The Bell Educational Trust Limited

Analysis

The Bell Educational Trust Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cambridge. It was registered in March 1973, 53 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, which this site groups under education and training. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01048465). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Bell Educational Trust Limited reported income of £1.6m and spending of £2.7m, spending 167% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income fell from £5.7m to £1.6m (-72%), an average of -27% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2025, when income dropped by 90%. Over the whole period it spent 112% of the income it received.

Among 21,402 England and Wales charities whose main cause is education and training and that reported income, The Bell Educational Trust Limited 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 Ukrainian History Global Initiative (£1.6m), Bangor University Students' Union (£1.6m) and Boards for Education (£1.6m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 94% and charitable activities 5.5%. Charitable activities took 68% of spending and raising funds 21%. Grants to other organisations totalled £128k. Reserves of £45.0m would cover about 179 months of spending at that rate. It employed 28 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.