with the 
movement in underlying diluted earnings 
per share. The final dividend will therefore 
increase to 6.25p per share (2015: 5.60p), 
bringing the total dividend for the year to 
9.25p (2015: 8.40p), a growth of 10.1%. 
Dividend cover for 2016, based upon diluted 
earnings per share before non-underlying 
items is 4.11 times (2015: 3.78 times).

Non-underlying items
As more fully explained on the face of the 
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive 
Income and in note 5 to the Accounts, the 
Directors have separately disclosed a 
number of non-underlying items in order to 
improve understanding of the underlying 
trading performance achieved by the Group. 
Total non-underlying items represent a 
charge of £1.5m at operating level (2015: 
£10.9m) and the principal items are the 
amortisation of intangible assets and 
integration and reorganisation costs of the 
acquisitions net of the IAS 17 profit arising 
from the ground rent transaction. 

Cash flow and net debt
The cash flow statement and movement 
in net debt as defined on page 16 to the 
Group’s bankers for the year is summarised 
in the table below.

Net debt to the Group’s bankers at 
30 September 2016 of £156.4m (2015: 
£158.5m) has decreased by £2.1m during 
the financial year, with an investment of 
£41.9m in acquisitions and capital 
improvements during the year.

Operating cash flows before 
non-underlying items
The £34.2m (2015: £30.8m) cash inflow from 
operating activities, before non-underlying 
items, represents a 92% (2015: 95%) 
underlying EBITDA cash conversion ratio.

Interest and dividend cash flows
Interest paid of £5.5m (2015: £6.7m) is 
reflective of the net financial expenses per the 
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive 
Income, whilst dividends paid are consistent 
with the relevant section earlier in the review.

Ground rent transaction
In February 2016 the Company announced 
the ground rent transaction which raised 
£30m in cash to support its growth strategy. 
The innovative ground rent agreement is with 
the funds managed by Alpha Real Capital at a 
net initial yield of 3.4%. Under the terms of the 
agreement, the freehold to 41 CareTech 
properties are transferred to Alpha’s managed 
funds in exchange for a cash sum of £30m 
and security of tenure with a 150-year term. 
The commencing rent will be £1.07m per 
annum, which will rise with the Retail Price 
Index on a five-yearly compound basis at 
between 0% and 5% per annum. 

Under IAS 17, the transaction has been 
accounted for as a sale and leaseback 
transaction. We have ascertained the fair value 
of the land and buildings separately and treated 
the accounting for land on an operating lease 
basis and buildings on a finance lease basis. 
Accordingly, the sale of the land resulted in a 
profit of £5.6m and has created a ground rent 
liability amounting to £7.4m which is payable 
over a 150-year period. 

Underlying EBITDA 
(Increase) in working capital

Cash inflows from operating activities before non-underlying items
Tax paid 
Interest paid
Dividends paid
Acquisitions and capital expenditure
Share Placement
Ground rent transaction

Cash flow before adjustments
Non-underlying cash flows including derivative financial instruments

2016
£m
37.1
(2.9)

34.2
(1.5)
(5.5)
(5.2)
(41.9)
–
29.9

10.0
(7.9)

2015
£m
32.5
(1.7)

30.8
(1.3)
(6.7)
(4.2)
(16.6)
19.8
–

21.8
(14.2)

Movement in net debt to the Group’s bankers
Opening net debt to the Group’s bankers

2.1
(158.5)

7.6
(166.1)

Closing net debt to the Group’s bankers

(156.4)

(158.5)

28 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Acquisitions and capital expenditure
During the year we invested total funds of 
£41.9m (2015: £16.6m). The Group acquired 
ROC North West for a total consideration 
which may rise to £11.4m comprising an initial 
payment of £8.7m in cash and an earn out of 
up to £2.7m.

Of the consideration payable under the earn 
out, £250,000 was settled on completion of 
the acquisition through the issue of 100,000 
ordinary shares in the capital of the Company 
(“Ordinary Shares”) at a price of 250p per 
Ordinary Share. The remainder of the 
consideration under the earn out of up to 
£2.425m will be determined with reference to 
ROC’s EBITDA performance over the period 
to July 2016 and will be funded from current 
cash reserves. The Group also acquired 
Oakleaf Care (Hartwell) for a total 
consideration which may rise to £20.3m 
comprising an initial payment of £18.3m in 
cash and an earn out of up to £2.0m. The 
consideration payable under the earn out 
of up to £2.0m will be determined with 
reference to Oakleaf’s EBITDA performance 
over the two years to 31 March 2018.

Further details of the acquisitions are 
explained in the Chief Executive’s Statement 
and Performance Review as well as in the 
Notes to the Financial Statements.

The acquisition of ROC North West in 
December 2015 was financed from the 
existing resources of the Group and utilised 
the remainder of the £21.0m gross proceeds 
from the Group’s Share Placement in 
March 2015.

The acquisition of Oakleaf Care (Hartwell) in 
March 2016 was financed from the existing 
resources of the Group and utilised about 
60% of the net proceeds from the ground 
rent transaction. Some of the remaining 
proceeds were used to purchase freehold 
properties to be converted to new services.

Capital expenditure of £14.9m (2015: £9.9m) 
includes £6.4m to update our portfolio 
of assets.

Banking arrangements
The Group is pleased to have continued its 
strong relationships with Royal Bank of 
Scotland, Lloyds TSB, Santander and Allied 
Irish following the last refinancing in July 2015 
when the Group agreed improvements to its 
banking facilities. The facility was extended to 
January 2019 and the cost of borrowing was 
reduced through a reduction to the interest 
rate and four loan repayments, which were 
due between 2015 and October 2016 
amounting to £21.6m, have been deferred. In 
addition, there is an uncommitted accordion 
facility of up to £30m which, together with 
the deferral of loan repayments, give further 
support to the Group’s acquisition strategy.

The total of the Group’s current freehold 
property portfolio is £304m as at 
30 September 2016. There was an independent 
valuation by Christie & Co of the Group’s 
property portfolio following the ground rent 
transaction of £284m plus the cost price of 
the freehold properties purchased in the two 
acquisitions, plus other freehold properties 
purchased in the year.

At 30 September 2016 the Group has 
available bank facilities totalling £195m which 
are sufficient, with cash flow from operating 
activities, to fund present commitments.

Outlook
The Group is now in a better position to 
continue as a pioneering provider of specialist 
social care services in a UK market that is 
continuing to grow yet remains fragmented.

Michael Hill
Group Finance Director
23 January 2017

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 29

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsBoard of Directors

An experienced and driven 
corporate Board

Farouq Sheikh 
Executive Chairman (aged 58)

Haroon Sheikh BSc
Chief Executive Officer (aged 60)

Michael Hill
Group Finance Director (aged 65)

Michael qualified as a chartered 
accountant with Deloitte in 1975 and then 
did an MBA before joining Kimberley Clark 
as a Financial Analyst managing marketing 
projects. Michael then had senior financial 
roles in retailing with the launch of Next, 
the Electricity privatisation and as Finance 
Director of quoted Mersey Docks. 

He was involved from 2001 with the Care 
Charity, Community Integrated Care as a 
Trustee and then Director of Finance and 
from 2006 as Finance Director of National 
Fostering Agency. Michael joined 
CareTech in 2010 to establish the Foster 
Care division and oversaw its growth. 
He became Group Finance Director on 
2 August 2011 and he is also Company 
Secretary.

Farouq Sheikh has been a key architect 
in CareTech’s growth, having been 
co-founder of the Group and involved in 
the vision and strategy from the outset in 
1993. With a background in law and a good 
understanding of finance and commerce, 
Farouq has been instrumental in securing 
debt and equity funding for the Group as 
well as leading the management team in 
winning a number of long-term contracts 
from local and health authorities.

Farouq is a leading business entrepreneur, 
philanthropist and investor within the UK. 
Farouq has initiated and overseen the 
successful equity investments and the 
subsequent exits for 3i Group PLC (in 1996 
and 2002) and Barclays Private Equity (in 
2002 and 2005). His intimate knowledge 
of the marketplace, and his commercial 
and negotiating expertise assisted in the 
Group’s growth. Under his stewardship, 
CareTech’s earnings per share has grown 
significantly from 4.1p in 2005 to 36.17p in 
the current financial year.

Farouq has been presented with a number 
of Entrepreneur of the Year awards by 
prestigious organisations including Laing 
and Buisson, Coutts Bank and Ernst & 
Young. He also presents widely at 
healthcare conferences, raising awareness 
of the learning disability sector.

As Patron and Enterprise Fellow of the 
prestigious Prince’s Trust and as a member 
of the Mosaic National Advisory Board, 
Farouq supports young people by passing 
on his experience and expertise to inspire 
the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Haroon Sheikh, a London University 
graduate, is one of the UK’s leading 
entrepreneurs, philanthropists and 
community figureheads and one of the 
founders of CareTech. Haroon brings 
commercial acumen, related industry 
experience and property knowledge 
which has been essential in the growth of 
the business. As Chief Executive Officer, 
he is actively involved in the day-to-day 
running of the business and over time 
has been instrumental in nurturing and 
supporting the senior management team 
bringing together disciplines in care, 
commerce and property. He has a deep 
commitment and passion to delivering 
high-quality care and support to people 
with a learning disability. 

In 2008, Haroon and his brother Farouq 
were winners of the highly valued Coutts 
Family Business Prize and widely 
applauded for the quality and social 
integrity of the company they created.

Haroon is Patron and Enterprise Fellow 
of the Prince’s Trust and is also Vice Chair 
of the UK Advisory Council of the British 
Asian Trust under the patronage of HRH 
Prince Charles.

Haroon’s most recent social enterprise 
was establishing the COSARAF Charitable 
Foundation to benefit communities and 
individuals in the UK and abroad. As 
trustee for International Development, 
Haroon established the COSARAF Kenya 
Feeding Project which supports the 
feeding of over 1,500 women and children 
daily as well as supporting education and 
water projects in various rural villages 
across Africa and Asia.

30 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Karl Monaghan
Non-Executive Director (aged 54)

Dr Mike Adams OBE
Non-Executive Director (aged 45)

Jamie Cumming
Non-Executive Director (aged 66)

After graduating from University College 
Dublin with a Bachelor of Commerce 
Degree, Karl trained as a chartered 
accountant with KPMG in Dublin. He 
has worked in the corporate finance 
departments at a number of merchant 
banks and stockbrokers, latterly at Credit 
Lyonnais Securities for seven years and 
Robert W. Baird for two years until June 
2002. Karl set up Ashling Capital LLP in 
December 2002 to provide consultancy 
services to quoted and private companies. 
He sits on a number of AIM quoted and 
private company boards.

Mike has a significant track record in the 
social care, health and disability sectors. 
For five years he was Director of the 
National Disability Team, responsible for 
policy and practice for disabled students 
in higher education. Mike was Director 
of Operations for the Disability Rights 
Commission for two years and was until 
July 2016 Chief Executive Officer of ecdp, 
an Essex-based user-led disability 
organisation. Mike is currently CEO of 
Purple, a new not for profit organisation 
launched in July 2016 which provides 
disability services and products to both 
disabled people and business. Mike spent 
nine months as acting Chair of a large 
acute hospital trust in Essex and has 
previously chaired an expert panel on 
Access to Work, the Government’s flagship 
disability employment programme. Mike 
has been awarded an Honorary Doctor 
of Education for disability leadership from 
Anglia Ruskin University.

Jamie has a strong track record in City 
corporate and investor relations. Having 
started his career with Touche Ross, Jamie 
became an Investment Analyst with 
Parsons & Co. (latterly Allied Provincial 
Securities) in 1978 and was an Extel rated 
analyst. Following this he joined Brewin 
Dolphin in 1996 and in 2011 he became 
Head of Brewin Dolphin’s Corporate 
Advisory & Broking Division and led the 
demerger of Brewin Dolphin’s investment 
banking activities through a merger with 
Madrid-based asset manager and M&A 
house N+1, to create N+1 Brewin. He 
became Chief Executive Officer of the 
new business in 2013, latterly overseeing 
the subsequent merger with Singer Capital 
Markets. Jamie is a senior adviser to 
Cantor Fitzgerald Europe and a non-
executive director of 21st Century 
Technology plc. With over 30 years in the 
City, Jamie has a wealth of experience in 
advising both institutional investors and 
corporate clients. 

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 31

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsCorporate Governance Report 

Do we comply with the UK Corporate Governance Code?
The CareTech Board of Directors (the “Board”) remains committed to 
achieving the highest standards of integrity, ethics, professionalism 
and business practice throughout its operations.

Board and Committee meetings
The Board meets in formal session regularly, usually once each month, 
and members are supplied with financial and operational information 
in good time for scrutiny in advance of these meetings.

We do not comply with the UK Corporate Governance Code. 
However, we have reported on our corporate governance 
arrangements by drawing upon best practice available, including 
those aspects of the UK Corporate Governance Code we consider 
to be relevant to the Company and best practice.

In July 2016 Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) strengthened the existing 
UK market abuse framework by extending its scope to new markets, 
new platforms and new behaviours. It also contains prohibitions for 
insider dealing and market manipulation, and provisions to prevent 
and detect these.

This sets the tone for corporate behaviour and helps make our 
governance meaningful and focused on improving our business 
and protecting Shareholder Value.

Who is on our Board?
As Executive Chairman, Farouq Sheikh leads the Board and is 
responsible for its effective running. The Chief Executive is Haroon 
Sheikh and Michael Hill is the Group Finance Director. The Directors’ 
biographies appear on pages 30 to 31 and detail their experience and 
suitability for leading and managing the Group.

Karl Monaghan, the Senior Independent Director, Mike Adams and 
Jamie Cumming are the three Non-Executive Directors and the 
Board considers each of them as independent. Collectively, the 
Non-Executive Directors bring a valuable range of expertise and 
experience in assisting the Group to achieve its strategic aims.

In the furtherance of their duties, all Directors are able to take 
independent professional advice at the expense of the Company 
and those newly-appointed are made aware of their responsibilities by 
the Company Secretary. The Board approves the appointment and 
removal of the Company Secretary.

All Directors are required to submit themselves for re-election at 
least every three years and new Directors are subject to election by 
shareholders at the first opportunity following their appointment.

How do we deal with conflicts of interest?
Following amendments to the Company’s Articles of Association in 
2008 to reflect certain provisions of the Companies Act 2006 relating 
to conflicts of interest that came into force on 1 October 2008, 
the Board will follow a specific procedure when deciding whether 
to authorise a conflict or potential conflict of interest. Firstly, only 
independent Directors (i.e. those that have no interest in the matter 
under consideration) will be able to take the relevant decision. 
Secondly, in taking the decision the Directors must act in a way they 
consider, in good faith, will be most likely to promote the Company’s 
success. In addition, the Directors will be able to impose limits or 
conditions when giving authorisation if they think this is appropriate. 
It remains the Board’s intention to report annually on the Company’s 
procedures for ensuring that the Board’s power of authorisation in 
respect of conflicts is operated effectively and that procedures have 
been followed.

The Directors attended the following meetings in the year to 
30 September 2016:

Board
10
10
11
10
11
11

Audit 
Committee
–
–
2*
1
2
2

Remuneration 
Committee
1*
–
2
3
3
3

Care 
Governance 
and 
Safeguarding 
Committee
–
–
–
3
3
3

Farouq Sheikh
Haroon Sheikh
Michael Hill
Karl Monaghan
Mike Adams
Jamie Cumming

* 

By invitation.

The Board holds other Board meetings specifically for significant 
transactions involving raising money like the ground rent transaction 
or spending money like a significant acquisition.

What decision-making responsibilities does the Board have?
Matters which are reserved to the Board for specific consideration and 
decision include:
 – financial reporting and controls including statutory matters such as 
the approval of final and interim financial statements and dividend 
declarations;

 – Board membership and other senior, key personnel, appointments;
 – review of corporate governance arrangements;
 – Group strategy matters including the approval of annual budgets, 

acquisitions and disposals;

 – review of the processes for monitoring and evaluating risk and 
the effectiveness of the Group’s system of internal control and 
operational efficiency;

 – review and supervision of treasury and financial policies; and
 – shareholder communications.

Matters are delegated to Board Committees, individual Directors or 
executive management where appropriate. The Directors believe the 
Board is soundly constituted although, at this stage of the Group’s 
development, it is felt the functions of a Nominations Committee 
can be adequately fulfilled by deliberation of the full Board; this will 
nevertheless be kept under review. When the need for an additional 
Non-Executive Director is identified the Board appoints advisers to 
nominate experienced relevant and appropriate candidates. Board 
members meet the candidates and come to a collective view on 
appointments.

Who is on the Audit Committee and what do they do?
The Audit Committee comprises Karl Monaghan (Chairman), 
Mike Adams and Jamie Cumming. The Group Finance Director and 
representatives of the external auditor attend meetings by invitation as 
required. The Committee meets at least twice each year and receives 
reports from the Company’s management and external auditor relating 
to the annual and interim accounts and the accounting and internal 
control systems throughout the Group. 

The Committee has direct and unrestricted access to the external 
auditor and reviews all services being provided by them to evaluate 
their independence and objectivity, taking into consideration relevant 
professional and regulatory requirements in order to ensure that 
said independence and objectivity are not impaired by the provision 
of permissible, non-audit services. The Committee has carefully 
considered the level of non-audit services and have concluded that 
this does not impact on the independence of the auditors. Details of 
the amount paid to the external auditor during the year, for audit and 
other services, is set out in note 6 to the Financial Statements.

32 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Who is on the Remuneration Committee and what do they do?
The composition and role of the Remuneration Committee is set out 
in the Remuneration Report on pages 37 to 38. Also detailed in that 
report are Directors’ remuneration, shareholdings and share options 
scheme information. 

The Group has 130 adult services regulated by the Care Quality 
Commission (CQC) who assess the services against approved essential 
standards of quality and safety. The regulators test and publicly record 
whether services are compliant or non-compliant against those 
standards. 

A key Group strategy is to attract and retain talented and committed 
personnel, at every level of the organisational hierarchy and the 
Committee aims to foster remuneration philosophy, policies and 
procedures to achieve this.

The Group operates in a highly competitive environment. For the 
Group to continue to compete successfully, it is essential that the 
level of remuneration and benefits offered achieve the objectives of 
attracting, retaining, motivating and rewarding the necessary high 
calibre of individuals at all levels across the Group.

The Group therefore sets out to provide competitive remuneration to 
all its employees, appropriate to the business environment in the 
market in which it operates. To achieve this, the remuneration package 
is based upon the following principles:
 – total rewards should be set to provide a fair and attractive 

remuneration package;

 – appropriate elements of the remuneration package should be 

designed to reinforce the link between performance and reward; 
and

 – Executive Directors’ incentives should be aligned with the interests 

of shareholders.

The remuneration strategy is designed to be in line with the Group’s 
fundamental values of fairness, competitiveness and to support the 
Group’s corporate strategy. A cohesive reward structure consistently 
applied and with links to corporate performance, is seen as critical 
in ensuring attainment of the Group’s strategic goals.

Who is on the Care Governance and Safeguarding 
Committee and what do they do?
The Care Governance and Safeguarding Committee is chaired by 
Mike Adams and the other members of the Board Committee are 
Karl Monaghan and Jamie Cumming plus the Group’s Clinical Director, 
Dr Junaid Bajwa and the Chief Operating Officer, John Ivers.

The Committee was formed because the Board is sensitive to the 
public’s increased awareness and anxiety about care governance and 
safeguarding. In 2013 the Whistleblowing “Tell Us” Campaign was 
introduced by this Committee and it is pioneering because it provides 
direct access to the CEO.

The Group has always been regarded as a careful and thoughtful 
provider of care and the Committee was formed to closely examine 
and pursue improvements to all matters relating to the care 
governance and the safeguarding of those we support, including 
health and safety, across the Group. Last year it included external 
attendees to its meetings such as the Head of Safeguarding for 
Hertfordshire County Council and received external presentations 
such as Conflict Management from Maybo to help the Committee 
understand best practice and in 2016 met with CQC. 

We have held several useful meetings with regulators and also invited 
key regulation managers to attend our Care Governance and 
Safeguarding Committee. The Committee is seen as a pioneering 
initiative that has won friends and encouragement from regulators and 
commissioners alike. The Committee brings Non-Executive Directors 
into a much closer relationship with our everyday work and they have 
adopted a robust scrutiny approach to care practice. This in itself has 
had a positive impact on care quality and the executive team has been 
encouraged to introduce quality initiatives across the Company.

The new monitoring system has four levels of CQC reporting 
outcomes and has been applied so far by CQC to 118 of the Group’s 
Adult Services. The National distribution across the four outcomes is 
shown in the table below with 97% of services being either ”Good” 
or “Requires Improvement” is a service which has a requirement that 
needs to improve to achieve good. Above “Good” is “Outstanding” 
for 1% of services and below is “Inadequate” for 2%. For the Group’s 
services the published reports are as follows with all the services in 
the outcomes as set out:

Ratings
National
Group

Outstanding
1%
0%

Good
71%
73%

Requires 
improvement
26%
24%

Inadequate
2%
3%

Adult Services in Wales are regulated under different national legislation 
and are not currently rated on any form of scale, though all are 
compliant.

Our Children division is regulated by the Office for Standards in 
Education (Ofsted) in England and these services are rated as 
Outstanding or Good under the old monitoring system. Since April 
2016 for Residential Services there is no longer an overall rating and 
services are rated under three domains and the Group has had 15 
published reports. The Fostering services in England are regulated by 
Ofsted and all three services are rated Good. In Wales the services are 
regulated by the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) 
and are not currently rated on any form of scale. The Care Inspectorate 
for Scotland who regulate both Adults and Children Services have 
the majority of the Group’s rated Residential Services as Excellent or 
Very Good for both the established services and the acquired services 
in Scotland.

The Care Governance and Safeguarding Committee has oversight 
of all issues and reports relating to the well-being of service users, 
commissions enquiries into matters of concern and ensures that the 
Executive Team operates to the highest possible level of professional 
care standards. Throughout the past year the Care Governance and 
Safeguarding Committee has invited operational managers, regulators 
and local safeguarding lead officers to attend its meetings.

The Care Governance and Safeguarding Committee works in close 
association with the Group’s internal regulatory compliance team who 
operate across all divisions, reporting direct to the CEO.

Have we maintained an effective relationship with our 
shareholders? 
The Board appreciates that effective communication with the 
Company’s shareholders and the investment community as a whole 
is a key objective.

The views of both institutional and private shareholders are important, 
and these can be varied and wide-ranging, as is their interest in the 
Company’s strategy, reputation and performance.

The Executive Chairman has overall responsibility for ensuring this 
communication is effectively conveyed and for making the Board fully 
aware of key shareholders’ views, comments and opinions.

Contact with investors throughout the year is a priority and the Board 
strives to look after their interests. General presentations to major 
shareholders following the publication of the Group’s annual and 
interim results are conducted by the Executive Chairman and the 
Group Finance Director as are regular meetings through the year 
with fund managers and investment analysts.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 33

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsCorporate Governance Report continued

Robust year on year dividend growth is an objective and all shareholders 
are encouraged to attend the Company’s Annual General Meeting, 
which all Board members attend, as this provides an opportunity to 
address questions to the Directors.

The Group’s annual and interim reports are sent to all shareholders and 
all results, Company announcements and related investor information 
can be accessed via the Group’s website, www.caretech-uk.com. 
The website is under constant review in an effort to maximise the 
effectiveness of information made available to shareholders.

How do we manage our internal controls and risks?
The Board is ultimately responsible for the Group’s system of internal 
controls and for reviewing its effectiveness. The role of management is 
to implement Board policies on risk and control. The system of internal 
controls is designed to manage rather than eliminate the risk of failure 
of the achievement of business objectives. In pursuing these 
objectives, internal controls can only provide reasonable and not 
absolute assurance against material misstatement or loss.

The recent challenging business climate has resulted in a sustained 
focus on the approach to risk. The Directors consider robust risk 
management to be crucial to the Group’s success and give a high 
priority to ensuring that adequate systems are in place to evaluate and 
limit risk exposure. They have overseen the further development of 
processes and procedures for identifying, analysing and managing the 
significant risks faced by the Group. These risks have been discussed 
in the Strategic Report on pages 18 and 19. These processes have been 
implemented during the year under review and up to the date of 
approval of this annual report and financial statements. The processes 
and procedures are regularly reviewed by the Board.

A process of control and hierarchical reporting provides for a 
documented and auditable trail of accountability. These procedures 
are relevant across all Group operations: they provide for successive 
assurances to be given at increasingly higher levels of management 
and, finally, to the Board.

The processes used by the Board to review the effectiveness of 
the system of internal controls include the following:
 – annual budgets are prepared for each operating business. Monthly 
management reporting focuses on actual performance against 
these budgets for each operating business;

 – management reports and external audit reports on the system 
of internal controls and any material control weaknesses that 
are identified;

 – discussions with management including discussions on the actions 
taken on problem areas identified by Board members or in the 
external audit reports;

 – policies and procedures for such matters as delegation of 

authorities, capital expenditure and treasury management as well 
as regular updates;

 – review of the adequacy of the level of experienced and professional 
staff throughout the business and the expertise of individual staff 
members so that they are capable of carrying out their individual 
delegated responsibilities; and

 – review of the external audit work plans.

By order of the Board

Michael Hill
Company Secretary
23 January 2017

Metropolitan House
3 Darkes Lane
Potters Bar
Hertfordshire
EN6 1AG

34 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Directors’ Report

The Directors present their report and the audited Group financial 
statements for the year ended 30 September 2016.

Business review and future developments
The consolidated statement of comprehensive income detailed 
on page 41 sets out the Group’s financial results for the year.

Key performance indicators are set out in the Financial and 
Operational Highlights. 

Key risks and uncertainties
There are a number of risks and uncertainties which could impact on 
the Group’s long-term performance. These are set out in the Strategic 
Report on pages 18 and 19.

Dividends
Dividends of £5,222,000 have been paid during the year. The Directors 
propose a final dividend of 6.25p per share (2015: 5.60p) subject to the 
approval at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.

Share listing
The Company’s ordinary shares are admitted to and traded on AIM, 
a market operated by the London Stock Exchange. Further information 
regarding the Company’s share capital, including movements during 
the year, are set out in note 21 to the financial statements.

Financial instruments
The Group is exposed to a combination of price, credit, interest rate 
and cash flow risks. The Group uses financial instruments including 
cash, borrowings and interest rate swaps, the main purpose of which 
are to raise finance for the Group’s activities and to manage interest 
rate risks. Disclosures in respect of these instruments are set out in 
note 24 to the financial statements.

Employees
The Directors recognise the benefits which arise from keeping 
employees informed of the Group’s progress and plans and through 
their participation in the Group’s performance. The Group is therefore 
committed to providing its employees with information on a regular 
basis, to consulting with them on a regular basis so that their views 
and/or concerns may be taken into account in taking decisions which 
may affect their interests, and to encouraging their participation in 
schemes through which they will benefit from the Group’s progress 
and profitability. CareTech aims to foster a working environment in 
which all employees are treated with courtesy and respect and seeks 
at all times to provide opportunities to develop and reach their 
full potential.

The Group established a new sharesave share option scheme for 
eligible employees in 2016, details of which can be found in note 20 
along with options remaining on previous schemes. The Board feels 
that share ownership among employees fosters team spirit and 
motivation and will contribute to the ultimate success of the Group.

It is the Group’s policy to ensure that disabled persons are treated fairly 
and consistently in terms of recruitment, training, career development 
and promotion and that their employment opportunities should be 
based on a realistic assessment of their aptitudes and abilities. 
Wherever possible, the Group will continue the employment of 
persons who become disabled during the course of their employment 
through retraining, acquisition of special aids and/or equipment or the 
provision of suitable alternative employment.

Authority to allot shares
Pursuant to resolutions approved at the Annual General Meeting on 
3 March 2016 the Directors were granted authority to allot shares with 
an aggregate nominal value of up to the value of one third of the share 
capital of the Company.

The Directors were also granted authority to allot equity securities for 
cash to the holders of ordinary shares as the Directors may determine 
on the register on a fixed record date in proportion (as nearly as may 
be) to their respective shareholding or in accordance with the rights 
attached thereto.

Resolutions for the renewal of both of the above will be proposed 
at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting, further details of which, 
together with explanations of the resolutions to be proposed at the 
meeting, appear in the “Notice of AGM and explanatory circular to 
shareholders” which will be sent to shareholders in good time prior 
to the meeting.

Substantial shareholdings
As at 8 December 2016, being the date of the preliminary results 
announcement, the Company had been notified of, or was otherwise 
aware of, the following substantial interests of 3% or more in the 
ordinary share capital of the Company, other than those in respect 
of the Directors which are set out in the Remuneration Report on 
page 38.

Henderson Global Investors
Octopus Investment Nominees
Hof Hoorneman Bankiers
Hendrik M Van Hejiest
Hargreave Hale
Theodoor Gilissen Bankiers
Brooks MacDonald Asset Management
Majedie Asset Management
Norges Bank

Number of 
ordinary 
shares of 0.5p 
8,892,779
5,665,935
3,151,523
2,870,000
2,812,062
2,566,330
2,394,768
2,272,039
2,026,672

Percentage
13.85%
8.83%
4.91%
4.47%
4.38%
4.00%
3.73%
3.54%
3.16%

Directors
The names of the current Directors together with brief biographical 
details are shown on pages 30 and 31.

In accordance with the articles of association, F. Sheikh and H. Sheikh 
retire by rotation and, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election. 

The names of all Directors who held office in the year are as follows:

Farouq Sheikh
Haroon Sheikh 
Karl Monaghan
Mike Adams
Michael Hill 
Jamie Cumming 

The terms of the Directors’ service contracts and details of the 
Directors’ interests in the shares of the Company, together with details 
of share options granted and any other awards made to the Directors, 
are disclosed in the Remuneration Report commencing on page 37.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 35

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsDirectors’ Report continued

Directors’ insurance
The Company maintains appropriate Directors’ and Officers’ liability 
insurance, as permitted by the Companies Act 2006.

Going concern
After making appropriate enquiries and reviewing the year end balance 
sheet position, the Directors have reasonable expectations that the 
Group is well placed to manage its business risks successfully and has 
adequate resources to continue in operational existence for at least the 
next 12 months. The Group has prepared detailed budgets and cash 
flow forecasts and have considered the capital and working capital 
requirements. There are a number of Banking Covenants which ratchet 
depending upon time and Group performance. The Directors forecast 
that they are able to meet all banking covenants which are reviewed 
regularly. For this reason the Directors continue to adopt the going 
concern basis in preparing the financial statements. 

Auditor
Grant Thornton UK LLP have expressed their willingness to continue 
in office and, in accordance with section 489 of the Companies Act 
2006, a resolution for their reappointment will be proposed at the 
forthcoming Annual General Meeting.

By order of the Board

Michael Hill
Company Secretary
23 January 2017

Metropolitan House
3 Darkes Lane
Potters Bar
Hertfordshire
EN6 1AG

36 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Remuneration Report

The Remuneration Committee comprises three Non-Executive 
Directors, Jamie Cumming (Chairman), Karl Monaghan and Mike 
Adams, and meets at least twice each year. The Company Secretary, 
Michael Hill, is the secretary of the Remuneration Committee.

The Committee members have no personal financial interest, other 
than as shareholders, in the matters to be decided. They have no 
conflicts of interest arising from cross-directorships or from being 
involved in the day-to-day business of the Group. They do not 
participate in any bonus, share option or pension arrangements.

The Committee’s principal duties are to review the scale and structure 
of the remuneration and service contracts for Executive Directors 
and Senior Management and it also administers the Company’s share 
option schemes.

The Committee takes into consideration environmental, social and 
governance (“ESG”) issues, in relation to corporate performance, when 
setting the remuneration of Executive Directors and takes steps to 
ensure that the incentive structure for Senior Management does not 
raise ESG risks by inadvertently motivating irresponsible behaviour.

Remuneration policy
CareTech’s remuneration policy is to provide for each of its Executive 
Directors and key personnel a package which is adequate to attract, 
retain and motivate individuals of the appropriate calibre, whilst at the 
same time not paying more than is necessary for this purpose.

The Remuneration Committee has the objective of ensuring that 
remuneration packages are offered which:
 – are set at a level reflecting the competitive market in which the 

Group operates;

 – have a significant part of remuneration linked to the achievement 

of performance targets;

 – have due regard to actual and expected market conditions;
 – are structured in accordance with the interests of shareholders; and
 – foster the development of a high-performance culture across the 

Group.

The following comprised the principal elements of remuneration 
for Executive Directors and Executive Management for the year 
under review:
 – basic salary;
 – bonus;
 – benefits, including car allowance, vehicle expenses and healthcare 

insurance; and

 – pension contribution.

The remuneration for Non-Executive Directors is set by the full Board 
on the recommendation of the Executive Directors. Non-Executive 
Directors are not eligible to participate in any of the Company’s bonus 
or share option schemes.

Directors’ service agreements
All Executive Directors’ service contracts are subject to 12 months’ 
notice of termination on either side.

The Non-Executive Directors have each been appointed under 
contracts which are subject to three months’ notice of termination 
on either side.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 37

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsRemuneration Report continued

Directors’ remuneration (audited) 
The various elements of the remuneration received by each Director were as follows:

Year to 30 September
Current Directors
Farouq Sheikh
Haroon Sheikh
Karl Monaghan
Mike Adams
Michael Hill
Jamie Cumming
Total

Salary and fees

2016  
£000

2015  
£000

Benefits
2016  
£000

Annual bonus

2015  
£000

2016  
£000

2015  
£000

Total

2016  
£000

336
275
50
40
173
40
914

422
209
43
28
150
28
880

23
48
–
–
19
–
90

31
45
–
–
71
–
147

76
52
–
–
37
–
165

50
50
–
–
–
–
100

435
375
50
40
229
40
1,169

2015  
£000

503
304
43
28
221
28
1,127

Pension

2016  
£000

2015  
£000

–
–
–
–
11
–
11

–
–
–
–
3
–
3

Directors’ interests
The Directors who held office at the end of the financial year had the following interests in the ordinary share capital of the Company according 
to the register of Directors’ interests:

Westminster Holdings Limited(1)
Cosaraf Trust(2)
Cosaraf Pension Fund(3)
Farouq Sheikh
Haroon Sheikh
Michael Hill
Karl Monaghan
Mike Adams

30 September 2016
Number of ordinary
0.5p shares
11,263,519
2,060,091
170,000
485,000
485,000
47,619
34,250
2,300

30 September 2015
Number of ordinary
0.5p shares
11,263,519
2,060,091
170,000
485,000
485,000
47,619
31,250
2,300

(1)  Westminster Holdings Limited is a company owned by a trust, the beneficiaries of which include Farouq Sheikh and Haroon Sheikh.
(2)  Cosaraf Trust is a trust whose beneficiaries are the children of Farouq Sheikh and Haroon Sheikh. Farouq Sheikh and Haroon Sheikh are the trustees of this trust.
(3)  Cosaraf Pension Fund is a self-administered scheme established for the benefit of Farouq Sheikh and Haroon Sheikh.

Directors’ share options and sharesave options
Farouq Sheikh, Haroon Sheikh and Michael Hill own 285,000, 380,000 and 166,250 ordinary shares of 0.5p respectively under the Group’s 
Executive Shared Ownership Plan established in April 2012 which completed the three-year period in April 2015 (see note 20). There were no 
changes in the Director’s holdings under the Group’s Executive Shared Ownership Plan of 2012 during the year ended 30 September 2016. 

On 29 March 2016 the Group’s Executive Shared Ownership Plan 2016 was created. Farouq Sheikh, Haroon Sheikh and Michael Hill own 320,000, 
320,000 and 189,000 ordinary shares of 0.5p respectively under the Group’s Executive Shared Ownership Plan 2016 (see note 20). 

On 17 March 2016 the Company granted options in aggregate over 474,581 ordinary shares pursuant to the CareTech Holdings PLC Sharesave 
Scheme. It is a three-year contract with a start date of 1 May 2016 with options exercisable at a price of 194p per share between 1 May 2019 and 
31 October 2019. Within the options described above, there were options granted to Farouq Sheikh, Haroon Sheikh and Michael Hill of 9,278 each 
under the Sharesave Scheme.

None of the Directors have any other share options in the Company.

By order of the Board

Jamie Cumming
Chairman of the Remuneration Committee 
23 January 2017 

Metropolitan House  
3 Darkes Lane 
Potters Bar 
Hertfordshire 
EN6 1AG

38 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities

The Directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the 
financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

The Directors confirm that: 
 – so far as each Director is aware, there is no relevant audit 

Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements 
for each financial year. Under that law the Directors have to prepare 
the financial statements in accordance with International Financial 
Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union. Under 
company law the Directors must not approve the financial statements 
unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state 
of affairs and profit or loss of the Company and Group for that period. 
In preparing these financial statements, the Directors are required to:
 – select suitable accounting policies and then apply them 

consistently;

information of which the Company’s auditor is unaware; and
 – the Directors have taken all the steps that they ought to have 
taken as Directors in order to make themselves aware of any 
relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is 
aware of that information.

The Directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of 
the corporate and financial information included on the Company’s 
website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation 
and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation 
in other jurisdictions. 

 – make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable 

and prudent;

By order of the Board

 – state whether applicable IFRSs have been followed, subject to 

any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial 
statements.

The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records 
that are sufficient to show and explain the Company’s transactions and 
disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of 
the Company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements 
comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible 
for safeguarding the assets of the Company and hence for taking 
reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and 
other irregularities.

Michael Hill
Company Secretary
23 January 2017

Metropolitan House
3 Darkes Lane
Potters Bar
Hertfordshire
EN6 1AG

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 39

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsIndependent Auditor’s Report
to the members of CareTech Holdings PLC

Opinion on other matter prescribed by the Companies 
Act 2006
In our opinion the information given in the Strategic Report and 
Directors’ Report for the financial year for which the financial 
statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements. 

Matters on which we are required to report by exception
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where 
the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
 – adequate accounting records have not been kept by the Parent 

Company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received 
from branches not visited by us; or

 – the Parent Company financial statements are not in agreement with 

the accounting records and returns; or

 – certain disclosures of Directors’ remuneration specified by law are 

not made; or

 – we have not received all the information and explanations we 

require for our audit.

Jeremy Read
Senior Statutory Auditor
for and on behalf of Grant Thornton UK LLP
Statutory Auditor, Chartered Accountants
Milton Keynes
23 January 2017

We have audited the financial statements of CareTech Holdings PLC for 
the year ended 30 September 2016 which comprise the Consolidated 
Statement of Comprehensive Income, the Consolidated and Company 
Statements of Financial Position, Consolidated and the Company 
Statements of Changes in Equity, the Consolidated and Company 
Statements of Cash Flow and the related notes. The financial reporting 
framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law 
and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by 
the European Union and, as regards the Parent Company financial 
statements, as applied in accordance with the provisions of the 
Companies Act 2006.

This report is made solely to the Company’s members, as a body, 
in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. 
Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the 
Company’s members those matters we are required to state to them 
in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent 
permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone 
other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for 
our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Respective responsibilities of Directors and auditor
As explained more fully in the Directors’ Responsibilities Statement 
set out on page 39 the Directors are responsible for the preparation 
of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true 
and fair view. Our responsibility is to audit and express an opinion 
on the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and 
International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland). Those standards 
require us to comply with the Auditing Practices Board’s Ethical 
Standards for Auditors.

Scope of the audit of the financial statements
A description of the scope of an audit of financial statements 
is provided on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at 
www.frc.org.uk/auditscopeukprivate.

Opinion on financial statements
In our opinion:
 – the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the 
Group’s and of the Parent Company’s affairs as at 30 September 
2016 and of the Group’s profit for the year then ended;

 – the Group financial statements have been properly prepared in 
accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union;
 – the Parent Company financial statements have been properly 

prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European 
Union and as applied in accordance with the provisions of the 
Companies Act 2006; and

 – the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 

the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

40 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income
for the year ended 30 September 2016

Revenue 
Cost of sales
Gross profit

Administrative expenses
Operating profit

EBITDA(ii)
Depreciation
Amortisation of intangible assets
Share-based payments charge
Operating profit
Financial expenses
Profit before tax 

Taxation
Profit and comprehensive income for the year 
attributable to equity shareholders of the parent
Earnings per share
Basic
Diluted

Note
4

Underlying
£000
148,979
(94,682)
54,297

2016

Non-

underlying(i)

£000
–
–
–

Total
£000
148,979
(94,682)
54,297

Underlying
£000
124,271
(76,571)
47,700

2015

Non-

underlying(i)

£000
–
–
–

Total
£000
124,271
(76,571)
47,700

(22,328)
31,969

(1,510)
(1,510)

(23,838)
30,459

(18,947)
28,753

(10,938)
(10,938)

(29,885)
17,815

12
13

5,8

37,056
(5,026)

(61)
31,969
(5,887)
26,082

4,233
–
(5,743)
–
(1,510)
(2,037)
(3,547)

41,289
(5,026)
(5,743)
(61)
30,459
(7,924)
22,535

32,496
(3,683)
–
(60)
28,753
(6,797)
21,956

(5,707)
–
(5,231)
–
(10,938)
(1,621)
(12,559)

26,789
(3,683)
(5,231)
(60)
17,815
(8,418)
9,397

5,9

(2,035)

2,371

336

(3,623)

2,184

(1,439)

24,047

(1,176)

22,871

18,333

(10,375)

7,958

10,11
10,11

38.03p
38.03p

36.17p
36.17p

31.50p
31.79p

13.80p
13.80p

(i)  Non underlying items comprise: amortisation of intangibles, acquisition expenses, fair value adjustments on acquisitions, changes in value and additional 

finance payments in respect of derivative financial instruments, integration, reorganisation and redundancy costs and provision for onerous leases and the 
profit arising from the treatment of the ground rent transaction under IAS 17. See note 5.

(ii)  EBITDA is operating profit stated before depreciation, amortisation of intangible assets, and share-based payments charge.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 41

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsConsolidated Statement of Financial Position 
as at 30 September 2016

Assets
Non-current assets
Property, plant and equipment
Other intangible assets
Goodwill

Current assets
Inventories
Trade and other receivables
Cash and cash equivalents

Total assets

Equity 
Share capital
Share premium
Shares held by Executive Shared Ownership Plan
Merger reserve
Retained earnings
Total equity 

Liabilities
Non-current liabilities
Loans and borrowings
Ground rent liabilities arising under IAS17
Deferred tax liabilities
Deferred and contingent consideration payable
Derivative financial instruments

Current liabilities
Loans and borrowings 
Trade and other payables
Ground rent liabilities arising under IAS17
Deferred and contingent consideration payable
Deferred income
Corporation tax
Derivative financial instruments

Total liabilities
Total equity and liabilities

Note

2016
£000

2015
£000

12
13
13

15
16

21
21
21
21
21

17

19
23
24

17
18

23

24

267,667
43,982
43,021
354,670

815
18,508
4,308
23,631
378,301

256,552
34,251
38,651
329,454

515
12,981
3,702
17,198
346,652

321
81,750
(6,072)
9,023
66,645
151,667

311
76,985
(1,280)
8,748
48,935
133,699

153,742
7,343
21,552
2,025
964
185,626

6,990
17,666
50
3,850
2,119
9,250
1,083
41,008
226,634
378,301

160,303
–
21,066
–
227
181,596

1,927
16,920
–
1,500
2,142
8,306
562
31,357
212,953
346,652

These financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 23 January 2017 and were signed on its behalf by:

Farouq Sheikh 
Chairman 

Company number: 04457287

Michael Hill
Group Finance Director

42 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity
as at 30 September 2016

At 1 October 2014

Profit for the year
Total comprehensive income

Issue of ordinary shares
Reduction in shares held
Equity settled share-based payments charge 
Dividends
Transactions with owners recorded directly in equity

At 30 September 2015

At 1 October 2015

Profit for the year
Total comprehensive income

Issue of ordinary shares
Equity settled share-based payments charge 
Dividends
Transactions with owners recorded directly in equity

Share
capital
£000
260

Share
premium
£000
57,221

Shares held 
by Executive 
Shared 
Ownership 
Plan
£000
(1,890)

–
–

19,764
–
–
–
19,764

–
–

–
610
–
–
610

Merger
reserve
£000
8,498

Retained
earnings
£000
45,070

–
–

250
–
–
–
250

7,958
7,958

–
–
60
(4,153)
(4,093)

Total
equity
£000
109,159

7,958
7,958

20,065
610
60
(4,153)
16,582

76,985

(1,280)

8,748

48,935

133,699

76,985

(1,280)

8,748

48,935

133,699

–
–

4,765
–
–
4,765

–
–

(4,792)
–
–
(4,792)

–
–

275
–
–
275

22,871
22,871

–
61
(5,222)
(5,161)

22,871
22,871

258
61
(5,222)
(4,903)

–
–

51
–
–
–
51

311

311

–
–

10
–
–
10

At 30 September 2016

321

81,750

(6,072)

9,023

66,645

151,667

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 43

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsNote

2016
£000

2015
£000

22,535

9,397

8

12
13
20
5
5
12

5(i)

23

13

22

7,924
–
5,026
5,743
61
660
1,780
(5,623)
38,106
(253)
(3,498)
(163)
34,192
(1,780)
–
32,412
(1,458)
30,954

29,854
(27,603)
(10,765)
(3,580)
(3,654)
(15,748)

75
–
(5,544)
(779)
27,507
(28,377)
(2,260)
(5,222)
(14,600)
606
3,702
4,308

8,418
304
3,683
5,231
60
1,000
4,403
(134)
32,362
 –
(3,669)
1,985
30,678
(1,604)
(725)
28,349
(1,339)
27,010

1,051
(6,591)
(5,976)
(3,893)
(1,182)
(16,591)

19,815
158,525
(6,694)
(675)
(1,169)
(173,556)
(2,710)
(4,153)
(10,617)
(198)
3,900
3,702

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow
for the year ended 30 September 2016

Cash flows from operating activities
Profit before tax
Adjustments for:
Financial expenses
Onerous lease provision charge
Depreciation
Amortisation
Share-based payments charge
Acquisition transaction cost
Integration and restructuring costs
(Profit) on disposal of property, plant and equipment
Operating cash flows before movement in working capital 
(Increase) in Inventory
(Increase) in trade and other receivables
Increase in trade and other payables
Operating cash flows before adjustment items
Integration and restructuring costs paid
Payments made under onerous contracts
Cash inflows from operating activities
Tax paid
Net cash from operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment
Payments for business combinations net of cash acquired
Acquisition of property, plant and equipment
Acquisition of software
Payment of acquisition costs
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from the issue of share capital (net of costs)
Proceeds from new loan (net of costs)
Interest paid
Cash outflow arising from derivative financial instruments
Bank fees on refinancing
Repayment of borrowings
Payment of finance lease liabilities
Dividends paid 
Net cash (used in) financing activities
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 October
Cash and cash equivalents at 30 September

44 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the Financial Statements

Background and basis of preparation

1 
CareTech Holdings PLC (the ”Company”) is a company registered and 
domiciled in England and Wales. The consolidated financial statements 
of the Company for the year ended 30 September 2016 comprise the 
Company and its subsidiaries (together referred to as the “Group”). The 
consolidated financial statements are presented in GBP (£), which is 
the Company’s functional currency, rounded to the nearest thousand. 
The Parent Company financial statements present information about 
the Company as a separate entity and not about its Group.

The consolidated financial statements were approved for release by 
the Board of Directors on 23 January 2016.

Going concern
The Group’s business activities together with the factors likely to affect 
its future development, performance and position are set out in the 
Chairman’s Statement on pages 10 and 11 and the Chief Executive’s 
Statement and Performance Review on pages 20 to 23. The financial 
position of the Group, its cash flows, liquidity position and borrowing 
facilities are described in the Financial Review on pages 26 to 29. In 
addition, note 24 to the financial statements includes the Group’s 
objectives, policies and processes for managing its capital, its financial 
risk management objectives, details of its financial instruments and 
hedging activities and its exposures to credit risk, interest rate risk and 
liquidity risk. As highlighted in that note, the Group meets its day-to-
day working capital requirements through a mixture of bank facilities 
which are sufficient, with cash flow from profits, to fund present 
commitments. Term facilities are utilised to fund capital expenditure 
and short-term flexibility is achieved by the utilisation of cash resources 
in respect of financial liabilities, which are shown in the table in note 24 
and indicates their contractual cash flow maturities. There are a 
number of Banking Covenants which ratchet depending on time and 
Group performance. The Directors forecast that they are able to meet 
all Banking Covenants which are reviewed regularly.

An extension to the existing bank facilities was agreed with our bankers 
in 2015. The facility which was due to expire in January 2017 has been 
extended to January 2019. The cost of borrowing has been reduced 
through a reduction to the interest rate and four loan repayments, 
which were due between April 2016 and October 2016 amounting to 
£21.6m, have been deferred. In addition, there is an uncommitted 
accordion facility of up to £30m which, together with the deferral of 
loan repayments, gives further support to the Group’s acquisition 
strategy.

The Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Group has 
adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the next 
12 months from the date of signing these financial statements. The 
Group has prepared detailed budgets and cash flow forecasts and has 
considered the capital and working capital requirements. Thus the 
Directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting 
in preparing the annual financial statements.

2  Accounting policies
(a)  Applicable Accounting Standards
The Group financial statements have been prepared and approved by 
the Directors in accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards as adopted by the EU (“Adopted IFRSs”) and those parts of 
the Companies Act 2006 relevant to those companies which report 
in accordance with IFRS.

The accounting policies set out below have, unless otherwise stated, 
been applied consistently to all periods presented in these Group 
financial statements.

New and revised accounting standards applied for the first time in the 
current year
The Group has adopted the following new standards, or net provisions 
of amended standards:

 – Annual Improvements to IFRSs 2010-2012 Cycle
 – Annual Improvements to IFRSs 2011-2013 Cycle

There has been no material impact on either amounts reported or 
disclosure in the financial statements arising from first time adoption. 

Adopted IFRS not yet applied
At the date of authorisation of these financial statements, certain new 
standards, amendment and interpretations to existing standards have 
been publishing by the IASB but are not yet effective and have not 
been applied early by the Group. Management anticipates that the 
following pronouncements relevant to the Group’s operation will 
be adopted in the Group’s accounting policies for the first period 
beginning after the effective date of the pronouncement, once 
adopted by the EU:

 – IFRS 9 Financial Instruments (effective 1 January 2018)
 – IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers (effective 

1 January 2018)

 – Clarification of Acceptable Methods of Depreciation and 

Amortisation (Amendments to IAS 16 and IAS 38) (effective 
1 January 2016)

 – Annual Improvements to IFRSs 2012-2014 Cycle (effective 

1 January 2016)

 – Disclosure Initiative: Amendments to IAS 1 Presentation of Financial 

Statements (effective 1 January 2016)
 – IFRS 16 Leases (effective 1 January 2019)
 – Clarification and Measurement of Share-based Payment 

Transactions (Amendment to IFRS 2) (not yet adopted by the EU)

 – Disclosure Initiative: Amendments to IAS 7 (not yet adopted by 

the EU) 

IFRS 16 will replace IAS 17 for accounting periods commencing on or 
after 1 January 2016 and from the perspective of the Group as lessee 
will require (subject to certain practical expedients) most of the Group’s 
lease obligations (including the recent sale and leaseback transaction) 
to be reflected on balance sheet with a corresponding asset reflecting 
the right to use the underlying leased asset.

Management are currently performing a detailed review of the 
Group’s lease arrangements and are deciding on how IFRS 16 will be 
implemented and are considering which practical expedients might 
apply and whether or not the standard will be implemented on a full 
or partial retrospective basis. The full impact of IFRS 16 is therefore not 
yet known.

The Group’s current lease accounting policy and lease disclosures are 
included note 17. 

There are other standards and interpretations in issue but these are not 
considered to be relevant to the Group.

(b)  Measurement convention
The financial statements are prepared on the historical cost basis 
except that derivative financial instruments are stated at their fair 
value and contingent consideration is stated at fair value through 
profit or loss.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 45

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial Statements2  Accounting policies (continued)
(c)  Basis of consolidation
The Group financial statements consolidate those of the Parent 
Company and all of its subsidiaries as of 30 September 2016. All 
subsidiaries have a reporting date of 30 September. All transactions and 
balances between Group companies are eliminated on consolidation, 
including unrealised gains and losses on transactions between Group 
companies. Where unrealised losses on intra-Group asset sales are 
reversed on consolidation, the underlying asset is also tested for 
impairment from a Group perspective. Amounts reported in the 
financial statements of subsidiaries have been adjusted where 
necessary to ensure consistency with the accounting policies 
adopted by the Group.

(d)  Property, plant and equipment
Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated 
depreciation and impairment losses.

Cost includes expenditure that is directly attributable to the acquisition 
of the asset. The cost of self-constructed assets includes the cost of 
materials and direct labour, any other costs directly attributable to 
bringing the assets to a working condition for their intended use and 
capitalised borrowing costs. Purchased software that is integral to 
the functionality of the related equipment is capitalised as part of 
that equipment.

The cost of replacing a component of an item of property, plant and 
equipment is recognised in the carrying amount of the item if it is 
probable that the future economic benefits embodied within the 
component will flow to the Group, and its cost can be measured 
reliably. The carrying amount of the replaced component is 
derecognised. The costs of the day-to-day servicing of property, 
plant and equipment are recognised in the profit or loss as incurred.

Intangible assets and goodwill

(e) 
All business combinations are accounted for by applying the 
acquisition method as described in note (r). Goodwill represents the 
excess of the fair value of the consideration over the fair value of the 
assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities acquired on acquisition of 
subsidiaries. Identifiable intangibles are those which can be sold 
separately or which arise from legal rights regardless of whether 
those rights are separable.

Goodwill is stated at cost less any accumulated impairment losses. 
Goodwill is allocated to cash-generating units and is not amortised 
but is tested annually for impairment.

Negative goodwill (bargain purchase credit) arising on an acquisition is 
recognised in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income.

Other intangible assets that are acquired by the Group are stated at 
cost less accumulated amortisation and impairment losses.

Amortisation is charged to the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income on a straight-line basis over the estimated 
useful lives of intangible assets unless such lives are indefinite. 
Intangible assets with an indefinite useful life and goodwill are 
systematically tested for impairment at each balance sheet date. 
Other intangible assets are amortised from the date they are available 
for use. The estimated useful lives are as follows:

 – customer relationships 
 – software and licences  

1–20 years; and
5 years.

Inventories

(f) 
Inventories are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value. 
The cost of inventories is based on a first-in first-out cost basis.

Where parts of an item of property, plant and equipment have different 
useful lives, they are accounted for as separate items of property, plant 
and equipment and depreciated separately.

(g)  Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash balances and call deposits 
with maturities of three months or less from inception. 

Leases in which the Group assumes substantially all the risks and 
rewards of ownership of the leased asset are classified as finance 
leases. Where land and buildings are held under leases the accounting 
treatment of the land is considered separately from that of the 
buildings. Leased assets acquired by way of finance lease are stated 
at an amount equal to the lower of their fair value and the present 
value of the minimum lease payments at inception of the lease, less 
accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. Lease payments 
are accounted for as described in note (n).

(h)  Financial Instruments
Recognition, initial measurement and derecognition
Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the 
Group becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the financial 
instrument and are measured initially at fair value adjusted by 
transactions costs, except for those carried at fair value through 
profit or loss which are measured initially at fair value. Subsequent 
measurement of financial assets and financial liabilities are 
described below.

Depreciation is charged to the consolidated statement of comprehensive 
income over the estimated useful lives of each part of an item of 
property, plant and equipment. Land is not depreciated. The Directors 
reassess the residual value estimates, particularly in respect of 
properties, on an annual basis. The estimated useful lives are as 
follows:

 – freehold buildings  
 – long leasehold property  
 – short leasehold property  
 – fixtures, fittings and equipment 
 – motor vehicles 

 2% straight-line to residual value;
 over the life of the lease;
 over the life of the lease;
15% straight line; and
25% reducing balance.

Financial assets are derecognised when the contractual rights to the 
cash flows from the financial asset expire, or when the financial asset 
and all substantial risks and rewards are transferred. A financial liability is 
derecognised when it is extinguished, discharged, cancelled or expires.

46 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the Financial Statements continuedClassification and subsequent measurement of financial assets
For the purpose of subsequent measurement, financial assets are 
classified into the following categories upon initial recognition:

 – loans and receivables; and
 – financial assets at fair value through profit or loss (FVTPL).

All financial assets except for those at FVTPL are subject to review 
for impairment at least at each reporting date to identify whether there 
is any objective evidence that a financial asset or a group of financial 
assets is impaired. Different criteria to determine impairment are applied 
for each category of financial assets, which are described below. 

All income and expenses relating to financial assets that are recognised 
in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income are presented 
within finance costs or finance income, except for impairment of trade 
receivables which is presented within other administrative expenses.

Loans and receivables
Loans and receivables are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or 
determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market. After 
initial recognition, these are measured at amortised cost using the 
effective interest method, less provision for impairment. Discounting 
is omitted where the effect of discounting is immaterial. The Group’s 
cash and cash equivalents, trade and most other receivables fall 
into this category of financial instruments. Individually significant 
receivables are considered for impairment when they are past due or 
when other objective evidence is received that a specific counterparty 
will default. Receivables that are not considered to be individually 
impaired are reviewed for impairment in groups, which are determined 
by reference to shared credit risk characteristics. The impairment loss 
estimate is then based on recent historical counterparty default rates 
for each identified group.

Financial assets at FVTPL
Financial assets at FVTPL include financial assets that are either classified 
as held for trading or that meet certain conditions and are designated 
at FVTPL upon initial recognition. All derivative financial instruments fall 
into this category. Assets in this category are measured at fair value 
with gains or losses recognised in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income. The fair values of financial assets in this 
category are determined by reference to active market transactions 
or using a valuation technique where no active market exists.

Classification and subsequent measurement of financial liabilities
The Group’s financial liabilities include borrowings, trade and other 
payables and derivative financial instruments. Financial liabilities are 
measured subsequently at amortised cost using the effective interest 
method, except for financial liabilities held for trading or designated at 
FVTPL, that are carried subsequently at fair value with gains or losses 
recognised in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income. 
All derivative financial instruments that are not designated and effective 
as hedging instruments are accounted for at FVTPL.

All interest-related charges and, if applicable, changes in an 
instrument’s fair value that are reported in the consolidated statement 
of comprehensive income are included within finance costs or 
finance income.

From time to time, the long-term debts held by the Group are 
refinanced as these come to maturity or the margin on these facilities 
moves in line with the ratio of the Group’s net debt to EBITDA. In either 
scenario, the Group reviews whether the refinancing of the debt is 
accounted for as a modification or an extinguishment of the liability. A 
substantial modification should be accounted for as an extinguishment 
of the existing liability and the recognition of a new liability. A non-
substantial modification should be accounted for as an adjustment 
to the existing liability. Both the quantitative and qualitative aspects 
of the modification are taken into account to ascertain whether 
the medication is substantial and these can include the change 
in covenants, repayment dates and the effective interest rate. If 
modification accounting is adopted, the carrying value of the existing 
liability is adjusted for fees paid or costs incurred and the effective 
interest rate is amended at the modification date. If extinguishment 
accounting is adopted, the existing liability is de-recognised and the 
new or modified liability is recognised at its fair value, the gain or loss 
equal to the difference between the carrying value of the old liability 
and the fair value of the new one is recognised, any incremental costs 
or fees incurred and any consideration paid or received is recognised 
in profit or loss and a new effective interest rate for the modified 
liability is calculated and used in future periods.

Derivative financial instruments
From time to time, the Group enters into derivative financial 
instruments, such as interest rate swaps, to manage its exposure 
to interest rate risk. 

Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value at the date a derivative 
is entered into and are subsequently remeasured to their fair value 
at each balance sheet date. A derivative with a positive fair value is 
recognised as a financial asset whereas a derivative with a negative fair 
value is recognised as a financial liability. The resulting gain or loss is 
recognised in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income 
immediately. A derivative is presented as a non-current asset or 
non-current liability if the Group has an unconditional right to defer 
payment beyond 12 months. Otherwise derivatives are presented as 
current assets or liabilities.

Impairment (excluding deferred tax assets)

(i) 
The carrying amounts of the Group’s assets are reviewed at each 
balance sheet date to determine whether there is any indication 
of impairment. If any such indication exists, the asset’s recoverable 
amount is estimated.

For goodwill and assets that have an indefinite useful life, the 
recoverable amount is estimated at each balance sheet date.

An impairment loss is recognised whenever the carrying amount of 
an asset or its cash-generating unit exceeds its recoverable amount. 
Impairment losses are recognised in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income.

Impairment losses recognised in respect of cash-generating units are 
allocated first to reduce the carrying amount of any goodwill allocated 
to cash-generating units and then to reduce the carrying amount of 
the other assets in the unit on a pro rata basis. A cash-generating unit 
is the smallest identifiable group of assets that generates cash inflows 
that are largely independent of the cash inflows from other assets or 
groups of assets.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 47

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial Statements 
2  Accounting policies (continued)
Calculation of recoverable amount
The recoverable amount of the Group’s receivables carried at 
amortised cost is calculated as the present value of estimated 
future cash flows, discounted at the original effective interest rate. 
Receivables with a short duration are not discounted.

The recoverable amount of other assets is the greater of their fair 
value less costs to sell and value in use. In assessing value in use, the 
estimated future cash flows are discounted to their present value using 
a pre-tax discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the 
time value of money and the risks specific to the asset. For an asset 
that does not generate largely independent cash inflows, the 
recoverable amount is determined for the cash-generating unit 
to which the asset belongs.

Reversals of impairment
An impairment loss in respect of a receivable carried at amortised cost 
is reversed if the subsequent increase in recoverable amount can be 
related objectively to an event occurring after the impairment loss 
was recognised. 

An impairment loss in respect of goodwill is not reversed.

In respect of other assets, an impairment loss is reversed when there 
is an indication that the impairment loss may no longer exist or there 
has been a change in the estimates used to determine the recoverable 
amount.

An impairment loss is reversed only to the extent that the asset’s 
carrying amount does not exceed the carrying amount that would 
have been determined, net of depreciation or amortisation, if no 
impairment loss had been recognised.

Interest-bearing borrowings

(j) 
Interest-bearing borrowings are recognised initially at fair value less 
directly attributable transaction costs. Subsequent to initial recognition, 
interest-bearing borrowings are stated at amortised cost with any 
difference between proceeds (net of transaction costs) and the 
redemption value being recognised in the consolidated statement 
of comprehensive income over the period of the borrowings on an 
effective interest basis.

Borrowings are classified as current liabilities unless the Group has 
an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at least 
12 months after the reporting date.

Interest on qualifying assets is capitalised in accordance with IAS 23 
borrowing costs. Refer to note 8.

(k)  Employee benefits
Defined contribution plans
Obligations for contributions to defined contribution pension plans 
are recognised as an expense in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income as incurred.

Short-term benefits
Short-term employee benefit obligations are measured on an 
undiscounted basis and are expensed as the related service is provided. 
A provision is recognised for the amount expected to be paid under 
short-term cash bonus or profit-sharing plans if the Group has a 
present legal or constructive obligation to pay this amount as a result 
of past service provided by the employee and the obligation can be 
estimated reliably.

Share-based payment transactions
The grant date fair value of options granted to employees is recognised 
as an employee expense, with a corresponding increase in equity, over 
the period in which the employees become unconditionally entitled to 
the options. The fair value of the options granted is measured using an 
option valuation model, taking into account the terms and conditions 
upon which the options were granted. The amount recognised on 
exercise as an expense is adjusted to take into account an estimate of 
the number of shares that are expected to vest as well as to reflect the 
actual number of share options that vest, except where forfeiture is 
due only to share prices not achieving the threshold for vesting. 
Options lapsed are expunged from the relevant scheme.

Employee Benefit Trust 
The assets and liabilities of the Employee Benefit Trust (EBT) have been 
included in the consolidated financial statements. Any assets held by 
the EBT cease to be recognised on the consolidated statement of 
financial position when the assets vest unconditionally in identified 
beneficiaries. 

The costs of purchasing own shares held by the EBT are shown as a 
deduction against equity. The proceeds from the sale of own shares 
held increase equity. Neither the purchase nor sale of own shares leads 
to a gain or loss being recognised in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income. 

(l)  Provisions
A provision, other than provisions for deferred taxation, is recognised 
in the balance sheet where a reliable estimate can be made when the 
Group has a present legal or constructive obligation as a result of a 
past event, and it is probable that an outflow of economic benefits will 
be required to settle the obligation. If the effect is material, provisions 
are determined by discounting the expected, risk adjusted, future cash 
flows at a pre-tax risk-free rate.

(m)  Revenue
Revenue in respect of the provision of care services is measured as 
the fair value of fee income received or receivable in respect of the 
services provided and is recognised in respect of the care that has 
been provided in the relevant period. Any additional services provided 
by the Group are recognised on provision of the service. Fostering 
revenue is recognised on the basis of the daily placements made with 
a full day’s revenue recognised for every night a placement is with a 
foster carer. 

Revenue in respect of learning services is directly linked to specific 
achievements, and milestones reached by apprentices at which 
point the funding from the Skills Funding Agency is receivable and 
recognised. A corresponding balance is recognised in receivables.

Income which has been invoiced but is irrecoverable is treated as a 
bad debt expense. Revenue invoiced in advance is included in deferred 
income until the service is provided. Revenue is recognised net of VAT 
and credit notes. 

48 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the Financial Statements continued(q) Underlying EBITDA and underlying earnings per share
Underlying EBITDA as defined on page 41 is the key profit measure 
used by the Board to assess the trading performance of the Group 
as a whole.

A measure of underlying earnings and underlying earnings per share 
has been presented in order to present the earnings of the Group 
after non-underlying items which are not considered to impact an 
assessment of the trading performance of the Group.

(r) Business combinations
The Group applies the acquisition method in accounting for business 
combinations. The consideration transferred by the Group to obtain 
control of a subsidiary is calculated as the sum of the acquisition-date 
fair values of assets transferred, liabilities incurred and the equity 
interests issued by the Group, which includes the fair value of any 
asset or liability arising from a contingent consideration arrangement. 
Acquisition costs are expensed as incurred. Assets acquired and 
liabilities assumed are generally measured at their acquisition-date 
fair values.

(s) Sale and leaseback 
A sale and leaseback transaction is one where the Group sells an asset 
and immediately reacquires the use of the asset by entering into a lease 
with the buyer. The accounting treatment of the sale and leaseback 
depends upon the substance of the transaction (by applying the lease 
classification principles described in note (e)) and whether or not the 
sale was made at the asset’s fair value.

For sale and finance leasebacks, any profit from the sale is deferred 
and amortised over the lease term. For sale and operating leasebacks, 
generally the assets are sold at fair value, and accordingly the profit or 
loss from the sale is recognised immediately in the Group profit and 
loss account.

3  Accounting estimates and judgements
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS 
requires management to make judgements, estimates and 
assumptions which affect the application of accounting policies 
and the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, income and expenses. 
Actual results may differ from these estimates.

Estimates
Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing 
basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period 
in which the estimates are revised and in any future periods affected.

In the process of applying the Group’s accounting policies, the 
Directors have made the following estimates and judgements which 
have the most significant effect on the amounts recognised in the 
financial statements.

(n)  Expenses
Finance lease payments
Minimum lease payments are apportioned between the finance charge 
and the reduction of the outstanding liability. The finance charge is 
allocated to each period during the lease term so as to produce a 
constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the 
liability.

Non-underlying items
Non-underlying items are events or transactions which, in the opinion 
of the Directors, by virtue of size and incidence are disclosed 
separately in order to improve a reader’s understanding of the financial 
statements. Details are included in note 5.

Financing costs
Financing costs, comprising interest payable on bank loans and overdrafts, 
finance charges on finance leases, the unwinding of the discount on 
provisions and the costs incurred in connection with the arrangement 
of borrowings are recognised in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income using the effective interest method.

Interest payable is recognised in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income as it accrues, using the effective interest 
method. Financing costs that are directly attributable to the acquisition 
or construction of a qualifying asset are capitalised as part of the cost 
of that asset.

Financing costs also include losses arising on the change in fair value 
of derivatives that are recognised in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income.

(o)  Operating leases
Payments made under operating leases are recognised in the 
consolidated statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line 
basis over the term of the lease. Lease incentives received are 
recognised in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income 
on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

(p)  Taxation
Tax on the profit or loss for the year comprises current and deferred 
tax. Tax is recognised in the consolidated statement of comprehensive 
income except to the extent that it relates to items recognised directly 
in equity, in which case it is recognised in equity. Current tax is the 
expected tax payable on the taxable income for the year, using tax 
rates enacted or substantively enacted at the balance sheet date, 
and any adjustment to tax payable in respect of previous years.

Deferred tax is provided on temporary differences between the 
carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting 
purposes and the amounts used for taxation purposes. The following 
temporary differences are not provided for: the initial recognition of 
goodwill; the initial recognition of assets or liabilities that affect neither 
accounting nor taxable profit other than in a business combination, 
and differences relating to investments in subsidiaries to the extent 
that they will probably not reverse in the foreseeable future.

The amount of deferred tax provided is based on the expected manner 
of realisation or settlement of the carrying amount of assets and 
liabilities, using tax rates enacted or substantively enacted at the 
balance sheet date. A deferred tax asset is recognised only to the 
extent that it is probable that future taxable profits will be available 
against which the asset can be utilised. The carrying amounts of 
deferred tax assets are reviewed at each balance sheet date.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 49

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsContingent consideration payable on a business combination
When, as part of a business combination, the Group defers a 
proportion of the total purchase consideration payable for an 
acquisition, the amount provided for is the acquisition date fair value 
of the consideration. Changes in estimated contingent consideration 
payable on acquisition are recognised in the consolidated income 
statement unless they are measurement period adjustments which 
arise as a result of additional information obtained after the acquisition 
date about the facts and circumstances existing at the acquisition date, 
which are adjusted against carried goodwill. Contingent consideration 
that is classified as equity is not re-measured and subsequent 
settlement is accounted for within equity.

Judgements
Current asset provisions
In the course of normal trading activities, judgement is used to 
establish the net realisable value of various elements of working 
capital, principally trade receivables. Provisions are established for bad 
and doubtful debts. Provisions are based on the facts available at the 
time and are also determined by using profiles, based upon past 
practice, applied to aged receivables.

In estimating the collectability of trade receivables, judgement is 
required assessing their likely realisation, including the current 
creditworthiness of each customer and related ageing of past due 
balances. Specific accounts are assessed in situations where a 
customer may not be able to meet its financial obligations due to 
deterioration of its financial condition, credit ratings or bankruptcy.

3  Accounting estimates and judgements (continued)
Goodwill
The Directors use their judgement to determine the extent to which 
goodwill has a value which will benefit the performance of the Group 
over future periods. To assist in making this judgement, the Directors 
undertake an assessment, at least annually, of the carrying value of 
the Group’s capitalised goodwill, using discounted cash flow forecasts 
to derive the “value in use” to the Group of the capitalised goodwill. 
In the assessment undertaken in 2016 value in use was derived from 
discounted 10- to 20-year cash flow projections using a year on year 
growth rate of 0% and discount rates relevant to the cost of capital 
adjusted for risks associated with the cash-generating unit. The 
projection period is, in the opinion of the Directors, an appropriate 
period over which to view the future results of the Group’s businesses 
for this purpose. Changes to the assumptions of discount rates, growth 
rates, expected changes to costs and selling prices used in making 
these forecasts could significantly alter the Directors’ assessment of 
the carrying value of goodwill.

Customer relationships
The Group’s management team assess each acquisition in the 
historical financial information period to identify the intangible 
assets that were acquired in each transaction that qualify for separate 
recognition. The assessment of the future economic benefits 
generated from acquired customer relationships, and the 
determination of the related amortisation profile, involves a significant 
degree of judgement based on management estimation of future 
potential revenue and profit and the useful lives of the assets. The 
valuation method used to value customer relationships is a multi-
period excess earnings method. The useful economic life has been 
assessed as ranging from 1 to 20 years across the acquisitions. 
Annual reviews are performed to ensure the recoverability of this 
intangible asset.

Property, plant and equipment
It is Group policy to depreciate property, plant and equipment to their 
estimated residual value over their estimated useful lives. This applies 
an appropriate matching of the revenue earned with the capital costs 
of delivery of services. A key element of this policy is the annual 
estimate of the residual value of such assets and in particular of 
freehold property. Similarly the Directors estimate the useful life 
applied to each category of property, plant and equipment which, in 
turn, determines the annual depreciation charge. Variations in residual 
values or asset lives could impact significantly on Group profit through 
an increase in the depreciation charge.

50 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the Financial Statements continuedSegmental information

4 
IFRS 8 requires operating segments to be determined based on the Group’s internal reporting to the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”). 
The CODM has been determined to be the Chief Executive Officer as he is primarily responsible for the allocation of resources to segments and 
the assessment of the performance of each of the segments.

The CODM uses underlying EBITDA as reviewed at monthly Executive Committee and Performance meetings as the key measure of the 
segments’ results as it reflects the segments’ underlying trading performance for the period under evaluation. Underlying EBITDA is a consistent 
measure within the Group.

Inter-segment revenue between the operating segments is not material.

Our two key segments are Adult Services (Adult) and Children Services (Children). Adult Services comprises the Adult Learning Disabilities (ALD) 
and Mental Health (MH) divisions and the Children Services comprises Young People Residential Services (YPR), Foster Care (FC) and Learning 
Services (Learning).

There has been no aggregation of the operating segments in arriving at these reportable segments. 

The segment results for the year ended 30 September 2016, for the year ended 30 September 2015 and the reconciliation of the segment 
measures to the respective statutory items included in the consolidated financial information are as follows:

Year ended 30 September 2016
Continuing Operations

Client Capacity
Revenue (£000)
Underlying EBITDA (£000)

Year ended 30 September 2015
Continuing Operations

Client Capacity
Revenue (£000)
Underlying EBITDA (£000)

ALD

1,669
84,351
26,396

ALD
1,496
75,704
24,460

MH

114
5,748
1,663

MH
114
6,436
1,890

Adult

1,783
90,099
28,059

YPR

235
38,980
11,806

FC

Learning

Children

301
8,714
2,187

–
11,186
1,013

536
58,880
15,006

Total

2,319
148,979
43,065

Adult
1,610
82,140
26,350

YPR
205
22,364
8,230

FC
301
9,761
2,453

Learning
–
10,006
935

Children
506
42,131
11,618

Total
 2,116
124,271
37,968

Reconciliation of EBITDA to profit after tax:

Underlying EBITDA before unallocated costs
Unallocated costs
Underlying EBITDA
Depreciation
Amortisation
Share-based payments charge
Non-underlying items
Operating profit
Financial expenses
Profit before tax
Taxation
Profit after tax

2016
£000
43,065
(6,009)
37,056
(5,026)
(5,743)
(61)
4,233
30,459
(7,924)
22,535
336
22,871

2015
£000
37,968
(5,472)
32,496
(3,683)
(5,231)
(60)
(5,707)
17,815
(8,418)
9,397
(1,439)
7,958

All operations of the Group are carried out in the UK, the Company’s country of domicile. All revenues therefore arise within the UK and all 
non-current assets are likewise located in the UK. No single external customer amounts to 10% or more of the Group’s revenues.

No asset and liability information is presented above as this information is not allocated to operating segments in the regular reporting to the 
Group’s Chief Operating Decision Maker and is not a measure used by the CODM to assess performance and to make resource allocation 
decisions.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 51

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial Statements5  Non-underlying items
Non-underlying items are those items of financial performance that, in the opinion of the Directors, should be disclosed separately in order to 
improve a reader’s understanding of the underlying trading performance achieved by the Group as these are one-off significant costs which are 
not part of the ordinary course of the business. Non-underlying items comprise the following:

Acquisition expenses
Integration and restructuring costs
Profit arising from the ground rent transaction under IAS 17
Acquisition and development costs
Onerous lease provision
Included in EBITDA
Amortisation of intangible assets (note 13)
Included in administrative expenses
Fair value movements relating to derivative financial instruments
Charges relating to derivative financial instruments (note 5)
IAS 17 lease imputed interest
Included in financial expenses
Tax on non-underlying items (note 9)
Current
Deferred tax
Included in taxation
Total non-underlying items

Note
(i)
(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

2016
£000
(390)
1,780
(5,623)
(4,233)
–
(4,233)
5,743
1,510
1,258
646
133
2,037

(84) 
(2,287) 
(2,371) 
1,176

2015
£000
1,000
4,403
–
5,403
304
5,707
5,231
10,938
946
675
–
1,621

(1,320)
(864)
(2,184)
10,375

(i)  The Group incurred a number of exceptional costs relating to the integration of recent acquisitions and the reorganisation of the internal operating and 
management structure and redundancy costs totalling £1,780,000 (2015: £4,403,000). Included in the cash flow statement are acquisition expenses of 
£660,000 (2015: £1,000,000) and integration and reorganisation costs of £1,780,000 (2015: £1,604,000), which were paid in the year.

(ii)   The present value of the future cash flows receivable from the operation of certain leased assets has been assessed as being lower than the present value of 

the rental payments to which the Group is committed. Therefore the Group has provided for £nil (2015: £304,000) being the present value of any onerous 
element of the remaining lease life. 

(iii)  Non-underlying items relating to derivative financial instruments include the movements during the year in the fair value of the Group’s interest rate swaps 
which are not designated as hedging instruments and therefore do not qualify for hedge accounting, together with the quarterly cash settlement, and 
accrual thereof. 

(iv)  Deferred tax arises in respect of the following:

Derivative financial instruments
Full provision for deferred tax under IAS 12
Other adjustments

6  Auditor’s remuneration

Fees payable to the Group’s auditor for the audit of the consolidated and Parent Company’s annual accounts
Audit of the accounts of subsidiaries
Audit-related assurance services
Tax advisory services
All other non-audit services

Other non-audit services relate to Company Secretarial services. 

2016
£000
190
1,184
913
2,287

2016
£000
121
42
13
23
11

2015
£000
194
(446)
1,116
864

2015
£000
108
13
10
6
6

52 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the Financial Statements continuedStaff numbers and costs

7 
The average number of persons employed by the Group (including Directors) during the year, analysed by category, was as follows:

Operational and service delivery staff
Maintenance
Management and administration

The aggregate payroll costs of these persons were as follows:

Wages and salaries
Share-based payments charge 
Social security costs
Other pension costs

8 

Finance expenses

Interest expense on financial liabilities at amortised cost:
On bank loans and overdrafts
Finance charges in respect of finance leases
Underlying financial expenses 
Derivative financial instruments (note 5)
IAS 17 lease imputed interest (note 5)

Number of employees

2016
3,864
37
269
4,170

2016
£000
68,907
61
6,000
867
75,835

2016
£000

5,560
327
5,887
1,904
133
7,924

2015
3,224
17
195
3,436

2015
£000
53,721
60
4,825
593
59,199

2015
£000

6,523
274
6,797
1,621
–
8,418

In accordance with the revision to IAS 23, borrowing costs at £150,00 (2015: £360,000) have been capitalised in the year within property, plant 
and equipment. The capitalisation rate used to determine the amount of borrowing costs capitalised is 5%.

Taxation

9 
(a)  Recognised in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income

Current tax expense
Current year
Current tax on non-underlying items (note 5)
Corporation tax overprovided in previous periods
Total current tax

Deferred tax expense
Current year
Prior year
Deferred tax on non-underlying items (note 5)
Total deferred tax
Total tax in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income

2016
£000

2015
£000

(4,471)
84
2,281
(2,106)

(1,027)
1,182
2,287
2,442
336

(3,837)
1,320
–
(2,517)

214 
–
864
1,078
(1,439)

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 53

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial Statements  
(b)  Reconciliation of effective tax rate 

Profit before tax for the year
Tax using the UK corporation tax rate of 20% (2015: 20.5%) 
Non-deductible expenses
Other tax adjustments
Corporation and deferred tax overprovided in previous periods
Utilisation of brought forward losses
Total tax in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income

2016
£000
22,535
4,507
(820)
(612)
(2,692)
(47)
336

2015
£000
9,397
1,926
1,334
(1,267)
(554)

1,439

The main rate of corporation tax is set to reduce from 20% to 17% by 2020/2021. Deferred tax balances have been recognised at a corporation tax 
rate of 17%.

10  Earnings per share

Profit attributable to ordinary shareholders
Weighted number of shares in issue for basic earnings per share
Effects of share options in issue
Weighted number of shares for diluted earnings per share

2016
£000
22,871

2015
£000
7,958
63,229,346 57,653,019
17,804
63,229,346 57,670,823

–

Diluted earnings per share is the basic earnings per share adjusted for the dilutive effect of the conversion into fully paid shares of the weighted 
average number of share options outstanding during the period.

Earnings per share (pence per share)
Basic
Diluted

2016
36.17p
36.17p

2015
13.80p
13.80p

11  Underlying earnings per share
A measure of underlying earnings and underlying earnings per share has been presented in order to present the earnings of the Group after 
adjusting for non-underlying items which are not considered to reflect the underlying trading performance of the Group.

Profit attributable to ordinary shareholders
Non-underlying items (note 5)
Underlying profit attributable to ordinary shareholders
Underlying earnings per share (pence per share)
Basic
Diluted

2016
£000
22,871
1,176
24,047

38.03p
38.03p

2015
£000
7,958
10,375
18,333

31.80p
31.79p

54 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the Financial Statements continued12  Property, plant and equipment 

Cost
At 1 October 2014
Acquisition through business combinations
Additions 
Disposals
At 30 September 2015

At 1 October 2015
Acquisitions through business combinations
Additions
Disposals
At 30 September 2016

Depreciation and impairment 
At 1 October 2014
Depreciation charge for the year
Disposals
At 30 September 2015

At 1 October 2015
Depreciation charge for the year
Disposals
At 30 September 2016

Net book value
At 1 October 2014
At 30 September 2015

At 30 September 2016

Land and
 buildings
£000

232,257
5,298
2,430
 (273)
239,712

239,712
17,744
6,434
(10,973)
252,917

4,398
560
(8)
4,950

4,950
470
–
5,420

Motor
vehicles
£000

6,410
12
6,447
 (2,980)
9,889

9,889
119
1,101
(593)
10,516

2,778
1,016
(2,046)
1,748

1,748
1,814
(425)
3,137

Fixtures,
 fittings and
 equipment
£000

16,187
102
3,846
 (11)
20,124

20,124
876
4,428
(4,027)
21,401

4,369
2,107
(1)
6,475

6,475
2,742
(607)
8,610

Total
£000

254,854
5,412
12,723
 (3,264) 
269,725

269,725
18,739
11,963
(15,593)
284,834

11,545
3,683
(2,055)
13,173

13,173
5,026
(1,032)
17,167

227,859
234,762

3,632
8,141

11,818
13,649

243,309
256,552

247,497

7,379

12,791

267,667

Included in the result for the year is a profit of £5,623,000 (2015: £134,000 profit) on the disposal of freehold property, plant and equipment and 
motor vehicles. Included in property, plant and equipment are amounts held under finance leases of £6,629,000 (2015: £7,514,000).

Land and buildings
The net book value of land and buildings is as follows:

Freehold

2016
£000
247,497
247,497

2015
£000
234,762
234,762

The Directors believe that the market value of the Group’s current freehold property portfolio is £304m as at 30 September 2016. There was an 
independent valuation of the Group’s property portfolio following the ground rent transaction of £284m plus the cost price of the freehold 
properties purchased in the two acquisitions, plus other freehold properties purchased in the year. All of the Group’s freehold properties are 
pledged as security for bank borrowings.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 55

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial Statements13 

Intangible assets

Cost
At 1 October 2014
Acquisitions through business combinations
Additions
At 30 September 2015

At 1 October 2015
Acquisitions through business combinations
Additions
At 30 September 2016

Amortisation and impairment 
At 1 October 2014
Amortisation for the year
At 30 September 2015

At 1 October 2015
Impairment
Amortisation for the year
At 30 September 2016

Net book value
At 1 October 2014
At 30 September 2015

At 30 September 2016

Goodwill
£000

Software
and licences
£000

Customer
relationships
£000

36,037
–
2,614
38,651

38,651
4,398
–
43,049

–
–
–

–
28
–
28

6,595
–
3,824
10,419

10,419
–
3,580
13,999

3,032
1,631
4,663

4,663
–
2,000
6,663

41,806
4,832
–
46,638

46,638
11,894
–
58,532

14,543
3,600
18,143

18,143
–
3,743
21,886

Total
£000

84,438
4,832
6,438
95,708

95,708
16,292
3,580
115,580

17,575
5,231
22,806

22,806
28
5,743
28,577

36,037
38,651

3,563
5,756

27,263
28,495

66,863
72,902

43,021

7,336

36,646

87,003

Amortisation
The amortisation charge is recognised in the following line items in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income:

Administrative expenses

2016
£000
5,743

2015
£000
5,231

56 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the Financial Statements continuedImpairment testing for cash-generating units containing goodwill
The Group tests goodwill for impairment on an annual basis by considering the recoverable amount of individual cash-generating units against 
carrying value.

Cash-generating units comprise operating segments. This is the lowest level at which goodwill is monitored for impairment by management. 
There are no intangible assets with indefinite useful lives (other than goodwill).

For the purpose of impairment testing, the recoverable amount of each cash-generating unit has been calculated with reference to value in use. 
The key assumptions for the period over which management approved forecasts are based and, beyond this, for the value in use calculations 
overall, are those regarding discount rates, growth and occupancy rates, achievement of future revenues, expected changes in direct costs during 
the periods and residual values of freehold properties (which include an assumption for the growth of the House Prices Index of 2% per annum 
and that residual values will be 75% of the indexed market value). In arriving at the values assigned to each key assumption management make 
reference to past experience and external sources of information regarding the future – for example changes in tax rates. The assumptions have 
been reviewed in light of the current economic and public spending environment. The key features of these calculations are shown below:

Period over which management approved forecasts are based
Growth rate applied beyond approved forecast period
Pre-tax discount rate
Adult Learning Disabilities division
Mental Health division
Young People Residential Services division
Foster Care division
Learning Services division

2016
1 year
0%

8%
10%
8-12%
8-12%
12%

2015
1 year
0%

8%
10%
8-12%
8-12%
12%

In preparing value in use calculations for cash-generating units, cash flow periods of between 10 and 20 years have been used in order to match 
the period of goodwill with the average period of time service users are expected to remain in their relevant home. The discount rates used in 
each value in use calculation have been based upon divisional specific risk taking account of factors such as the nature of service user need, cost 
profiles and the barriers to entry into each market segment as well as other macro-economic factors.

The Directors believe that, even in the current economic and public spending environment and taking into account the nature of the Group’s 
operations, any reasonably possible change in the key assumptions on which the recoverable amounts are based would not cause the cash-
generating units’ carrying amount to exceed the recoverable amount.

The carrying value of goodwill is split between the following cash-generating units:

Adult Learning Disabilities division
Mental Health division
Adult
Young People Residential Services division
Foster Care division
Learning Services division
Children

2016 
£000
19,835
1,148
20,983
8,964
7,162
5,912
22,038
43,021

2015
£000
17,857
1,148
19,005
6,542
7,162
5,942
19,646
38,651

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 57

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial Statements14  Group undertakings
The Group has the following investments in trading subsidiaries included in the consolidated results for the year:

Ownership

Registration
number
04404355
03252453
SC224352
03390658
03370991
03304446
05156601
03293998
04351554
03160894
04050685
05761962
04826628
04828115
04826662
04826774
04826959
05355404
04827227
03744583
04050733
SC283940
05356025
03894564
02804415
06518327
06518491
06543818
07027116
08420656
08628141
05964868
05185612
07206363
07205262
03438332
02755757
05941774
05905163
02585666
01208511
03026221
04130146
02995783
02748991
03098166
08758477
06902547
02359399
03002865
04326288
03091510
04068839

Country  

of incorporation
England and Wales
England and Wales
Scotland
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
Scotland
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales

Class of 
shares held
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary

2016
%
100d
100q
100a
100c
100c
100c
100a
100
100
100c
100c
100h
100h
100h
100g
100h
100g
100h
100a
100h
100c
100a
100a
100a
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100l
100a
100m
100a
100q
100
100a
100a
100a
100a
100a
100a
100q
100c
100
100
100k
100a
100c
100q
100f

2015
%
100d
100q
100a
100c
100c
100c
100a
100
100
100c
100c
100h
100h
100h
100g
100h
100g
100h
100a
100h
100c
100a
100a
100a
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100l
100a
100m
100a
100q
100
100a
100a
100a
100a
100a
100a
100q
100c
100
100
100k
100a
100c
100q
100f

Addington House Limited
Advances In Autism Care & Education Limited 
Applied Care and Development Limited 
Ashcroft House Limited
Ashring House Limited
Ashview House Limited
Barleycare Limited
Beacon Care Holdings Limited
Beacon Care Investments Limited
Beacon Care Limited
Beech Care Limited
Branas Isaf (Ashfield House) Limited
Branas Isaf (Bythnod & Hendre Llwyd) Limited
Branas Isaf (Dewis Cyfarfod & Cysgod Cyfarfod) Limited
Branas Isaf (Education Centre ) Limited
Branas Isaf (Llyn Coed) Limited
Branas Isaf (Personal Development & Approach Training) Limited 
Branas Isaf (Therapeutic Provision Limited) 
Branas Isaf Holdings Limited
Branas Isaf Personal Development Centre Limited
Bright Care Limited
Cameron Care Limited
Care Support Services Limited
CareTech Community Services (No 2) Limited
CareTech Community Services Limited
CareTech Estates (No 2) Limited
CareTech Estates (No 3) Limited
CareTech Estates (No 4) Limited
CareTech Estates (No 5) Limited
Caretech Estates (No 6) Limited
Caretech Estates (No 7) Limited
CareTech Estates Limited
CareTech Foster Care Limited
Caretech Fostering Holdings Limited 
Caretech Fostering Services Limited
CareTech Housing Services 
Colerene Community Care (Kent) Limited 
Community Support Project Limited
Complete Care & Enablement Services Limited
Counticare Limited
Coveberry Limited
Daisybrook Limited
Dawn Hodge Associates Limited
Delam Care Limited
Delham Care Limited 
Emeraldpoint Limited
EQL Solutions Limited
Family Assessment Services (Birmingham) Limited
Fostering Support Group Limited
Franklin Homes Limited
Glenroyd House Limited
Gloucestershire Autism Services Limited 
Greenfields Adolescent Development Limited

58 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the Financial Statements continuedGreenfields Care Group Limited
H2O Limited
Hazeldene UK Limited(1)
Hereson House Limited
Huntsmans Lodge Limited
Kirkstall Lodge Limited
K O B Care Limited 
Leigham Lodge Limited
Lonsdale Midlands Limited
Lyndhurst Psychiatric Residential Care 
Magnolia Court Limited
Mason Property Development Company Limited
Oakleaf Care (Hartwell) Limited
One Six One Limited
One Step (Support) Limited
Outlook Fostering Services Limited
Palm Care Limited
Park Foster Care Limited
Park Foster Care Services Scotland Limited
Phoenix Therapy and Care Limited
Pinnacle Supported Living Limited 
Prestwood Residential Homes Limited
Primrose Court Limited 
Professional Integrated Care Services 
Roborough House Limited
ROC North West Limited
Rosedale Children’s Services Limited
Selwyn Care Limited
South East Care Services Limited 
Spark of Genius Limited
Spark Of Genius (North East) LLP
Spark Of Genius (Training) Limited
St Michael’s Support & Care Limited
St Michael’s Support & Care Properties Limited 
Sunnyside Care Homes Limited
The Community Care Company UK Limited 
TLC (Wales) Independent Fostering Limited
Trojan Spark Limited
Uplands (Fareham) Limited
Valeo Community Projects Limited 
Valeo Limited
Victoria Lodge Limited
Vosse Court Limited
White Cliffs Lodge Limited
Wyatt House Limited

(1)   Has a UK designated trading branch, Hazeldene UK Limited
a subsidiary of CareTech Community Services Limited.
a 
a subsidiary of Community Support Project Limited.
b 
a subsidiary of Beacon Care Holdings Limited.
c 
a subsidiary of Beacon Care Investments Limited.
d 
a subsidiary of H2O Limited.
e 
a subsidiary of Greenfields Care Group Limited.
f 
a subsidiary of Branas Isaf (Holdings) Limited.
g 
a subsidiary of Branas Isaf Personal Development Centre Limited.
h 
a subsidiary of Coveberry Limited.
i 
a subsidiary of Outlook Fostering Services Limited.
j 

Registration
number
04642100
97291
FC015967
04385252
04668317
04778674
03039698
04583599
02834141
02958528
05444649
04308273
05225317
04136284
04534652
04357704
04050739
04861395
SC427502
SC254555
02736242
04129564
04803769
04771613
05054294
05564417
04932054
03737832
02296352
SC479758
OC384807
SC196146
05978585
07186925
04589719
02816119
04824925
SC453152
03488896
03941224
04099715
04454845
04778676
04351559
04319271

Country  

of incorporation
England and Wales
Gibraltar
Gibraltar
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
Scotland
Scotland
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
Scotland
England and Wales
Scotland
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
Scotland
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales

Class of 
shares held
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary

Ownership

2016
%
100a
100a
100e
100a
100a
100c
100q
100c
100a
100q
100d
100g
100a
100a
100b
100a
100c
100a
100a
100a
100q
100a
100g
100j
100a
100a
100a
100a
100q
100a
50p
100n 
100a
100a
100a
100a
100l
100o
100l
100r
100
100d
100c
100a
100c

2015
%
100a
100a
100e
100a
100a
100c
100q
100c
100a
100q
100d
100g
–
100a
100b
100a
100c
100a
100a
100a
100q
100a
100g
100j
100a
–
100a
100a
100q
100a
50p
100n 
100a
100a
100a
100a
100l
100o
100l
100r
100
100d
100c
100a
100c

a subsidiary of CareTech Foster Care Limited.
a subsidiary of Professional Integrated Care Services Limited.

k 
l 
m  a subsidiary of Caretech Fostering Holdings Limited.
n 
o 
p 

a subsidiary of Spark of Genius Limited.
a subsidiary of Spark of Genius (Training) Limited.
a joint venture of Spark of Genius Limited (The Directors are of the opinion 
that joint venture is not material to the results of the Group and hence 
have not included the disclosures required under IFRS 12 “Disclosure of 
Interests in Other Entities”.
a subsidiary of The Community Care Company UK Limited.
a subsidiary of Valeo Limited.

q 
r 

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 59

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial Statements14  Group undertakings (continued)
Exemption from Audit by Parent Guarantee
The Company being the ultimate sole shareholder of its subsidiaries has decided to take the exemption from audit of a number of subsidiaries for 
the year ended 30 September 2016 under Sections 479A and 479C of the Companies Act 2006 and the Company will provide a guarantee for all 
the liabilities of those entities as at 30 September 2016 as detailed above with the exception of CareTech Community Services Limited, Hazeldene 
UK Limited and H2O Limited, ROC North West Limited and Oakleaf Care (Hartwell) Limited and Spark of Genius (North East LLP).

CareTech Community Services Limited as the main trading entity will not take the exemptions as stakeholders require audited financial statements to 
be produced. Hazeldene UK Limited and H2O Limited will not be covered by the Parent Company guarantee as they are incorporated in Gibraltar. 

15  Trade and other receivables

Trade receivables (note 24)
Other debtors and prepayments

16  Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents

2016
£000
10,055
8,453
18,508

2016
£000
4,308

2015 
£000
7,193
5,788
12,981

2015 
£000
3,702

Interest-bearing loans and borrowings

17 
This note provides information about the contractual terms of the Group’s interest-bearing loans and borrowings. For more information about the 
Group’s exposure to interest rate risk, see note 24.

Non-current liabilities
Secured bank loans
Finance lease liabilities 

Current liabilities
Secured bank loans
Finance lease liabilities

Terms and debt repayment schedule 

Term loan
Revolving credit facility term loan

2016
£000

2015 
£000

148,883
4,859
153,742

154,716
5,587
160,303

5,220
1,770
6,990

–
1,927
1,927

Currency
£
£

Nominal
interest rate
(%)

2.25 (2015: 2.75)(1)
2.25 (2015: 2.75)(1)

Year of
maturity
2019
2019

Book value
2016
£000
126,544
27,559
154,103

Book value
2015
£000
126,699
28,017
154,716

(1)    The margin on the facilities has initially been set at 2.75% over LIBOR but reduces based on the ratio of the Group’s net debt to EBITDA. The overall margin 

is reduced in the year from 2.75% over LIBOR to 2.25% over LIBOR. The Group have reviewed the present value of the cash flows under the new margin and 
determined the modification to not be substantial under IAS 39. Hence the modification has been accounted for as an adjustment to the existing liability. 

At 30 September 2016 the Group has available bank facilities totalling £195m, sufficient, with cash flow from profits, to fund present commitments. 
Term facilities are used to fund capital expenditure and short-term flexibility is achieved by the utilisation of cash resources.

The term loans are secured by way of a charge over certain assets, primarily property, plant and equipment of the Group.

60 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the Financial Statements continuedFinance lease liabilities
The finance leases relate to company vehicles used in the business.

Finance lease liabilities are payable as follows:

Less than one year
Between one and five years

18  Trade and other payables

Trade payables
Accrued expenses 

19  Deferred tax assets and liabilities 
Recognised deferred tax assets and liabilities
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are attributable to the following:

Property, plant and equipment
Intangible assets
Derivative financial instruments
Share-based payments
Rolled-over gains on property, plant and equipment
Capitalised revenue costs
Tax (assets)/liabilities
Net of tax assets
Net deferred tax liabilities

There are no unrecognised deferred tax assets or liabilities.

Movement in deferred tax during the year

Property, plant and equipment
Intangible assets
Rolled-over gains
Derivative financial instruments
Share-based payments
Capitalised revenue costs

Minimum 
lease 
payments
2016
£000
1,930
5,148
7,078

Interest
2016
£000
160
289
449

Principal
2016
£000
1,770
4,859
6,629

Minimum 
lease 
payments
2015
£000
2,103
5,923
8,026

Interest
2015
£000
176
336
512

2016
£000
3,116
14,550
17,666

Principal
2015
£000
1,927
5,587
7,514

2015 
£000
3,552
13,368
16,920

2016

2015

Assets  
£000
–
–
–
(19)
–
–
(19)
–
–

Liabilities  
£000
4,014
15,320
(348)
–
3,457
(872)
21,571
(19)
21,552

Assets  
£000
–
–
–
(131)
–
–
(131)
–
–

Liabilities  

£000
4,590
13,728
(158)
–
3,037
–
21,197
(131)
21,066

1 October
2015
£000
4,590
13,728
3,037
(158)
(131)
–
21,066

Recognised
in income
£000
(576)
(1,217)
420
(190)
–
(872)
(2,435)

Adjustment
£000
–
–
–
–
112
–
112

Acquired in
business
combination
£000
–
2,809
–
–
–
–
2,809

30 September
2016
£000
4,014
15,320
3,457
(348)
(19)
(872)
21,552

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 61

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial Statements19  Deferred tax assets and liabilities (continued)
Movement in deferred tax during the previous year

Property, plant and equipment
Intangible assets
Rolled-over gains
Derivative financial instruments
Share-based payments

20  Employee benefits
Defined contribution plans 
The Group operates a number of defined contribution pension plans.

1 October
2014
£000
4,337
13,303
3,037
44
(119)
20,602

Recognised
in income
£000
253
(1,117)
–
(202)
(12)
(1,078)

Acquired in
business
combination
£000
–
1,542
–
–
–
1,542

30 September
2015
£000
4,590
13,728
3,037
(158)
(131)
21,066

The total expense relating to these plans in the current year was £867,000 (2015: £593,000) of which £nil (2015: £37,000) was outstanding at the 
year end.

Share-based payments
The Company continues to operate four share option schemes: The CareTech Holdings 2005 Approved Share Option Scheme (“The Approved 
Scheme”); the CareTech Holdings 2005 Unapproved Share Option Scheme (“The Unapproved Scheme”) and the CareTech Holdings 2005 
Share-Save Scheme (“the SAYE Scheme”).

In addition, a new Executive Shared Ownership Plan (“ExSOP”) was formed in March 2016. Under the provisions of the ExSOP, shares (the “ExSOP 
shares”) are jointly owned by nominated senior employees and by an employees’ share trust. The ExSOP awards are subject to a time-related 
performance condition measured over a three-year period beginning with the date of the grant. To the extent the performance condition is 
satisfied, the participant can benefit from any growth of the share price in excess of the issue price.

The options have been valued using the Black Scholes option pricing model in line with IFRS 2 “Share Based Payments”. The assumptions used 
as part of the model include the following:

 – Expected volatility  
 – Expected dividend yield  
 – Risk free interest rate  
 – Vesting period 

25%
3.90%
2.39%
3 years

Grant of the ExSOP scheme requires specific performance conditions being satisfied. These criteria are set out below;

 – EPS Target requires the growth in the Company’s underlying Diluted EPS over the Performance Period to be at least 15% (being an average 5% 

annual growth rate, calculated without compounding).

Approved and Unapproved scheme options are exercisable at any time from the third anniversary of the date of grant to the tenth anniversary, 
other than nominal cost options which may become exercisable at the earliest after a period of 30 dealing days following the third anniversary 
of being granted. SAYE scheme options are normally exercisable within six months following the third anniversary of the date of grant. Options 
granted under the above schemes, together with those remaining at 30 September 2016 are as follows:

Date of grant
2 August 2006
17 January 2007
17 January 2007
21 March 2007
2 May 2008
2 May 2008
4 August 2009
4 August 2009
3 August 2010
3 August 2010
15 November 2010
15 November 2010
4 April 2012
17 March 2016 
29 March 2016

Scheme
Approved Scheme
Approved Scheme
Unapproved Scheme
Approved Scheme
Approved Scheme
Unapproved Scheme
Approved Scheme
Unapproved Scheme
Approved Scheme
Unapproved Scheme
Approved Scheme
Unapproved Scheme
Executive Shared Ownership Plan 2012
Sharesave Scheme 
Executive Shared Ownership Plan 2016

Options
granted
52,427
162,885
18,263
6,077
114,070
23,843
191,121
165,050
283,754
210,653
8,108
18,243
1,608,337
474,581
1,919,000

Options
lapsed to
30 Sept
2016
(43,764)
(117,325)
(10,103)
–
(85,578)
(19,278)
(133,689)
(114,574)
(213,909)
(149,577)
–
–
(261,668)
67,847
–

Options
 exercised to
30 Sept
2016
(3,424)
(23,236)
(5,785)
–
(138)
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
(435,879)
–
–

Options
remaining
30 Sept
2016
5,239
22,324
2,375
6,077
28,354
4,565
57,432
50,476
69,845
61,076
8,108
18,243
910,790
406,734
1,919,000

Option price
(pence)
292
345
345
452
410
410
332.5
332.5
305
305
370
370
153.1
194.0
247.5

The charge for the year £61,000 (2015: £60,000) relates entirely the ExSOP Scheme and the CareTech Holdings 2016 Share-Save Scheme.

62 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the Financial Statements continued21  Equity

Share capital
Allotted, called up and fully paid:
64,196,903 (2015: 62,133,535) ordinary shares of 0.5p each
53,402 deferred shares of 0.5p each

2016  
£000

2015  
£000

321
–
321

311
–
311

Share capital represents the nominal (par) value of shares that have been issued. The holders of ordinary shares are entitled to receive dividends 
as declared from time to time and are entitled to one vote per share at meetings of the Company. The deferred shares have no such rights.

Movements in the number of issued shares were as follows: 

2016
Ordinary shares of 0.5p each
Deferred shares of 0.5p each

2015
Ordinary shares of 0.5p each
Deferred shares of 0.5p each

At 
1 October
 2015
62,133,535
53,402

Issued in
connection
with
acquisitions
100,000
–

Issued
following
share option
exercises
44,368
–

Issued in 
connection 
with ExSOP 
Scheme 
 1,919,000
–

At 
30 September 
2016
64,196,903
53,402

At 
1 October
 2014
52,016,248
53,402

Issued in
connection
with
acquisitions
100,000
–

Issued
following
share option
exercises

Placing
17,287 10,000,000
 –

–

At
30 September
2015
62,133,535
53,402

Reserves
Share Premium Account – During the year, the issue of new shares charged to the share premium account are as follows:

Opening balance 1 October 2015
Premium on issue of shares
At 30 September 2016

2016  
£000
76,985
4,765
81,750 

2015  
£000
57,221
19,764
76,985

Share premium includes any premiums received on issue of share capital. Any transaction costs associated with the issuing of shares are deducted 
from share premium, net of any related income tax benefits.

Merger reserve – The merger reserve represents the premium arising on the ordinary shares issued as consideration for the acquisition of shares 
in another company (merger relief).

Merger reserve

Opening balance 1 October 2015
Shares issued for Acquisition
At 30 September 2016

2016  
£000
8,748
275
9,023

2015  
£000
8,498
250
8,748

Further information relating to the EBT reserve of the Group is detailed in note 20 to the consolidated financial statements of the Group.

Retained earnings – Retained earnings includes all current and prior period retained profits and share-based employee remuneration. Dividend 
distributions payable to equity shareholders are included in other liabilities when the dividends have been approved in a general meeting prior to 
the reporting date.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 63

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial Statements22  Dividends 
The aggregate amount of dividends comprises:

Interim dividend paid in respect of prior year but not recognised as liabilities in that year  
(3.00p per share (2015: 2.80p per share))
Final dividend paid in respect of the prior year (5.60p per share (2015: 5.60p per share))
Aggregate amount of dividends paid in the financial year (8.40p per share (2015: 8.00p per share))

2016  
£000

2015  
£000

1,739
3,483
5,222

1,350
2,803
4,153

The aggregate amount of dividends proposed and not recognised as liabilities as at the year end is 9.25p per share, £5,938,214 (2015: 8.40p per 
share, £5,226,404).

23  Business combinations
(a)  Acquisitions 2016
The Group made two acquisitions in the year which have been accounted for as business combinations under IFRS 3 (revised). 

The following tables of fair value summarise the acquisitions made during the financial year.

On 15 March 2016 the Group acquired the equity of Oakleaf Care (Hartwell) Limited, a specialist in the care and rehabilitation of men with acquired 
brain injury. The book values attributable to the acquisition were £13,406,000 net assets and fair value and adjustments were £5,451,000.

Oakleaf Care (Hartwell)
Intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment
Other fixed assets
Inventories
Trade and other receivables
Cash
Trade and other payables
Deferred income
Deferred tax
Net assets on acquisition
Satisfied as follows:
Cash
Shares
Deferred consideration due within one year

Goodwill

Book values
£000
–
11,875
27
46
2,077
30
(437)
(178)
(34)
13,406

Fair value
adjustment
£000
7,915
–
–
–
(500)
–
(171)
(210)
(1,583)
5,451

Total
£000
7,915
11,875
27
46
1,577
30
(608)
(388)
(1,617)
18,857

18,809
–
2,025
20,834
1,977

On 1 December 2015, the Group acquired 100% of the equity of ROC North West Limited, an educational and residential provider for young 
people. The book values attributable to the acquisition were £5,501,000 net assets and fair value adjustments were £4,505,000.

ROC North West
Intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment
Other fixed assets
Trade and other receivables
Cash
Trade and other payables
Corporation tax
Deferred tax
Net assets on acquisition
Satisfied as follows:
Cash
Shares
Deferred consideration due within one year

Goodwill

64 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Book values
£000
221
3,835
629
502
903
(298)
(201)
(90)
5,501

Fair value
adjustment
£000
3,758
2,373
–
 (250)
–
(150)
–
(1,226)
4,505

Total
£000
3,979
6,208
629
252
903
(448)
(201)
(1,316)
10,006

9,727
275
2,425
12,427
2,421

Notes to the Financial Statements continuedTotal
Intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment
Other fixed assets
Inventories
Trade and other receivables
Cash
Trade and other payables
Corporation tax
Deferred income
Deferred tax
Net assets on acquisition
Satisfied as follows:
Cash
Shares
Deferred consideration due within one year
Deferred consideration due after one year

Goodwill

(b)  Reconciliation to Group Cash Flow

Cash consideration paid on acquisitions in the year

Book values
£000
221
15,710
656
46
2,579
933
(735)
(201)
(178)
(124)
18,907

Fair value
adjustment
£000
11,673
2,373
–
–
 (750)
–
(321)
–
(210)
(2,809)
 9,956

Total
£000
11,894
18,083
656
46
1,829
933
(1,056)
(201)
(388)
(2,933)
28,863

28,536
275
2,425
2,025
33,261
4,398

2016
£000
28,536

2015
£000
6,591

Each acquisition was undertaken to enhance the Group’s position in the respective industries. In each case control was obtained through the 
acquisition of share capital.

The book values of the assets and liabilities were extracted from the underlying accounting records of the acquired entities on the date of 
acquisition. The book value of receivables represents the gross contractual amounts receivable, all of which are considered recoverable. The 
fair value adjustments made to intangible assets and creditors are to reflect their value on a going concern market value basis. The fair value 
adjustment to deferred tax arises due to the requirement to recognise deferred tax and goodwill on the fair value uplifts to intangible assets and 
property, plant and equipment. The remaining goodwill of £4,398,000 relates to the assembled workforce acquired on acquisition.

Goodwill which is not expected to be tax deductible arises due to the requirement to recognise deferred tax in respect of the fair value 
adjustments to intangible assets and property, plant and equipment, together with synergies expected to arise from combining operations, 
workforce in place and other intangible assets which do not qualify for separate recognition.

Deferred and contingent consideration payable is analysed as follows:

Contingent consideration:
Due within one year
Due over one year

2016
£000

3,850
2,025
5,875

2015
£000

1,500
–
1,500

(c)  Proforma results
The underlying result for the combined entity for the year as though the acquisition date for all business combinations had been the beginning of 
the year is as follows:

Revenue
Operating profit

2016
£000
154,583
29,852

2015
£000
133,986
18,919

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 65

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial Statements24  Financial instruments
The use of financial instruments is managed under policies and procedures approved by the Board. These are designed to reduce the financial 
risks faced by the Group, which primarily relate to credit, interest and liquidity risks, which arise in the normal course of the Group’s business.

Credit risk
Financial instruments which potentially expose the Group to credit risk consist primarily of cash equivalents and trade receivables. Cash 
equivalents are deposited only with major financial institutions that satisfy certain credit criteria.

Management has a credit policy in place and exposure to credit risk is monitored on an ongoing basis. Credit evaluations are carried out on all 
significant prospective customers and all existing customers requiring credit beyond a certain threshold. Varying approval levels are set on the 
extension of credit depending upon the value of the sale.

Where credit risk is deemed to have risen to an unacceptable level, remedial actions including the variation of terms of trade are implemented 
under the guidance of senior management until the level of credit risk has been normalised.

The Group provides credit to customers in the normal course of business with a provision for specific doubtful receivables. The balance includes 
the amounts considered recoverable which also equals their fair value. The Group does not require collateral in respect of financial assets. During 
the year there was a charge to the consolidated statement of comprehensive income for bad or doubtful debts of £259,000 (2015: £nil).

At the balance sheet date, there were no significant concentrations of credit risk. The maximum exposure to credit risk is represented by the 
carrying amount of each financial asset. Based on past experience, the Group believes that no impairment allowance is necessary in respect of 
trade receivables not past due.

The trade receivables as at 30 September are aged as follows:

Not due
Not more than three months past due
More than three months but not more than six months past due
Trade receivables (note 15)

The movement in provisions for impairment of trade receivables are as follows:

At 1 October 2014
Credited to the consolidated statement of comprehensive income
Acquired with business combinations
At 1 October 2015
Charged to the consolidated statement of comprehensive income
At 30 September 2016

2016
£000
6,337
2,591
1,127
10,055

2015
£000
5,880
1,313
–
7,193

£000
812
(406)
150
556
259
815

Interest rate risk
The Group finances its operations through called up share capital, retained profits, bank borrowings, and the sale of assets if appropriate. The 
Group’s income is by its nature relatively stable and its growth is, inter alia, impacted by inflation. Group policy is to balance interest rate fixes 
between the short, medium and long term. The benchmark rate for bank borrowings is LIBOR. As at 30 September, the Group carried five 
hedging instruments, details of which are as follows:
 – a 4½ year swap commencing 17 July 2012 at pre-determined amounts initially starting at £25 million at LIBOR fixed at 1.15%;
 – a 4½ year swap commencing 17 July 2012 at pre-determined amounts initially starting at £34 million at LIBOR fixed at 1.15%;
 – a 4½ year swap commencing 17 July 2012 at pre-determined amounts initially starting at £32 million at LIBOR fixed at 1.13%;
 – a 4½ year swap commencing 17 July 2012 at pre-determined amounts initially starting at £16 million at LIBOR fixed at 1.15%;
 – a 4½ year swap commencing 17 July 2012 at pre-determined amounts initially starting at £14 million at LIBOR fixed at 1.15%;
 – a 3 year swap commencing 28 January 2016 at pre-determined amounts initially starting at £35.2 million at LIBOR fixed at 1.032%
 – a 3 year swap commencing 9 February 2016 at pre-determined amounts initially starting at £38.2 million at LIBOR fixed at 1.097%
 – a 3 year swap commencing 29 January 2016 at pre-determined amounts initially starting at £110 million at LIBOR fixed at 1.032%
 – a 3 year swap commencing 9 February 2016 at pre-determined amounts initially starting at £18.1 million at LIBOR fixed at 1.097%
 – a 3 year swap commencing 12 February 2016 at pre-determined amounts initially starting at £18.5 million at LIBOR fixed at 1.097%

66 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the Financial Statements continuedLiquidity risk
The Group prepares annual cash flow forecasts reflecting known commitments and anticipated projects. Borrowing facilities are arranged as 
necessary to finance requirements. The Group has available bank facilities, sufficient, with cash flow from profits, to fund present commitments. 
Term facilities are utilised to fund capital expenditure and short-term flexibility is achieved by the utilisation of cash resources in respect of financial 
liabilities. The following table indicates their contractual cash flow maturities.

Trade and other payables
IAS 17 Ground rent payable
Secured bank loans
Finance lease liabilities
Deferred and contingent consideration
Derivative financial instruments

Trade and other payables
Secured bank loans
Finance lease liabilities
Deferred and contingent consideration
Derivative financial instruments

Effective

interest rate  

%

5%
11%

Effective
interest rate  

%

5%
11%

2016

Carrying
amount
£000
(17,666)
(7,393)
(154,103)
(6,629)
(5,875)
(2,047)
(193,713)

Contractual
cash flows
£000
(17,666)
(7,393)
(175,617)
(6,629)
(5,875)
(2,047)
(215,227)

2015

Carrying
amount
£000
(16,920)
(154,716)
(7,514)
(1,500)
(789)
(181,439)

Contractual
cash flows
£000
(16,920)
(191,477)
(7,514)
(1,500)
(789)
(218,200)

< 1 year
£000
(17,666)
(48)
(13,324)
(1,770)
(3,850)
(1,083)
(37,741)

< 1 year
£000
(16,920)
(7,579)
(1,927)
(1,500)
(562)
(28,488)

1–5 years
£000
–
(198)
(162,293)
(4,859)
(2,025)
(964)
(170,339)

1–5 years
£000
–
(183,898)
(5,587)
–
(227)
(189,712)

5 years
and over
£000
–
(7,147)
–
–
–
–
(7,147)

5 years
and over
£000
–
–
–
–
–
–

Capital risk management
The Group manages its capital to ensure that activities of the Group will be able to continue as a going concern whilst maximising returns for 
shareholders through the optimisation of debt and equity.

The Group’s capital structure is as follows:

Net debt
Equity (see page 42)

2016  
£000
156,424
151,667

2015  
£000
158,528
133,699

Our policy is to increase the total dividend per year broadly in line with the movement in underlying diluted earnings per share. The final dividend 
will therefore increase to 6.25p per share demonstrating a confident view of the Group’s fundamental strength.

Net debt
Net debt as defined by the Group’s banking facilities and comprises cash and cash equivalents net of all Loans and Borrowings due to the 
Group’s bankers.

Net debt in the balance sheet comprises:
Cash and cash equivalents 
Bank loans
Finance lease and hire purchase contracts
Net debt at 30 September

Foreign currency risk
The Group operates entirely in the UK and is not exposed to any foreign currency risks.

Note

16
17
17

2016
£000

2015 
£000

4,308
(154,103)
(6,629)
(156,424)

3,702
(154,716)
(7,514)
(158,528)

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 67

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial Statements24  Financial instruments (continued)
Sensitivity analysis
In managing interest rate risks the Group aims to reduce the impact of short-term fluctuations on the Group’s earnings. Over the longer term, 
however, permanent changes in interest rates would have an impact on consolidated earnings.

At 30 September 2016, it is estimated that a general increase of 1% in interest rates would impact finance expense and decrease the Group’s profit 
before tax and equity by approximately £450,000 (2015: £400,000). Hedging instruments have been included in this calculation.

Fair values
The fair values together with the carrying amounts shown in the balance sheet are as follows:

Loans and receivables:
Cash at bank and in hand (note 16)
Trade receivables (note 15)

Amortised cost:
Trade payables (note 18)
Secured bank loans (note 17)
Contingent consideration (note 23)

Held at fair value through profit and loss:
Derivative financial instruments 

Carrying 
amount
2016
£000

Fair 
value
2016
£000

Carrying 
amount
2015
£000

4,308
10,055

4,308
10,055

3,702
7,193

Fair 
value
2015
£000

3,702
7,193

(3,116)
(154,103)
(5,875)

(3,116)
(154,103)
(5,875)

(3,552)
(154,716)
(1,500)

(3,552)
(154,716)
(1,500)

(2,047)

(2,047)

(789)

(789)

Where market values are not available, fair values of financial assets and liabilities have been calculated by discounting expected future cash flows 
at prevailing interest rates with the following assumptions being applied:
 – for trade and other receivables and payables with a remaining life of less than one year the carrying amount is deemed to reflect the fair value;
 – for cash and cash equivalents the amounts reported on the balance sheet approximates to fair value;
 – for secured bank loans at floating rate the carrying value is deemed to reflect the fair value as it represents the price of the instruments in the 

market place;

 – for finance lease liabilities, all amounts are due within five years and are on terms similar to those estimated to be achievable in the market;
 – for the derivatives financial instruments, these were entered into to manage the Group’s exposure to interest rate risk on its external borrowings; 

and

 – for contingent consideration, this was entered into as part of the acquisition of Spark of Genius, Oakleaf Care (Hartwell) Limited and ROC North 

West Limited.  
The fair value will be determined with reference to: 
 – Spark of Genius’s EBITDA performance over the four financial years ending 30 September 2019;
 – ROC North West’s EBITDA performance over the financial year ending 31 July 2016;
 – Oakleaf Care (Hartwell)’s EBITDA performance over the two financial years ending 31 March 2018.

Fair value hierarchy
The financial instruments carried at fair value by valuation method are analysed as follows:
 – Level 1 – unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities: £nil (2015: £nil).
 – Level 2 – inputs other than quoted prices included within level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability either as a direct price or indirectly 

derived from prices: liability £2,047,000 (2015: liability £789,000).

 – Level 3 – inputs for the asset or liabilities that are not based on observable market data: liability £5,875,000 (2015: liability £1,500,000). The 

financial liability measured at fair value in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position at 30 September 2016 is deferred consideration. The 
fair value of deferred consideration relates to the acquisitions completed in current and prior years and is the estimated cash flows payable. The 
cash flows are not discounted as management deem this to be immaterial to the future cash flows payable. The effects on the fair value of risk 
and uncertainty in the future cash flows are dealt with by adjusting the estimated cash flows. Should any of the acquired businesses not achieve 
its performance targets then the estimated cash flows may be reduced. 

68 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the Financial Statements continued25  Operating leases
Non-cancellable operating lease rentals are payable as follows:

Within one year
Between two and five years
More than five years

2016

2015

Land and 
buildings
£000
3,743
9,365
123,003
136,111

Other
£000
355
420
–
775

Land and 
buildings
£000
3,075
6,824
7,770
17,669

Other
£000
302
166
–
468

Included in the operating lease rentals for land and buildings in more than five years are leases relating to properties sold to third parties and then 
leased back on 150-year leases. The payments shown for 150-year leases are 75% of the total lease payments.

During the year the following was recognised as an expense in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income in respect of operating leases:

Charge for amounts currently payable 
Onerous lease provision 
Total recognised in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income 

Analysis of movement in onerous lease provision

At 1 October 2015
Recognised in statement of comprehensive income 
Utilised in the year
At 1 October 2015
Onerous lease provision
Settled in period
At 30 September 2016

2016

2015

Land and 
buildings
£000
3,569
–
3,569

Other
£000
660
–
660

Land and 
buildings
£000
2,727
304
3,031

Other
£000
364
–
364

£000
304
–
–
304
–
(304)
–

26  Related parties
During the year, CareTech Community Services Limited paid rent totalling £188,000 (2015: £184,000) in respect of properties in which F. Sheikh 
and H. Sheikh have an interest. At the year end rent of £nil (2015: £46,000) was outstanding. Dividends paid to Directors in the year totalled 
£88,000 (2015: £83,000).

Transactions with key management personnel

Salary 
Benefits
Bonus
Total short-term remuneration
Post employment benefits
Share-based payments

Key management personnel are defined as Directors of the Company and members of the Senior Management Team.

Directors’ emoluments are set out on page 38.

2016  
£000
1,899
152
238
2,289
–
–
2,289

2015  
£000
2,036
184
114
2,334
–
–
2,334

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 69

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsCompany Statement of Financial Position
as at 30 September 2016

Non-current assets
Investments

Current assets
Trade and other receivables
Cash and cash equivalents

Total assets

Current liabilities
Loans and borrowings
Trade and other payables

Non-current liabilities
Loans and borrowings

Total liabilities
Net assets

Equity
Share capital
Share premium
Merger reserve
Retained earnings
Total equity attributable to equity shareholders of the parent

Note

29

2016
£000

2015
£000

35,301
35,301

35,301
35,301

30

31
32

31

33

229,753
267
230,020
265,321

216,811
520
217,331
252,632

5,433
1,839
7,272

–
2,238
2,238

149,155
149,155
156,427
108,894

321
81,750
9,023
17,800
108,894

154,716
154,716
156,954
95,678

311
76,985
8,748
9,634
95,678

These financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 23 January 2017 and were signed on its behalf by:

Farouq Sheikh 
Chairman 

Company number: 04457287

Michael Hill
Finance Director

70 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

 
 
 
 
Company Statement of Changes in Equity
as at 30 September 2016

At 1 October 2014

Profit for the year
Total comprehensive income

Issue of shares
Dividends
Transactions with owners recorded directly in equity

At 30 September 2015

At 1 October 2015
Profit for the year
Total comprehensive income

Issue of shares
Dividends
Transactions with owners recorded directly in equity

Share 
capital
£000
260

Share
premium
£000
57,221

Merger 
reserve
£000
8,498

Retained 
earnings
£000
6,488

–
–

51

51

–
–

19,764

19,764

–
–

250

250

7,299
7,299

–
(4,153)
(4,153)

Total 
equity
£000
72,467

7,299
7,299

20,065
(4,153)
15,912

311

76,985

8,748

9,634

95,678

–
–

10
–
10

–
–

4,765
–
4,765

–
–

275
–
275

13,388
13,388

13,388
13,388

–
(5,222)
(5,222)

5,050
(5,222)
(172)

At September 2016

321

81,750

9,023

17,800

108,894

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 71

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsCompany Statement of Cash Flow
for the year ended 30 September 2016

Cash flows from operating activities
Profit for the year
Operating cash flows before movement in working capital
Movement in payables
Movement in intercompany balance
Net cash (used in)/generated from operating activities
Cash flows from financing activities
Dividends paid
Proceeds from the issue of new shares (net of costs)
Repayment of borrowings
Net cash (used in)/generated from financing activities
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 October
Cash and cash equivalents at 30 September

2016
£000

2015
£000

13,388
13,388
(399)
(12,942)
47

(5,222)
5,050
(128)
(300)
(253)
520
267

7,299
7,299
(155)
(10,846)
(3,702)

(4,153)
20,065
(11,719)
4,193
491
29
520

72 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the Company Financial Statements

27  Accounting policies
(a)  Basis of preparation
The financial statements of the Company have been prepared and 
approved by the Directors in accordance with International Financial 
Reporting Standards as adopted by the EU (“Adopted IFRSs”) and those 
parts of The Companies Act 2006 relevant to those companies which 
report in accordance with IFRS.

Under section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 the Company is exempt 
from the requirement to present its own comprehensive statement of 
income. The profit for the year dealt with in the financial statements of 
the Company was £13,388,000 (2015: £7,299,000).

Investments

(b) 
Investments in subsidiary undertakings are stated in the balance sheet 
of the Company at cost less impairment written off.

(c)  Cash and liquid resources
Cash, for the purpose of the cash flow statement, comprises cash in 
hand and deposits repayable on demand and those with maturities of 
three months or less from inception, less overdrafts payable on demand.

Interest-bearing borrowings

(d) 
Interest-bearing borrowings are recognised initially at fair value less 
directly attributable transaction costs. Subsequent to initial recognition, 
interest-bearing borrowings are stated at amortised cost with any 
difference between proceeds (net of transaction costs) and the 
redemption value being recognised in the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income over the period of the borrowings on an 
effective interest basis.

Borrowings are classified as current liabilities unless the Company has 
an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at least 
12 months after the reporting date.

(e)  Financial Instruments
Recognition, initial measurement and derecognition
Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the 
Company becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the 
financial instrument and are measured initially at fair value adjusted 
by transactions costs, except for those carried at fair value through 
profit or loss which are measured initially at fair value. 

Financial assets are derecognised when the contractual rights to the 
cash flows from the financial asset expire, or when the financial asset 
and all substantial risks and rewards are transferred. A financial liability is 
derecognised when it is extinguished, discharged, cancelled or expires.

(f)  Taxation
Tax on the profit or loss for the year comprises current and deferred tax. 
Tax is recognised in retained earnings except to the extent that it relates 
to items recognised directly in equity, in which case it is recognised 
in equity.

Current tax is the expected tax payable on the taxable income for 
the year, using tax rates enacted or substantively enacted at the 
balance sheet date, and any adjustment to tax payable in respect 
of previous years.

(g)  Revenue
Revenue represents management fees receivable, in respect of the 
period to which management services relate.

(h)  Share-based payments
The share option programme allows employees to acquire shares of 
the Company. The fair value of options granted is recognised as an 
employee expense with a corresponding increase in equity. The fair 
value is measured at grant date and spread over the period during which 
the employees become unconditionally entitled to the options. The fair 
value of the options granted is measured using an option pricing model, 
taking into account the terms and conditions upon which the options 
were granted. The amount recognised as an expense is adjusted to 
reflect the actual number of share options that vest except where 
forfeiture is only due to share prices not achieving the threshold 
for vesting.

Where the Company grants options over its own shares to the 
employees of its subsidiaries it recognises an increase in the cost of 
investment in its subsidiaries equivalent to the equity settled share-based 
payment charge recognised in its subsidiary’s financial statements with 
the corresponding credit being recognised directly in equity.

(i)  Dividends on shares presented within shareholders’ funds
Dividends unpaid at the balance sheet date are only recognised as a 
liability at that date to the extent that they are appropriately authorised 
and are no longer at the discretion of the Company. Unpaid dividends 
that do not meet these criteria are disclosed in the notes to the 
financial statements.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 73

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial Statements 
Notes to the Company Financial Statements continued

28  Dividends 
The aggregate amount of dividends comprises:

Interim dividend paid in respect of prior year but not recognised as liabilities in that year  
(3.00p per share (2015: 2.80p per share))
Final dividend paid in respect of the prior year (5.60p per share (2015: 5.60p per share))
Aggregate amount of dividends paid in the financial year (8.40p per share (2015: 8.00p per share))

2016
£000

1,739
3,483
5,222

2015
£000

1,350
2,803
4,153

The aggregate amount of dividends proposed and not recognised as liabilities as at the year end is 9.25p per share, £5,938,214 (2015: 8.40p per 
share, £5,226,404).

29 

Investments

Cost and net book value
At beginning of year
Share-based payments charge in respect of subsidiary undertakings
At end of year

30  Trade and other receivables

Amounts owed by Group undertakings

Shares
in Group
undertakings
£000

35,301
–
35,301

2016
£000
229,753

2015
£000
216,811

Interest-bearing loans and borrowings

31 
This note provides information about the contractual terms of the Company’s interest-bearing loans and borrowings. For more information about 
the Group’s exposure to interest rate risk, see note 24.

Non-current liabilities
Secured bank loans

Current liabilities
Current portion of secured bank loans

Terms and debt repayment schedule

Term loan
Revolving credit facility term loan

2016
£000

2015
£000

149,155

154,716

2016
£000

2015
£000

5,433

–

Book value
2016
£000
127,029
27,559
154,588

Book value
2015
£000
126,699
28,017
154,716

Currency
£
£

Nominal  

interest rate (%)
2.75 (2015: 2.75)(1)
2.75 (2015: 2.75)(1)

Year of
maturity
2019
2019

(1) 

 The margin on the facilities has initially been set at 2.75% over LIBOR but reduces based on the ratio of the Group’s net debt to EBITDA. The overall margin 
is reduced in the year from 2.75% over LIBOR to 2.25% over LIBOR. The Group have reviewed the present value of the cash flows under the new margin and 
determined the modification to not be substantial under IAS 39. Hence the modification has been accounted for as an adjustment to the existing liability. 

At 30 September 2016 the Group has available bank facilities totalling £195m, sufficient, with cash flow from profits, to fund present commitments. 
Term facilities are used to fund capital expenditure and short-term flexibility is achieved by the utilisation of cash resources.

The term loans are secured by way of a charge over certain assets of the Group.

32  Trade and other payables

Other creditors

2016
£000
1,839

2015
£000
2,238

74 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

33  Called up share capital

Allotted, called up and fully paid:
64,196,903 (2015: 62,133,535) ordinary shares of 0.5p each
53,402 deferred shares of 0.5p each

2016
£000

321
–
321

2015
£000

311
–
311

The holders of the ordinary shares are entitled to receive dividends as declared from time to time and are entitled to one vote per share at meetings of 
the Company. The deferred shares have no such rights.

Details in respect of the reserves are given in note 21 to the Group financial statements.

34  Employee benefits
Defined contribution plans
The Company operates a number of defined contribution pension plans.

The total Company expense relating to these plans in the current year was £nil (2015: £nil).

Share-based payments
There was no expense for share-based payments relating to the Company in the year (2015: £nil).

The grants and related accounting treatment adopted by the Company is identical to that operated by the Group under IFRS 2 “share-based 
payments” (see note 20).

35  Directors’ remuneration
The analysis of Directors’ emoluments and share options is included within the Remuneration Report on pages 37 and 38. This analysis forms part of 
these financial statements.

36  Staff numbers and costs
The Company has no employees (2015: none) other than the Directors. Directors’ emoluments are paid by a subsidiary undertaking.

37  Related parties
During the year the Company received dividends of £13,500,000 (2015: £10,200,000) and received interest of £6,109,000 (2015: £6,300,000) and 
fees of £70,000 (2015: £70,000) from its subsidiary undertakings. The amount due to the Company from its subsidiary undertakings amounted to 
£229,753,000 (2015: £216,811,000).

38  Financial instruments
The use of financial instruments is managed under policies and procedures approved by the Board. These are designed to reduce the financial risks 
faced by the Company, which primarily relate to credit, and liquidity risks, which arise in the normal course of the Company’s business.

Credit risk
Management has a credit policy in place and exposure to credit risk is monitored on an ongoing basis. The Company provides credit to subsidiaries 
in the normal course of business. The balance includes the amounts considered recoverable which also equals to their fair value. The Company has 
collateral in respect of the investments it holds in its subsidiary undertakings. During the year there was no charge to the income statement for bad 
or doubtful debts (2015: £nil).

At the balance sheet date, there were no significant concentrations of credit risk. The maximum exposure to credit risk is represented by the carrying 
amount of each financial asset.

The receivables as at 30 September are inter-company balances as follows:

Not due
Not more than three months past due
More than three months but not more than six months past due
More than six months past due
Trade receivables (note 30)

The fair values of these balances is equal to their carrying value.

2016
£000
229,753
–
–
–
229,753

2015
£000
216,811
–
–
–
216,811

Interest rate risk
The Company finances its operations through called up share capital, retained profits, bank borrowings, and the sale of assets if appropriate. 
Group policy is to balance interest rate fixes between the short, medium and long term. The benchmark rate for bank borrowings is LIBOR.

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 75

Strategic ReviewGovernance––Financial StatementsNotes to the Company Financial Statements continued

38  Financial instruments (continued)
Liquidity risk
The Company prepares annual cash flow forecasts reflecting known commitments and anticipated projects. Borrowing facilities are arranged as 
necessary to finance requirements. The Company has available bank facilities, sufficient, with cash flow from profits, to fund present 
commitments. Term facilities are utilised to fund capital expenditure and short-term flexibility is achieved by the utilisation of cash resources in 
respect of financial liabilities, the following table indicates their contractual cash flow maturities.

Trade and other payables
Secured bank loans

Trade and other payables
Secured bank loans

2016

Effective 
interest rate
%
–
5%

Carrying
amount
£000
(1,839)
(154,588)
(156,427)

Contractual
cash flows
£000
(1,839)
(176,173)
(178,012)

< 1 year
£000
(1,839)
(13,347)
(15,186)

1–5 years
£000
–
(162,826)
(162,826)

2015

Effective 
interest rate
%
–
5%

Carrying
amount
£000
(2,238)
(154,716)
(156,954)

Contractual
cash flows
£000
(2,238)
(191,477)
(193,715)

< 1 year
£000
(2,238)
(7,579)
(9,817)

1–5 years
£000
–
(183,899)
(183,899)

5 years
and over
£000
–
–
–

5 years
and over
£000
–
–
–

Capital risk management
The Company manages its capital to ensure that activities of the Company will be able to continue as a going concern whilst maximising returns 
for shareholders through the optimisation of debt and equity.

The Company’s capital structure is as follows:

Net debt
Equity (see page 70) 

2016
£000
154,588
108,894

2015
£000
154,196
95,678

Our policy is to increase the total dividend per year broadly in line with the movement in underlying diluted earnings per share. The final dividend 
will therefore increase to 6.25p per share demonstrating a confident view of the Group’s fundamental strength.

Foreign currency risk
The Company operates entirely in the UK and is not exposed to any foreign currency risks.

Sensitivity analysis
In managing interest rate risks the Company aims to reduce the impact of short-term fluctuations on the Company’s earnings and equity. Over the 
longer term, however, permanent changes in interest rates would have an impact on consolidated earnings and equity.

At 30 September 2016 it is estimated that a general increase of 1% in interest rates would impact finance expense and decrease the Company’s 
profit before tax and equity by approximately £450,000 (2015: £400,000). Hedging instruments have been included in this calculation.

Fair values
The fair values together with the carrying amounts shown in the balance sheet are as follows:

Loans and receivables:
Cash at bank and in hand 
Trade receivables (note 30)

Amortised cost:
Other payables (note 32)
Secured bank loans (note 31)

Carrying 
amount
2016
£000

Fair 
value
2016
£000

Carrying 
amount
2015
£000

Fair 
value
2015
£000

267
229,753

267
229,753

520
216,811

520
216,811

(1,839)
(154,588)

(1,839)
(154,588)

(2,238)
(154,716)

(2,238)
(154,716)

Where market values are not available, fair values of financial assets and liabilities have been calculated by discounting expected future cash flows 
at prevailing interest rates with the following assumptions being applied:
 – for trade and other receivables and payables the carrying amount is deemed to reflect the fair value;
 – for cash and cash equivalents the amount reported on the balance sheet approximates to fair value;
 – for secured bank loans at floating rate the carrying value is deemed to reflect the fair value as it represents the price of the instruments in the 

market place.

76 CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Directors and Advisers

Company Number
04457287

Registered Office
5th Floor, Metropolitan House
3 Darkes Lane
Potters Bar
Hertfordshire
EN6 1AG

Directors
Farouq Sheikh 
Haroon Sheikh 
Michael Hill 
Karl Monaghan 
Mike Adams 
Jamie Cumming 

(Executive Chairman)
(Chief Executive Officer)
(Group Finance Director)
(Non-Executive Director)
(Non-Executive Director)
(Non-Executive Director)

Company Secretary
Michael Hill

Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker
Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited
One New Change
London EC4M 9AF

Joint Brokers
WH Ireland
24 Martin Lane
London EC4R 0DR

Auditor
Grant Thornton UK LLP
202 Silbury Boulevard
Milton Keynes
MK9 1LW

Solicitors
Charles Russell Speechlys
5 Fleet Place
London EC4M 7RD

Pinsent Masons
City Point
One Rope Maker Street
London EC2Y 9AH

Bankers
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
280 Bishopsgate
London EC2M 4RB

Lloyds Bank PLC
Large Corporate
25 Gresham Street
London EC2V 7HN

Alliance & Leicester PLC
Santander Corporate Banking
2 Triton Square
Regents Place
London NW1 3AN

AIB Group (UK) PLC
Corporate Banking
9/10 Angel Court
London EC2R 7AB

Registrars
Capita Asset Services
Northern House
Woodsome Park
Fenay Bridge
Huddersfield
West Yorkshire HD8 0GA

This annual report is printed on FSC® certified material.  
This product is biodegradable, 100% recyclable and elemental 
chlorine free. Vegetable-based inks were used during production. 
Both the paper mill and printer involved in the production support 
the growth of responsible forest management and are both 
accredited to ISO 14001 which specifies a process for continuous 
environmental improvement.

Designed and produced by Gather 
www.gather.london

Printed by Park Communications Ltd

CareTech Holdings PLC – Annual Report and Accounts 2016 77

C

a

r

e

T

e

c

h

H

o

l

d

i

n

g

s

P

L

C

A

n

n

u

a

l

R

e

p

o

r

t

a

n

d

A

c

c

o

u

n

t

s

2

0

1

6

E

x

t

r

a

o

r

d

i

n

a

r

y

d

a

y

s

e

v

e

r

y

d

a

y

CareTech Holdings PLC

Metropolitan House
3 Darkes Lane
Potters Bar
Hertfordshire
EN6 1AG

Tel: 01707 601800
Fax: 01707 655265

www.caretech-uk.com