The Hepworth Wakefield

Analysis

The Hepworth Wakefield is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Wakefield. It was registered in September 2010, 16 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 07113861). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Hepworth Wakefield reported income of £4.2m and spending of £4.6m, spending 109% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £3.7m to £4.2m (+15%), an average of +3.5% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 69%. Over the whole period it spent 102% 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 Hepworth Wakefield 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 Sir John Soane's Museum (£4.2m), The Sheffield Media and Exhibition Centre Limited (£4.2m) and The Bowes Museum (£4.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 58%, trading 31% and donations and legacies 9.7%. Charitable activities took 72% of spending and raising funds 27%. Reserves of £1.4m would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 73 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.