Immigration Advisory Service Fun

From the BBC:

The Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) has gone into administration, BBC News has learnt. The IAS, which employs 200 people, has closed its branches across the UK. One employee told the BBC that staff had been told to clear their desks and that administrators were already in the central headquarters in London.

The free service is one of the leading charities giving legal advice and representation to immigrants and asylum seekers in the UK... The Legal Services Commission (LSC), which runs the legal aid scheme in England and Wales, said the IAS's decision to go into administration was "theirs alone".

A spokesman said: "During recent stewardship activities LSC raised concerns around financial management and claims irregularities which prompted IAS trustees' to conclude that the organisation was no longer financially viable. Our priority now is to work closely with IAS and the administrators to ensure clients of IAS continue to get the help they need, whilst safeguarding public money. We are now identifying alternative advice provision in the areas affected and arrangements for case transfer will follow as soon as possible."

From page 12 of their 2010 acounts

Total income declined by 7% from £17,278,000 to £16,093,000. This reduction was entirely due to a decline in income from the Legal Services Commission (LSC), our main funder; by 8%. It continues to account for 90% of total income.

And their page at The Charity Commission website says they have 381 employees, so there.