Oxford Literary and Debating Union Charitable Trust

Analysis

Oxford Literary and Debating Union Charitable Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in November 1975, 51 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, 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 buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending June 2025, Oxford Literary and Debating Union Charitable Trust reported income of £216k and spending of £122k, leaving 43% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from June 2021 to June 2025, income grew from £54k to £216k (+297%), an average of +41% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to June 2024, when income rose by 156%. Over the whole period it spent 54% 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, Oxford Literary and Debating Union Charitable Trust sits at the 86th percentile: it is larger than about 86% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 82nd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include People United (£216k), US Charitable Trust (£217k) and Hailsham Pavilion Limited (£216k).