The Wolfson Foundation

Analysis

The Wolfson Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in March 2014, 12 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives, disability and religious activities, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 08927040). It says it makes grants to individuals and makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Wolfson Foundation reported income of £26.9m and spending of £41.5m, spending 154% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £18.8m to £26.9m (+43%), an average of +9.4% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 15%. Over the whole period it spent 181% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, The Wolfson Foundation sits at the 99th 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 Acorns Children's Hospice Trust (£26.8m), The Borrow Foundation (£27.0m) and Seashell Trust (£26.7m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 100%. Charitable activities took 90% of spending and raising funds 5.6%. Grants to other organisations totalled £37.2m. Reserves of £961.7m would cover about 267 months of spending at that rate. It employed 12 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.