The Merchant Company Endowments Trust
- Country
- Scotland
- Charity number
- SC002002
- Status
- Active
- Reporting
- Up to date Last filed March 25, 2026. Filing history
- Registered
- Jan. 1, 1902
- Legal form
- Statutory corporation (Royal Charter etc)
Address
- Address
- The Merchant Hall
22 Hanover Street
Edinburgh
EH2 2EP
Contact
- Website
mcoe.org.uk
Activities
'It makes grants, donations, loans, gifts or pensions to individuals','It carries out activities or services itself'
'the prevention or relief of poverty','the advancement of health','the relief of those in need by reason of age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage','any other purpose that may reasonably be regarded as analogous to any of the preceding purposes'
The objective of the Trust is to provide assistance to decent, peaceable men and women aged at least 55 on 1 July in the year of their election, unless, at a younger age they are certified on medical grounds as being unable to earn their living. Beneficiaries must be persons who have lived or worked in the City of Edinburgh or the County of Midlothian. Assistance may be given by way of cash grant, pension, gift of appliances, provision of accommodation and other support. The Trust funds an Almoner to give personal contact and further finance and care to beneficiaries where needed. The Trust consists of general funds which are also applied in connection with running the Sir William Fraser Homes (The Fraser Trust). There are also two funds which are administered separately by the Trust. The Russell and Foster Endowment and The Sir John Foster Fraser Bequest. The Trust owns two groups of flats which are rented at social housing and mixed rent rates to frail and elderly people.
Beneficiaries: 'Older People'
Objectives: The prevention and relief of poverty. The advancement of health. The relief of those in need by reason of age, ill health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage. Analogous Purposes.
Geography
- Main operating location
- City of Edinburgh
- Geographical spread
- More than one local authority area in Scotland
Finances
| Period end | Filed | Income | Expenditure |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 31, 2025 | March 25, 2026On time | £922,035 | £788,706 |
| July 31, 2024 | April 29, 2025On time | £895,000 | £1,072,000 |
| July 31, 2023 | Feb. 29, 2024On time | £1,071,037 | £736,520 |
| July 31, 2022 | April 26, 2023On time | £1,044,447 | £804,690 |
| July 31, 2021 | March 22, 2022On time | £1,009,355 | £611,650 |
Due dates are 9 months after the year end, OSCR's deadline, so they don't allow for any extension OSCR has granted.