Solar Aid

Analysis

Solar Aid is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in August 2006, 20 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the prevention or relief of poverty, environment/conservation/heritage and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03867741). It says it provides human resources, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Solar Aid reported income of £4.0m and spending of £4.0m, spending 100% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £1.7m to £4.0m (+129%), an average of +23% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 62%. Over the whole period it spent 106% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, Solar Aid sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% 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 Lancashire Women (£3.9m), Clydpride Limited (£4.0m) and P.a.t.h. (Plymouth Access to Housing) Limited (£3.9m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 52% and donations and legacies 48%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £62k. Charitable activities took 84% of spending and raising funds 16%. Grants to other organisations totalled £357k. Reserves of £274k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 82 people.

Data notes from the register: The latest annual return was received after its deadline. Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.