Onwards & Upwards
Analysis
Onwards & Upwards is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in May 2021, 5 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, which this site groups under education and training. Legally it is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). It says it provides advocacy/advice/information.
In the financial year ending May 2025, Onwards & Upwards reported income of £1.2m and spending of £1.1m, spending 88% of its income. Across the 4 years on record, from May 2022 to May 2025, income grew from £139k to £1.2m (+772%), an average of +106% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to May 2024, when income rose by 148%. Over the whole period it spent 81% of the income it received.
Among 21,402 England and Wales charities whose main cause is education and training and that reported income, Onwards & Upwards 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 94th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include everyFAMILY Limited (£1.2m), Positive Behaviour Support for Learning CIO (£1.2m) and Icaew Foundation (£1.2m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 61% and trading 34%. Charitable activities took 63% of spending and raising funds 36%. Grants to other organisations totalled £18k. Reserves of £260k would cover about 3 months of spending at that rate. It employed 17 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 61%
- Trading 34%
- Investments 0.5%
- Other 4.3%
In the charity's own words
Our mission is to free ex-offenders from the cycle of reoffending by creating jobs that change lives for good. We are creating a suite of companies in which to employ ex-offenders, bringing employment rates up & re-offending rates down. By creating best-in-class products and services and shining a light on our staff, we will also help shift business attitudes towards employing ex-offenders.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| everyFAMILY Limited | Bristol | £1.2m |
| Positive Behaviour Support for Learning CIO | Kenton Harrow | £1.2m |
| Icaew Foundation | London | £1.2m |
| Red Balloon Learner Centre Cambridge | Cambridge | £1.2m |