The Civil Liberties Trust

Analysis

The Civil Liberties Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in August 1993, 33 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training and human rights/religious or racial harmony/equality or diversity, which this site groups under human rights and equality. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02824893). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Civil Liberties Trust reported income of £2.5m and spending of £2.5m, spending 100% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £2.4m to £2.5m (+2.8%), an average of +0.7% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2024, when income rose by 50%. Over the whole period it spent 94% of the income it received.

Among 700 England and Wales charities whose main cause is human rights and equality and that reported income, The Civil Liberties Trust sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Kaleidoscope Diversity Trust (£2.5m), Beth Shalom Limited (£2.6m) and Give Out (£2.3m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 98% and investments 1.7%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £609k. Charitable activities took 93% of spending and raising funds 5.4%. Grants to other organisations totalled £2.2m. Reserves of £437k would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate.