1 May 2024 — 30 April 2025
The content on this page is drawn from Circle Vision Foundation’s first Annual Report (Trustees’ Annual Report, year ended 30 April 2025).
In its first year, Circle Vision Foundation witnessed the urgent need within the British Chinese community for trustworthy legal and welfare services delivered in Chinese. Below is what we did over the course of that year, and the difference we made.
Year One: Our Results
Our achievements in our first year are reflected in two headline figures:
- 84% of disputes we handled were resolved through pre-action mediation or ADR, with no need for litigation
- 72% of cases that proceeded to litigation ended in success or a favourable settlement
Breakdown by Case Type
The disputes we handled covered the following areas:
| Type | Proportion |
| Housing disputes (deposits, disrepair, eviction, unlawful charges) | 67% |
| Employment disputes (unpaid wages, unfair dismissal, workplace rights) | 12% |
| Consumer and debt matters (private parking charges, unfair fees, debt collection) | 10% |
| Benefits and public services (Universal Credit, council tax, NHS services) | 8% |
| Other (civil torts, family law enquiries) | 3% |
This distribution reflects the legal and practical difficulties most commonly encountered by Chinese migrants in the UK — housing matters accounted for two thirds — which is consistent with the broader housing crisis in Britain.
Our Approach: Mediation First
84% of cases were resolved without recourse to litigation. We believe litigation should be a last resort, not a first choice:
- Pre-action assessment: Establishing the legal position, the issues in dispute, and what a reasonable outcome looks like.
- Formal Letter Before Action: Citing the relevant legislation (such as Housing Act 1988, Employment Rights Act 1996, Tenant Fees Act 2019, and others) to set out the legal risks to the other party.
- Mediation / ADR: Using independent third-party platforms where appropriate — including Citizens Advice, ACAS, and Tenancy Deposit mediators.
- Litigation: Commencing proceedings via Money Claim Online, the Employment Tribunal, or the County Court only when the preceding steps have not succeeded.
The result: Clients save on solicitor’s fees and avoid the stress of litigation; the other party avoids a judgment on the court record. This is a win-win approach to legal practice.
Real Change: Three Stories
The following cases have been anonymised and are shared with the clients’ consent.
Case One: Mr Li (pseudonym) — Housing Disrepair
Mr Li’s rented home suffered from persistent severe mould and water ingress, which the landlord repeatedly failed to address. We cited Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 and Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 s.11, commenced formal proceedings, and prepared evidence for litigation.
Outcome: The client received compensation exceeding £8,000 in damages, together with a rent reduction, and the necessary repairs were carried out.
Case Two: Ms Liu and Ms Zeng (pseudonyms) — Tenancy Deposit Recovery
Two young tenants had their entire deposit withheld by their former landlord on grounds of “cleaning and repairs” after they moved out, and the landlord had never registered the deposit with a statutory Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) scheme. We brought a statutory penalty claim under Housing Act 2004 s.213–215.
Outcome: Through pre-action negotiation, the two clients together recovered £18,000+ — equivalent to three times the original deposit.
Case Three: Ms Zhang (pseudonym) — Unlawful Wage Deduction and Unfair Dismissal
After Ms Zhang raised an objection with her employer following an unlawful deduction from her wages, she was dismissed. We brought a claim to the Employment Tribunal under Employment Rights Act 1996 s.13 (unlawful deduction) and s.94 (unfair dismissal).
Outcome: A favourable settlement was reached at the first conciliation, and the client not only recovered the unpaid wages but also received compensation and a clearing of her reputation.
Financial Transparency
We are committed to ensuring that all donations and grants are used for charitable purposes. The composition of income for the year was as follows:
| Source of income | Proportion |
| Charitable grants (Grants) | 37% |
| Individual donations (Donations) | 35% |
| Gifts in kind / shares | 28% |
| Total | 100% |
Note: Trustees and all volunteers receive no remuneration. The surplus carried forward from this year will be used to expand casework capacity, launch multilingual content, and train the next cohort of legal advocates.
The full financial report (including the independent examiner’s report) is available on the Charity Commission website:
https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/ (search for registration number 1209727)
How We Plan to Grow (2025–2026)
Building on the experience and surplus accumulated in our first year, we plan in the new financial year to:
- Expand the legal advocate team
- Add new content topics: immigration status, family law, consumer rights, mental health
- Build an online legal consultation booking system
- Partner with mainstream UK charities (Citizens Advice, Shelter, ACAS) to share training and referrals
- Policy advocacy: submitting evidence to government and MPs on housing, employment, and consumer issues of concern to the Chinese community
How You Can Help
Our ongoing operation depends on your support.
| How | Details |
|---|---|
| Donate | JustGiving online donation — every donation goes directly towards casework assistance and community education |
| Volunteer | Volunteer registration — legal, translation, design, IT and other skills all welcome |
| Corporate partnership | Email [email protected] to discuss grants, pro bono collaboration, or gifts of shares |
| Spread the word | Share our website and articles with Chinese friends and family who may need help |
Contact Us
If you would like to know more about our work, or have any questions about this report, please contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Registered office: 5th Floor, 167-169 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 5PF
The content on this page is drawn from Circle Vision Foundation’s Trustees’ Annual Report and Unaudited Accounts for the period ended 30 April 2025. The full document has been submitted to the Charity Commission for England and Wales in accordance with the law.