Canal & River Trust

Analysis

Canal & River Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cheshire. It was registered in April 2012, 14 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science, environment/conservation/heritage and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 07807276). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Canal & River Trust reported income of £232.6m and spending of £233.4m, spending 100% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £215.4m to £232.6m (+8.0%), an average of +1.9% a year. Over the whole period it spent 105% 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, Canal & River Trust 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 Wales:trinity Saint David (£209.8m), The Arts Council of England (£843.1m) and Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation (£182.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 43%, charitable activities 32%, investments 22% and donations and legacies 2.9%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £338k. Charitable activities took 79% of spending and raising funds 20%. Reserves of £852.6m would cover about 44 months of spending at that rate. It employed 1,805 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.