What SCOPE does

SCOPE is a UK-registered disability equality charity and company limited by guarantee (company number 00520866; charity numbers 208231 England & Wales, SC053490 Scotland), operating across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland from its London headquarters at Here East Press Centre, 14 East Bay Lane, E15 2GW. The organisation provides free services to disabled people and their families through a national helpline (0808 800 3333), an online community forum at forum.scope.org.uk, comprehensive advice content covering benefits, employment, mental health, education, social care, and assistive technology, a Leeds Community Hub for local support, and dedicated resources in BSL, Easy Read, audio, Braille, large print, and Welsh. Scope serves approximately 4.6 million disabled people annually and runs named campaigns including 'End the Awkward', 'We Won't Be Forgotten', the 'Extra Costs' campaign underpinned by annual Disability Price Tag research (£975/month average extra costs for disabled households), and 'Work Without Barriers'.

SCOPE's revenue model is a diversified mix of charitable income: direct donations (with wealth-screened targeting for high-value supporters), fundraising events including a £1-per-entry Summer Jackpot Draw for a £4,000 prize, a UK charity shop network in which Scope is among the major operators within a sector of 4,304 shops (which recently contracted by nearly 80 shops), and legacy giving administered through probate partner Smee and Ford and legacy administrator Foot Anstey LLP. All direct beneficiary services are free at point of use. Distribution combines digital (website, online community, multi-platform social including TikTok, paid creator group pilot), physical retail, helpline channels, and events.

Its technology stack is built on Microsoft 365 Copilot, augmented by 640+ custom AI agents for specific operational tasks (translation, document drafting, accessibility checking, information retrieval) and a proprietary 'Hargreaves' accessibility engine delivering real-time feedback on document accessibility, tone, and clarity. Content is governed through a Kontent.ai CMS administration interface meeting WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards, enabling disabled employees to manage content in an accessible digital environment. The stack is supplemented by Microsoft Clarity for behavioural analytics and segment-targeted digital advertising, plus third-party wealth screening agencies for donor intelligence.

Name

SCOPE

Legal name

Scope

Website

https://scope.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SCOPE is a UK-registered disability equality charity providing free advice, a helpline, and an online community to 4.6 million disabled people annually, while operating a major UK charity shop network, raising funds through donations, lottery, and legacy giving, and campaigning on welfare and disability rights.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Assistance (624), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Rights & Accessibility Advocacy (BPAGAFAF), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• Disability charity
• Charity retail shops
• Benefits advice
• Disability campaigning

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Scope raises funds through direct donations, membership subscriptions, and fundraising events including the Summer Jackpot Draw (£1 per entry for £4,000 prize). Donors are researched and segmented using publicly available data and wealth screening to target high-value supporters.
2. Charity Retail (Shops): Operation of charity shops selling donated goods. Scope operates over 4,304 UK charity shops, generating retail revenue and attracting young shoppers inspired by second-hand platforms like Vinted and Depop. The sector faces pressures from rising employment costs and declining clothing prices.
3. Lottery and Games: Scope operates a charity lottery and the Summer Jackpot Draw as fundraising mechanisms, with winnings administered under the Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS) regulatory framework.
4. Legacy Giving / Gifts in Wills: Legacy income is administered through probate agents Smee and Ford and legacy administrators Foot Anstey LLP. Contact and preferences data for legacy prospects is retained long-term to facilitate future bequests.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Scope provides free disability support services to disabled people and their families across the UK, including a national helpline, an online community forum, and comprehensive advice on benefits, employment, mental health, housing, education, and rights. It supplements these services with high-profile national campaigns (End the Awkward, Work Without Barriers, Extra Costs/Disability Price Tag, We Won't Be Forgotten), policy advocacy targeting government and employers, and a retail network of more than 4,300 charity shops that funds the charity's work.

Product overview

Scope is a UK-based disability equality charity offering a broad portfolio of support services, campaigns, and community programs rather than a traditional product suite. Core services include a free helpline (0808 800 3333), an online community forum (forum.scope.org.uk), and comprehensive advice covering benefits, mental health, work, education, and more. The organization runs major campaigns including End the Awkward (addressing disability awkwardness), the Extra Costs Campaign (with annual Disability Price Tag research), and We Won't Be Forgotten. Additional offerings include charity shops (both physical and online), the Leeds Community Hub, a creator group program for disabled social media influencers, and advocacy support for benefits reviews. Scope also provides mental health resources, fundraising opportunities, and membership programs. The charity does not offer a traditional SaaS product or platform but rather serves disabled people through direct support services and advocacy work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Disability Helpline Free telephone, live chat and email helpline providing practical information and emotional support on disability issues for disabled people and their families across the UK.
• Online Community Forum Online forum for disabled people, parents and carers to get disability advice and information and to talk to people with similar experiences. Posts are kept indefinitely and the community is actively moderated.
• Advice and Support Services Comprehensive free information and advice covering benefits, work and careers, families with disabled children, disability equipment and assistive technology, housing, money and finances, legal information, mental health, social care, education, travel and transport, available in accessible formats including BSL, Easy Read, audio, Braille, large print and Welsh.
• Charity Shops Physical and online charity shops selling donated items to fund Scope's work, with an online shop featuring discounted products and new items added daily, alongside donation collection services.
• Leeds Community Hub Community hub in Leeds providing local support services for disabled people.
• Membership Programme Recurring supporter membership that funds Scope's work and offers supporters an ongoing relationship with the charity.
• Summer Jackpot Draw Lottery Charity lottery fundraising product offering entries at £1 each for a £4,000 top prize, with higher entry volumes increasing chances of winning, administered under IBAS.
• Legacy Giving (Gifts in Wills) Programme for supporters to leave gifts to Scope in their wills, with administration handled by Smee and Ford and Foot Anstey LLP.
• PIP Review Participation Support Advocacy service helping disabled people submit evidence to the Timms Review on Personal Independence Payment, with accessible formats and guidance for sharing PIP experiences.
• Mental Health Support Resources Information and guidance on managing mental health, accessing NHS mental health support, finding therapists, supporting children's mental health, and crisis support resources including Samaritans and Mind.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supports 4.6 million disabled people annually across the UK
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or Integration · 3 June 2026Scope adopted Microsoft 365 Copilot and associated AI tools as the backbone of its digital transformation. The implementation involved creating over 640 AI agents for specific operational tasks and embedding a custom Hargreaves accessibility engine for real-time document feedback. This replaced a fragmented technology environment and significantly improved internal operational efficiency and accessibility compliance.
• Kontent.aicoreTechnology or Integration · 3 March 2026Kontent.ai launched a fully accessible CMS administration interface meeting WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards. Scope went live on the platform, which extends digital accessibility into the content management environment where disabled employees create and govern content. This addresses a gap in enterprise accessibility where vendor documentation rarely specifies WCAG 2.2 AA compliance for CMS administration interfaces.
• GoogleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Google participated in a DWP-hosted roundtable with major technology companies and UK disability charities, including Scope, to discuss practical ways assistive technology can improve workplace accessibility. Technologies such as screen readers, real-time captioning, and AI-powered visual description tools were highlighted as solutions that can remove barriers to employment.
• MetaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Meta participated in the DWP-hosted roundtable alongside Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and UK disability charities including Scope. The discussion focused on assistive technology that can improve workplace accessibility for disabled people, as part of the government's Connect to Work programme aiming to help 300,000 sick or disabled people into work.
• AmazonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Amazon participated alongside Google, Meta, and Microsoft in a DWP roundtable on assistive technology and workplace accessibility for disabled people. The initiative forms part of the government's Connect to Work programme targeting 300,000 sick or disabled people into work by end of Parliament.
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026The DWP hosted a roundtable bringing together major technology companies with UK disability charities including Scope. Scope has been actively involved in critiquing DWP policies on PIP changes, Access to Work delays, and welfare reforms, and participated in the Timms Review call for evidence on PIP. The relationship is central to Scope's policy and advocacy work.
• Smee and FordminorOthersSmee and Ford act as Scope's probate agents, providing details of the deceased, corresponding executors, and solicitors for the purpose of administering legacy income. This is part of Scope's legacy administration process.
• Foot Anstey LLPminorOthersFoot Anstey LLP serves as Scope's legacy administrator for administering legacy income. They may share legacy data with other parties involved with the estate for the purposes of administering legacies only.
• SenseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSense (a UK disability charity) partnered with Scope in criticising DWP's PIP policy changes that excluded young people under 25 from extended award review periods. Both charities argued that young disabled people should not be penalised because of their age.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Mind: UK's largest mental health charity, providing advice, information, local services, and campaigns. Overlaps with Scope on mental health support content, online community, and benefits-advice use cases.
• Muscular Dystrophy UK: UK charity supporting people with muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular conditions through research funding, advice, and campaigning. Comparable niche-disability charity structure to Scope but focused on a specific condition group.
• Rethink Mental Illness: UK charity supporting people affected by mental illness through advice, services, and campaigns. Comparable to Scope's advice/benefits/campaign model but focused specifically on mental health.
• Parkinson's UK: UK charity driving research and support for people with Parkinson's, with advice, local groups, and policy influence. Comparable to Scope's advice + community + research + campaign mix but narrower beneficiary population.

Direct peers

• RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People): UK charity for people with sight loss, delivering advice, community, accessible information, and policy campaigns. Closely mirrors Scope's helpline + advice + accessible-format + campaigning structure, focused on a different impairment group.
• Mencap: UK's leading learning disability charity, offering advice, community, and advocacy services to people with learning disabilities and their families. Closest direct peer to Scope given overlapping learning-disability mission, helpline-style advice, and policy-campaigning model.
• RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People): UK charity supporting deaf people and those with hearing loss, combining information services, community, retail (shops), and policy influence. Strong structural parallel to Scope's advice + retail + campaigning mix.
• Sense: UK charity supporting people with complex disabilities (including deafblindness) through advice, housing, and campaigns. Directly comparable to Scope's advice + campaign + community model; Sense has already partnered with Scope on PIP policy critique.
• Leonard Cheshire: UK disability charity providing support, employment programmes, and campaign work for disabled people. Comparable to Scope through shared direct-service-plus-advocacy model and focus on disability employment gaps.
• Disability Rights UK: UK disability-led organisation focused on rights, welfare advice, and systemic advocacy, including benefits navigation. Directly comparable to Scope's advice and policy-influence function, with narrower service delivery but similar campaigning remit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/scope
• YouTubeyoutube.com/scopecharity
• Facebookfacebook.com/Scope
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/scope
• Instagraminstagram.com/scopecharity
• TikToktiktok.com/@scope_charity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SCOPE