The Hardman Trust
Also known as: Prisoners Penfriends
The Hardman Trust supports prisoners who are serving long sentences. The grant scheme is available to people who have served 10 years or more. The directory is the 'yellow pages' for finding funding in prison and post-release support. Prisoners Penfriend's provide a voluntary letter-writing service to prisoners.
Activities & Mission
The Hardman Trust supports prisoners who are serving long sentences. The grant scheme is available to people who have served 10 years or more. The directory is the 'yellow pages' for finding funding in prison and post-release support. Prisoners Penfriend's provide a voluntary letter-writing service to prisoners.
Areas of Operation
Where this charity is registered to operate, as self-declared to the Charity Commission. These are regulatory classifications, not a list of active programmes, and don't necessarily indicate fundraising activity in each location.
Country
Region
Financial Information
Financial Efficiency
Higher than 34% of UK Crime and Justice charities with income £100K to £1M (sample: 143). How is this calculated?
Higher than 37% of UK Crime and Justice charities with income £100K to £1M. How is this calculated?
Lower overhead than 33% of UK Crime and Justice charities with income £100K to £1M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?
Latest Financial Breakdown
Income Sources
Expenditure Categories
Financial Trend
Annual Returns
As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2025.
One or more years show a significant change in income (over ±100%) compared with the prior year. This usually reflects a merger, transfer of activities, restated accounts, or a one-off legacy — not necessarily a real change in operating scale. See the methodology for context.
The Commission record shows these related events on the register:
- Asset transfer in in 2025 — The City and Metropolitan Welfare Charity (organisation 205943)
- Asset transfer in in 2024 — The Hardman Trust (organisation 1042715)
- Asset transfer in in 2024 — The Paul Stephenson Memorial Trust (organisation 295924)
| Financial Year | Income | Expenditure | Charitable Spending | Net Assets | Reserves | Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | £670,403 | £581,898 | £552,528 | £311,742 | £221,504 | 6 / 115 |
| 2024 | £492,423 | £498,659 | 0 / 90 | |||
| 2023 | £41,162 | £51,613 | 0 / 65 | |||
| 2022 | £40,874 | £61,320 | 0 / 110 | |||
| 2021 | £41,178 | £39,929 | 0 / 100 |
Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers
Frequently asked questions about The Hardman Trust
What does The Hardman Trust do?
The Hardman Trust supports prisoners who are serving long sentences. The grant scheme is available to people who have served 10 years or more. The directory is the 'yellow pages' for finding funding in prison and post-release support. Prisoners Penfriend's provide a voluntary letter-writing service to prisoners.
How much income did The Hardman Trust report in 2025?
The Hardman Trust reported total income of £670k and reported expenditure of £582k for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.
How efficient is The Hardman Trust?
The Hardman Trust has a program ratio of 82.4%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 34% of UK Crime and Justice charities with income £100K to £1M (sample of 143 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.
When was The Hardman Trust registered as a charity?
The Hardman Trust was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 20 June 2003 as charity number 1098118. It has been registered for 23 years.
Who runs The Hardman Trust?
The Hardman Trust is governed by a board of 7 trustees. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.
Where does The Hardman Trust operate?
The Hardman Trust operates across 3 areas: Northern Ireland, Scotland and England And Wales.
Is The Hardman Trust a registered charity?
Yes — The Hardman Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1098118.
Details
London
WC2A 2JR
Registry Information
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Major UK charities in the same primary sector, drawn from the curated priority cohort.
Trustees
Sectors & Classifications
Also Known As
- Prisoners Penfriends
Data & trust
- Register data refreshed
- 14 May 2026
- Methodology
- How metrics are calculated