Community Life Trust

Analysis

Community Life Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Chertsey. It was registered in February 2003, 23 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the prevention or relief of poverty and religious activities, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04518128). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Community Life Trust reported income of £793k and spending of £682k, spending 86% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £754k to £793k (+5.1%), an average of +1.3% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income rose by 103%. Over the whole period it spent 77% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, Community Life Trust sits at the 91st percentile: it is larger than about 91% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 93rd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Institute of Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Otherwise Salesian Sisters of St John Bosco (£792k), The Chicken Soup Shelter (£793k) and Detention Action (£792k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 98%. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Grants to other organisations totalled £6,870. Reserves of £1.5m would cover about 26 months of spending at that rate. It employed 4 people.