The Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain

Analysis

The Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Bristol. It was registered in January 2005, 21 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. It says it makes grants to individuals, provides advocacy/advice/information and acts as an umbrella or resource body.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain reported income of £1.9m and spending of £2.1m, spending 111% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income fell from £1.9m to £1.9m (-0.2%), an average of +-0.0% a year. Over the whole period it spent 136% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain 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 96th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Montgomery Theatre and Arts Centre Limited (£1.9m), Ikon Gallery Limited (£1.9m) and International P.e.n. (£1.9m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 84%, donations and legacies 13% and investments 2.8%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £240k. Charitable activities took 90% of spending and raising funds 0.2%. Reserves of £2.4m would cover about 13 months of spending at that rate. It employed 20 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.