First Story Limited

Analysis

First Story Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in February 2008, 18 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 06487410). It says it provides human resources, provides services and other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending June 2025, First Story Limited reported income of £858k and spending of £776k, spending 90% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from June 2021 to June 2025, income grew from £547k to £858k (+57%), an average of +12% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to June 2022, when income rose by 31%. Over the whole period it spent 95% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, First Story Limited sits at the 94th percentile: it is larger than about 94% 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 Proposition Rthapoe Ltd (£857k), Cardboard Citizens (£858k) and Orchestras for All (£853k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 71%, charitable activities 28% and investments 1.2%. Charitable activities took 94% of spending and raising funds 6.5%. Reserves of £395k would cover about 6 months of spending at that rate. It employed 9 people.