What Time banking does

Timebanking UK is the sole national charity providing resources, training, software, and policy support to set up and grow community time banks across the United Kingdom. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Stroud, Gloucestershire, the organisation operates as a Company Limited by Guarantee with charity status (Charity No: 1101204). It supports a horizontal mix of customer segments including local authorities, NHS and public health bodies, prisons, youth justice services, voluntary and community organisations, and individual community members, with individual participation free of charge and organisations paying tiered membership fees.

The core product is TimeOnline2 (TOL2), a bespoke web-based software platform developed by Timebanking UK that handles member registration, exchange tracking, offers and requests posting, messaging, and reporting for affiliated time banks. TOL2 is bundled into tiered annual membership packages ranging from £50/year for small organisations (under £50k income) to £1,500–£9,500 first-year packages for large organisations (over £500k turnover), with software, training, and support days scaled to tier. Additional offerings include broker training days, a Quality Mark accreditation, GDPR compliance, and a Members' Area Hub.

The business model combines subscription-style membership fees, grants (notably the Garfield Weston Foundation), individual donations, and paid training/consultancy services. Timebanking UK has reached 4,435 member organisations, 25,877 registered members, and 347,339 completed exchanges totalling 6,822,337 hours on TOL2, with a stated target of 7 million hours. Recent strategic activity includes a February 2025 Garfield Weston Foundation grant, the 2025 launch of "The 1 Hour Timebanking Challenge" national remote time bank, development of a mobile app, and an expanded DWP partnership positioning timebanking within Universal Credit job-seeking pathways.

Name

Time banking

Legal name

Timebanking UK

Website

https://timebanking.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Timebanking UK is the national charity supporting community time banks across the UK, providing its bespoke TimeOnline2 platform, tiered membership, training, and accreditation to local authorities, NHS bodies, voluntary organisations, and individual members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Time Banking Services

akta.pro primary industry

Time Management & Personal Productivity (EDABAMAF)

Keywords

• Time banking services
• Community skill exchange
• Reciprocal volunteering
• Nonprofit charity support
• Social prescribing platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Stroud

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from time banks and organizations, tiered by organization size/turnover. Includes software access, training, support, and resources.
2. Grants and Donations: Grant funding from foundations such as Garfield Weston Foundation to support organizational activities and community timebanking expansion.
3. Donations: Individual donations accepted to support community timebanking programs and help maintain community support services.
4. Training and Consultancy Services: Paid training sessions, bespoke training packages, and consultancy support days for organizations setting up or developing time banks. Training can be delivered in-person or via Zoom.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Timebanking UK operates as the national charity supporting time banks across the UK. It provides bespoke software (TimeOnline2) for managing member exchanges of skills and time on a one-hour-equals-one-hour basis, alongside training, accreditation, and consultancy services for organizations running time banks. It also operates a national time bank ('The 1 Hour Timebanking Challenge') to enable participation where no local time bank exists.

Product overview

Timebanking UK operates as a platform-plus-services model. The core product is TimeOnline2 (TOL2), a bespoke timebanking software platform used by time banks to manage members, record time credit exchanges, post offers/requests, and generate reports. This is supported by tiered membership packages (ranging from £50 to £9,500/year), broker training days, a Quality Mark accreditation, and the Members' Area Hub for resource access. Timebanking UK also recently launched 'The 1 Hour Timebanking Challenge' as a national remote time bank, and is developing a dedicated mobile app.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TimeOnline2 (TOL2) Bespoke web-based software platform used by time banks to register members, record hour-for-hour exchanges, post offers and requests, track activity, and generate reports. Available to time banks that join TBUK membership.
• The 1 Hour Timebanking Challenge A national time bank operated by Timebanking UK that allows individuals without access to a local time bank — including those in rural or remote areas — to exchange skills and time on a one-hour-equals-one-hour basis.
• Quality Mark Accreditation A best-practice accreditation standard that time banks can apply for to demonstrate quality, credibility, and adherence to TBUK standards.
• Broker Training Days

Quantifiable outcome

• 6,822,337 hours exchanged to date
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DWP (Department for Work and Pensions)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTimebanking UK works in partnership with DWP via the Job Help campaign site and DWP's District Provision Tools and Partnership Managers. Timebanking is promoted as helping job seekers gain skills, experience, and social connections while potentially counting toward Universal Credit requirements.
• Hywel Dda Health BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the Banc Amser Ceredigion Time Bank network to develop time banks throughout Ceredigion county. Partnership involves Public Health and Ceredigion Association of Voluntary Organisations.
• CAVO (Ceredigion Association of Voluntary Organisations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner organization working with Hywel Dda Health Board to develop and support time banks in Ceredigion.
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)minorOthersTimebanking UK liaises with DBS on behalf of time banks regarding DBS check eligibility for time bank members and coordinators. DBS confirmed that most timebanking activities do not require DBS checks as members perform activities as part of personal arrangements.
• The Idea AgencyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJames Ryan from The Idea Agency guided Timebanking UK through the Cyber Essentials Plus certification process with expertise and dedication.
• TimeBanks.OrgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of International Timebanking Day with Timebanking UK CEO Sarah Bird and TimeBanks.Org CEO Krista Wyatt hosting the annual global event.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations): UK membership body for the voluntary sector providing training, policy, and resources to charities and community organizations. Comparable as a national infrastructure provider for community/charitable organizations that TBUK serves.
• Locality (UK): UK national network of community-led organizations supporting local community groups and social enterprises. Comparable as a broader umbrella organization serving community organizations with training, resources, and advocacy, intersecting TBUK's local-authority customer base.

Emerging players

• Cyclos / Community Exchange System: Open-source community exchange platform supporting local trading systems globally. Comparable because it provides alternative-currency infrastructure that competes with TimeOnline2 for community skill exchange.
• GoodSAM: UK-based platform mobilizing community volunteers for health and social response tasks via app, partially overlapping the community-time-exchange and volunteer-mobilization niche TBUK addresses.
• Nextdoor UK: Neighborhood-based platform enabling local community exchange of help and recommendations. Comparable as a digital channel for community skill sharing, though commercial rather than reciprocal-hours based.

Direct peers

• TimeBanks.Org (hOurworld): US-based national timebanking organization that co-hosts International Timebanking Day with Timebanking UK. Operates an equivalent member-network model with hours-for-hours skill exchange, making it the closest global counterpart.
• Spice (UK): UK organization operating time-credit networks for community capacity building, with similar membership, training, and software-supported hours-exchange model and overlapping public-sector partnerships.
• LETSgo / LETS (Local Exchange Trading System): UK network of community-based local exchange trading systems that predate and overlap with timebanking, using alternative community currencies to facilitate skill and service exchange among members.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/timebankingUK
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/timebankingUK
• Facebookfacebook.com/TimebankingUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/timebanking-uk
• Instagraminstagram.com/timebankinguk

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Time banking