Shelterbox Trust

Analysis

Shelterbox Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cornwall. It was registered in March 2003, 23 years ago. Its declared purposes cover overseas aid/famine relief, which this site groups under overseas aid and international. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04612652). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides services and other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Shelterbox Trust reported income of £18.0m and spending of £21.6m, spending 120% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £14.2m to £18.0m (+27%), an average of +6.1% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 57%. Over the whole period it spent 96% of the income it received.

Among 1,223 England and Wales charities whose main cause is overseas aid and international and that reported income, Shelterbox Trust 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 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Border Consortium (£14.1m), Uk-Med (£23.1m) and Salesians of Don Bosco UK (£13.5m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 97%, investments 2.1% and trading 1.0%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £771k. Charitable activities took 77% of spending and raising funds 22%. Grants to other organisations totalled £7.2m. Reserves of £11.6m would cover about 6 months of spending at that rate. It employed 142 people.