The George Muller Charitable Trust

Analysis

The George Muller Charitable Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Bristol. It was registered in December 1997, 29 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the prevention or relief of poverty, overseas aid/famine relief and accommodation/housing, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03471812). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides other finance.

In the financial year ending February 2025, The George Muller Charitable Trust reported income of £1.5m and spending of £1.8m, spending 119% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from February 2021 to February 2025, income fell from £1.8m to £1.5m (-15%), an average of -4.0% a year. Over the whole period it spent 106% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, The George Muller Charitable Trust sits at the 95th percentile: it is larger than about 95% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 95th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change Limited (£1.5m), Pilotlight (£1.5m) and Reading Family Church (£1.5m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 69%, investments 26% and charitable activities 4.9%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £7,102. Charitable activities took 98% of spending and raising funds 1.6%. Grants to other organisations totalled £484k. Reserves of £298k would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 9 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.