Mercy in Action

Analysis

Mercy in Action is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Bath. It was registered in February 2003, 23 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives and the prevention or relief of poverty, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04627969). It says it makes grants to individuals, provides human resources and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Mercy in Action reported income of £6.1m and spending of £5.9m, spending 96% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £3.5m to £6.1m (+73%), an average of +15% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 29%. Over the whole period it spent 99% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Mercy in Action sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% 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 Saviour Trust (£6.1m), The Whiteley Homes Trust (£6.1m) and The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (£6.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 82%, donations and legacies 14% and charitable activities 4.5%. Charitable activities took 20% of spending and raising funds 79%. Grants to other organisations totalled £397k. Reserves of £457k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 188 people.