The Ian & Natalie Livingstone Charitable Trust
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Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: £224,380 (2024/25)
- Success Rate: Not applicable (no public application process)
- Decision Time: Not applicable (trustee discretion)
- Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
- Geographic Focus: England and Wales
- Application Method: Invitation only/trustee discretion
Contact Details
Registered Address:
c/o Blick Rothenberg Ltd
Palladium House
1-4 Argyll Street
London W1F 7LD
Email: email@blickrothenberg.com
Phone: 020 7437 7666
Overview
The Ian & Natalie Livingstone Charitable Trust was registered on 20 September 2012 by property developer billionaire Ian Livingstone and his wife Natalie, a Cambridge-educated journalist and author. Ian is joint Executive Chairman of London & Regional Properties, which he founded with his brother Richard in 1987. The company manages upwards of £9 billion in assets including the Park Lane Hilton, Empire Leicester Square, and the leasehold for historic Cliveden House in Berkshire. The trust operates as a private charitable foundation focused on supporting children's and other disadvantaged group charities across England and Wales. With an income of £330,409 and expenditure of £224,380 in the most recent financial year, the trust makes grants to organizations at the discretion of its three trustees. The Livingstones are known for their preference for privacy in their philanthropic endeavors.
Funding Priorities
Grant Programs
The trust operates a single discretionary grant-making program focused on supporting children and disadvantaged groups. Specific grant amounts are not publicly disclosed as the trust operates below the threshold requiring detailed financial reporting to the Charity Commission.
Priority Areas
- Children's charities: Organizations providing services to children and young people
- Education and training: Programs delivering educational opportunities and skills development
- Disadvantaged groups: Charities supporting vulnerable and underserved populations
- Youth development: Initiatives focused on creating opportunities for young people
What They Don't Fund
The trust's exclusions are not publicly documented, though it appears to focus specifically on UK-based charities (England and Wales) working with children and disadvantaged groups. Given the trustees' connections to London, there may be a preference for London-based organizations.

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Governance and Leadership
Trustees
Ian Livingstone (appointed 2012)
Joint Executive Chairman of London & Regional Properties. Ian was educated at St Paul's School London and City University London, where he qualified as an optometrist in 1984. He served as Chairman of Optika Clulow Group from 1990-2010. He is also a trustee of The Mayor's Fund for London, focusing on youth opportunities in the city.
Natalie Livingstone (appointed 2012)
A Cambridge-educated journalist and author who has written for publications including Tatler and OK! magazine. She graduated with a first-class degree in history from Christ's College, Cambridge, in 1998, and began her career at The Daily Express. She is the author of “The Mistresses of Cliveden” (2015), a historical work about female occupants of the historic Cliveden estate, which her husband's company acquired in 2012. She is the daughter of a Golders Green Synagogue chazan and grew up in Finchley.
Mark Joseph Levitt (appointed 2012)
The third trustee, though limited public information is available about his background and role.
All three trustees serve on a voluntary basis with no remuneration, payments, or benefits received from the charity.
Application Process and Timeline
How to Apply
This trust does not have a public application process. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees, typically to organizations already known to them or identified through their networks and trustee roles. The trust does not accept unsolicited applications and does not have an application portal, forms, or stated deadlines.
According to the Charity Commission records, the trust “makes grants to organisations” as its method of operation, but the beneficiaries are selected by the trustees rather than through an open competitive process.
Decision Timeline
Not applicable - grants are made at trustee discretion throughout the year without a formal application or decision timeline.
Application Success Factors
As this trust operates on a trustee-discretion model without public applications, organizations seeking support would need:
- Established track record: Organizations with demonstrated impact in supporting children or disadvantaged groups
- Strong governance: Well-managed charities with clear outcomes and accountability
- Geographic focus: Operations within England and Wales, with potential preference for London-based organizations given trustees' connections
- Alignment with trustee interests: Projects that align with Ian Livingstone's focus on youth opportunities (through his Mayor's Fund role) and Natalie's interests in education and cultural pursuits
- Personal connection or awareness: As grants are made at trustee discretion, existing relationships or visibility within their networks appears to be the primary route to funding
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- No public application process - This trust awards grants at trustee discretion to organizations they identify or are already aware of
- Private approach to philanthropy - The Livingstones are described as “arguably the lowest-profile billionaire siblings in London” and prefer to keep charitable contributions private
- Focus on children and disadvantaged groups - All funding is directed toward charities supporting these populations in England and Wales
- Modest but consistent giving - With annual expenditure around £224,000, the trust maintains steady grant-making activity
- Professional administration - The trust is administered by Blick Rothenberg, a professional services firm specializing in charity administration
- Connection to Mayor's Fund - Ian Livingstone's trustee role at The Mayor's Fund for London may indicate particular interest in London-based youth and opportunity programs
- Education emphasis - Both trustees have backgrounds suggesting interest in education and youth development initiatives
Similar Funders
These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:
- THE DMF ELLIS CHARITABLE TRUST
- THE J AND H ORLANDER TRUST
- John James Underdown Charitable Trust
- THE LILI TAPPER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
- Middle Way Trust
- The Gunter Charitable Trust
- The Payback Time Trust
- The Harris Family Charitable Trust
- Louis Nicholas Residuary Charitable Trust
- THE S AND Y CHARITABLE TRUST
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References
- Charity Commission Register, "The Ian & Natalie Livingstone Charitable Trust - 1149025,", https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5030864
- Find that Charity, "GB-CHC-1149025 | The Ian & Natalie Livingstone Charitable Trust,", https://findthatcharity.uk/orgid/GB-CHC-1149025
- Mayor's Fund for London, “Ian Livingstone,”, https://www.mayorsfundforlondon.org.uk/people/ian-livingstone/
- Wikipedia, “Ian Livingstone (property developer),”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Livingstone_(property_developer)
- The Jewish Chronicle, "Natalie Livingstone: We're the self-made custodians of Cliveden,", https://www.thejc.com/life/natalie-livingstone-were-the-self-made-custodians-of-cliveden-v5w07k7s
- MoneyWeek, “Ian and Richard Livingstone: the brothers who built a $7.2bn fortune,”, https://moneyweek.com/economy/people/602842/ian-and-richard-livingstone-the-brothers-who-built-a-72bn-fortune
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Ian & Natalie Livingstone Charitable Trust fund?
Grant Programs The trust operates a single discretionary grant-making program focused on supporting children and disadvantaged groups. Specific grant amounts are not publicly disclosed as the trust operates below the threshold requiring detailed financial reporting to the Charity Commission.
How much funding does The Ian & Natalie Livingstone Charitable Trust provide?
The Ian & Natalie Livingstone Charitable Trust provides grants ranging from Not publicly disclosed, with total annual giving of approximately £224,380 (2024/25).
How do I contact The Ian & Natalie Livingstone Charitable Trust?
Registered Address: c/o Blick Rothenberg Ltd Palladium House 1-4 Argyll Street London W1F 7LD Email: email@blickrothenberg.
Is The Ian & Natalie Livingstone Charitable Trust a registered charity?
Yes, The Ian & Natalie Livingstone Charitable Trust is a registered charity with the Charity Commission (charity number 1149025). They primarily serve organisations in Throughout England And Wales.
How do I apply to The Ian & Natalie Livingstone Charitable Trust?
The Ian & Natalie Livingstone Charitable Trust operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. They typically identify and approach charities they wish to support directly.
Where is The Ian & Natalie Livingstone Charitable Trust based?
They fund organisations in Throughout England And Wales.