National Grocers Benevolent Fund

Analysis

National Grocers Benevolent Fund is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Berkshire. It was registered in February 2003, 23 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training and the prevention or relief of poverty, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04620683). It says it makes grants to individuals, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, National Grocers Benevolent Fund reported income of £27.3m and spending of £22.3m, spending 82% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £8.7m to £27.3m (+213%), an average of +33% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 72%. Over the whole period it spent 91% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, National Grocers Benevolent Fund sits at the 100th 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 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Teign Homes (£25.8m), Thomas Coram Foundation for Children (Formerly Foundling Hospital) (£27.6m) and Depaul UK (£25.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 72%, donations and legacies 27% and investments 1.5%. Charitable activities took 38% of spending and raising funds 62%. Reserves of £11.4m would cover about 6 months of spending at that rate. It employed 57 people.