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SOLENT STUDENTS' UNION

Registered charity 1153350 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

THE UNION'S OBJECTS ARE THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION OF STUDENTS AT SOUTHAMPTON SOLENT UNIVERSITY FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BY: PROMOTING THEIR INTERESTS AND WELFARE, PROVIDING REPRESENTATION, ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE, PROVIDING SOCIAL, CULTURAL, SPORTING AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES,PROVIDING FORUMS FOR DISCUSSION AND DEBATE FOR THEIR PERSONAL BENEFIT

Causes: Education/training · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£670k
Latest spending
£635k
Registered
2013
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity returned a surplus of £35,724 for the year, with total incoming resources of £670,436 against total expenditure of £635,062. The trustees report that free reserves are within safe levels, noting a level of £504,076 which is based on approximately three to six months of core expenditure.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: approximately three to six months of core expenditure, plus creditors and contractual obligations, the annual SUSS pension deficit liability and previously agreed reserves expenditure (held: £504k)
“The free reserves level has remained at a range of £300,000 to £600,000. This was based on approximately three to six months of core expenditure, plus creditors and contractual obligations, the annual SUSS pension deficit liability and previously agreed reserves expenditure.” — page 7
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Payments to trustees: Sabbatical officers who are also trustees received remuneration of £63,700.
“The Union's 3 (2024: 4) sabbatical officers received total employee benefits, including employer pension contributions, totalling £63,700 (2024: £77,136). These payments are permitted under the charity's articles of association. In 2025 all sabbatical officers were also trustees” — page 33
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Sabbatical Officers (Trustees)
“The Union's 3 (2024: 4) sabbatical officers received total employee benefits, including employer pension contributions, totalling £63,700 (2024: £77,136). These payments are permitted under the charity's articles of association. In 2025 all sabbatical officers were also trustees” — page 33
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Solent Students' Union Trading Limited
“During 2016 to 2017, the charity's Trustees established a wholly owned subsidiary undertaking, being Solent Students' Union Trading Limited (incorporated in England with company number (10353271). Solent Students' Union owns 100% of the company's ordinary share capital.” — page 4
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Godfrey Wilson Limited. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Corporate structure

SOLENT STUDENTS' UNION TRADING LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts
  • Profit before tax: £48k
  • Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £48k
  • Management charges invoiced by parent: £10,296
“Solent Students’ Union Trading Limited made a donation of taxable profits of £47,647 (2024: £42,778) to the charity.”

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Solent Students' Union (matched by registered charity number).

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

Official officers record.

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

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

Total income
£670k
Total spending
£635k
Cost of raising funds
£104k
Reserves (reported)
£185k
Employees
13

Reported reserves equal ~3.5 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (87% 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: 15.6% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Hampshire

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/07/2025£670k£635k
31/07/2024£690k£728k
31/07/2023£629k£696k
31/07/2022£660k£608k
31/07/2021£597k£517k

Common questions

Is SOLENT STUDENTS' UNION financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity returned a surplus of £35,724 for the year, with total incoming resources of £670,436 against total expenditure of £635,062. The trustees report that free reserves are within safe levels, noting a level of £504,076 which is based on approximately three to six months of core expenditure. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Godfrey Wilson Limited.

Who funds SOLENT STUDENTS' UNION?

Funders whose own accounts filings name SOLENT STUDENTS' UNION as a grant recipient include THE POINTER FAMILY TRUST.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
THE POINTER FAMILY TRUSTFY2025£187k