Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle

Analysis

Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Newcastle Upon Tyne. It was registered in August 2011, 15 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the prevention or relief of poverty, overseas aid/famine relief and religious activities, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 07732977). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides other finance.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle reported income of £12.9m and spending of £16.0m, spending 124% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £7.3m to £12.9m (+77%), an average of +15% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 35%. Over the whole period it spent 118% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle sits at the 99th 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 YMCA Black Country Group (£12.8m), Caring for Communities and People (£13.0m) and The British Asian Trust (£12.5m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 53%, investments 18% and charitable activities 3.3%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £269k. Charitable activities took 95% of spending and raising funds 2.7%. Grants to other organisations totalled £457k. Reserves of £14.4m would cover about 11 months of spending at that rate. It employed 183 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.