The Smiles Foundation

Analysis

The Smiles Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Lancashire. It was registered in August 2001, 25 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives, the prevention or relief of poverty and overseas aid/famine relief, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it provides other finance, provides human resources and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Smiles Foundation reported income of £722k and spending of £720k, spending 100% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £338k to £722k (+114%), an average of +21% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 76%. Over the whole period it spent 98% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, The Smiles Foundation sits at the 87th percentile: it is larger than about 87% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 92nd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Prosper Wakefield District Ltd (£722k), Irwin Mitchell Charities Foundation (£722k) and Tallow Chandlers Benevolent Fund No 2 (£721k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 61% and donations and legacies 38%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £103k. Charitable activities took 100% of spending and raising funds 0.2%. Reserves of £135k would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate.