Kent Association for the Blind

Analysis

Kent Association for the Blind is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Maidstone. It was registered in May 1997, 29 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. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03339912). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides human resources.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Kent Association for the Blind reported income of £5.5m and spending of £3.0m, leaving 45% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £2.6m to £5.5m (+109%), an average of +20% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 116%. Over the whole period it spent 93% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Kent Association for the Blind sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% 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 Racing Welfare (£5.5m), People First Independent Advocacy (£5.5m) and First Light South West Ltd (£5.5m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 65% and charitable activities 32%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £3.1m. Charitable activities took 93% of spending and raising funds 5.7%. Reserves of £1.2m would cover about 5 months of spending at that rate. It employed 99 people.