POSTAL HERITAGE TRUST
Latest income
£6.3m
Latest spending
£6.6m
Registered
2004
Accounts read
FY2025
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £267,702 for the year, though excluding depreciation resulted in a surplus of £766,000. The trustees identified a material uncertainty regarding the charity's ability to continue as a going concern due to defaulted loan obligations to Royal Mail Group and Post Office Ltd, although they believe this is substantially mitigated by a Heads of Terms agreement. Unrestricted reserves stood at £11,792,000, with unrestricted cash of £1,929,000 at year-end.
What the accounts disclose
Highest-paid employee band: £110,001 - £120,000 — in the top quarter for charities its size (median £70k)
“One employee (2024: 1) received remuneration in the band £110,000 - £120,000” — page 28
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Employees paid over £60,000: 3
“One employee (2024: 1) received remuneration in the band £60,000 - £70,000. One employee (2024: 1) received remuneration in the band £70,000 - £80,000. No employee (2024: 0) received remuneration in the band £90,000 - £100,000. One employee (2024: 1) received remuneration in the band £110,000 - £120,000” — page 28
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy
“At the period end, the unrestricted cash balance of £1,929k (2024: £1,780k) represented about 4 months of budgeted operating expenditure” — page 13
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Going concern: material uncertainty disclosed
“The Trustees consider that the conditions described in respect of the historical loans as mentioned above, constitute a material uncertainty which may cast doubt over the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern although substantially mitigated by the Heads of Terms agreement referred to above.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Payments to trustees: Laura Wright received remuneration of £105,704 as CEO and Trustee.
“Laura Wright was employed as CEO and Trustee of the charity. The legal authority for payments to her was a Charity Commission Order. During the year she received remuneration of £105,704 (2024: £110,910) in respect of her employment.” — page 29
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: RMG and POL have a funding agreement to 2040 to provide PHT with £1,563,526 in the 12 months to 31 March 2025
“Royal Mail Group (RMG) and Post Office Ltd (POL) have a funding agreement to 2040 to provide PHT with £1,563,526 in the 12 months to 31 March 2025 (2024: £1,524,968) of unrestricted funds, for the general purpose of meeting its charitable objectives.” — page 41
“RMG and POL have an Archive Services Agreement with PHT and its trading subsidiary, PHSL, which provided the latter with £1,077,313 in the 12 months to 31 March 2025 (2024: £1,056,564) of unrestricted funds for the purposes of maintaining the Royal Mail archives.” — page 41
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: RMG and POL have an Archive Services Agreement with PHT and its trading subsidiary, PHSL, which provided the latter with £1,077,313 in the 12 months to 31 March 2025
“Royal Mail Group (RMG) and Post Office Ltd (POL) have a funding agreement to 2040 to provide PHT with £1,563,526 in the 12 months to 31 March 2025 (2024: £1,524,968) of unrestricted funds, for the general purpose of meeting its charitable objectives.” — page 41
“RMG and POL have an Archive Services Agreement with PHT and its trading subsidiary, PHSL, which provided the latter with £1,077,313 in the 12 months to 31 March 2025 (2024: £1,056,564) of unrestricted funds for the purposes of maintaining the Royal Mail archives.” — page 41
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Postal Heritage Services Limited, Postal Heritage Trading Limited
“PHT also owns the entire share capital of two trading subsidiaries, Postal Heritage Services Limited (PHSL), which is engaged in archive services, and Postal Heritage Trading Limited (PHTL), which engages in commercial trading.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Total income
£6.3m
Total spending
£6.6m
Cost of raising funds
£2.5m
Reserves (reported)
£295k
Employees
97
Trustees
- Susan Jane Wilkinsonchair
- Ailbhe Mary McNabola
- Alix Langley
- Andrew Adegbemi
- Courtney Jones
- Daniel Richard Wolfe
- Hamza Jahanzeb
- Jacqueline Neville
- Laura Anne Wright
- Mark Rowan Amsden
- Nicola Jane Koppelmann
- Rachel Georgina Kuhn
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £6.3m | £6.6m |
| 31/03/2024 | £5.0m | £6.2m |
| 31/03/2023 | £5.2m | £7.0m |
| 31/12/2021 | £4.2m | £5.0m |
| 31/12/2020 | £4.7m | £5.0m |
Common questions
Is POSTAL HERITAGE TRUST financially healthy?
The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £267,702 for the year, though excluding depreciation resulted in a surplus of £766,000. The trustees identified a material uncertainty regarding the charity's ability to continue as a going concern due to defaulted loan obligations to Royal Mail Group and Post Office Ltd, although they believe this is substantially mitigated by a Heads of Terms agreement. Unrestricted reserves stood at £11,792,000, with unrestricted cash of £1,929,000 at year-end. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Haysmac LLP.
What does the highest-paid employee of POSTAL HERITAGE TRUST earn?
Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £110,001 - £120,000 band, and 3 employees earned over £60,000.
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 22/06/2020 | £250k | "COVID19 Postal Heritage Trust" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 28/07/2014 | £10k | "12 million a day: letters to and from the front line" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 02/10/2012 | £5.5m | "The BPMA New Centre Project at Mount Pleasant" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 16/08/2006 | £48k | "Last Post: Remembering The First World War" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 08/06/2005 | £47k | "The Penny Black Changed the World" |