UNILEVER U.K. CENTRAL RESOURCES LIMITED
Operating as a subsidiary of the LSE-listed consumer goods multinational Unilever, the company provides central research and development and business support services for the wider group.
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Cash
—
Latest balance sheet
Net assets
-£671M
+14.4% vs 2023
Employees
3,140
+10.5% vs 2023
Profit before tax
£57M
+167.7% vs 2023
Watchouts
Facts from the Companies House register and the latest accounts — not a rating
-
Negative shareholders' funds
Net assets
2-year trend · vs Industrials median
Accounts
2-year trend · Δ = latest vs prior filed period · latest reflected 2024-12-31
| Metric | Trend | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 | Δ vs prior |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £1,580,854,000 | £1,622,921,000 | +2.7% | |
| Operating profit | £46,220,000 | £59,902,000 | +29.6% | |
| Profit before tax | £21,299,000 | £57,025,000 | +167.7% | |
| Net profit | £14,790,000 | £212,974,000 | +1,340% | |
| Cash | — | — | — | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | -£305,565,000 | -£150,654,000 | +50.7% | |
| Net assets | -£784,557,000 | -£671,411,000 | +14.4% | |
| Equity | -£784,557,000 | -£671,411,000 | +14.4% | |
| Average employees | 2,841 | 3,140 | +10.5% | |
| Wages | £209,302,000 | £235,212,000 | +12.4% | |
| Directors' remuneration | £2,038,000 | £1,733,000 | -15% |
Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. The Δ column is the change from the prior filed period as a percentage of |prior|; lines a company doesn't report show —. About these numbers
Ratios
Computed from the line items above — sparklines read oldest → newest
| Ratio | Trend | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | 2.9% | 3.7% | |
| Net margin | 0.9% | 13.1% | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | 176.8% | 165.2% | |
| Current ratio | 0.28x | 0.34x | |
| Interest cover | 0.34x | 0.46x |
Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.
Name history
Renamed 2 times since incorporation
- UNILEVER U.K. CENTRAL RESOURCES LIMITED 1978-12-31 → present
- AFRICAN AND EASTERN TRADE CORPORATION,LIMITED 1889-06-13 → 1978-12-31
- UNILEVER U.K. SERVICES LIMITED 1889-06-13 → 1978-12-31
Audit & accounting basis
- Accounting basis
- FRS 101
- Reporting scope
- Standalone (parent only)
- Auditor
- KPMG LLP Statutory Auditor
- Audit opinion
- Unqualified (clean)
- Going concern
- Affirmed
“The directors have prepared the financial statements on the going concern basis as they do not intend to liquidate the Company or to cease its operations, and as they have concluded that the Company's financial position means that this is realistic. They have also concluded that there are no material uncertainties that could have cast significant doubt over its ability to continue as a going concern for at least a year from the date of approval of the financial statements ('the going concern period').”
Significant events
- “On 2 July 2025, Unilever U.K. Central Resources Limited allotted and issued 2,107,786,000 A Ordinary Shares of £1.00 each to Unilever U.K. Holdings Limited, for a total consideration of £2,107,786,000. The allotment was duly authorized by the board of directors and approved by the shareholders through written resolutions.”
- “The discretionary administration practice related to UUKPF has been removed, resulting in a past service credit of £23.1m. Bridging pensions augmentation for a small group of former employees resulted in a past service cost of £1.3m. Unilever made restructuring business changes resulting in a number of active members leaving the UUKPF and a curtailment gain of £378k.”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
5 active · 52 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BERKELEY, James Alexander Hamilton | Director | 2021-02-12 | Feb 1971 | British |
| HOVEY, Lucy Elizabeth Howell | Director | 2024-04-19 | Jul 1983 | British |
| JONES, Cameron William | Director | 2013-11-28 | Aug 1965 | British |
| MERRICK, Julie, Dr | Director | 2024-10-22 | Feb 1968 | British |
| TAYLOR, Alice Victoria | Director | 2025-01-21 | May 1986 | British |
Show 52 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIGMORE, Tracey Anne | Secretary | 2003-07-14 | 2007-08-03 |
| CONWAY, Amarjit Kaur | Secretary | 2013-12-19 | 2015-12-31 |
| COUTTS, Cheryl Jane | Secretary | 1997-07-03 | 2003-07-15 |
| EARLEY, James Oliver | Secretary | 2015-01-14 | 2025-01-20 |
| HAZELL, Richard Clive | Secretary | 2013-12-19 | 2022-11-28 |
| MACAULAY, Barbara Scott | Secretary | 2007-07-30 | 2008-02-01 |
| MACAULAY, Barbara Scott | Secretary | 2000-10-19 | 2005-12-01 |
| MAGOL, Spenta | Secretary | 2016-06-23 | 2018-06-05 |
| THURSTON, Julian | Secretary | 2013-12-19 | 2016-02-23 |
| WAKEFIELD, Barry John | Secretary | — | 1997-09-30 |
| THE NEW HOVEMA LIMITED | Corporate Secretary | 2008-02-01 | 2013-11-14 |
| ACHESON-GRAY, Patrick Horton | Director | — | 1993-04-30 |
| BALAJI, Pathamadai Balachandran | Director | 2013-07-10 | 2013-11-21 |
| BROE, Christopher Gerard | Director | 2006-10-09 | 2010-07-01 |
| CARTER, Stephen John | Director | 2006-10-09 | 2008-02-29 |
| CRILLY, James Francis, Dr | Director | 2009-02-16 | 2016-03-31 |
| CROUCH, Gary Bradford | Director | 2005-12-01 | 2007-08-17 |
| DE SA, Paulo Martins | Director | 2010-07-01 | 2017-01-30 |
| FENTEM, Julia Helen | Director | 2018-01-19 | 2022-01-07 |
| GOULBORN, Keith Michael | Director | 2003-06-20 | 2004-05-21 |
| GREENE, Kevin Richard, Dr | Director | 1994-09-27 | 2000-02-22 |
| GREENHALGH, Richard Cecil | Director | 1998-07-13 | 2004-06-30 |
| HERON, Michael Gilbert | Director | — | 1992-12-30 |
| JOVER GOMA, Placid Oriol | Director | 2016-08-01 | 2019-08-30 |
| LOVELL, Tonia Erica | Director | 2003-06-20 | 2005-12-01 |
| MARSHALL, Alan | Director | 1993-01-01 | 1994-12-30 |
| MARTIN, Philip Edward | Director | — | 1993-12-30 |
| MCGAGHEY, Gary Alfred | Director | 2014-04-08 | 2017-03-31 |
| MCKINNON, Alan Andrew | Director | 2005-12-01 | 2007-10-01 |
| MILLER SMITH, Charles | Director | — | 1994-07-01 |
| MUIR, Shelagh Rachael | Director | 2012-03-01 | 2013-09-04 |
| MUNDEN, Timothy John | Director | 2012-02-13 | 2016-07-15 |
| NATRAJ, Collur Visweswaria, Dr | Director | 2005-12-01 | 2009-02-16 |
| NEATH, Gavin Ellis | Director | 2004-06-30 | 2012-02-06 |
| NEELY, Paul | Director | 1995-05-19 | 1998-07-13 |
| PARKINGTON, Michael John, Dr | Director | 2007-10-01 | 2012-03-01 |
| PEACE, Stella Kirsten, Dr | Director | 2012-03-01 | 2017-12-31 |
| PITKETHLY, Graeme David | Director | 2003-05-02 | 2005-12-01 |
| ROBINSON, David Alan | Director | 1998-07-13 | 2003-05-02 |
| ROWLANDS, Trefor Huw | Director | 2005-06-16 | 2005-12-01 |
| SAMUEL, Michael John, Mr. | Director | 1994-07-21 | 2005-11-01 |
| SEABROOK, Roger John | Director | 2018-01-30 | 2024-03-29 |
| SHARP, Richard Matthew | Director | 2019-09-13 | 2025-04-03 |
| STAVELEY, Derek Arthur | Director | 1994-09-27 | 2000-03-01 |
| STIRK, Hugh | Director | — | 1998-07-13 |
| SZTEHLO, Andrew | Director | 2022-01-10 | 2024-10-11 |
| TINSLEY, Anthony John | Director | 1998-07-13 | 2002-02-28 |
| TOMLINSON, Robert Michael | Director | 1998-07-13 | 2005-02-18 |
| VOAK, Timothy John | Director | 2002-03-06 | 2005-12-01 |
| WALKER, William Guy | Director | 1995-05-19 | 1998-12-31 |
| WALTERS, Alan David | Director | 2007-08-17 | 2012-02-13 |
| ZEGGER, Petrus Johannes | Director | 2005-12-01 | 2006-04-28 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
| Name | Kind | Nature of control | Notified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unilever U.K. Holdings Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100%, Voting 75–100%, Appoints directors | 2016-04-06 | Active |
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 251 total filings
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-30 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2025-07-09 | SH01 | capital | Capital allotment shares | |
| 2025-05-23 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2025-04-23 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-03-04 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2025-01-23 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2025-01-21 | TM02 | officers | Termination secretary company with name termination date | |
| 2024-10-25 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2024-10-11 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2024-05-07 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2024-04-22 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2024-04-02 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2023-10-12 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2023-05-04 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2022-12-29 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2022-11-30 | TM02 | officers | Termination secretary company with name termination date | |
| 2022-05-04 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2022-01-11 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2022-01-07 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2021-09-28 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 2
- Capital events
- 1
- Officers appointed
- 0
- Officers resigned
- 0
last 12 months
last 24 months
last 12 months
last 12 months
Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.