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UNIVERSITY OF SUNDERLAND STUDENTS' UNION

Registered charity 1148212 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as USSU

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Latest income
£1.3m
Latest spending
£1.2m
Registered
2012
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported an operating surplus of £118,542 for the year ended 31 July 2025. However, the accumulated income and expenditure reserves show an overall deficit of £1,305,977, primarily due to pension scheme liabilities under FRS102. Despite this, unrestricted reserves total £250,000, which exceeds the trustees' stated policy target of £200,000, leading them to consider the level of reserves sustainable.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: £200,000 in unrestricted funds (held: £250k)
“Following this policy the Trustees have set a target of the Union holding £200,000 in unrestricted funds (not including the pension deficit reserve).”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Payments to trustees: The Sabbatical Officers (President: Sunderland and President: London) are full-time posts remunerated as authorised by the Education Acts.
“These two posts of President: Sunderland and President: London are full-time posts remunerated as authorised by the Education Acts and cannot exceed two years duration for each holder.” — page 4
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: The Union receives a Block Grant from the University and part-occupies a building owned by the University, which also pays for utilities, caretaking and cleaning staff.
“The Union receives a Block Grant from the University and part-occupies a building owned by the University, which also pays for utilities, caretaking and cleaning staff. This non-monetary support is intrinsic to the relationship between the University and the Union.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Azets. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/07/2025)

Total income
£1.3m
Total spending
£1.2m
Reserves (reported)
£250k
Employees
24

Reported reserves equal ~2.5 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Trustees

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

Operates in: Durham · Gateshead · North Tyneside · South Tyneside · Sunderland · Tower Hamlets

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/07/2025£1.3m£1.2m
31/07/2024£1.4m£1.4m
31/07/2023£1.4m£1.3m
31/07/2022£1.7m£1.1m
31/07/2021£1.4m£1.2m

Common questions

Is UNIVERSITY OF SUNDERLAND STUDENTS' UNION financially healthy?

The accounts state that the charity reported an operating surplus of £118,542 for the year ended 31 July 2025. However, the accumulated income and expenditure reserves show an overall deficit of £1,305,977, primarily due to pension scheme liabilities under FRS102. Despite this, unrestricted reserves total £250,000, which exceeds the trustees' stated policy target of £200,000, leading them to consider the level of reserves sustainable. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Azets.