Campaign to Protect Rural England

Analysis

Campaign to Protect Rural England is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in December 2001, 25 years ago. Its declared purposes cover environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04302973). It says it provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Campaign to Protect Rural England reported income of £4.3m and spending of £5.3m, spending 122% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £3.3m to £4.3m (+31%), an average of +7.0% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 53%. Over the whole period it spent 94% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, Campaign to Protect Rural England sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% 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 Cheshire Wildlife Trust Limited (£4.3m), The Forest of Marston Vale Trust (£4.3m) and Centre for Alternative Technology Charity Limited (£4.3m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 98% and investments 1.5%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £1.8m. Charitable activities took 79% of spending and raising funds 20%. Grants to other organisations totalled £108k. Reserves of £3.6m would cover about 8 months of spending at that rate. It employed 45 people.