DEBT ADVICE FOUNDATION

Registered charity 1148498 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

Working towards the prevention and cure of unmanageable consumer debt, through helping those that are in need of advice and support, together with engaging with the next generation of credit users to foster a more responsible attitude towards borrowing and saving.

Objects

THE PREVENTION OR RELIEF OF POVERTY FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT AND WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, THIS MAY INCLUDE:1. THE PROVISION OF FREE IMPARTIAL AND APPROPRIATE ADVICE TO PEOPLE WITH UNAFFORDABLE DEBT;2. TO HELP PEOPLE WITH DEBT PROBLEMS TO GAIN ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE SOLUTIONS THAT WILL HELP THEM;3. TO PROMOTE EDUCATION, FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT, IN FINANCIAL CAPABILITY AND MONEY MANAGEMENT SO AS TO REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF DEBT MISUSE;4. TO UNDERTAKE OR FUND RESEARCH TO UNDERSTAND WHY PROBLEM DEBT HAPPENS AND ITS EFFECT ON INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND THE WIDER UNITED KINGDOM ECONOMY AND TO DISSEMINATE THE USEFUL RESULTS.

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · website · Get email alerts

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity ended the year with unrestricted funds in deficit of £78,119, having incurred a net expenditure of £87,725 against incoming resources of £411,894. The trustees note that the charity is considered a going concern following the securing of significant funding of £0.5M in January 2026, which resolved the deficit position.

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

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

In its annual return the charity told the Commission it is also regulated by: Financial Conduct Authority. This is the charity’s own declaration; it is not a rating and has not been verified by the Commission or by this site.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

• Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
• Complaints handling
• Complaints policy and procedures
• Conflicting interests
• Financial reserves policy and procedures
• Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
• Internal risk management policy and procedures
• Paying staff
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Social media policy and procedures
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
• Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Debt Advice Foundation (matched by registered charity number).

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/08/2021)

Reported reserves equal ~2.9 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 7.1 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (100% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (3.0%) (benchmarks).

Register events

• Received assets from another charity (09/08/2013) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

• Kathryn Maclennan
• PETER SARGENT
• Susan Margaret Ireland

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Common questions

Government & lottery funding

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