How We're Funded

What is a union?

A students’ union is an independent organisation that exists to represent students and their interests to the university, as well as on a local and national scale, giving them a voice on the things that matter to them.

LUU is a not-for-profit charity run by members (students), for members. LUU is run by six student Exec Officers who are elected each year by the members of the Union, and supported by a team of dedicated staff. Our charitable status means that every penny of profit we make goes straight back into improving things for the students.

Any student at the University of Leeds can join us – opting-in during registration – , or by logging into Engage platform using their @leeds.ac.uk email address.

Financial transparency

At LUU, as a member-run organisation, we place lots of importance on being transparent. This is your Union, and it’s important for our members to be able to discover where our money comes from, as well as where it’s spent.

As is our statutory reporting duty, our income and expenditure is listed on the Charity Commission for England and Wales Leeds University Union profile.

To help you understand that, our income comes from the following sources:

  • An annual grant from the University of Leeds (donation);
  • What we generate through our bars, cafes, regular club night and gigs on campus (Charitable activities).

As a not-for-profit, our expenditure is then for the benefit of students (Charitable activities) including:

  • Almost £3m paid to students in wages and for temporary employment via our Joblink agency;
  • Supporting the 18,000 students participating in clubs and societies (37,231 memberships in 2023-24);
  • Supporting students struggling with our advice service, free shop Essentials (3,630 students help in 2023-24) and through targeted programmes such as free exam breakfasts;
  • Running our building on campus as a space where students can relax, meet up with friends and study;
  • Supporting students to make change on campus, including supporting a networking of academic representatives, help students change their course, their university and campaigning for wider change in Leeds and beyond.