Start Upright

Analysis

Start Upright is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in July 2009, 17 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the prevention or relief of poverty, religious activities and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2026, Start Upright reported income of £5.5m and spending of £5.5m, spending 99% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2022 to March 2026, income grew from £4.0m to £5.5m (+40%), an average of +8.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2026, when income rose by 113%. Over the whole period it spent 100% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, Start Upright sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Transport Benevolent Fund (CIO) (£5.5m), Teresa Ball International Solidarity Fund (£5.6m) and Women's Aid Federation of England (£5.5m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 100%. Charitable activities took 100% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Grants to other organisations totalled £5.2m. Reserves of £25k would cover about 0 months of spending at that rate.