Benslow Music Trust

Analysis

Benslow Music Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Hitchin. It was registered in March 1963, 63 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00408404). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Benslow Music Trust reported income of £1.6m and spending of £1.8m, spending 117% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £1.1m to £1.6m (+48%), an average of +10% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income rose by 59%. Over the whole period it spent 101% 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, Benslow Music Trust sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% 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 The South Asian Decorative Arts and Crafts Collection Trust (£1.6m), Sadler's Wells Foundation Ltd (£1.6m) and Arnolfini Gallery CIO (£1.6m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 76%, donations and legacies 14%, trading 4.6% and investments 2.5%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £65k. Charitable activities took 94% of spending and raising funds 5.2%. Reserves of £1.2m would cover about 8 months of spending at that rate. It employed 43 people.