Durham Students' Union

Analysis

Durham Students' Union is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Durham. It was registered in January 2012, 14 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives and disability, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 07689815). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending July 2025, Durham Students' Union reported income of £2.6m and spending of £2.7m, spending 102% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from July 2021 to July 2025, income grew from £1.7m to £2.6m (+58%), an average of +12% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to July 2022, when income rose by 45%. Over the whole period it spent 99% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Durham Students' Union 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 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Amna Refugee Healing Network CIO (£2.6m), The Eveson Trust (£2.6m) and Elmore Community Services (£2.6m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 59% and charitable activities 37%. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 1.1%. Grants to other organisations totalled £214k. Reserves of £836k would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 29 people.