Nesta

Analysis

Nesta is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in September 2011, 15 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives and the prevention or relief of poverty, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 07706036). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides other finance and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Nesta reported income of £55.3m and spending of £73.6m, spending 133% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £29.6m to £55.3m (+87%), an average of +17% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 113%. Over the whole period it spent 136% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Nesta 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 The Royal College of General Practitioners (£53.7m), Real Life Options (£55.6m) and The Victoria Foundation (£53.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 49%, investments 27% and charitable activities 22%. Charitable activities took 68% of spending and raising funds 31%. Grants to other organisations totalled £12.5m. Reserves of £36.0m would cover about 6 months of spending at that rate. It employed 512 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.