Step One Charity

Analysis

Step One Charity is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Exeter. It was registered in July 1964, 62 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and disability, which this site groups under disability. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00393477). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides services and other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Step One Charity reported income of £3.3m and spending of £4.2m, spending 130% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £3.3m to £3.3m (-1.8%), an average of -0.5% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income dropped by 17%. Over the whole period it spent 114% of the income it received.

Among 12,871 England and Wales charities whose main cause is disability and that reported income, Step One Charity sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Disability Challengers (£3.2m), East Surrey Rural Transport Partnership (£3.3m) and Barnwood Trust (£3.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 86%, investments 2.5% and donations and legacies 2.5%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £68k. Charitable activities took 94% of spending and raising funds 1.8%. Reserves of £1.4m would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 110 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.