Our 2025/26 Impact Report is here
23 September 2026
We’re proud to share Back Up’s Impact Report 2025/26, reflecting on a year of growth, connection and progress as we continue working towards a world where people affected by spinal cord injury can reach their full potential.
This year marks the first full year of our five-year strategy, Limitless Ambition to Transform Lives (2025–2030). At its heart are three ambitions: Living Confidently, Everyone Thriving and Meaningful Connections.
Across 2025/26, our services were accessed 51,418 times, up 16% from the previous year and the highest number in Back Up’s history. This growth reflects our continued outreach and engagement work across the regions, the growth of our family support activities and the launch of new digital resources.
There is much to be proud of across our services.
Our wheelchair skills training recorded 1,039 attendances, with 95% of participants learning more skills and 96% feeling more confident using a wheelchair.
Our mentoring service supported 251 people, with 96% reporting an increase in at least three of five positive coping strategies.
We also supported 553 family members, helping more families from the acute stage of injury onwards.
Behind every number is a connection that makes a meaningful difference to a person, a family or the wider community.
The report also shares the stories of Ayuna, Beth, Gerwyn, Joanne, Peter, Jane, Ella and Vajrin, showing what Back Up’s support has meant in their lives.
Their experiences reflect the real meaning of our work: helping people build confidence, independence and connection after spinal cord injury.
As Gerwyn says:
“When you connect with someone who gets it, it changes your life. Back Up gave me that connection when I needed it most.”
We’re also incredibly proud of the contribution made by our volunteers. Together, our services, fundraising and office volunteers, alongside our trustees, contributed an estimated 24,487 hours to Back Up’s work this year.
Looking ahead, our plans remain ambitious.
We want to bring support closer to home, continue our digital transformation, reach more families, remove barriers for people facing the greatest challenges and deepen our impact through partnerships with the NHS, wheelchair services and other organisations.
None of this would be possible without our volunteers, fundraisers, partners, donors and staff.
We’re proud of what has been achieved over the past year and remain committed to creating a world where everyone affected by spinal cord injury can reach their full potential.
Read our full 2025/26 Impact Report and discover the difference we’ve made together.
https://www.backuptrust.org.uk/about-us/our-impact-and-annual-reports
