The William Scott Abbott Trust

Analysis

The William Scott Abbott Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Peterborough. It was registered in April 1964, 62 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, animals, environment/conservation/heritage and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under animals. It says it makes grants to individuals, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The William Scott Abbott Trust reported income of £1.1m and spending of £1.4m, spending 120% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £1.0m to £1.1m (+13%), an average of +3.1% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 19%. Over the whole period it spent 116% of the income it received.

Among 2,161 England and Wales charities whose main cause is animals and that reported income, The William Scott Abbott Trust sits at the 93rd percentile: it is larger than about 92% 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 Borneo Orangutan Survival UK (£1.1m), Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary (£1.2m) and Suffolk Owl Sanctuary (£1.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 54%, trading 27%, investments 11% and donations and legacies 4.1%. Charitable activities took 91% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £2.5m would cover about 21 months of spending at that rate. It employed 18 people.

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.