The Nationwide Foundation

Analysis

The Nationwide Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Swindon. It was registered in November 1997, 29 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes and accommodation/housing, which this site groups under housing and shelter. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03451979). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides other finance and acts as an umbrella or resource body.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Nationwide Foundation reported income of £5.1m and spending of £3.2m, leaving 36% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £2.3m to £5.1m (+122%), an average of +22% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income rose by 65%. Over the whole period it spent 77% of the income it received.

Among 2,324 England and Wales charities whose main cause is housing and shelter and that reported income, The Nationwide Foundation 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 Bow Arts Trust (£5.1m), Welsh Housing Aid Limited (£5.1m) and Action Homeless (Leicester) Limited (£5.0m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 93% and investments 6.5%. Charitable activities took 96% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Grants to other organisations totalled £2.3m. Reserves of £6.4m would cover about 23 months of spending at that rate. It employed 10 people.