Sailors' Society

Analysis

Sailors' Society is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Southampton. It was registered in December 1964, 62 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, the prevention or relief of poverty and accommodation/housing, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00086942). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides human resources.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Sailors' Society reported income of £1.5m and spending of £1.8m, spending 120% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income fell from £1.9m to £1.5m (-20%), an average of -5.5% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income rose by 62%. Over the whole period it spent 129% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, Sailors' Society 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 95th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include New Life Church Milton Keynes (£1.5m), Romsey Mill Trust (£1.5m) and Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (£1.5m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 74%, trading 16% and investments 10.0%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £235k. Charitable activities took 67% of spending and raising funds 27%. Grants to other organisations totalled £500. Reserves of £1.9m would cover about 12 months of spending at that rate. It employed 17 people.