PRISONERS EDUCATION TRUST
PET supports prisoners to transform their lives through learning. We do this by providing distance learning courses, advice and support in subjects and levels not available in prisons. PET also promotes and argues the case for prisoner education, supports learning communities for prisoners and ex-prisoners, and carries out research informed by prisoner learners, to improve policies and practice.
Latest income
£2.3m
Latest spending
£1.9m
Registered
2001
Accounts read
FY2024
Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts
The accounts state that total income increased to £2.29m, resulting in a net surplus that raised unrestricted reserves to £720,543. The trustees confirm the charity is well-placed as a going concern, with free reserves of £705,288 significantly exceeding the stated target of £376,000. The organization maintains a strong cash position of £822,867 and has secured major funding from HMPPS until 2028.
What the accounts disclose
Highest-paid employee band: £100,001 - £110,000 — in the top quarter for charities its size (median £70k)
“One employee received employee benefits (including employer’s National Insurance contributions and employer’s pension contributions) in the range of £100,000 - £110,000” — page 44
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: £376,000 (held: £721k)
“On this basis, the Board of Trustees determined that PET’s free reserves requirement at 31 December 2024 should be £376,000 (2023: £418,000).” — page 21
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Donations from trustees/KMP
“The charity received £1,507 in donations on usual terms from its trustees, key management personnel, their close family members and entities over which they have significant interest or effective control during the period (2023: £1,964). Total expenses incurred by the Trustees in the furtherance of their duties but not reclaimed from the charity were immaterial in 2023 and 2024.”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Year-over-year changes
- Top pay band moved from £100,000 - £105,000 (FY2023) to £100,001 - £110,000 (FY2024).
- Reserves position vs the charity's own policy moved from "below" (FY2023) to "above" (FY2024).
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)
Total income
£2.3m
Total spending
£1.9m
Cost of raising funds
£285k
Reserves (reported)
£705k
Employees
21
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (01/06/2023)
Trustees
- Paul Kellychair
- Dr Joanna Easton
- Emily Giles
- James John Killen
- Judith Lesley Feline
- Kenneth John Merry
- Olayemi Daniel
- Oluseun Sowole
- Richard John Ward
- Sally Burnell
- Simon Mellor
- Vicki Mulligan
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/12/2024 | £2.3m | £1.9m |
| 31/12/2023 | £1.6m | £1.6m |
| 31/12/2022 | £1.4m | £1.8m |
| 31/12/2021 | £1.3m | £1.7m |
| 31/12/2020 | £1.3m | £1.5m |
Common questions
Is PRISONERS EDUCATION TRUST financially healthy?
Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that total income increased to £2.29m, resulting in a net surplus that raised unrestricted reserves to £720,543. The trustees confirm the charity is well-placed as a going concern, with free reserves of £705,288 significantly exceeding the stated target of £376,000. The organization maintains a strong cash position of £822,867 and has secured major funding from HMPPS until 2028. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Price Bailey LLP.
What does the highest-paid employee of PRISONERS EDUCATION TRUST earn?
Per its FY2024 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £100,001 - £110,000 band.
Who funds PRISONERS EDUCATION TRUST?
Funders whose own accounts filings name PRISONERS EDUCATION TRUST as a grant recipient include GARFIELD WESTON FOUNDATION, THE DULVERTON TRUST, PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUST, THE JOHN R. MURRAY CHARITABLE TRUST, THE CONSTANCE TRAVIS CHARITABLE TRUST.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| GARFIELD WESTON FOUNDATION | FY2024 | £200k | Welfare |
| THE DULVERTON TRUST | FY2023 | £105k | Core funding for PET |
| PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2023 | £103k | |
| THE JOHN R. MURRAY CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2023 | £82k | Advancement of education |
| THE CONSTANCE TRAVIS CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2025 | £80k | |
| MOONDANCE FOUNDATION | FY2023 | £60k | |
| THE ROBERT GAVRON CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2022 | £60k | |
| THE COLYER-FERGUSSON CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2022 | £55k | |
| THE CONSTANCE TRAVIS CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2023 | £50k | |
| THE CONSTANCE TRAVIS CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2022 | £50k | |
| THE TAYLOR FAMILY FOUNDATION | FY2023 | £35k | |
| Army Benevolent Fund | FY2026 | £35k | Employment and Training |
| Jill and Norman Franklin Trust | FY2023 | £34k | Mental Health |
| The Goldsmiths' Foundation | FY2023 | £33k | Prisoner Resettlement |
| Jill and Norman Franklin Trust | FY2025 | £30k | Desistance |
| Jill and Norman Franklin Trust | FY2026 | £26k | Desistance |
| BANHAM FOUNDATION LIMITED | FY2022 | £26k | Education |
| NORTHERN CONSORTIUM | FY2025 | £25k | benefitting 35 learners in North West Prisons to engage with learning opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills and improve their prospects upon relea |
| DRAPERS CHARITABLE FUND | FY2022 | £25k | Core costs for distance learning and support |
| THE ADRIAN SWIRE CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2021 | £25k | |
| THE BROMLEY TRUST | FY2024 | £25k | Prison Reform |
| DRAPERS CHARITABLE FUND | FY2023 | £25k | Core costs |
| DRAPERS CHARITABLE FUND | FY2024 | £25k | Core costs of distance learning and support |
| THE BROOK TRUST | FY2023 | £25k | |
| MICHAEL AND SHIRLEY HUNT CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2023 | £25k | grant towards advice line |
| THE RODDICK FOUNDATION | FY2023 | £22k | Core costs and distance learning courses |
| THE RODDICK FOUNDATION | FY2022 | £20k | |
| SOCIETY OF THE HOLY CHILD JESUS CIO | FY2023 | £20k | toward core costs |
| THE TAYLOR FAMILY FOUNDATION | FY2022 | £20k | |
| THE RODDICK FOUNDATION | FY2024 | £20k | |
| Army Benevolent Fund | FY2023 | £20k | Employment and Training |
| THE BROOK TRUST | FY2025 | £20k | |
| Army Benevolent Fund | FY2024 | £20k | Employment and Training |
| THE TAYLOR FAMILY FOUNDATION | FY2025 | £20k | |
| THE BROMLEY TRUST | FY2023 | £20k | Prison Reform |
| THE BROOK TRUST | FY2022 | £20k | |
| NORTHERN CONSORTIUM | FY2024 | £20k | Distance learning courses for prisoners in the North of England |
| Army Benevolent Fund | FY2025 | £18k | Employment and Training |
| THE COLYER-FERGUSSON CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2023 | £17k | |
| The Portal Trust | FY2025 | £15k | Promoting education opportunities in prison for young people from Inner London |
| THE JOHN R. MURRAY CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2024 | £15k | Advancement of education |
| THE 29TH MAY 1961 CHARITY | FY2022 | £12k | core costs of an organisation providing education and training opportunities for prisoners |
| Jill and Norman Franklin Trust | FY2024 | £12k | Desistance |
| THE EVAN CORNISH FOUNDATION | FY2023 | £10k | |
| THE BROMLEY TRUST | FY2022 | £10k | Prison Reform |
| THE HULL AND EAST RIDING CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2023 | £10k | |
| THE ADRIAN SWIRE CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2022 | £10k | |
| PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2024 | £10k | |
| The Portal Trust | FY2024 | £10k | Promoting education opportunities in prison for young people from Inner London |
| PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2022 | £8k |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK government | 01/04/2023 | £410k | Steps to Success (England) |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 27/03/2023 | £444k | Lived experience improving prison education |
| A B Charitable Trust | 08/10/2020 | £10k | A grant to Prisoners Education Trust |
| A B Charitable Trust | 27/06/2019 | £10k | A grant to Prisoners Education Trust |
| UK government | 01/04/2019 | £18k | HMPPS - Steps to Success (Wales) |
| UK government | 01/04/2019 | £410k | HMPPS - Steps to Success (PET) |
| UK government | 01/04/2018 | £410k | Steps to Success |
| Barrow Cadbury Trust | 08/07/2017 | £66k | Prison education for young adults: fair and effective |
| A B Charitable Trust | 21/01/2014 | £10k | To provide educational opportunities to prisoners |
| UK government | — | £410k | Steps to Success - administration and purchase of distance-learning courses for prisoners in custody |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE A B CHARITABLE TRUST | 3 | £217k |
| C B AND H H TAYLOR 1984 TRUST | 3 | £6k |
| THE CHRISTOPHER AND HENRY OLDFIELD TRUST | 2 | £105k |
| HIGHWAY ONE TRUST | 2 | £75k |
| THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITED | 2 | £20k |
| THE JOHN COATES CHARITABLE TRUST | 2 | £15k |
| THE SHERIFFS' AND RECORDERS' FUND | 2 | £10k |
| THE THOMAS FARR CHARITY | 2 | £3k |
Charities like this
- PARTNERS OF PRISONERS AND FAMILIES SUPPORT GROUP
- UNLOCKED GRADUATES
- PRISON ADVICE AND CARE TRUST (PACT)
- The Hardman Trust
- PRISON SERVICE CHARITY FUND
- PRISON REFORM TRUST
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRISONERS EDUCATION TRUST | £2.3m | £100,001 - £110,000 | — | above | — | no doubt |
| PARTNERS OF PRISONERS AND FAMILIES SUPPORT GROUP | £2.1m | £60,001 - £70,000 | 1 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| UNLOCKED GRADUATES | £3.5m | — | 6 | unclear | — | material uncertainty |
| PRISON ADVICE AND CARE TRUST (PACT) | £9.8m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| The Hardman Trust | £670k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| PRISON SERVICE CHARITY FUND | £170k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |