Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund

Analysis

Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in October 1993, 33 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives and disability, which this site groups under health and saving lives. It says it makes grants to individuals and makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund reported income of £643k and spending of £592k, spending 92% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £362k to £643k (+78%), an average of +16% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 84%. Over the whole period it spent 130% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund sits at the 86th percentile: it is larger than about 86% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 91st percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Citizens Advice Gosport (£643k), Cave Rescue Organisation (£644k) and Primary Care Respiratory Society UK (£643k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 84% and donations and legacies 16%. Charitable activities took 81% of spending and raising funds 12%. Grants to other organisations totalled £473k. Reserves of £67k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate.