THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

Charity number: 213962
Charity reporting is up to date (on time)

Charity overview

Activities - how the charity spends its money

The Royal Society of Literature celebrates and nurtures all that is best in British literature, past and present. We are the UK's charity for the advancement of literature. We act as a voice for the value of literature, engage people in literature, and honour and encourage writers. Activities include public events, awards and prizes, campaigns and young people's outreach.

Income and expenditure

Data for financial year ending 31 December 2024

Total income: £236,467
Total expenditure: £734,644

Total income includes £55,758 from 3 government grant(s)

People

13 Trustee(s)

20 Volunteer(s)

Employees with total benefits over £60,000

Number of employees
£90k to £100k 1

Fundraising

No information available

Trading

This charity does not have any trading subsidiaries.

Trustee payments

One or more trustees receive payments or benefits from the charity for providing services to the charity.

What, who, how, where

What the charity does:
  • Education/training
  • Arts/culture/heritage/science
Who the charity helps:
  • Children/young People
  • Elderly/old People
  • People With Disabilities
  • People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
  • Other Defined Groups
  • The General Public/mankind
How the charity helps:
  • Makes Grants To Individuals
  • Provides Advocacy/advice/information
  • Sponsors Or Undertakes Research
  • Acts As An Umbrella Or Resource Body
Where the charity operates:
  • Throughout England And Wales
  • Ireland
  • Scotland

Governance

Registration history:
  • 29 January 1963: Standard registration
Organisation type:
Other
Other names:
  • THE RSL (Working name)
Gift aid:
Recognised by HMRC for gift aid
Other regulators:
No information available
Policies:
  • Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
  • Complaints handling
  • Complaints policy and procedures
  • Conflicting interests
  • Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
  • Financial reserves policy and procedures
  • Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
  • Internal risk management policy and procedures
  • Investing charity funds policy and procedures
  • Investment
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
  • Safeguarding policy and procedures
  • Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
  • Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
  • Social media policy and procedures
  • Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
  • Trustee expenses policy and procedures
  • Volunteer management
Land and property:
This charity does not own and/or lease land or property

Trustees

Trustees are the people responsible for controlling the work, management and administration of the charity on behalf of its beneficiaries. Generally trustees are treasurer, chair, board member etc. The trustees are responsible for keeping this list up to date and can do this by updating their details as they happen through the online service

13 Trustee(s)

Name Role Date of appointment Other trusteeships Reporting status of other trusteeships
William Russell Dixon Trustee 07 February 2025
READING SAMARITANS
Received: On time
Patrick McGuinness FRSL Trustee 15 January 2025
None on record
Dr Joanna Kavenna FRSL Trustee 15 January 2025
THE ART AND IDEAS TRUST
Received: On time
Daisy Hay FRSL Trustee 15 January 2025
None on record
Maureen Freely FRSL Trustee 15 January 2025
None on record
Reza Vishkai Trustee 21 November 2023
None on record
Dr Helen Mort FRSL Trustee 29 November 2021
None on record
Roger Robinson FRSL Trustee 29 November 2021
None on record
Catherine Johnson FRSL Trustee 29 November 2021
None on record
Dr Ruth Scurr Trustee 28 October 2020
None on record
Louise Doughty Trustee 24 September 2020
THE NATIONAL LITERACY TRUST
Received: On time
Inua Ellams Trustee 28 October 2019
THEATRE DE COMPLICITE EDUCATION LIMITED
Received: On time
THE MINISTRY OF STORIES
Received: On time
Susheila Nasta Trustee 28 October 2019
THE ROYAL LITERARY FUND
Received: On time

Financial history

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Financial period end date

Income / Expenditure 31/12/2020 31/12/2021 31/12/2022 31/12/2023 31/12/2024
Total gross income £338.12k £290.35k £1.25m £254.69k £236.47k
Total expenditure £428.28k £463.13k £512.00k £576.94k £734.64k
Income from government contracts N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Income from government grants N/A N/A N/A N/A £55.76k
Income - Donations and legacies N/A N/A £1.14m N/A N/A
Income - Other trading activities N/A N/A £3.82k N/A N/A
Income - Charitable activities N/A N/A £68.16k N/A N/A
Income - Endowments N/A N/A £0 N/A N/A
Income - Investment N/A N/A £32.91k N/A N/A
Income - Other N/A N/A £0 N/A N/A
Income - Legacies N/A N/A £0 N/A N/A
Expenditure - Charitable activities N/A N/A £482.30k N/A N/A
Expenditure - Raising funds N/A N/A £29.70k N/A N/A
Expenditure - Governance N/A N/A £28.38k N/A N/A
Expenditure - Grants institution N/A N/A £0 N/A N/A
Expenditure - Investment management N/A N/A £4.28k N/A N/A
Expenditure - Other N/A N/A £0 N/A N/A

Accounts and annual returns

This table shows the charity's record of submitting annual returns, accounts and trustees' annual report (TAR) for the last five financial periods.
Title Reporting year Date received Received Download
Annual return 31 December 2024 28 October 2025 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2024 28 October 2025 On time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 December 2023 29 October 2024 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2023 29 October 2024 On time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 December 2022 16 October 2023 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2022 16 October 2023 On time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 December 2021 28 October 2022 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2021 28 October 2022 On time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 December 2020 29 October 2021 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 December 2020 29 October 2021 On time Download Open in new window
Submit annual return Open in new window

Governing document

Details of the type of governing document the charity has and when it was established.
It is not the full text of the charity's governing document.

ROYAL CHARTER GRANTED 01 JAN 1825 AS AMENDED BY SUPPLEMENTAL CHARTER DATED 19 JUN 2017

Charitable objects

FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF LITERATURE GENERALLY.

Area of benefit

The area the charity can operate in, as set out in its governing document.

NATIONAL

Linked charities

Linked charities
Linked charity 213962-3 A C BENSON MEDAL FUND
Governing document
BY WILL DATED 1926
Charitable objects
MEDALS AWARDED TO AUTHORS IN RESPECT OF MERITORIOUS BOOKS.
Area of benefit
NOT DEFINED
Registration history
  • 29 January 1963 : Standard registration

Contact information

Address:
ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE
SOMERSET HOUSE
STRAND
LONDON
WC2R 1LA
Phone:
02078454679
Email:
info@rsliterature.org
Website:

www.rsliterature.org Open in new window