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FREE REPRESENTATION UNIT

Registered charity 1183592 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

The FRU trains volunteers to represent clients in legal hearings. We aim to prevent poverty by enabling clients to obtain their legal rights. Legal aid is not available and our clients cannot afford to pay for representation. We operate in Greater London, the home counties and the east midlands. Our volunteers are aspiring lawyers or qualified lawyers who give their time for free.

Objects

(1)TO RELIEVE POVERTY BY PROVIDING LEGAL ADVICE AND REPRESENTATION BEFORE TRIBUNALS AND COURTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD SUCH ADVICE OR REPRESENTATION;AND(2)TO ASSIST IN THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OR LAW STUDENTS, PUPILS, TRAINEES, JUNIOR BARRISTERS AND SOLICITORS THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF (1) ABOVE.

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

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

Latest income
£553k
Latest spending
£541k
Registered
2019
Accounts read
FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a deficit of £73,207 for the year, resulting in free reserves of £46,439. This reserve level is below the trustees' stated policy target of approximately £130,000, which represents three months of expenditure. The trustees acknowledge the need to increase reserves and have concrete plans to stabilize the financial position.

Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: £60,000 or more — below the median for charities its size (£60k)
“One employee earned £60,000 or more (including benefits) during the year (2023 – one employee), this included pension contributions of £3,196” — page 39
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Employees paid over £60,000: 1
“One employee earned £60,000 or more (including benefits) during the year” — page 39
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: three months expenditure (held: £46k)
“reserves of at least three months expenditure are necessary. This equates to approximately £130,000.”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: The Bar Council is a related party as its Chair appoints at least one Trustee. The charity received donations from the Bar Council.
“£73,400 (2023 – £67,400) of total donations were received from the Bar Council in the year. The chair of the Bar Council is responsible for appointing at least one of the Charity’s Trustees.”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Buzzacott Audit LLP. Discloses 6 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.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2025)

Total income
£553k
Total spending
£541k
Cost of raising funds
£23k
Reserves (reported)
£59k
Employees
11

Reported reserves equal ~1.3 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (92% 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: 4.1% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/12/2025£553k£541k
31/12/2024£460k£533k
31/12/2023£497k£505k
31/12/2022£206k£205k
31/12/2021£0£0

Common questions

Is FREE REPRESENTATION UNIT financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a deficit of £73,207 for the year, resulting in free reserves of £46,439. This reserve level is below the trustees' stated policy target of approximately £130,000, which represents three months of expenditure. The trustees acknowledge the need to increase reserves and have concrete plans to stabilize the financial position. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Buzzacott Audit LLP.

What does the highest-paid employee of FREE REPRESENTATION UNIT earn?

Per its FY2024 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £60,000 or more band, and 1 employees earned over £60,000.

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.

FunderSimilar charities fundedAmount to them
THE ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOUNDATION4£711k
THE LEGAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION3£1.2m
THE ALLEN OVERY SHEARMAN STERLING FOUNDATION3£55k
LONDON LEGAL SUPPORT TRUST2£218k
THE A B CHARITABLE TRUST2£106k
THE ARCHER TRUST2£5k
BRIDGE HOUSE ESTATES1£6.0m
TRUST FOR LONDON1£270k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with BAR PRO BONO UNIT.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
FREE REPRESENTATION UNIT£553k£60,000 or more1unclear—no doubt
BAR PRO BONO UNIT FY2025£1.2m——unclear—no doubt
LONDON LEGAL SUPPORT TRUST FY2024£4.7m£60,001 - £70,0001unclear—no doubt
FREEVA FY2025£2.2m—0below—no doubt
FRIARY DROP-IN LIMITED FY2025£469k—0unclear—no doubt
DERBYSHIRE LAW CENTRE LTD FY2025£1.3m—0unclear—no doubt

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