The Somerset Maugham Trust Fund

Analysis

The Somerset Maugham Trust Fund is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in January 1963, 63 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to individuals.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Somerset Maugham Trust Fund reported income of £17k and spending of £42k, spending 246% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £13k to £17k (+29%), an average of +6.6% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 20%. Over the whole period it spent 259% 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, The Somerset Maugham Trust Fund sits at the 45th percentile: it is larger than about 45% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 41st percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Stand Magazine Limited (£17k), Hastings Chamber Music Festival (£17k) and 2nd Kirkham (St Michaels) Scout Group (£17k).

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.