The Salvation Army Retired Officers Allowance Scheme

Analysis

The Salvation Army Retired Officers Allowance Scheme is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in September 2013, 13 years ago. Its declared purposes cover the prevention or relief of poverty and other charitable purposes, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it provides other finance and other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending March 2026, The Salvation Army Retired Officers Allowance Scheme reported income of £4.0m and spending of £6.0m, spending 149% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2022 to March 2026, income grew from £2.6m to £4.0m (+53%), an average of +11% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 22%. Over the whole period it spent 156% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, The Salvation Army Retired Officers Allowance Scheme 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 United Reformed Church Thames North Synod Charities (£4.0m), Little Village (£4.0m) and Witton Lodge Community Association (£4.0m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 74% and donations and legacies 26%. Charitable activities took 92% of spending and raising funds 7.5%. Grants to other organisations totalled £5.5m. Reserves of £2.9m would cover about 6 months of spending at that rate.

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.