SCRIPTURE UNION

Registered charity 213422 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as SCRIPTURE UNION ENGLAND AND WALES, SU, UNDEB Y GAIR · listed website unreachable when last crawled

Latest income
£4.7m
Latest spending
£5.7m
Registered
1966
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported an operating deficit of £977,000 for the year ended 31 March 2025, driven by deliberate investment in its 'Revealing Jesus' strategy and an impairment adjustment to its National Office building. Despite the deficit, total unrestricted reserves stood at £3,089,000, which is above the Trustees' stated target range of £1.1m to £1.5m, although this figure includes £677,000 of accrued legacy income where cash receipt may be delayed. The Trustees plan to significantly reduce financial deficits over the next two years while continuing to invest in resources to grow donation income.

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: £80,001 - £90,000 — above the median for charities its size (£76k)
During the year, four employees (2024: three employees) earned between £60,001 and £70,000, one employee (2024: no employee) earned between £70,001 and £80,000, one employee (2024: no employee) earned between £80,001 and £90,000 and no employee (2024: one employee) earned between £90,001 and £100,000, excluding employer pension contributions. — page 32
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Employees paid over £60,000: 6
During the year, four employees (2024: three employees) earned between £60,001 and £70,000, one employee (2024: no employee) earned between £70,001 and £80,000, one employee (2024: no employee) earned between £80,001 and £90,000 and no employee (2024: one employee) earned between £90,001 and £100,000, excluding employer pension contributions. — page 32
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: between £1.1m and £1.5m (held: £3.1m)
as at 31 March 2025 the Trustees considered it prudent to set the target level of general reserves retained by the Movement at between £1.1m and £1.5m. — page 14
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by MHA.

Year-over-year changes

Comparing this charity’s FY2024 and FY2025 accounts as analysed by this site.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Scripture Union (matched by registered charity number).

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)

Total income
£4.7m
Total spending
£5.7m
Cost of raising funds
£535k
Reserves (reported)
£2.5m
Employees
76

Reported reserves equal ~5.3 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Register events

Trustees

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

Operates in: Armenia · Australia · Bolivia · Botswana · Congo (Democratic Republic) · Croatia · Czech Republic · Estonia · Eswatini · Fiji · France · Germany

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/03/2025£4.7m£5.7m
31/03/2024£4.2m£5.2m
31/03/2023£4.5m£5.1m
31/03/2022£4.4m£4.5m
31/03/2021£4.5m£4.2m

Common questions

Is SCRIPTURE UNION financially healthy?

The accounts state that the charity reported an operating deficit of £977,000 for the year ended 31 March 2025, driven by deliberate investment in its 'Revealing Jesus' strategy and an impairment adjustment to its National Office building. Despite the deficit, total unrestricted reserves stood at £3,089,000, which is above the Trustees' stated target range of £1.1m to £1.5m, although this figure includes £677,000 of accrued legacy income where cash receipt may be delayed. The Trustees plan to significantly reduce financial deficits over the next two years while continuing to invest in resources to grow donation income. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by MHA.

What does the highest-paid employee of SCRIPTURE UNION earn?

Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £80,001 - £90,000 band, and 6 employees earned over £60,000.

Who funds SCRIPTURE UNION?

Funders whose own accounts filings name SCRIPTURE UNION as a grant recipient include GREAT LAKES OUTREACH, SIR HALLEY STEWART TRUST, THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HOLY TRINITY, RUDGWICK, THE ALMOND TRUST, THE KIRBY LAING FOUNDATION.

Known funders

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

FunderYearAmount
GREAT LAKES OUTREACHFY2024£118k
GREAT LAKES OUTREACHFY2022£94k
GREAT LAKES OUTREACHFY2023£73k
SIR HALLEY STEWART TRUSTFY2025£55k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HOLY TRINITY, RUDGWICKFY2024£18k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HOLY TRINITY, RUDGWICKFY2023£17k
THE ALMOND TRUSTFY2025£10k
THE ALMOND TRUSTFY2023£10k
THE KIRBY LAING FOUNDATIONFY2022£5k
THE DEO GLORIA TRUSTFY2025£5k
THE DEO GLORIA TRUSTFY2024£5k
THE DEO GLORIA TRUSTFY2023£5k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF CHRIST CHURCH, CHORLEYWOODFY2022£4k
THE S M B TRUSTFY2025£4k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HERNE BAY CHRIST CHURCH [HAMPTON ST ANDREW'S]FY2024£3k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF CHRIST CHURCH, CHORLEYWOODFY2021£3k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF CHRIST CHURCH WINCHESTERFY2023£2k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF CHRIST CHURCH WINCHESTERFY2022£2k
BELMONT EXETERFY2022£2k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST PAUL'S, ST ALBANSFY2024£2k
RAYNERS LANE BAPTIST CHURCHFY2021£2k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST PAUL'S, ST ALBANSFY2023£2k
THE ASHBURNHAM THANKSGIVING TRUSTFY2023£2k
GORSLEY BAPTIST CHURCHFY2023£1k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HUCCLECOTE, ST PHILIP AND ST JAMESFY2022£1k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST. MARY AND ST. MICHAEL GREAT MALVERNFY2022£1k
PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF KNOWLE, SOLIHULLFY2022£1k
PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF KNOWLE, SOLIHULLFY2023£1k
THE LONGFORD CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£1k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF CROFTON, STUBBINGTONFY2024£1k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF EDGWAREFY2023£1k
FOREST HILL CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£1k
GORSLEY BAPTIST CHURCHFY2022£1k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST NICHOLAS WARWICKFY2023£1k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF CROFTON, STUBBINGTONFY2023£1k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ALL SAINTS LIGHTWATERFY2023£1k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF SAINT ANDREW, THE WESTLANDSFY2024£820
GORSLEY BAPTIST CHURCHFY2024£820
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY WITH HOLY TRINITY ULVERSTONFY2024£776
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF CHRISTCHURCH AND ST JOHN'S, RADLETTFY2023£755
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF CROFTON, STUBBINGTONFY2021£700
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST PETER, ELWORTHFY2023£635
SUTCLIFF BAPTIST CHURCH, OLNEYFY2022£600
THE LONGFORD CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£600
SUTCLIFF BAPTIST CHURCH, OLNEYFY2023£600
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY WITH HOLY TRINITY ULVERSTONFY2021£576
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY WITH HOLY TRINITY ULVERSTONFY2023£576
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST. MARY AND ST. MICHAEL GREAT MALVERNFY2024£550
THE ASHBURNHAM THANKSGIVING TRUSTFY2025£550
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF GREAT FARINGDONFY2024£540

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 BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY1£4.0m

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with SCRIPTURE UNION INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL.