NORTHAMPTON ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESAN TRUST
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported an overall loss for the year of £1,188,268, driven by a 22.1% increase in total expenditure to £10,733,198, largely due to deferred church property repairs and rising utility costs. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £8,155,505, which represents approximately 14.6 months of unrestricted expenditure, falling within the stated prudent policy target of 12–15 months.
What the accounts disclose
“Key management personnel received salary, employer’s national insurance and pension contributions of £289,491 (2024: £283,097).” — page 34
“The Trustees consider that a prudent level of free reserves (those unrestricted funds not invested in fixed assets or designated for specific purposes) is the equivalent of 12 – 15 months’ expenditure.” — page 11
“The Diocese also encompasses several Catholic schools. Those schools which are voluntary aided are exempt Charities under the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1988 and their activities are not reflected in the financial statements attached to this report. The Bishop of Northampton appoints Foundation Governors to the Governing Bodies of these schools, and those appointed by the Bishop make the majority of the Governing Bodies.” — page 6
“The attached accounts include the assets and activities of four trusts which are incorporated as separate charities: Northampton Diocese Education Fund Charity Number 267132 Lord Braye’s Foundation Charity Number 242281 The Charity of Frances Alice Chesterton Charity Number 252034 Northampton Slough Diocese Educational Trust Charity Number 1165631” — page 6
“The Diocese also encompasses several Catholic schools. Those schools which are voluntary aided are exempt Charities under the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1988 and their activities are not reflected in the financial statements attached to this report. The Bishop of Northampton appoints Foundation Governors to the Governing Bodies of these schools, and those appointed by the Bishop make the majority of the Governing Bodies.” — page 6
“The attached accounts include the assets and activities of four trusts which are incorporated as separate charities: Northampton Diocese Education Fund Charity Number 267132 Lord Braye’s Foundation Charity Number 242281 The Charity of Frances Alice Chesterton Charity Number 252034 Northampton Slough Diocese Educational Trust Charity Number 1165631” — page 6
“The Diocese also encompasses several Catholic schools. Those schools which are voluntary aided are exempt Charities under the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1988 and their activities are not reflected in the financial statements attached to this report. The Bishop of Northampton appoints Foundation Governors to the Governing Bodies of these schools, and those appointed by the Bishop make the majority of the Governing Bodies.” — page 6
“The attached accounts include the assets and activities of four trusts which are incorporated as separate charities: Northampton Diocese Education Fund Charity Number 267132 Lord Braye’s Foundation Charity Number 242281 The Charity of Frances Alice Chesterton Charity Number 252034 Northampton Slough Diocese Educational Trust Charity Number 1165631” — page 6
“The charity has two subsidiary companies, RCDN Property Services Ltd and St Thomas of Canterbury Cathedral Centre Ltd. In the opinion of the trustees, the activities of RCDN Property Services Ltd and St Thomas of Canterbury Cathedral Centre Ltd are immaterial to the group as a whole and therefore these companies have not been consolidated into these financial statements.” — page 20
Year-over-year changes
- Reserves position vs the charity's own policy moved from "above" (FY2022) to "within" (FY2025).
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (14/05/2025)
Trustees
- Northampton Roman Catholic Diocese Trustee(The)
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £9.2m | £10.7m |
| 31/03/2024 | £10.4m | £8.8m |
| 31/03/2023 | £7.8m | £8.4m |
| 31/03/2022 | £7.7m | £6.2m |
| 31/03/2021 | £7.7m | £6.4m |
Common questions
Is NORTHAMPTON ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESAN TRUST financially healthy?
The accounts state that the charity reported an overall loss for the year of £1,188,268, driven by a 22.1% increase in total expenditure to £10,733,198, largely due to deferred church property repairs and rising utility costs. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £8,155,505, which represents approximately 14.6 months of unrestricted expenditure, falling within the stated prudent policy target of 12–15 months. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by HaysMac LLP.
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| SISTERS OF MERCY SUNDERLAND | 1 | £55k |
| CHARITY OF SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON | 1 | £25k |
| THE PILGRIM TRUST | 1 | £20k |
| CATHOLIC TRUST FOR ENGLAND AND WALES | 1 | £5k |