SE100 Index 2026: Top 100 UK social enterprises revealed

Post Reporters

Impact, sales – and optimism – have all been going up for the UK's leading impact pioneers, as evidenced by the latest SE100 Index, the annual list and survey of the UK's Top 100 social enterprises. But winning contracts and access to capital remain the biggest barriers to success.

Nine out of 10 of organisations entering this year's SE100 Index say they have made a more positive impact during the past year – even though things might not have been improving on the business front.

The finding comes as we reveal this year's SE100 Index, the annual list of the UK's top 100 social enterprises.

While 91% said their impact had been greater than in the previous year, almost two thirds (65%) told our SE100 survey that their profitability and sustainability had improved, with 32% describing it as “about the same” and just 3% saying business had got worse.

An impressive 96% said they felt either optimistic or reasonably confident about the future

An impressive 96% said they felt either optimistic or reasonably confident about the future, with only 4% either neutral or “anxious” about where things were heading.

Ones to watch

The data provides a positive backdrop for the announcement of this year's SE100 Index – the Top 100 social enterprises across the UK – who are listed below in alphabetical order. Also named this year are a list of almost 40 Ones to Watch. This second list represents either organisations who are in the start-up years of their social enteprise journey, or those who provided a strong story about their work but might not have backed this up so strongly with facts and figures about their business or their impact.

The publication of the SE100 Index is part of a series of announcements leading up to this year's SE100 Impact Pioneer Awards, which will be handed out at a special ceremony on 13 May. Last week, we revealed the names of more than 40 organisations as finalists across 10 awards categories.

The NatWest SE100 Top 100 represent the very best of social enterprises delivering impact at scale and setting the standard for excellence.

Brendan Hegarty NatWest Social and Community CapitalThe annual SE100 Index and Impact Pioneer Awards were created by Pioneers Post in partnership with NatWest Social & Community Capital – the independent social investment charity funded by NatWest bank.

Congratulating this year's top 100, Brendan Hegarty (pictured left) of NatWest Social & Community Capital commented: “The NatWest SE100 Top 100 represent the very best of social enterprises delivering impact at scale and setting the standard for excellence. They are not only responding to today's challenges but driving a fairer, more inclusive economy through ambition, resilience and impact. Huge congratulations to every organisation recognised for their performance and impact this year.”

Barriers and challenges

As in previous years, winning contracts and increasing trading activity was seen as the biggest barrier to growth for the social enterprises who filled out this section of our SE100 survey – with 43% selecting this as their top answer. Access to capital was also highlighted as the next biggest challenge – selected by 23%. Other barriers to success were staff and personnel issues, flagged by 7% of respondents, while 7% also highlighted the cost of living as a challenge.

More than 250 organisations registered for the SE100 Index and Impact Pioneer Awards this year, with 136 of these organisations providing detailed financial information. In total, these 136 reported annual sales income of more than £1.3 billion – a rise of 16% from their total income the previous year. Profits increased for 64% of respondents, while 15% said they were profitable but profits had dropped, and 21% said they made a loss.

 

 
SE100 INDEX

SE100 INDEX 2026

 

SE100: ONES TO WATCH

 

 

You can read more about the NatWest SE100 – including previous winners and top 100 lists – in our SE100 Collection.

 

 

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The NatWest SE100 Impact Pioneer Awards, including the SE100 Index and Pioneers100 List, are part of an annual programme created and delivered by Pioneers Post in partnership with NatWest Social & Community Capital – and supported by Buzzacott, E3M, Hogan Lovells and Good Finance. The programme aims to list, celebrate and learn from the UK’s 100 most impressive social enterprises, and the top 100 pioneering leaders, every year.

 

 

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