Our Social Impact
Explore visual data of our social impact and stories of change from the charities and social enterprises we support. Build your understanding of the social value we’re helping to create.
Driven by social impact
Charity Bank is driven by social impact, and it is how we measure our success. By using the funds deposited by
individuals and organisations to provide loans to impactful organisations, we aim to create positive change and
address societal challenges.
Look at our impact across the UK
Hover over the map below to see how much we’ve lent to charities and social enterprises in your region since 2002. Click on a region to see how much we’ve lent to organisations in each area.
United Kingdom
£629,638,133
Total amount of money
1461
Total number of loans
| Region | Amount of money | Number of loans |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern | £46,241,056 | 130 |
| East Midlands | £29,623,278 | 85 |
| London | £191,117,924 | 249 |
| North East | £18,561,395 | 39 |
| Northern Ireland | £6,740,028 | 12 |
| North West | £43,722,802 | 130 |
| Scotland | £21,092,107 | 77 |
| South East | £101,428,895 | 227 |
| South West | £52,532,529 | 179 |
| Wales | £11,790,463 | 56 |
| West Midlands | £48,654,395 | 107 |
| Yorkshire & Humber | £58,133,261 | 170 |
Eastern
£46,241,056
Total amount of money
130
Total number of loans
| County | Amount of money | Number of loans |
|---|---|---|
| Bedfordshire | £2,545,800 | 10 |
| Cambridgeshire | £11,356,689 | 23 |
| Essex | £19,754,497 | 41 |
| Hertfordshire | £5,121,725 | 19 |
| Norfolk | £4,535,403 | 21 |
| Suffolk | £2,926,942 | 16 |
East Midlands
£29,623,278
Total amount of money
85
Total number of loans
| County | Amount of money | Number of loans |
|---|---|---|
| Derbyshire | £4,433,881 | 27 |
| Leicestershire | £8,514,634 | 16 |
| Lincolnshire | £6,535,531 | 14 |
| Northamptonshire | £2,540,232 | 11 |
| Nottinghamshire | £7,409,000 | 15 |
| Rutland | £190,000 | 2 |
London
£191,117,924
Total amount of money
249
Total number of loans
| County | Amount of money | Number of loans |
|---|---|---|
| Barking and Dagenham | £2,026,000 | 5 |
| Barnet | £14,002,044 | 20 |
| Bermondsey | £812,500 | 1 |
| Bexley | £1,575,000 | 1 |
| Brent | £5,757,891 | 10 |
| Bromley | £1,451,044 | 3 |
| Camden | £14,656,270 | 12 |
| City of London | £8,477,750 | 9 |
| Croydon | £358,000 | 3 |
| Ealing | £5,973,500 | 9 |
| Enfield | £3,635,500 | 4 |
| Greenwich | £10,255,119 | 8 |
| Hackney | £10,857,274 | 16 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | £5,952,401 | 7 |
| Haringey | £5,138,000 | 7 |
| Harrow | £12,233,645 | 9 |
| Havering | £4,264,391 | 8 |
| Hillingdon | £4,181,667 | 2 |
| Hounslow | £2,450,000 | 2 |
| Ilford | £1,375,000 | 2 |
| Islington | £4,933,935 | 18 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | £941,772 | 3 |
| Kingston Upon Thames | £2,971,250 | 6 |
| Lambeth | £13,062,000 | 16 |
| Lewisham | £3,903,371 | 2 |
| Merton | £4,117,000 | 3 |
| Newham | £9,738,069 | 13 |
| Redbridge | £1,267,500 | 1 |
| Richmond | £215,000 | 1 |
| Southwark | £2,010,995 | 14 |
| Sutton | £423,199 | 1 |
| Tower Hamlets | £3,271,912 | 11 |
| Waltham Forest | £1,380,000 | 1 |
| Wandsworth | £8,305,520 | 5 |
| Westminster | £19,143,405 | 16 |
North East
£18,561,395
Total amount of money
39
Total number of loans
| County | Amount of money | Number of loans |
|---|---|---|
| Durham | £7,398,809 | 15 |
| Middlesbrough | £144,000 | 1 |
| Northumberland | £1,770,000 | 7 |
| Tyne and Wear | £9,248,586 | 16 |
Northern Ireland
£6,740,028
Total amount of money
12
Total number of loans
| County | Amount of money | Number of loans |
|---|---|---|
| Antrim | £5,920,310 | 8 |
| Derry City and Strabane District | £100,000 | 1 |
| Fermanagh and Omagh | £599,718 | 1 |
| Newry, Mourne and Down | £120,000 | 2 |
North West
£43,722,802
Total amount of money
130
Total number of loans
| County | Amount of money | Number of loans |
|---|---|---|
| Cheshire | £10,012,652 | 13 |
| Cumbria | £6,672,046 | 31 |
| Greater Manchester | £5,591,435 | 24 |
| Lancashire | £11,272,052 | 30 |
| Merseyside | £10,174,617 | 32 |
Scotland
£21,092,107
Total amount of money
77
Total number of loans
| County | Amount of money | Number of loans |
|---|---|---|
| Angus | £150,000 | 1 |
| Argyll & Bute | £1,074,117 | 15 |
| Aryshire | £284,840 | 3 |
| City of Edinburgh | £1,124,757 | 7 |
| Dumfries & Galloway | £241,000 | 3 |
| Dundee | £320,000 | 2 |
| Fife | £1,463,761 | 2 |
| Lanarkshire | £15,057,785 | 34 |
| Midlothian | £888,847 | 3 |
| Perthshire | £62,000 | 2 |
| Renfrewshire | £212,000 | 2 |
| West Dunbartonshire | £60,000 | 2 |
| West Lothian | £153,000 | 1 |
South East
£101,428,895
Total amount of money
227
Total number of loans
| County | Amount of money | Number of loans |
|---|---|---|
| Berkshire | £2,930,205 | 11 |
| Buckinghamshire | £7,620,020 | 18 |
| East Sussex | £15,214,257 | 34 |
| Hampshire | £14,895,642 | 34 |
| Isle of Wight | £132,500 | 1 |
| Kent | £21,260,164 | 59 |
| Oxfordshire | £7,110,205 | 13 |
| Surrey | £29,409,080 | 39 |
| West Sussex | £2,856,822 | 18 |
South West
£52,532,529
Total amount of money
179
Total number of loans
| County | Amount of money | Number of loans |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol | £7,252,750 | 8 |
| Cornwall | £8,606,444 | 19 |
| Devon | £11,467,904 | 42 |
| Dorset | £3,581,079 | 21 |
| Gloucestershire | £10,622,573 | 24 |
| Somerset | £7,850,605 | 35 |
| Wiltshire | £3,151,174 | 30 |
Wales
£11,790,463
Total amount of money
56
Total number of loans
| County | Amount of money | Number of loans |
|---|---|---|
| Anglesey | £20,000 | 1 |
| Cardiff | £4,565,956 | 12 |
| Carmarthenshire | £369,800 | 4 |
| Ceredigion | £1,213,872 | 8 |
| Conwy | £20,000 | 1 |
| Denbighshire | £127,175 | 1 |
| Gwynedd | £1,994,100 | 11 |
| Monmouthshire | £130,000 | 2 |
| Pembrokeshire | £480,000 | 4 |
| Powys | £637,000 | 3 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taff | £780,000 | 5 |
| Torfaen | £1,196,921 | 1 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | £95,200 | 1 |
| Wrexham | £160,439 | 2 |
West Midlands
£48,654,395
Total amount of money
107
Total number of loans
| County | Amount of money | Number of loans |
|---|---|---|
| Herefordshire | £500,000 | 2 |
| Shropshire | £1,872,500 | 10 |
| Staffordshire | £8,815,303 | 30 |
| Warwickshire | £940,030 | 5 |
| West Midlands | £35,216,562 | 54 |
| Worcestershire | £1,310,000 | 6 |
Yorkshire & Humber
£58,133,261
Total amount of money
170
Total number of loans
| County | Amount of money | Number of loans |
|---|---|---|
| East Riding of Yorkshire | £3,526,850 | 12 |
| Lincolnshire | £4,364,600 | 4 |
| North Yorkshire | £17,952,799 | 52 |
| South Yorkshire | £15,652,069 | 53 |
| West Yorkshire | £16,636,943 | 49 |
Lending across the Social Sector
We lend to a range of sectors, focusing on creating positive social impact. Here are some of the key sectors we support:
Arts
Community
Education
Environment
Faith
Health & Care
Social Housing
Sport
60%
Helped projects go ahead
60% of our borrowers said that their project would not have gone ahead without their Charity Bank loan.
78%
Improved services or facilities
78% of our borrowers said that their loan helped to improve the quality of their services or facilities.
66%
Increased resilience
66% of our borrowers said that their resilience had increased as a result of their Charity Bank loan.
Impact focus
Charity Bank is driven by social impact, and it is how we measure our success. For every loan, we consider both the creditworthiness of the borrower and the social impact that the organisation delivers. Our strategy is targeted and specific about the impact we aim to achieve.
We seek positive impact on three levels:
1. Strengthening charities and social enterprises
Customer: Continually improve customer service to remain the lender of choice for UK impact-driven organisations. Additionality: Fill gaps in the provision of finance with appropriate funding solutions for social sector organisations. Strengthen: Build resilience and capacity to help our borrowers better deliver their mission.
2. People, community and planet
We are committed to extending our outreach to systematically underfunded groups and prioritising organisations that serve the most vulnerable, underserved, and marginalised. We are thoughtful and deliberate about our lending activity in complex housing needs and are building our ‘green lending’ portfolio.
3. Charity Bank-specific impact
We strive to create an inclusive and positive employee experience by promoting policies and ways of working that provide equal opportunity, attract and develop diverse talent, and enhance growth. Our culture reflects our commitment to making a positive impact.
Savings that create a positive impact
How we make a difference
We direct our savers’ and investors’ money towards organisations dedicated to improving lives, communities and the environment across the UK. Here are our four steps to positive social impact.
Step 1: Need for finance
Organisations are increasingly moving away from reliance on grants and developing innovative business modules to tackle social problems. This includes seeking loans to increase their social impact and ensure financial stability.
Loan need:
- Desire to grow 82%
- Innovation or new opportunity: 76%
- Renovation or refurbishment: 74%
- Acquire facilities or assets: 75%
- Improve financial management: 32%
Step 2: Contact Charity Bank
Ready for a loan: A regional manager is assigned and works with the organisation to make a loan application
What if you’re not ready for a loan:
- We work with specialist partners to guide organisations on how to improve their financial position prior to lending
- Refer to receive financial, investment readiness or other support
- Refer to grant funders
- Refer to a more suitable lender
Step 3: Loans to address social needs
We target and prioritise organisations that address the most challenging needs in our society. In 2022, 72% of our loans (£38.5 million) are dedicated to supporting organisations that primarily focus on distinct groups or common needs. Many of these groups face marginalisation and vulnerability, underscoring our commitment to address pressing social issues.
Step 4: The impact of a loan
Loans help our borrowers improve their financial position, the quality and reach of their services, and their ability to deliver their mission
Impact on people
Our loans help charities and social enterprises grow and develop so that they can continue to provide support to people who need it most. This support can help people rebuild their lives, achieve their goals, and build a better future for themselves and their family.
Impact on communities
In 2023, 46% of our lending was directed towards organisations operating in the most disadvantaged areas of the country.
Impact on the planet
We support organisations directly seeking to combat climate change, as well as those who want to reduce their carbon footprint. In 2024, 70% of borrower survey respondents said reducing their carbon footprint was a priority, and 49% said their organisation had a plan for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.
72%
Increased services
72% of our borrowers reported that their Charity Bank loan increased what they could offer to beneficiaries.
33%
Reduced costs
33% of our borrowers said that their Charity Bank loan helped to reduce costs for their organisation.
96%
Supported mission
96% of our borrowers agreed that their Charity Bank loan contributed towards delivering their mission.
Sources of statistics: Management information and 2024 borrower survey.