Become a Co-operatives UK member
Join the UK network for co-operatives and community businesses. Co-operatives UK membership gives your organisation access to expert advice, governance and HR support, training discounts, member-only resources, policy influence and a national network that understands co-operation inside out.
At Co‑operatives UK, we help co‑operatives and community businesses be the best they can be - and we do that together with our members. Whether you’re a new co-op, established business, community benefit society or values-led organisation, we’ll help you strengthen your governance, support your people, connect with others and champion co-operation.
Every year, we help new co-operatives form, existing co-operatives flourish, and the co-operative economy grow. From HR and governance to funding and policy influence, our members benefit from professional guidance, peer support and a dedicated team that understands co-operation inside out.
Why join Co-operatives UK?
- Get expert support for your co-op – access member-only resources, advice services and discounted support across governance, HR, finance, health and safety, membership and more
- Save money on training and services – benefit from discounts on training, conferences, bespoke advice and member-only packages
- Connect with the UK co-operative movement – join member groups, events and networks across the sector
- Shape policy and influence change – help strengthen the voice of co-operatives with government, partners and the wider economy
- Show you are part of the movement – use the Co-operatives UK member marque and raise your profile through campaigns, case studies and directory listings
Which membership is right for you?
Standard membership is for smaller co-operatives and community businesses with turnover up to £500,000.
Partner membership is for larger co-operatives with turnover above £500,000.
Federal membership is for co-operative and mutual federal bodies.
Associate membership is for non-co-operatives and non-mutuals that support co-operative values and principles.
| Membership type | ||||
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| Standard | Partner | Federal | Associate | |
| Eligibility | Annual turnover of £0-500k | Based on annual turnover of more than £500,000 | Open to all co-operative and/or mutual federal bodies. | Non-co-operatives and non-mutuals that adhere to co-operative values and principles. Charities and third sector organisations may be eligible for a discount.* |
| Annual payment | £125 + VAT | £500k-£10m: £1,750 | Federal membership by agreement - contact [email protected]. Standard subscriptions apply for members of those federal bodies benefiting from Co-operatives UK membership.** | Standard rate £550 Discounted rate £275 |
| £10m-£50m: £3,195 | ||||
| £50m-£250m: £4,120 | ||||
| £250m plus: £5,350 | ||||
* Charities and third sector organisations may be eligible for 50% discount. Contact [email protected] to find out more.
** Members of federal bodies can access 50% off standard membership where a dual offer is in place. Contact [email protected] to find out more.
Top membership benefits
- Expert support from a team that understands co-operatives
- Member-only resources covering governance, risk, HR and finance
- Access to the Contact Package and HR Package
- Discounts on training, conferences and bespoke advice
- Opportunities to influence policy and campaigns
- Networking through member groups, events and peer connections
- A member marque and enhanced directory listing to raise your profile
Discover what's included for each membership package and apply for membership:
| Standard Membership | Partner Membership | Federal Membership | Associate Membership | |
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| Annual CUK payment |
£125 plus VAT per annum |
Starting at £1,750 per annum – see table above |
By agreement. Contact us for information. |
£550/£275 plus VAT *subject to charity status |
| Your Membership | ||||
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Dedicated membership team support
Team support Access to a dedicated team of experts. |
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Dedicated membership team support
Team support Access to a dedicated team of experts. |
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Account Manager | Account Manager | Account Manager |
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Certified Co‑operatives UK member marque
Exclusive 'certified member' marque Access to an exclusive 'certified member' marque to display on marketing materials. |
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Certified Co‑operatives UK member marque
Exclusive 'certified member' marque Access to an exclusive 'certified member' marque to display on marketing materials. |
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Member-focused newsletters
Member-focused newsletters Receive newsletters which include news, opportunities, events and campaigns for co-operatives. |
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Member-focused newsletters
Member-focused newsletters Receive newsletters which include news, opportunities, events and campaigns for co-operatives. |
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| Voting rights and co‑ownership | ||||
| Voting rights and co‑ownership |
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Join member interest groups
Member interest groups Co-operatives UK co-ordinates a number of formal and informal member-only groups. |
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Join member interest groups
Member interest groups Co-operatives UK co-ordinates a number of formal and informal member-only groups. |
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Annual visit from Co‑operatives UK
Co-operatives UK visit We're committed to visiting as many of our members as possible each year. |
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Annual visit from Co‑operatives UK
Co-operatives UK visit We're committed to visiting as many of our members as possible each year. |
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Audience with Co‑operatives UK's CEO
Audience with Co-operatives UK's CEO Invitation to book an annual surgery with a member of the Co-operatives UK Leadership Team (CEO, Advice, HR, Finance, Policy leads). |
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Audience with Co‑operatives UK's CEO
Audience with Co-operatives UK's CEO Invitation to book an annual surgery with a member of the Co-operatives UK Leadership Team (CEO, Advice, HR, Finance, Policy leads). |
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International Co‑operative Alliance (ICA) membership
Access to ICA resources Co-operatives UK are members of the International Co-operative Alliance and through their membership with us our members have access to ICA resources. |
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International Co‑operative Alliance (ICA) membership
Access to ICA resources Co-operatives UK are members of the International Co-operative Alliance and through their membership with us our members have access to ICA resources. |
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Member-only resources
Member-only resources The resources area of our website offers a range of member-only resources that help co-operatives with a range of areas including governance, risk, HR and finance. |
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Member-only resources
Member-only resources The resources area of our website offers a range of member-only resources that help co-operatives with a range of areas including governance, risk, HR and finance. |
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Exclusive access to the Contact Package
Contact package details Our Contact Package (£300 + VAT) – exclusively available to members of Co-operatives UK – provides access to the best support from leading advisers on co-operative governance, finance, HR, health and safety and membership. |
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Exclusive access to the Contact Package
Contact package details Our Contact Package (£300 + VAT) – exclusively available to members of Co-operatives UK – provides access to the best support from leading advisers on co-operative governance, finance, HR, health and safety and membership. |
Optional add-on |
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Optional add-on | Optional add-on |
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Exclusive access to the HR Package
HR package Starting from £1,200 a year – exclusively available to members of Co-operatives UK – this comprehensive support package provides advice and guidance on all aspects of HR and employment law. |
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Exclusive access to the HR Package
HR package Starting from £1,200 a year – exclusively available to members of Co-operatives UK – this comprehensive support package provides advice and guidance on all aspects of HR and employment law. |
Optional add-on | Optional add-on | Optional add-on | Optional add-on |
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20% off bespoke advice and consultancy
Bespoke advice Contact [email protected] for a no-obligation quote on bespoke advice and consultancy work covering co-operative governance, HR, finance, health and safety, membership and more. |
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20% off bespoke advice and consultancy
Bespoke advice Contact [email protected] for a no-obligation quote on bespoke advice and consultancy work covering co-operative governance, HR, finance, health and safety, membership and more. |
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30% off all training courses
Training courses We offer a range of training courses that help people in co-operatives get skilled in key areas of governance, HR, finance and risk. |
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30% off all training courses
Training courses We offer a range of training courses that help people in co-operatives get skilled in key areas of governance, HR, finance and risk. |
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Annual advice surgery
Annual advice surgery Access to a phone call with one of our advice team to review your co-operative. |
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Annual advice surgery
Annual advice surgery Access to a phone call with one of our advice team to review your co-operative. |
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| Events | ||||
| 30% off all conferences | ||||
| 30% off all conferences |
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| Publish your events on our listings page | ||||
| Publish your events on our listings page |
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| Policy Engagement | ||||
| Priority access to our policy activity campaigns | ||||
| Priority access to our policy activity campaigns |
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For federal bodies who represent their membership | ||
| Priority access to policy round-tables | ||||
| Priority access to policy round-tables |
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For federal bodies who represent their membership | ||
| Support for your co-operative | ||||
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Benefit from exclusive member offers
Take advantage of exclusive member offers Access exclusive member-only offers and discounts via our Member Offers section. |
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Benefit from exclusive member offers
Take advantage of exclusive member offers Access exclusive member-only offers and discounts via our Member Offers section. |
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Submit an exclusive member offer
Submit an exclusive member offer Submit an offer for inclusion on our Member Offers section and promotion through our networks. |
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Submit an exclusive member offer
Submit an exclusive member offer Submit an offer for inclusion on our Member Offers section and promotion through our networks. |
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Member-first procurement benefits
Member-first procurement benefits Our commitment to prioritise working with Co-operatives UK members. |
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Member-first procurement benefits
Member-first procurement benefits Our commitment to prioritise working with Co-operatives UK members. |
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Be a case study
Raise your profile Opportunities to raise awareness of co-operatives by being a case study for one of our reports, on social media and/or for one of our campaigns. |
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Be a case study
Raise your profile Opportunities to raise awareness of co-operatives by being a case study for one of our reports, on social media and/or for one of our campaigns. |
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Premium directory listing
Premium directory listing All co-operatives and mutuals are listed on our directory, which prioritises the listings of Co-operatives UK members. |
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Premium directory listing
Premium directory listing All co-operatives and mutuals are listed on our directory, which prioritises the listings of Co-operatives UK members. |
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Frequently asked questions
Who can join Co-operatives UK?
Co-operatives, community businesses, federal bodies, values-led organisations and supporters of the co-operative movement may be eligible for different membership types.
How much does Co-operatives UK membership cost?
Standard membership starts at £125 plus VAT per year for organisations with annual turnover up to £500,000. Larger co-operatives, federal bodies and associates have different membership rates.
What support do members get?
Members can access expert support, member-only resources, training discounts, events, policy engagement, networking and exclusive member offers.
Do members get HR and governance support?
Yes. Members can access resources and services covering governance, HR, finance, health and safety, membership and more, including member-only packages and discounted bespoke advice.
Can members of other federals get a discount?
Members of workers.coop, CCH, ABCUL and other federal bodies may be eligible for a 50% discount on standard membership where a dual offer is in place.
Governance support for co-operatives
HR Package
Contact Package