THE P.D. JAMES MEMORIAL FUND

Registered charity 212401 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THE PENSION FUND OF THE INCORPORATED SOCIETY OF AUTHORS, PLAYWRIGHTS AND COMPOSERS, THE SOCIETY OF AUTHORS PENSION FUND

Provides a limited number of pensions to authors who have been members of the Society of Authors for more than 10 years

Objects

TO PROVIDE PENSIONS FOR AUTHORS IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE.

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED

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

Causes: Arts/culture/heritage/science · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£47k

Latest spending

£69k

Registered

1963

Accounts read

FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity holds unrestricted reserves of £940,964, which the Trustees consider sufficient to meet its charitable objectives and obligations in the foreseeable future. The charity reported a net decrease in funds of £21,054 before investment gains, with total incoming resources of £74,413 and total expenditure of £69,682. The Trustees confirm the charity has adequate resources to continue as a going concern.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: sufficient but not excessive funds to service its objective of making future charitable distributions (held: £941k)

“The Trustees policy is to operate on the basis of being able to continue to generate sufficient incoming resources to use toward meeting their charitable objectives and to accord with their principal terms. The Trustees are of the opinion that the funds remain sufficient to enable them to continue this ongoing objective. The charity has sufficient but not excessive funds to service its objective of making future charitable distributions.” — page 4

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Payments to trustees: The Society of Authors, which is the corporate Trustee of the charity, carried out management services for the charity and charged a management fee for the year amounting to £9,792 (2023: £9,540).

“The Society of Authors, which is the corporate Trustee of the charity, carried out management services for the charity and charged a management fee for the year amounting to £9,792 (2023: £9,540).” — page 12

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The Society of Authors, which is the corporate Trustee of the charity, carried out management services for the charity and charged a management fee for the year amounting to £9,792 (2023: £9,540).

“The Society of Authors, which is the corporate Trustee of the charity, carried out management services for the charity and charged a management fee for the year amounting to £9,792 (2023: £9,540). There were no other related party transactions in the year.” — page 12

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). 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
Complaints policy and procedures
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Trustees · trustee networks

The Society of Authors

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£47k	£69k
31/12/2024	£53k	£74k
31/12/2023	£61k	£71k
31/12/2022	£48k	£72k
31/12/2021	£39k	£66k

Common questions

Is THE P.D. JAMES MEMORIAL FUND financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity holds unrestricted reserves of £940,964, which the Trustees consider sufficient to meet its charitable objectives and obligations in the foreseeable future. The charity reported a net decrease in funds of £21,054 before investment gains, with total incoming resources of £74,413 and total expenditure of £69,682. The Trustees confirm the charity has adequate resources to continue as a going concern. Its FY2024 accounts were independently examined.