The Downside Settlement

Analysis

The Downside Settlement is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in December 1968, 58 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, the prevention or relief of poverty and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00313105). It says it provides human resources, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Downside Settlement reported income of £555k and spending of £506k, spending 91% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £375k to £555k (+48%), an average of +10% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 42%. Over the whole period it spent 107% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, The Downside Settlement sits at the 88th percentile: it is larger than about 88% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 90th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Basingstoke Voluntary Action (£555k), Juvenis (£556k) and Baraka Community Partnerships (£554k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 55% and donations and legacies 45%. Charitable activities took 97% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £14k would cover about 0 months of spending at that rate. It employed 15 people.