Meningitis Research Foundation

Analysis

Meningitis Research Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Bristol. It was registered in March 2002, 24 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, 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 04367866). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Meningitis Research Foundation reported income of £2.6m and spending of £3.0m, spending 114% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £3.4m to £2.6m (-22%), an average of -6.0% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 105%. Over the whole period it spent 79% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Meningitis Research Foundation sits at the 94th percentile: it is larger than about 94% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Carlisle Mencap (£2.6m), Hamara Healthy Living Centre (£2.6m) and The Swimming Teachers Association Limited (£2.6m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 67%, trading 30% and investments 3.3%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £84k. Charitable activities took 66% of spending and raising funds 30%. Reserves of £1.2m would cover about 5 months of spending at that rate. It employed 34 people.