Surfers Against Sewage

Analysis

Surfers Against Sewage is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cornwall. It was registered in February 2012, 14 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02920815). It says it provides services, provides advocacy/advice/information and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Surfers Against Sewage reported income of £4.0m and spending of £4.1m, spending 103% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £2.4m to £4.0m (+62%), an average of +13% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2025, when income rose by 17%. Over the whole period it spent 96% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, Surfers Against Sewage 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 Nus Students' Union Charitable Services (£3.9m), Opportunity Green (£4.0m) and The Countryside Alliance Foundation (£3.9m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 60%, charitable activities 34%, trading 4.2% and investments 1.6%. Charitable activities took 63% of spending and raising funds 35%. Reserves of £1.8m would cover about 5 months of spending at that rate. It employed 55 people.