01 Identity
Scottish charity record
- OSCR charity number
- SC032910
- Status
- Active
- Regulatory type
- Standard
- Designated religious body
- No
- Geographical spread
- Operations cover all or most of Scotland
- Volunteers
- 0 volunteers
- Staff
- 12
- Postcode
- EH2 3JP
OSCR note: This SCIO was incorporated on 8 January 2021 as a result of the conversion of a charitable company (Company name: Scottish Language Dictionaries Limited, company number: SC230070).
02 Purpose and work
What the charity exists to do
We maintain and develop Dictionaries of the Scots Language online as the nation's authority on the meaning, history and forms of vocabulary of Scots from the beginnings to the present day. We produce smaller lexicographical publications and datasets to meet the needs of particular groups, the needs of the Scottish Government, and for fundraising purposes. We contribute our lexical and lexicographical expertise to publicly-funded projects that aim to support and encourage speakers, readers, writers, teachers and students of Scots.
Charitable purposes
- the advancement of education
- the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science
Beneficiaries
- No specific group, or for the benefit of the community
Activities
- It carries out activities or services itself
Constitutional objectives
4 The organisation’s purposes are for the advancement of education and heritage. To achieve these purposes, we: 4.1 Maintain and develop Dictionaries of the Scots Language Online as the nation’s authority on the meaning, history, and forms of the vocabulary of Scots from the beginnings to the present day. 4.2 Produce smaller lexicographical publications and datasets to meet the needs of particular groups, the needs of the Scottish Government, and for fundraising purposes. 4.3 Contribute our lexical and lexicographical expertise to publicly-funded projects that aim to support and encourage speakers, readers, writers, learners, teachers, and students of Scots.
03 Annual returns
Income and expenditure history
| Year end | Income | Expenditure | Staff | Return received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2025 | £235,040 | £262,061 | 12 | 24 September 2025 |
| 31 March 2024 | £245,538 | £196,670 | 12 | 26 November 2024 |
| 31 March 2023 | £233,617 | £172,340 | 12 | 20 September 2023 |
| 31 March 2022 | £230,289 | £217,300 | 12 | 24 August 2022 |
| 31 March 2021 | £204,143 | £230,440 | 12 | 9 November 2021 |
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
- Third Floor, 3 Hill Street, New Town, Edinburgh
- Website supplied to OSCR
- https://dsl.ac.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.