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THE BRONTE SOCIETY

Registered charity 529952 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THE INCORPORATED BRONTE SOCIETY

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Latest income
£1.8m
Latest spending
£1.4m
Registered
1964
Accounts read
FY2023

Financial health, per its FY2023 accounts

The accounts state that the charity achieved an operating surplus for the 15-month period, resulting in a net income of £4,551,334, largely driven by the donation of heritage assets valued at £4,559,934. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £531,953, which is above the stated policy target of three months' operating costs (£259,744). The charity is a National Portfolio Organisation for literature, receiving £294,903 in grant funding from Arts Council England.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: three months of unrestricted expenditure (held: £532k)
“The Trustees have agreed, in line with many other National Portfolio Organisations, that the organisation should aim to hold three months’ worth of operating costs in reserve. Three months’ worth of operating costs, being total unrestricted expenditure less depreciation and irrecoverable VAT, at the period-end amounted to £259,744.”
Per its FY2023 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Clive Owen LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

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

Total income
£1.8m
Total spending
£1.4m
Cost of raising funds
£250k
Reserves (reported)
£557k
Employees
40

Reported reserves equal ~4.9 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Trustees

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/03/2025£1.8m£1.4m
31/03/2024£1.6m£1.2m
31/03/2023£5.9m£1.4m
31/12/2021£990k£877k
31/12/2020£1.1m£1.0m

Common questions

Is THE BRONTE SOCIETY financially healthy?

The accounts state that the charity achieved an operating surplus for the 15-month period, resulting in a net income of £4,551,334, largely driven by the donation of heritage assets valued at £4,559,934. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £531,953, which is above the stated policy target of three months' operating costs (£259,744). The charity is a National Portfolio Organisation for literature, receiving £294,903 in grant funding from Arts Council England. Its FY2023 accounts were audited by Clive Owen LLP.

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

FunderDateAmountPurpose
The National Lottery Heritage Fund22/10/2013£10k"Fundraising Feasibility Study and Outline Strategy"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund27/05/2009£50k"Heart of Haworth: The Brontë Parsonage in a Community Context"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund14/05/2007£43k"Bronte Spirit - Haworth Parish Church and Bronte Society Partnership"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund15/12/2004£50k"Purchase of Bronte Items, Keighley"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund02/04/2003£49k"The Bronte Web"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund15/11/2001£24k"Acquisition of four Charlotte Bronte letters"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund11/07/2001£15k"Charlotte Bronte papers-acquisition"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund20/12/1999£35k"Hand of the Brontës"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund16/06/1999£25k"Charlotte Bronte Dreadful Dream Letter - Acquisition"