University of Sussex Students' Union

Analysis

University of Sussex Students' Union is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Brighton. It was registered in May 2012, 14 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, amateur sport and recreation, which this site groups under amateur sport and recreation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 07695765). It says it provides other finance, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending July 2025, University of Sussex Students' Union reported income of £6.5m and spending of £6.6m, spending 102% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from July 2021 to July 2025, income grew from £3.7m to £6.5m (+76%), an average of +15% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to July 2022, when income rose by 47%. Over the whole period it spent 100% of the income it received.

Among 12,174 England and Wales charities whose main cause is amateur sport and recreation and that reported income, University of Sussex Students' Union sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. 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 Lady Barn House School Limited (£6.4m), Westbourne House School Educational Trust Limited (£6.5m) and Bolton Community Leisure (£6.3m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 70% and charitable activities 30%. Charitable activities took 53% of spending and raising funds 47%. Reserves of £386k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 34 people.