BIG ISSUE NORTH TRUST LTD

Charity number: 1056041
Charity reporting is up to date (on time)

Charity overview

Activities - how the charity spends its money

The Big Issue North Trust supports the homeless and vulnerably housed people who sell Big Issue North magazine in the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber. From providing financial aid during periods of hardship, to funding education and training courses, to projects such as breakfast clubs and home furnishing packages, it exists to help vendors to change their lives and achieve their goals.

Income and expenditure

Data for financial year ending 31 March 2025

Charitable expenditure

Charitable expenditure

Some charities generate all, or a substantial part, of their income from investments which may have been donated to the charity as endowment or set aside by the charity from its own resources in the past. Such investments usually take the form of stocks and shares but may include other assets, such as property, that are capable of generating income and/or capital growth.

In managing their spending and investments charities need to strike a balance between the needs of future and current beneficiaries. They also need to take account of spending commitments that may stretch over a number of future years. To do this, charities will normally adopt an investment strategy designed to generate both income and capital growth. To maximise returns trustees may commit to investment strategies for several years.

Investments can experience large swings in value so trustees may, in a particular year, decide to realise and spend part of their charity’s capital or to invest part of its income.

By clicking the investment gains checkbox the charitable spending bar is adjusted to take account of capital growth as well as income. This shows the balance the charity is striking, between spending on current beneficiaries and retaining resources for future beneficiaries.

Fundraising

No information available

Trading

This charity does not have any trading subsidiaries.

Trustee payments

No trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity.

What, who, how, where

What the charity does:
  • General Charitable Purposes
  • Education/training
  • The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
  • Other Charitable Purposes
Who the charity helps:
  • The General Public/mankind
How the charity helps:
  • Provides Services
  • Provides Advocacy/advice/information
Where the charity operates:
  • Leeds City
  • Liverpool City
  • Manchester City
  • Sheffield City

Governance

Registration history:
  • 10 June 1996: Standard registration
Organisation type:
Charitable company
Other names:
  • THE BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH TRUST (Previous name)
  • THE BIG STEP (Previous name)
Company number:
Gift aid:
Not recognised by HMRC for gift aid
Other regulators:
No information available
Policies:
  • Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
  • Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures
  • Complaints handling
  • Complaints policy and procedures
  • Conflicting interests
  • 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
  • Volunteer management
Land and property:
This charity owns and/or leases 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

7 Trustee(s)

Name Role Date of appointment Other trusteeships Reporting status of other trusteeships
MARK JAMES FITZGIBBON Chair
Big Life Services
Received: On time
SELF HELP SERVICES
Received: On time
Caroline Price Trustee 23 February 2026
Big Life Services
Received: On time
Humza Khan Trustee 01 September 2025
Big Life Services
Received: On time
Obehi Alofoje Trustee 27 May 2025
Big Life Services
Received: On time
Michael Naraynsingh Trustee 01 December 2023
Big Life Services
Received: On time
SELF HELP SERVICES
Received: On time
EDNA ROBINSON Trustee 10 August 2012
Big Life Services
Received: On time
SELF HELP SERVICES
Received: On time
FAY SELVAN Trustee
SELF HELP SERVICES
Received: On time

Financial history

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Financial period end date

Income / Expenditure 31/03/2021 31/03/2022 31/03/2023 31/03/2024 31/03/2025
Total gross income £710.83k £1.18m £1.02m £924.82k £809.89k
Total expenditure £420.29k £1.12m £1.13m £1.04m £766.47k
Income from government contracts N/A £74.93k £74.93k £39.26k £28.56k
Income from government grants N/A N/A £26.51k £9.11k £7.66k
Income - Donations and legacies £496.36k £280.23k £147.03k £134.47k £86.47k
Income - Other trading activities £15.58k £702.20k £740.67k £732.31k £672.50k
Income - Charitable activities £168.83k £186.41k £121.09k £52.22k £43.71k
Income - Endowments £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Income - Investment £163 £164 £2.78k £5.32k £6.86k
Income - Other £29.90k £11.85k £8.47k £498 £353
Income - Legacies £0 £101.22k £50.00k £46.96k £1.06k
Expenditure - Charitable activities £397.02k £205.47k £168.19k £150.77k £137.59k
Expenditure - Raising funds £23.27k £26.46k £47.78k £46.05k £47.09k
Expenditure - Governance £1.83k £1.83k £12.36k £0 £913
Expenditure - Grants institution £0 £26.46k £46.16k £0 £0
Expenditure - Investment management £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Expenditure - Other £0 £883.81k £911.13k £845.44k £581.79k

Assets and liabilities

Definitions for assets and liabilities
Own use assets

These are assets, other than investments, which are held for more than 12 months and used to run and administer the charity such as buildings, offices, exhibits and fixtures and fittings.

Long term Investments

Investments are assets held by the charity with the sole aim of generating income which will be used for their charitable purposes such as deposit accounts, shares, rental property and unit trusts.
Investment assets are re-valued every year and included in the balance sheet at their current market value.
Long term investments are held for more than 12 months.

Other assets

These are assets held generally for less than 12 months such as cash and bank balances, debtors, investments to be sold within the coming year and trading stock.

Defined benefit pension scheme asset or liability

This is a surplus or deficit in any defined benefit pension scheme operated and represents a potential long-term asset or liability.

Total liabilities

These are all the amounts owed by the charity at the balance sheet date to third parties such as bills due but not yet paid, bank overdrafts and loans and mortgages.

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Asset / Liability 31/03/2021 31/03/2022 31/03/2023 31/03/2024 31/03/2025
Own use assets £121.84k £174.76k £114.20k £8.80k £6.21k
Long-term investments £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Other assets £354.45k £586.84k £392.27k £369.44k £395.58k
Defined benefit pension scheme asset or liability £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Total liabilities £12.18k £232.40k £84.32k £73.53k £53.66k

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 March 2025 22 December 2025 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 March 2025 22 December 2025 On time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 March 2024 24 December 2024 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 March 2024 24 December 2024 On time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 March 2023 02 January 2024 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 March 2023 02 January 2024 On time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 March 2022 16 December 2022 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 March 2022 16 December 2022 On time Download Open in new window
Annual return 31 March 2021 22 December 2021 On time
Accounts and TAR 31 March 2021 22 December 2021 On time Download Open in new window
Submit annual return Open in new window

Contact information

Address:
Big Life Group
339 Stretford Road
MANCHESTER
M15 4ZY
Phone:
0161 848 2430