UNIVERSITY FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS STUDENTS' UNION

Registered charity 1165619 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as UCASU, UNIVERSITY FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS STUDENTS UNION

University for the Creative Arts Students' Union (UCASU) provides support, opportunities, and activities to students attending the University for the Creative Arts. UCASU promotes the interests and welfare of students and represents, supports and advises students. It is the recognised representative channel between students and the University.

Objects

THE UNION'S OBJECTS ARE THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION OF STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BY:- PROMOTING THE INTERESTS AND WELFARE OF STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS DURING THEIR COURSE OF STUDY AND REPRESENTING, SUPPORTING AND ADVISING STUDENTS;- BEING THE RECOGNISED REPRESENTATIVE CHANNEL BETWEEN STUDENTS AND UNIVERSITY FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS AND ANY OTHER EXTERNAL BODIES; AND- PROVIDING SOCIAL, CULTURAL, SPORTING AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND FORUMS FOR DISCUSSIONS AND DEBATE FOR THE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ITS STUDENTS.

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

Causes: Education/training · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£847k

Latest spending

£829k

Registered

2016

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity recorded a net surplus of £17,199 for the year ended 31 July 2025, with total unrestricted reserves standing at £80,699. Per the trustees' report, these reserves remain below the Union's long-term target level, which is calculated as three months of income (£211,659). The Union remains dependent on the University for the Creative Arts for its primary block grant income, though the Trustees consider it reasonable to anticipate this support will continue.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £81k; policy: three months of income)

“While the Union remains below this indicative reserves level, the Trustees will continue to monitor reserves closely” — page 10

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Audit opinion: qualified

“We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our qualified opinion.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Knox Cropper LLP. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

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.

Complaints handling
Investment
Paying staff
Risk management

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

Total income

£847k

Total spending

£829k

Reserves (reported)

£81k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~1.2 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (64% 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 (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Alyson Beth Aylott
Dr Emily Caroline Linnemann
Leena Patel
Lily Ashford
Shayaike Hassan

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

Operates in: Kent · Surrey

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/07/2025	£847k	£829k
31/07/2024	£782k	£777k
31/07/2023	£702k	£725k
31/07/2022	£698k	£728k
31/07/2021	£442k	£433k

Common questions

Is UNIVERSITY FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS STUDENTS' UNION financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity recorded a net surplus of £17,199 for the year ended 31 July 2025, with total unrestricted reserves standing at £80,699. Per the trustees' report, these reserves remain below the Union's long-term target level, which is calculated as three months of income (£211,659). The Union remains dependent on the University for the Creative Arts for its primary block grant income, though the Trustees consider it reasonable to anticipate this support will continue. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Knox Cropper LLP.

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES ADMISSIONS SERVICE.

THE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES ADMISSIONS SERVICE income £58.7m
UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA STUDENTS' UNION income £527k
ANGLIA RUSKIN STUDENTS' UNION income £3.6m
COVENTRY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' UNION LIMITED income £4.4m
ASTON STUDENTS' UNION income £3.7m
UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS LONDON STUDENTS' UNION income £4.1m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
UNIVERSITY FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS STUDENTS' UNION	£847k	—	0	below	—	no doubt
THE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES ADMISSIONS SERVICE FY2025	£58.7m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA STUDENTS' UNION FY2025	£527k	—	0	above	—	noted
ANGLIA RUSKIN STUDENTS' UNION FY2025	£3.6m	£80,001 - £90,000	1	unclear	—	no doubt
COVENTRY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' UNION LIMITED FY2025	£4.4m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
ASTON STUDENTS' UNION FY2025	£3.7m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt

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