Big Issue Trust
Registered charity 1042514 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as BIG ISSUE INVEST TRUST, THE LOCAL INVESTMENT FUND, THE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE LOAN FUND
The Social Enterprise Loan Fund aims to promote charitable purposes by the provision of loans and other financial assistance. We aim to support the growth of financially viable social enterprises.
Causes: Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Disability · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Accommodation/housing · Amateur Sport · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that unrestricted reserves were £133,282 at year-end, which is above the trustees' stated policy target of £24,000. The charity reported a net expenditure of £1,734,728 against income of £971,725, resulting in a net movement in funds of £(763,003), yet maintains sufficient cash to meet obligations for at least the next 12 months.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Largest income source: Bank of America (89% of income)
“Bank of America 761,721”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: one year's management and administration costs, net of expected investment income and discretionary expenditure (held: £133k)
“The trustees consider it prudent that Unrestricted Reserves should be sufficient to cover one year's management and administration costs, net of expected investment income and discretionary expenditure.” — page 5
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Management services agreement with corporate member Big Issue Invest Limited.
“Big Issue Trust has entered into a management services agreement with Big Issue Invest (BII) under which BII carry out the day to day activities of the charity. In the year to 31 March 2025 the charity paid BII £24,000 (2024 - £24,000) under this arrangement.” — page 7
“During the year, the charitable company expended grants totalling £1,124,928 (2024 - £Nil) to Big Issue Changing Lives C.I.C., an entity that sits within Big Issue Group Limited.” — page 29
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Grants to Big Issue Changing Lives C.I.C., an entity within Big Issue Group Limited.
“Big Issue Trust has entered into a management services agreement with Big Issue Invest (BII) under which BII carry out the day to day activities of the charity. In the year to 31 March 2025 the charity paid BII £24,000 (2024 - £24,000) under this arrangement.” — page 7
“During the year, the charitable company expended grants totalling £1,124,928 (2024 - £Nil) to Big Issue Changing Lives C.I.C., an entity that sits within Big Issue Group Limited.” — page 29
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Capital contributions and grants to Growth Impact, L.P., an entity within Big Issue Group Limited.
“Big Issue Trust has entered into a management services agreement with Big Issue Invest (BII) under which BII carry out the day to day activities of the charity. In the year to 31 March 2025 the charity paid BII £24,000 (2024 - £24,000) under this arrangement.” — page 7
“During the year, the charitable company expended grants totalling £1,124,928 (2024 - £Nil) to Big Issue Changing Lives C.I.C., an entity that sits within Big Issue Group Limited.” — page 29
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Blick Rothenberg Audit LLP. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.
Funders the charity credits
Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).
Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£24k
Reported reserves equal ~1.4 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (15/09/2023) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- Lisa Goransson
- Lisa Hayden
- Lizan Kawa
- Lucy Jane Findlay
- PARVEEN BIRD
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Throughout England
Income and spending
Common questions
Is Big Issue Trust financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves were £133,282 at year-end, which is above the trustees' stated policy target of £24,000. The charity reported a net expenditure of £1,734,728 against income of £971,725, resulting in a net movement in funds of £(763,003), yet maintains sufficient cash to meet obligations for at least the next 12 months. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Blick Rothenberg Audit LLP.
Who funds Big Issue Trust?
Funders whose own accounts filings name Big Issue Trust as a grant recipient include GOWLING WLG (UK) CHARITABLE TRUST.
Known funders
Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
Funders of similar charities
Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.
Charities like this
Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with VALAN SOCIAL WELFARE TRUST.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.