Church Commissioners for England

Analysis

Church Commissioners for England is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in January 2011, 15 years ago. Its declared purposes cover religious activities, which this site groups under religion. It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides other finance.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Church Commissioners for England reported income of £212.6m and spending of £603.2m, spending 284% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £148.1m to £212.6m (+43%), an average of +9.4% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income rose by 29%. Over the whole period it spent 214% of the income it received.

Among 20,496 England and Wales charities whose main cause is religion and that reported income, Church Commissioners for England 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 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include University of Chester (£154.2m), Church of England Central Services (£140.1m) and Methodist Independent Schools Trust (£118.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 98%. Charitable activities took 84% of spending and raising funds 16%. Grants to other organisations totalled £243.6m. It employed 191 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.