The Lee Abbey Movement

Analysis

The Lee Abbey Movement is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Devon. It was registered in October 2002, 24 years ago. Its declared purposes cover religious activities, which this site groups under religion. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04428832). It says it acts as an umbrella or resource body.

In the financial year ending April 2025, The Lee Abbey Movement reported income of £5.4m and spending of £5.0m, spending 92% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from April 2021 to April 2025, income grew from £197k to £5.4m (+2659%), an average of +129% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to April 2024, when income rose by 1584%. Over the whole period it spent 89% of the income it received.

Among 20,496 England and Wales charities whose main cause is religion and that reported income, The Lee Abbey Movement sits at the 99th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. 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 Forward in Faith Church International Incorporated (£5.4m), Lanier Theological Education Foundation (£5.5m) and Duchesne Trust (£5.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 81%, donations and legacies 15%, investments 2.1% and trading 1.7%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £268k. Charitable activities took 97% of spending and raising funds 1.2%. Reserves of £3.3m would cover about 8 months of spending at that rate.