Women's Aid Federation of England

Analysis

Women's Aid Federation of England is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Avon. It was registered in April 1996, 30 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the prevention or relief of poverty and accommodation/housing, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03171880). It says it provides services, provides advocacy/advice/information and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Women's Aid Federation of England reported income of £5.5m and spending of £6.9m, spending 126% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £10.1m to £5.5m (-46%), an average of -14% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income dropped by 38%. Over the whole period it spent 98% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, Women's Aid Federation of England sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Union of the Sisters of Mercy of Great Britain (£5.5m), Transport Benevolent Fund (CIO) (£5.5m) and Minority Rights Group (£5.5m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 47%, donations and legacies 40% and trading 12%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £313k. Charitable activities took 84% of spending and raising funds 16%. Grants to other organisations totalled £10k. Reserves of £2.2m would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 97 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.