Building Societies Trust Limited

Quick Stats

• Charity Number: 296726
• Annual Income: £138,213 (year ending 31 December 2024)
• Annual Expenditure: £139,699 (year ending 31 December 2024)
• Grant Range: £5,000 - £50,000 (typical range £5,000 - £30,000)
• Application Cycle: Annual (February consideration)
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide
• Number of Trustees: 4

Contact Details

Registered Office:

6th Floor York House

23 Kingsway

London, WC2B 6UJ

Application Contact:

Email: elaine.morton@bsa.org.uk

Phone: 020 7520 5908

Alternative contact: louise.thornbury@bsa.org.uk

Website:

https://www.bsa.org.uk/about-us/building-societies-trust

Overview

Building Societies Trust Limited is a small charitable trust established in 1987 and operated by the Building Societies Association (BSA). The trust makes grants to UK charities that align with its core mission of promoting and advancing public education in commercial and financial subjects, with particular emphasis on money management, housing, home ownership, and building society-related matters. As a grant-making foundation classified by the Charity Commission, the trust operates with modest annual expenditure of approximately £140,000, distributing grants through an annual application cycle. The trust has supported a diverse range of charities over the years, from those helping homeless young people through supported accommodation to organisations providing financial education and employability programmes. The trust welcomes applications from both locally-focused charities and those with a national reach, provided their work aligns with its educational objectives around housing, financial literacy, and personal development.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Annual Grant Programme

• Grant Range: £5,000 - £30,000 (typical), up to £50,000 considered
• Application Cycle: Applications considered in February each year
• Application Method: Email application to elaine.morton@bsa.org.uk

Priority Areas

The trust welcomes applications from charities working in the following areas:

Financial Education & Money Management

• Financial literacy programmes
• Budgeting support and advice services
• Money management education

Housing & Home Ownership

• Housing-related educational initiatives
• Support for people in housing need
• Home ownership education and guidance

Youth & Employability

• Programmes helping young people build successful and sustainable futures
• Employability training and skills development
• Financial education for young people
• Collaboration with teachers and businesses

Personal Development & Independent Living

• Charities helping people grow in confidence
• Support for personal rehabilitation
• Programmes promoting independent, self-fulfilling lives
• Educational guidance services

Research & Information Provision

• Research on housing, financial matters, and building society topics
• Publication of useful research results
• Information and advice services related to the trust's aims

Previous Beneficiaries

The trust has supported:

• Charities assisting homeless young people through supported accommodation
• Organisations providing financial education and budgeting support
• Charities working with young people on employability and personal development

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the trust's focus is clearly on:

• UK registered charities (organisations must be UK-based)
• Activities aligned with education in commercial and financial subjects
• Projects relating to money management, housing, and building society matters

Applications outside these thematic areas are unlikely to be successful.

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Luke Henry March

• Appointed: 13 July 2012
• Longest-serving trustee with over 12 years on the board

Dr Peter Williams

• Appointed: 10 July 2019
• Brings significant expertise in housing policy and building society matters
• Chairman of Acadata and Director of Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research
• Former Deputy Director General of the Council of Mortgage Lenders
• Author of Building Societies Association's study “2020 Vision: The Mortgage of the Future”
• Co-editor of UK Housing Review (annual publication)
• Board member of National Housing Federation and Thames Valley Housing Association

Jahanara Rajkoomar

• Appointed: 16 December 2020

Darrin Ramdeen

• Appointed: 16 December 2020

Governance Structure:

• All trustees serve without remuneration, payments, or benefits
• The trust operates as a private company limited by guarantee without share capital
• No employees with benefits over £60,000
• Reporting status: Up to date with Charity Commission requirements

Relationship with Building Societies Association

The trust operates under the umbrella of the Building Societies Association, the trade body representing 42 building societies and 7 credit unions serving approximately 26 million customers across the UK. The BSA's chief executive through end of 2025 was Robin Fieth, who led the organisation for 12 years from December 2013, overseeing the growth of building societies' mortgage market share to 24%. Sarah Harrison succeeded Fieth as chief executive in 2025.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

The application process is straightforward and conducted by email:

• Details of what your organisation does
• Explanation of how your work meets the aims of the trust
• Specific information about how the grant will be used
• Latest annual report and accounts

• Send application to: elaine.morton@bsa.org.uk
• Include all required documentation
• Clearly articulate alignment with trust objectives

• Must be a UK registered charity
• Or another form of organisation whose activities and grant purpose fall within the trust's aims and objectives

Decision Timeline

Annual Cycle:

• Applications are normally considered in February each year
• Specific submission deadlines not publicly stated
• Recommended to submit well in advance of February consideration period

Decision Notification:

• Method of notification not specified in public materials
• Timeline from application to decision not published

Reapplication Policy

No explicit reapplication policy is stated in publicly available materials. However, the annual consideration cycle suggests unsuccessful applicants could reapply in subsequent years.

Application Success Factors

Demonstrating Alignment with Trust Objectives

Strong applications will:

• Clearly articulate how the charity's work relates to money management, housing, home ownership, or building society matters
• Demonstrate educational impact on beneficiaries
• Show how the project advances public education in commercial and financial subjects
• Provide specific details on how grant funds will be used

Focus on Educational Outcomes

The trust's charitable objective specifically emphasises education. Applications should:

• Highlight educational facilities, information provision, or research activities
• Demonstrate how the work educates the public in relevant subjects
• Show impact on beneficiaries' financial literacy, housing knowledge, or related competencies

Target Beneficiary Groups

Applications appear stronger when they:

• Focus on young people building sustainable futures
• Support vulnerable groups (e.g., homeless youth, those needing supported accommodation)
• Promote independence and self-fulfilling lives
• Include employability and financial education components

Geographic Reach

The trust has supported both:

• Locally-focused charities serving specific communities
• Charities with national reach

Geographic scope is less important than thematic alignment.

Supporting Documentation

Include comprehensive information:

• Latest annual report demonstrating organisational stability
• Accounts showing financial management
• Clear project plans and budgets
• Evidence of impact and outcomes

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Apply early: With annual consideration in February, submit applications well in advance to ensure they're reviewed
• Emphasise education: The trust's core objective is advancing public education in financial and housing matters - make the educational impact crystal clear
• Show thematic fit: Strong alignment with money management, housing, home ownership, and building society matters is essential
• Target range: Most grants fall between £5,000-£30,000, though up to £50,000 is possible - pitch your ask appropriately
• Keep it straightforward: The application process is deliberately simple - email with clear details and supporting documents
• Demonstrate impact: With relatively modest annual giving (circa £140,000), the trust likely makes selective grants - show strong outcomes
• Consider trustee expertise: Dr Peter Williams' housing expertise suggests applications with solid housing policy or research components may resonate well with the board

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• THE TRUEMARK TRUST
• Schroder Charity Trust
• MONDAY CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Cole Charitable Trust
• The Angus Lawson Memorial Trust
• THE G C GIBSON CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE A.D. CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Bassil Shippam and Alsford Trust
• THE TULA TRUST LIMITED
• The Lewin Trust

References

1. Building Societies Association - Building Societies Trust page

https://www.bsa.org.uk/about-us/building-societies-trust

Accessed: 3 February 2026

1. Charity Commission - Building Societies Trust Limited (296726) Overview

https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/296726/charity-overview

Accessed: 3 February 2026

1. Charity Commission - Building Societies Trust Limited Trustees

https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/296726/trustees

Accessed: 3 February 2026

1. Companies House - Building Societies Trust Limited (02110626)

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02110626

Accessed: 3 February 2026

1. OpenCharities - Building Societies Trust Limited

http://opencharities.org/charities/296726

Accessed: 3 February 2026

1. Cambridge Centre for Housing & Planning Research - Dr Peter Williams profile

https://www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/directory/PeterWilliams

Accessed: 3 February 2026