British Council Benevolent Fund
Analysis
British Council Benevolent Fund is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in May 2015, 11 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, 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 trust. It says it makes grants to individuals and provides other finance.
In the financial year ending March 2025, British Council Benevolent Fund reported income of £31k and spending of £54k, spending 175% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £37k to £31k (-17%), an average of -4.5% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 92%. Over the whole period it spent 136% of the income it received.
Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, British Council Benevolent Fund sits at the 45th percentile: it is larger than about 45% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 53rd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Swainby Village Hall (£31k), Hope 4 the World (£31k) and The Kanyike Project (£31k).
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Other 100%
In the charity's own words
The British Council Benevolent Fund's charitable purpose is the alleviation of financial hardship for British Council employees, both past and present, and their families, globally. The overriding criterion for assistance being immediate need and financial difficulty for example as a result of illness, bereavement, natural disaster such as earthquakes/floods or in areas of conflict.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Swainby Village Hall | Northallerton | £31k |
| Hope 4 the World | London | £31k |
| The Kanyike Project | Knebworth | £31k |
| Living Word Ministries Europe (Joy of the Nations Christian Centre) | London | £31k |