Internet Watch Foundation

Analysis

Internet Watch Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cambridge. It was registered in December 2005, 21 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, which this site groups under children and youth development. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03426366). It says it provides services, provides advocacy/advice/information and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Internet Watch Foundation reported income of £7.0m and spending of £7.2m, spending 102% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £4.5m to £7.0m (+56%), an average of +12% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 21%. Over the whole period it spent 87% of the income it received.

Among 5,641 England and Wales charities whose main cause is children and youth development and that reported income, Internet Watch Foundation 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 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice Bureau (£6.1m), St James's Place Charitable Foundation (£7.4m) and Congregation of the Daughters of the Cross International (£5.7m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 94%, investments 3.1% and donations and legacies 2.4%. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £6.3m would cover about 10 months of spending at that rate. It employed 75 people.