Maritime and Corporate Charities
Trinity House’s Maritime and Corporate Charities are entirely self-funded by incomes derived from endowed funds - such as the Trinity Village estate in south London - and the letting of rooms at our Grade I Listed headquarters.
General Lighthouse Authority
Our work as a General Lighthouse Authority is financed separately, from Light Dues levied on vessels calling at ports in the British Isles and is usually based on the net tonnage of the vessel. Light Dues are paid into the General Lighthouse Fund under the stewardship of the Department for Transport. The fund finances the work of Trinity House, the Northern Lighthouse Board (Scotland and the Isle of Man) and the Commissioners of Irish Lights for the whole of Ireland.
From 1 April 2024 Light Dues are charged at 45 pence per net ton, subject to a maximum charge of £18,000 per voyage. Vessels are charged for a maximum of nine voyages per annum. Tugs and fishing vessels are liable for annual payments based on the registered length of the vessel.
Major initiatives such as lighthouse and lightvessel automation and the solarisation of buoys and a growing number of lighthouses have made a significant contribution to the reduction of Light Dues.