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THE MASTER (OR KEEPER) AND FELLOWS OF PETERHOUSE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

Registered charity 1137457 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as PETERHOUSE

Peterhouse is the oldest of the 31 colleges within the University of Cambridge and is dedicated to the advancement of education, religion, learning and research.

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Latest income
£16.4m
Latest spending
£17.6m
Registered
2010
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that unrestricted reserves amounted to £387.3m at year-end, which the Governing Body believes is necessary for the College to meet its charitable objectives and operate in perpetuity. Per the trustees' report, the College showed an overall deficit for the year of £5.4m, primarily driven by investment losses, though underlying operating performance was supported by donations and endowments.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Land and buildings (36% of income)
“Income from: Land and buildings 5,502”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Payments to trustees: Trustees received remuneration for specific College offices (Teaching, Tutorial, Research, Administration). Total salaries were £1,096,000. Other taxable benefits (including pension contributions) totalled £171,000. Grants for research totalled £48,000.
“The Trustees are remunerated for specific College offices which have associated duties of Teaching, Tutorial, Research, and Administration. The Trustees remuneration is overseen by the Remuneration Committee.” — page 48
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: The College acts as an agent for the collection of fees for the University of Cambridge; for the year ended 30 June 2025 these fees total £7,222k (2024: £6,891k). During the year the University paid Peterhouse from these fees sums totalling £1,655k (2024: £1,604k) under the terms of agreements between the University and the Colleges to share fee income with the Colleges in a way that recognises the relative contributions of the University and the Colleges.
“During the year the University paid Peterhouse from these fees sums totalling £1,655k (2024: £1,604k) under the terms of agreements between the University and the Colleges to share fee income with the Colleges in a way that recognises the relative contributions of the University and the Colleges.” — page 49
“The College pays levies to support the activity of the Office of Intercollegiate Services (OIS). The OIS is responsibie primarily for arranging support services to the 31 colleges of the Collegiate University (Cambridge).”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: The College pays levies to support the activity of the Office of Intercollegiate Services (OIS). The OIS is responsibie primarily for arranging support services to the 31 colleges of the Collegiate University (Cambridge).
“During the year the University paid Peterhouse from these fees sums totalling £1,655k (2024: £1,604k) under the terms of agreements between the University and the Colleges to share fee income with the Colleges in a way that recognises the relative contributions of the University and the Colleges.” — page 49
“The College pays levies to support the activity of the Office of Intercollegiate Services (OIS). The OIS is responsibie primarily for arranging support services to the 31 colleges of the Collegiate University (Cambridge).”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: During the year Peterhouse made a contribution under Statute G, Il of £197k (2024: £201k) into the Colleges Fund. The Colleges Fund is administered by the University of Cambridge on behalf of the Colleges, who make all contributions to and receive all allocations from the Fund.
“During the year the University paid Peterhouse from these fees sums totalling £1,655k (2024: £1,604k) under the terms of agreements between the University and the Colleges to share fee income with the Colleges in a way that recognises the relative contributions of the University and the Colleges.” — page 49
“The College pays levies to support the activity of the Office of Intercollegiate Services (OIS). The OIS is responsibie primarily for arranging support services to the 31 colleges of the Collegiate University (Cambridge).”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Peterhouse administers a Cambridge Bursary Scheme to support undergraduates financially; the University of Cambridge contributed £130k to this scheme (2024: £125k).
“During the year the University paid Peterhouse from these fees sums totalling £1,655k (2024: £1,604k) under the terms of agreements between the University and the Colleges to share fee income with the Colleges in a way that recognises the relative contributions of the University and the Colleges.” — page 49
“The College pays levies to support the activity of the Office of Intercollegiate Services (OIS). The OIS is responsibie primarily for arranging support services to the 31 colleges of the Collegiate University (Cambridge).”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Pension scheme deficit: £1.1m
“Net defined benefit liability (1,072) (1,302)” — page 45
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Peterhouse Enterprises Limited, Peterhouse Conferences and Events Limited
“The two subsidiaries are: Peterhouse Enterprises Limited (PEL), which is engaged in property development, and Peterhouse Conferences and Events Limited, which manages certain Catering and Conference activities undertaken by the College in order to raise funds to further its charitable aims.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Price Bailey LLP. Discloses 3 of 6 completeness components.

Property (HM Land Registry)

74 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (72 freehold); recorded price paid £18.1m. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/06/2025)

Total income
£17.1m
Total spending
£17.6m
Cost of raising funds
£2.4m
Reserves (reported)
£387.3m
Employees
221

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 13.9% of total income — above the median for charities its size (3.8%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Cambridgeshire

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
30/06/2025£16.4m£17.6m
30/06/2024£15.0m£15.3m
30/06/2023£13.9m£15.4m
30/06/2022£13.6m£14.6m
30/06/2021£12.3m£13.3m

Common questions

Is THE MASTER (OR KEEPER) AND FELLOWS OF PETERHOUSE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves amounted to £387.3m at year-end, which the Governing Body believes is necessary for the College to meet its charitable objectives and operate in perpetuity. Per the trustees' report, the College showed an overall deficit for the year of £5.4m, primarily driven by investment losses, though underlying operating performance was supported by donations and endowments. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Price Bailey LLP.

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

FunderDateAmountPurpose
UK government07/03/2024£226kPublic Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (Phase 3c)

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.

FunderSimilar charities fundedAmount to them
THE ISAAC NEWTON TRUST2£29k
STEPHEN TAYLOR FOUNDATION1£13.3m
MONDAY CHARITABLE TRUST1£191k
CAMBRIDGE IN AMERICA (UK) LIMITED1£81k
THE KAJATAWA FOUNDATION1£60k
Friends of the Nations' Libraries1£25k
G M C TRUST1£2k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE MASTER AND FELLOWS OF DARWIN COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
THE MASTER (OR KEEPER) AND FELLOWS OF PETERHOUSE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE£16.4m——unclear—no doubt
THE MASTER AND FELLOWS OF DARWIN COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE FY2025£11.3m——unclear—no doubt
HUGHES HALL IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE FY2025£16.7m——above—no doubt
THE MASTER AND FELLOWS OF THE COLLEGE OR HALL OF SAINT CATHARINE THE VIRGIN IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE FY2025£19.9m——unclear—no doubt
GONVILLE AND CAIUS COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE FOUNDED IN HONOUR OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED MARY THE VIRGIN FY2025£26.4m——unclear—no doubt
THE KING'S COLLEGE OF OUR LADY AND SAINT NICHOLAS IN CAMBRIDGE FY2025£24.4m——above5.0%no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.