SOCIAL BUSINESS TRUST
The Social Business Trust is a partnership of world class businesses who share a common goal - to use their combined resources and experience to help accelerate the growth of ambitious social enterprises, increasing social impact and making sustainable positive change.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that unrestricted reserves were £477,827 at year-end, which exceeds the trustees' stated policy target of approximately £145k (equivalent to three months' core costs). The charity reported a net deficit for the year, with total cash income decreasing to £693k from £812k in the prior year, while total expenditure remained broadly stable at £7.24m.
What the accounts disclose
In the news
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/05/2025)
Trustees
- Larissa Joychair
- Anne Drakeford
- Guy Davies
- Harry Nicholson
- JAMES HADLEY
- Jan-Coos Geesink
- Madeleine Hale
- Michael Desmond Crossan
- PAUL RICHARD ARMSTRONG
- SIMON MILTON
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/05/2025 | £7.1m | £7.2m |
| 31/05/2024 | £8.6m | £8.6m |
| 31/05/2023 | £6.3m | £6.5m |
| 31/05/2022 | £4.3m | £4.1m |
| 31/05/2021 | £3.8m | £3.6m |
Common questions
Is SOCIAL BUSINESS TRUST financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves were £477,827 at year-end, which exceeds the trustees' stated policy target of approximately £145k (equivalent to three months' core costs). The charity reported a net deficit for the year, with total cash income decreasing to £693k from £812k in the prior year, while total expenditure remained broadly stable at £7.24m. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Sayer Vincent LLP.
Who funds SOCIAL BUSINESS TRUST?
Funders whose own accounts filings name SOCIAL BUSINESS TRUST as a grant recipient include THE PERMIRA FOUNDATION, THE CHARLES RUSSELL SPEECHLYS FOUNDATION.
Shared trustees with funders
- Larissa Joy — trustee here and at THE CHARLES RUSSELL SPEECHLYS FOUNDATION
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| THE PERMIRA FOUNDATION | FY2024 | £286k | Strategic Grant |
| THE PERMIRA FOUNDATION | FY2022 | £237k | Strategic Grants - UK partnerships |
| THE PERMIRA FOUNDATION | FY2023 | £234k | UK |
| THE PERMIRA FOUNDATION | FY2023 | £227k | UK |
| THE CHARLES RUSSELL SPEECHLYS FOUNDATION | FY2022 | £100k |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE JOSEPH ROWNTREE CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £117k |
| THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGISTS CHARITY | 1 | £5k |
| GOWLING WLG (UK) CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £4k |
| PEGASUS | 1 | £2k |
Charities like this
- Big Issue Trust
- SOCIAL TECH TRUST
- THE S M B TRUST
- VALAN SOCIAL WELFARE TRUST
- SOCIAL INVESTMENT BUSINESS FOUNDATION
- NATWEST SOCIAL & COMMUNITY CAPITAL
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOCIAL BUSINESS TRUST | £7.1m | — | — | above | — | no doubt |
| Big Issue Trust | £972k | — | 0 | above | — | no doubt |
| SOCIAL TECH TRUST | £244k | — | — | above | — | no doubt |
| THE S M B TRUST | £680k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| VALAN SOCIAL WELFARE TRUST | £759k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| SOCIAL INVESTMENT BUSINESS FOUNDATION | £188.5m | — | — | above | — | no doubt |