United Way

Analysis

United Way is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Liverpool. It was registered in August 2013, 13 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 incorporated organisation (CIO). It says it provides advocacy/advice/information, sponsors or undertakes research and acts as an umbrella or resource body.

In the financial year ending December 2025, United Way reported income of £537k and spending of £487k, spending 91% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £519k to £537k (+3.4%), an average of +0.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income dropped by 52%. Over the whole period it spent 95% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, United Way sits at the 84th percentile: it is larger than about 84% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 90th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Maelor Voluntary Service (£536k), Hope for the Young Limited (£537k) and Buddhist Community Centre UK (£536k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 57% and donations and legacies 43%. Charitable activities took 98% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Grants to other organisations totalled £109k. Reserves of £303k would cover about 7 months of spending at that rate. It employed 6 people.