UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA STUDENTS' UNION

Registered charity 1191885 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

The objects of UCSU are the advancement of education of students at the University of Cumbria for the public benefit by promoting the interests, welfare of said students; representing, supporting and advising said students; providing social, cultural, sporting and recreational activities and forums for said students.

Objects

THE OBJECTS OF THE UNION ARE THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION OF STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BY:1) PROMOTING THE INTERESTS AND WELFARE OF STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA DURING THEIR COURSE OF STUDY AND REPRESENTING, SUPPORTING AND ADVISING STUDENTS;2) BEING THE RECOGNISED REPRESENTATIVE CHANNEL BETWEEN STUDENTS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA AND ANY OTHER EXTERNAL BODIES; AND3) 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: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£527k

Latest spending

£524k

Registered

2020

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity maintained a surplus of £3,007 for the year, with free reserves of £158,946, which is above the stated policy target of £130,000. However, the trustees note that the union is dependent on the University's support and block grant funding, which was frozen for one year, creating a dependency risk.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: three and six month’s expenditure (held: £159k)

“It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure.” — page 6

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Going concern: noted by the trustees or auditor

“Although the University of Cumbria Students' Union continues to generate supplementary funding from various primary purpose trading activities, it will always be dependent on the University's support.” — page 17

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Payments to trustees: Sabbatical officers received remuneration: Mr A Dawson £7,492, Mr M Sagheer £7,492, Ms A Hutchinson £10,581, Ms S Fatemipour £15,045, Ms T Hewson £10,973, Ms K Ashurst £3,950.

“The sabbatical officers of the Union Council receive remuneration for their services as provided for within the Constitution. Six Trustees were employed under such contracts during the period and received remuneration as follows:” — page 24

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: CEO training costs

“During the year the board approved paying for the CEO to attend a course at Kendal College - Diploma in Counselling Skills, costing £1,500.” — page 30

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Saint & Co.. 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.

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investment
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/10/2025)

Total income

£527k

Total spending

£524k

Cost of raising funds

£21k

Reserves (reported)

£130k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~3.0 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (94% 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: 4.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Received assets from another charity (05/11/2020) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Aidan Dawson
Andrew John Squire
Mahar Haroon Sagheer
Stuart Clayton
THOMAS MCCARTHY

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

Operates in: Throughout England

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/10/2025	£527k	£524k
31/10/2024	£521k	£517k
31/10/2023	£512k	£496k
31/10/2022	£482k	£458k
31/10/2021	£425k	£404k

Common questions

Is UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA STUDENTS' UNION financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity maintained a surplus of £3,007 for the year, with free reserves of £158,946, which is above the stated policy target of £130,000. However, the trustees note that the union is dependent on the University's support and block grant funding, which was frozen for one year, creating a dependency risk. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Saint & Co..

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.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
THE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF DEVONSHIRE BENEVOLENT FUND	1	£2k
BRITISH UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES SPORT LIMITED	1	£296

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with COVENTRY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' UNION LIMITED.

COVENTRY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' UNION LIMITED income £4.4m
University of Lancashire Students' Union income £2.9m
NORTHUMBRIA STUDENTS' UNION income £4.2m
THE UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH STUDENTS' UNION income £4.8m
GREENWICH STUDENTS UNION LTD income £4.4m
NUS STUDENTS' UNION CHARITABLE SERVICES income £3.9m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA STUDENTS' UNION	£527k	—	0	above	—	noted
COVENTRY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' UNION LIMITED FY2025	£4.4m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
University of Lancashire Students' Union FY2025	£2.9m	—	0	below	—	no doubt
NORTHUMBRIA STUDENTS' UNION FY2025	£4.2m	£77,252	—	unclear	—	no doubt
THE UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH STUDENTS' UNION FY2025	£4.8m	—	2	unclear	—	no doubt
GREENWICH STUDENTS UNION LTD FY2025	£4.4m	£70,001 - £80,000	2	below	—	no doubt

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