The Bluecoat

Analysis

The Bluecoat is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Liverpool. It was registered in November 1988, 38 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02246627). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Bluecoat reported income of £2.3m and spending of £2.5m, spending 107% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £1.8m to £2.3m (+30%), an average of +6.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 64%. Over the whole period it spent 109% 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, The Bluecoat sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Birmingham Education Partnership Limited (£2.3m), Applied Microbiology International (£2.4m) and AL Elevation (£2.3m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 60% and trading 39%. Charitable activities took 46% of spending and raising funds 53%. Reserves of £235k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 90 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.