The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust CIO

Analysis

The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust CIO is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Folkestone. It was registered in September 2016, 10 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust CIO reported income of £506k and spending of £757k, spending 149% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £466k to £506k (+8.7%), an average of +2.1% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2024, when income rose by 15%. Over the whole period it spent 161% 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, The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust CIO sits at the 92nd percentile: it is larger than about 92% 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 Steve Ross Foundation for the Arts (£506k), St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery (£507k) and The Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation (£506k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 75%, donations and legacies 17% and investments 3.7%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £5,250. Charitable activities took 85% of spending and raising funds 12%. Reserves of £3.7m would cover about 58 months of spending at that rate. It employed 10 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.