The London Symphony Orchestra Endowment Trust
Analysis
The London Symphony Orchestra Endowment Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in April 1964, 62 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and 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 organisations and provides other finance.
In the financial year ending March 2026, The London Symphony Orchestra Endowment Trust reported income of £1.1m and spending of £4.6m, spending 416% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2022 to March 2026, income fell from £1.9m to £1.1m (-42%), an average of -13% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 273%. Over the whole period it spent 99% 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 London Symphony Orchestra Endowment Trust sits at the 95th percentile: it is larger than about 95% 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 Oxford University Student Union (£1.1m), Queens Hall Arts (£1.1m) and The London Philharmonic Trust (£1.1m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 57% and donations and legacies 43%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £368k. Charitable activities took 97% of spending and raising funds 2.5%. Grants to other organisations totalled £4.5m. Reserves of £619k would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 9.8%
- Legacies 33%
- Charitable activities 0.3%
- Investments 57%
In the charity's own words
The general purpose of the charity is to support the objects of the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) and these are to promote, maintain and advance education, particularly musical education and to encourage the arts including the arts of music, drama, mime, dancing and singing. Specifically the Trust actively supports musical education in the form of the LSO's education programme, LSO Discovery.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Oxford University Student Union | Oxford | £1.1m |
| Queens Hall Arts | Hexham | £1.1m |
| The London Philharmonic Trust | 87-90 Albert Embankment | £1.1m |
| Nene Valley Railway | Peterborough | £1.1m |