Brainstrust

Analysis

Brainstrust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Isle of Wight. It was registered in June 2006, 20 years ago. Its declared purposes cover the advancement of health or saving of lives and disability, which this site groups under health and saving lives. It says it makes grants to organisations, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Brainstrust reported income of £779k and spending of £739k, spending 95% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £741k to £779k (+5.1%), an average of +1.3% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 28%. Over the whole period it spent 90% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Brainstrust sits at the 87th percentile: it is larger than about 87% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 93rd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The League of Friends of the Yeovil Hospitals (£779k), The Sherling Charitable Trust (£780k) and Wakefield and District Carers Association (£779k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 54% and trading 46%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £11k. Charitable activities took 83% of spending and raising funds 13%. Reserves of £186k would cover about 3 months of spending at that rate. It employed 14 people.