UNIVERSITY OF DERBY STUDENTS' UNION
Registered charity 1169283 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register
The Union of Students is responsible for the Programme and College Representative structures which support the advancement of education for students of the University of Derby in ensuring academic quality and development is maintained. The Union provides access to sports, society and volunteering activities for students and a confidential and independent Advice service.
Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the Union achieved a surplus of £120,345 for the year ended 31 July 2025, driven largely by the release of previous provisions for VAT and pension liabilities. Per the trustees' report, free reserves stood at £616,023, which is above the stated policy target of three months' operating costs (£448,738). The charity remains heavily dependent on a block grant from the University of Derby, which constituted the majority of its incoming resources.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Largest income source: Commercial trading activities (38% of income)
“The block grant remained at the same level for the third consecutive year at £1,046,960 and the Union generated other income of £1,699,200. Therefore, resulting in a 38:62 partnership agreement with the University.” — page 61
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: three months operating costs (held: £616k)
“It was agreed by the Trustee Board that the reserves position is set at 3 months operating costs (£448,738).” — page 63
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Payments to trustees: During the year, the Union paid fees of £750 to a trustee T Atherton, for the provision of training services (2024: £nil).
“During the year, the Union paid fees of £750 to a trustee T Atherton, for the provision of training services (2024: £nil).” — page 96
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Sumer Auditco Limited. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.
Year-over-year changes
- Going concern: going-concern doubt noted (FY2024) → no going-concern doubt (FY2025).
Comparing this charity’s FY2024 and FY2025 accounts as analysed by this site.
Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/07/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£1.4m
Reported reserves equal ~3.0 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Other trading activities (46% 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: 52.3% of total income — above the 90th percentile for charities its size (median 5.2%) (benchmarks).
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (21/06/2017) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- Andy Winterchair
- Bradie McDaid · trustee of 1 other charity
- Darren Cassidy
- Kaeda Hipkiss
- Lucy Whitlock
- Nduka Emmanuel Akubuo
- Rosie Smith
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Derby City · Derbyshire · Staffordshire
Income and spending
Common questions
Is UNIVERSITY OF DERBY STUDENTS' UNION financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the Union achieved a surplus of £120,345 for the year ended 31 July 2025, driven largely by the release of previous provisions for VAT and pension liabilities. Per the trustees' report, free reserves stood at £616,023, which is above the stated policy target of three months' operating costs (£448,738). The charity remains heavily dependent on a block grant from the University of Derby, which constituted the majority of its incoming resources. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Sumer Auditco Limited.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
Funders of similar charities
Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.
Charities like this
Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with DERBY COLLEGE STUDENTS' UNION.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.