STEPPING STONES (LUTON)

Registered charity 1162349 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

We work with vulnerable women and their children to improve their health and wellbeing, improve their life prospects and create stronger and more cohesive families. Our work is primarily carried out in Luton and Bedfordshire.

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

Latest income

£483k

Latest spending

£557k

Registered

2015

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a deficit of £74,211 for the year ended 31 March 2025, resulting in a decrease in total funds to £111,630. The trustees note that financial sustainability is a focus due to the ending of several larger multi-year funding streams, creating uncertainty around income. Despite this, the charity maintains unrestricted reserves of £106,584, which the trustees state represents 19.0% of operating costs, falling slightly below their stated policy target of 20-25%.

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

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Grants (76% of income)

“Grants Support services for vulnerable women 368,165” — page 19

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: 20% - 25% of operating costs (held: £107k)

“The current reserves policy is to keep approximately 20% - 25% of operating costs as reserves” — page 9

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Stepping Stones (Luton) (matched by registered charity number).

Property (HM Land Registry)

1 registered title in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2021)

Total income

£635k

Total spending

£499k

Reserves (reported)

£245k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~5.9 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 7.0 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (2.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Sandra Brownchair · trustee of 1 other charity
Claire McInally
Helen Elizabeth Campbell
Rosemary Jane Hughes
Seyefar Clement

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

Operates in: Luton

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£483k	£557k
31/03/2024	£416k	£477k
31/03/2023	£441k	£500k
31/03/2022	£441k	£500k
31/03/2021	£635k	£499k

Common questions

Is STEPPING STONES (LUTON) financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a deficit of £74,211 for the year ended 31 March 2025, resulting in a decrease in total funds to £111,630. The trustees note that financial sustainability is a focus due to the ending of several larger multi-year funding streams, creating uncertainty around income. Despite this, the charity maintains unrestricted reserves of £106,584, which the trustees state represents 19.0% of operating costs, falling slightly below their stated policy target of 20-25%. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds STEPPING STONES (LUTON)?

Funders whose own accounts filings name STEPPING STONES (LUTON) as a grant recipient include ROSA FUND, Moto Foundation.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
ROSA FUND	FY2025	£25k	Stand With Us Fund
Moto Foundation	FY2021	£150	Community Grant

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Community Fund	19/11/2025	£279k	Stepping Out Again
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation	05/03/2024	£364k	To provide person centred, holistic, trauma informed support to some of the most vulnerable women in Luton.
The National Lottery Community Fund	14/04/2022	£600	Stepping Stones Jubilee Celebration
UK government	01/04/2022	£61k	Women's Community Sector Organisations Core Costs Funding 2022/25
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation	09/02/2022	£23k	Moving on - Life Skills for Women
The National Lottery Community Fund	12/10/2021	£167k	Stepping Up
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation	02/03/2021	£3k	Grant to Stepping Stones (Luton)
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation	22/12/2020	£149k	Supporting People through Domestic vioence
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation	16/09/2020	£5k	Grant to Stepping Stones (Luton)
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation	09/07/2020	£1k	Grant to Stepping Stones (Luton)
UK government	19/06/2020	£9k	Coronavirus Community Support Fund
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation	11/05/2020	£2k	Grant to Stepping Stones (Luton)
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation	30/01/2020	£154k	Grant to Stepping Stones (Luton)
UK government	07/11/2019	£15k	Female Offenders: Community Investment Fund
UK government	01/04/2019	£94k	Stepping Stones (Luton)
The National Lottery Community Fund	21/02/2019	£10k	ETE Women's Support Practitioner
UK government	01/04/2018	£82k	Stepping Stones (Luton)
UK government	—	£38k	Stepping Stones (Luton)
UK government	—	£20k	Core Strength