Finance Score: 7
Governance Score: 8
Support Score: 15
  • Low unrestricted reserves: -2
  • Reasonable growth: +1
  • Fundraising costs low: +3
  • Future income +5
  • 12+ Trustees: -1
  • Good trustee age range: +3
  • Dynamic board: +3
  • Gender balanced board: +3
  • Overall weighted support: +15
Overall GiG Score: 30 ?

INQUEST CHARITABLE TRUST

INQUEST was founded in 1981 following a number of controversial deaths in police and prison custody. It is the only charitable organisation in England and Wales that provides an independent, free legal and advice service to bereaved people on inquest procedures and their rights in the Coroner's Court and the civil courts.
Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • There has been reasonable growth in spending over the last 3 years relative to the previous period
  • Fundraising costs are low relative to funds raised
  • A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers and there are significant future grants due to be received
  • The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of age and gender and dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

  • Why are there 13 trustees whereas the Charities Commission recommends a maximum of 12?

Financial issues to consider:

  • Unrestricted reserves appear to be dangerously low at the latest year end

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?
Sources of Income ?
Y/E Income
£k
Spending
£k
Surplus/
Deficit £k
Fundraising
Cost £k
Total
Funds £k
Unrestricted
Funds £k
Mths
Rsrvs
Staff Volun-
teers
31/03/23£1,151£1,118£32£82£208£1982.1173
31/03/22*£842£994£-152£58£176£1301.6165
31/03/21£1,069£838£230£55£327£3274.7154
31/03/20£796£844£-48£32£97£971.4154
31/03/19£824£824£0£31£145£1251.8185
31/03/18£701£662£39£20£145£1272.3100
31/03/17£601£576£25£0£106£1062.280
31/03/16£586£547£39£0£81£811.890
31/03/15£498£463£34n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/14£428£452£-24n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/13£479£511£-31n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/12£505£507£-3£34£63£380.980
31/03/11*£497£467£30n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/10£420£402£18n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/09£429£414£15n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/08£299£420£-122n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/07*£419£428£-9n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/06*£355£360£-5n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/05£385£302£83n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/04*£231£250£-20n/an/an/an/an/an/a

Financial Ratios
Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 7.2%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 7.3%
Senior Staff Costs/Total Spending: 16%
Highest pay band: £80,000-£90,000
Liabilities/Assets: 60%
Liabilities/Income: 27%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 95%
Reserves/Spending: 2.1 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 2 months
Quick Ratio: 1.4
Asset Split ?
Balance Sheet History
Established: 30 years

www.inquest.org.uk

arnaudvervoitte@inquest.org.uk

02072631111

Charity Commission for England and WalesCompanies HouseFacebookX
UN SDGs
?
Listed activities
  • General Charitable Purposes
GiG Classification
  • Legal & financial advice
How it operates
  • Provides advocacy/advice/information
Where it operates
  • Throughout England And Wales,
Who it helps
  • The General Public/Mankind

Who supports them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years
Esmee Fairbairn£623,500
National Lottery Community Fund£449,576
Three Guineas Trust£400,000
Henry Smith Charity£175,400
The Legal Education Foundation£167,243
Joseph Rowntree Foundation£165,000
Trust for London£155,000
John Ellerman Foundation£120,000
Specific Donations
Amount When
Months
To be used for
John Ellerman Foundation - core costs - policy
£120,000 25/07/2024
36
Towards core costs to support their policy and advocacy work.
Three Guineas Trust - Casework for bereaved families
£150,000 17/02/2024
Towards casework for bereaved families of autistic people, people with learning disability or people in mental distress, including related costs for family consultation, public affairs and overheads.
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£8,800 12/12/2023
A restricted grant of £8,000 to the work of UNGRIPP, with an additional £800 contribution to the overheads of INQUEST. INQUEST provides expertise on state related deaths and their investigations, as well as providing casework to families and ....more
The Legal Education Foundation - A grant to INQUEST
£167,243 30/11/2023
A grant to INQUEST under the LEF's Stronger Sector grant programme
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£22,000 21/08/2023
An unrestricted grant of £22,000 (Year 3 of 3 years)This grant includes a 10% cost of living uplift. INQUEST provides expertise on state related deaths and their investigation. It delivers casework to support bereaved families, family participation ....more
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£36,000 27/02/2023
Towards unrestricted core costs as a Cost of Living Uplift
The Bromley Trust - Unrestricted grant
£15,000 30/01/2023
INQUEST is a charity in England and Wales providing expertise on contentious deaths and their investigation to bereaved people, lawyers, other advice and support agencies, media, parliamentarians and the general public.This is a one year additional ....more
Three Guineas Trust - Cost of living
£10,000 18/01/2023
To help with the effects of the rise in cost of living on the charity's operation
Three Guineas Trust - Senior caseworker
£60,000 18/01/2023
Senior caseworker to support families where the deceased had a mental health problem, learning disability and/or autism.
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£15,000 22/12/2022
An unrestricted grant of £15,000. INQUEST provides expertise on state related deaths and their investigation. It delivers casework to support bereaved families, family participation activities and related policy and parliamentary work.
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£60,000 14/12/2022
Towards unrestricted core costs to support Inquest through a challenging time and shortfall in income
Garfield Weston Foundation - Main Grants award
£30,000 25/11/2022
Casework focusing on mental health, learning disabilities and autism
Henry Smith Charity - Grant to Inquest
£175,400 09/11/2022
36
towards three years' continuation funding for the salary and on costs of a Senior Caseworker at a project providing support for bereaved families following the contentious or state related death of a loved one across England and Wales.
Trust for London - Inquest Charitable Trust
£5,000 29/09/2022
This is a cost of living uplift for grant reference 360G-trustforlondon-MAIN-S2-04.02.2020-8266
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£20,000 23/08/2022
An unrestricted grant of £20,000 (This grant is renewable - year 2 of up to 3 years). INQUEST provides expertise on state related deaths and their investigation. It delivers casework to support bereaved families, family participation activities and ....more
Joseph Rowntree Foundation - Grant to Inquest Charitable Trust
£165,000 08/07/2022
Core costs
The Bromley Trust - Unrestricted grant
£75,000 04/07/2022
INQUEST is a charity in England and Wales providing expertise on contentious deaths and their investigation to bereaved people, lawyers, other advice and support agencies, media, parliamentarians and the general public.This is a three year ....more
National Lottery Heritage Fund - Grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£100,000 10/02/2022
40 Years of INQUEST- Recording 4 decades of the family voice towards systemic change
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£20,000 07/10/2021
An unrestricted grant of £20,000 (This grant is renewable - year 1 of up to 3 years). INQUEST provides expertise on state related deaths and their investigation. It delivers casework to support bereaved families, family participation activities and ....more
National Lottery Community Fund - SUPPORT ENABLE AMPLIFY
£449,576 29/03/2021
36
The project is using funding to continue their work across England developing connections and solidarity between families and grow their outwardly facing work to support and resource families engaged with post inquest change making. The funding will ....more
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£450,000 15/12/2020
60
Towards unrestricted core costs for casework, participation and influencing around deaths in custody and detention
The Baring Foundation - Grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£40,000 14/12/2020
To support the work of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK to undertake activities to initiate an immediate Statutory Public Inquiry into the handling of Covid-19’
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£40,000 29/07/2020
6
Towards Unrestricted core costs (6 month survey option)
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to INQUEST
£15,000 02/07/2020
An unrestricted grant of £15,000. INQUEST provides expertise on state related deaths and their investigation. It delivers casework to support bereaved families, family participation activities and related policy and parliamentary work.
City Bridge Trust - Grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£39,188 19/05/2020
A grant of £39,188 to fund the essential and urgent costs outlined in the appliciation, so that the organisation can carry on providing support to Londoners.
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£37,500 05/05/2020
6
towards unrestricted core costs as a COVID-19 Fast Response grant
Barrow Cadbury Trust - Evidencing Truth to Power
£75,000 25/04/2020
36
To support INQUEST's Director to undertake high-level policy activities and investigate and report on areas of concern.
Trust for London - Inquest Charitable Trust
£150,000 05/03/2020
36
The funding is for casework support and advice for London based families bereaved as a result of a contentious state related death. It is also for influencing and campaigning around the issues raised with the ultimate aim of preventing future deaths.
Three Guineas Trust - Senior caseworker to support families before, during and after inquests.
£180,000 05/03/2020
Senior caseworker to support families where the deceased had a mental health problem, learning disability and/or autism, plus family consultation and research at the University of Oxford (see notes).
The Bromley Trust - Unrestricted grant
£60,000 23/07/2019
36
INQUEST is a charity in England and Wales providing expertise on contentious deaths and their investigation to bereaved people, lawyers, other advice and support agencies, media, parliamentarians and the general public.This is a three year ....more
Joseph Rowntree Foundation - Grant to Inquest Charitable Trust
£165,000 12/07/2019
36
Core costs
City Bridge Trust - Grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£283,300 24/05/2019
60
£283,300 over five years (£54,400, £55,500, £56,800, £57,700, £58,900) for the full-time salary and on-costs of a Senior Caseworker (London).
Wates Foundation - INQUEST
£20,000 07/05/2019
Meetings with families bereaved as a result of contentious deaths in statutory settings in Scotland
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to INQUEST
£15,000 25/04/2019
A restricted grant of £15,000 towards the core costs of policy activities. Inquest provides expertise on state related deaths and their investigation to bereaved people, lawyers, advice and support agencies, the media and parliamentarians. It ....more
Henry Smith Charity - Grant to Inquest
£169,900 12/12/2018
36
towards three years' salary of a Family Caseworker at a National project providing support and information to bereaved families following the contentious or state related death of a loved one
John Ellerman Foundation - core funding
£120,000 29/11/2018
36
Towards core costs of their policy work aiming to reduce state-related deaths, and support and empower the victims' families to make sure their voices are heard
The Bromley Trust - Unrestricted grant
£20,000 01/08/2018
12
INQUEST is a charity in England and Wales providing expertise on contentious deaths and their investigation to bereaved people, lawyers, other advice and support agencies, media, parliamentarians and the general public.This is a one year ....more
Tudor Trust - Grant to Inquest
£80,000 25/01/2018
24
over two years towards the Head of Policy's salary at a national charity supporting families who have been bereaved following a death in state care or in detention
The Bromley Trust - Unrestricted grant
£20,000 01/11/2017
12
INQUEST is a charity in England and Wales providing expertise on contentious deaths and their investigation to bereaved people, lawyers, other advice and support agencies, media, parliamentarians and the general public.This is a one year ....more
Barrow Cadbury Trust - Speaking Truth to Power- Supporting Inquest Policy Work
£65,000 08/07/2017
36
To support INQUEST's Director to undertake high-level policy activities
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to INQUEST
£15,000 04/07/2017
£15,000 towards advice and policy work in relation to Grenfell Tower fire. Inquest provides expertise on state related deaths and their investigation to bereaved people, lawyers, advice and support agencies, the media and parliamentarians. It ....more
Trust for London - Inquest Charitable Trust
£20,000 30/06/2017
12
The funding is towards additional capacity to support families affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, who are going through the inquest process.
National Lottery Community Fund - We are INQUEST – strengthening family voice to achieve better outcomes
£499,481 31/05/2017
35
This project aims to develop coping mechanisms and improve the sense of community through peer-support for families of people who have died in custody or detention. It aims to provide holistic support, and will facilitate families becoming advocates ....more
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to Inquest
£15,000 27/04/2017
£15,000 towards core costs. Inquest provides expertise on state related deaths and their investigation to bereaved people, lawyers, advice and support agencies, the media and parliamentarians. It provides specialist advice and support to bereaved ....more
Joseph Rowntree Foundation - Grant to Inquest Charitable Trust
£100,000 18/03/2017
24
Core costs
AB Charitable Trust - Contribution to Locum cover for sick caseworker colleague
£5,000 20/10/2015
£5,000 towards staff costs
AB Charitable Trust - Empowering bereaved families facing inquests
£10,000 28/04/2015
£10,000 towards core costs
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£375,000 23/04/2015
60
Towards unrestricted core costs for casework and policy work on the deaths of people in prison and mental health settings.
AB Charitable Trust - Empowering Bereaved Families facing inquests
£10,000 21/01/2014
£10,000 towards core costs
National Lottery Community Fund - Stronger Voices, Better Outcomes: a role for families after death
£500,000 18/12/2013
36
This is a continuation and development of an existing England-wide project which aims to provide support to those who have had a family member die in detention (prison, police, immigration and as a new development, psychiatric). It also aims to ....more
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£230,000 30/06/2011
Towards core costs and the cost of scoping and subsequent casework and policy work related to the deaths of psychiatric patients.
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to INQUEST Charitable Trust
£150,000 12/06/2008
36
Towards Unrestricted core costs Towards revenue costs for casework and policy work on the deaths of children and young people in prison and of prisoners with mental health and/or drug and alcohol problems.
Show more rows

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (13)
Current Trustees appointed
Gender Split

Age Range of Trustees: 33-77
  • DANIEL MACHOVER Appointed: 2012, Occupation: Solicitor
  • DIANE SARAH NEWTON (Chair) Appointed: 2018, Occupation: Senior Policy Manager
  • DOUGLAS STEPHEN CAVE Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Retired Veterinary Surgeon
  • DR PATRICK WILLIAMS Appointed: 2021, Occupation: University Lecturer
  • GERALDINE MARY ISHERWOOD Appointed: 2009, Occupation: Accountant
  • MARCIA PATRICIA RIGG Appointed: 2023
  • MARCIA PATRICIA RIGG Appointed: 2023
  • PETE WEATHERBY Appointed: 2018, Occupation: Barrister
  • PROF JOE SIM, Occupation: University Lecturer
  • RUTH ELIZABETH DOBIE BUNDEY Appointed: 2007, Occupation: Solicitor
  • RAJIV MENON Appointed: 2016, Occupation: Barrister
  • REBECCA CHARLOTTE MONTACUTE Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Head Of Research And Policy
  • STEVE TOMBS Appointed: 2014, Occupation: Professor Of Criminology
Legal constitution
  • Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 23/05/1995, number: 1046650
  • Registered at Companies House on 10/05/1995, number: 03054853
Gift Aid
  • Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid
Policies in force
  • 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
  • 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
Filing Record
20 returns made; AR22: 143 days late, AR11: 2 days late, AR07: 2 days late, AR06: 1 days late, AR04: 1 days late,
Main office

Inquest
89-93 Fonthill Road
LONDON
N4 3JH

Objectives

A) TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC BY, IN PARTICULAR, RESEARCH INTO AND PUBLICATION AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION CONCERNING SUDDEN OR UNEXPLAINED DEATHS OR DEATHS WHICH ARE OR MAY BE THE SUBJECT OF A CORONER'S INQUEST. B) THE RELIEF OF POVERTY AMONGST THE BEREAVED IN PARTICULAR BY PROVISION OF INFORMATION ADVICE COUNSELLING AND SUPPORT. C) TO UNDERTAKE ANY OTHER CHARITABLE OBJECTIVE.

Defined Area of Benefit:

NOT DEFINED

Data Sources

Charity Commission for England and Wales
360 Giving

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