01 Identity
Scottish charity record
- OSCR charity number
- SC020755
- Status
- Active
- Regulatory type
- Standard
- Designated religious body
- No
- Geographical spread
- More than one local authority area in Scotland
- Volunteers
- 51-100 volunteers
- Staff
- 64
- Postcode
- EH6 5HB
02 Purpose and work
What the charity exists to do
VOCAL is run by carers, for carers since 1994, with two carer centres and locality bases in Edinburgh and Midlothian. We offer an accessible information and advice service, delivered through freephone helpline, in person support, training, peer groups, print and digital resources and e-learning programme. Interventions include financial planning and benefits, future planning, legal advice, community brokerage, counselling, therapeutic supports, social and leisure activities. In 2025-26, there were 25,662 carer contacts, £2.3m achieved through income maximisation. Our Wee Breaks service supported carers to take a short break through grants, vouchers, gifted breaks or one of VOCAL's three holiday homes. Through our cross-sector partnerships, we delivered training to 1,979 employers and professionals. VOCAL’s separate trading subsidiary - Treasure Tree - has a focus on mobility and accessibility equipment and partnerships with occupational therapists.
Charitable purposes
- the prevention or relief of poverty
- the advancement of education
- the advancement of health
Beneficiaries
- Older People
- People with disabilities or health problems
Activities
- It carries out activities or services itself
Constitutional objectives
The objects ('objects') for which the company is established are to advance the education of carers, to increase the health and welfare of carers, to relieve the poverty and distress of carers and to promote the interests of carers within Edinburgh and the Lothians area and any other part of Scotland in which the company wishes to or does carry out any of its activities from time to time.
03 Annual returns
Income and expenditure history
| Year end | Total income | Donations | Charitable activities income | Trading income | Investment income | Other income | Total expenditure | Raising funds | Charitable activities spending | Other spending | Staff | Return received |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2026 | £4,078,392 | £3,884,422 | £75,500 | £78,707 | £39,763 | £0 | £4,060,672 | £4,783 | £4,055,889 | £0 | 64 | 4 September 2026 |
| 31 March 2025 | £3,765,824 | £3,606,306 | £33,264 | £84,654 | £41,600 | £0 | £3,574,507 | £6,972 | £3,567,535 | £0 | 64 | 27 October 2025 |
| 31 March 2024 | £3,930,199 | £3,841,798 | £6,081 | £51,195 | £31,125 | £0 | £3,450,007 | £2,392 | £3,447,614 | £1 | 64 | 4 October 2024 |
| 31 March 2023 | £3,584,998 | £3,528,321 | £56,490 | £152 | £35 | £0 | £3,314,782 | £0 | £3,314,782 | £0 | 64 | 8 December 2023 |
| 31 March 2022 | £3,279,053 | £200,723 | £3,054,971 | £23,358 | £1 | £0 | £2,403,008 | £22,958 | £2,380,050 | £0 | 64 | 5 December 2022 |
Figures are those reported by the charity and supplied in the OSCR bulk download. Blank facts remain distinct from zero.
04 Contact record
Principal office or trustees address
- Address supplied to OSCR
- 60 Leith Walk, Edinburgh, Midlothian
- Website supplied to OSCR
- www.vocal.org.uk
- Parent charity
- Not supplied
No direct external links on this profile. The official OSCR record and source documentation are available through BritDB’s dedicated source page.
05 Provenance
Source for this profile
© Crown Copyright and database right 2026. Contains information from the Scottish Charity Register supplied by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. BritDB is an independent service and does not claim to be the Scottish Charity Register.