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The National Football Trust

Registered charity 1184825 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THE LONDON FOOTBALL TRUST

The Charity's objects (Objects) are for the benefit of the public generally and, in particular, the inhabitantsof England to promote community participation in healthy recreation by providing facilities for the playing of association football and other sports capable of improving health. The Charity will lease sites and then contract an operator to manage the facilities.

Causes: The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Recreation · Get email alerts

Latest income
£12.0m
Latest spending
£10.1m
Registered
2019
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the group generated a significant surplus before transfers, with total income increasing by 39% to £12,024,069. The group holds free reserves of £3,512,854, which the trustees confirm are sufficient to sustain ordinary activity and cover essential operations. The auditor confirmed that the use of the going concern basis of accounting is appropriate with no material uncertainties identified.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: three months of operating costs (held: £3.5m)
“The Charity’s reserve level is currently set at three months of operating costs.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Leisure United
“The National Football Trust is the sole member of charitable companies Leisure United.” — page 25
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Lovewell Blake LLP. Discloses 3 of 6 completeness components.

Corporate structure

LEISURE UNITED — per its own Companies House accounts
  • Turnover: £12.0m
  • Profit before tax: £1.9m
  • Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £410k
  • Debtors include £23,451 owed by group undertakings (2024: £9,404).
“During the year the charity transferred £409,750 (2024: £750,028) to the parent charitable company as a contribution towards administration costs incurred and sinking funds to be established by the parent.”

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.

Property (HM Land Registry)

9 registered titles 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 31/03/2025)

Total income
£12.0m
Total spending
£10.1m
Cost of raising funds
£1.3m
Reserves (reported)
£3.5m
Employees
276

Reported reserves equal ~4.2 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (69% 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: 10.5% of total income — above the median for charities its size (3.8%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Throughout England

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/03/2025£12.0m£10.1m
31/03/2024£8.7m£7.7m
31/03/2023£5.6m£5.1m
31/08/2022£3.8m£2.4m
31/08/2021£0£720

Common questions

Is The National Football Trust financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the group generated a significant surplus before transfers, with total income increasing by 39% to £12,024,069. The group holds free reserves of £3,512,854, which the trustees confirm are sufficient to sustain ordinary activity and cover essential operations. The auditor confirmed that the use of the going concern basis of accounting is appropriate with no material uncertainties identified. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Lovewell Blake LLP.

Who funds The National Football Trust?

Funders whose own accounts filings name The National Football Trust as a grant recipient include THE FOOTBALL FOUNDATION.

Known funders

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

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
THE FOOTBALL FOUNDATIONFY2025£1.1m

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 ROGER DE HAAN CHARITABLE TRUST1£1.1m
GRANTSCAPE1£33k
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST1£30k
THE TORY FAMILY FOUNDATION1£1k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with READING FC COMMUNITY TRUST.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
The National Football Trust£12.0m——unclear—no doubt
READING FC COMMUNITY TRUST FY2025£2.4m——above—no doubt
CLUB DONCASTER COMMUNITY SPORTS & EDUCATION FOUNDATION FY2025£2.0m——unclear—no doubt
The Sports Trust FY2025£1.4m£70,001 - £80,000—below—no doubt
NORTHANTS FUNDAMENTAL FOOTBALL CLUB FY2025£117k—0below3235.0%no doubt
MIDDLESEX COUNTY FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION LIMITED FY2025£1.6m——unclear—no doubt

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