The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust

Analysis

The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Fairford. It was registered in December 2017, 9 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training and armed forces/emergency service efficiency, which this site groups under armed forces, emergency and public safety. Legally it is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). It says it makes grants to individuals and makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust reported income of £19.6m and spending of £19.6m, spending 100% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from September 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £609k to £19.6m (+3127%), an average of +138% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to September 2022, when income rose by 2125%. Over the whole period it spent 95% of the income it received.

Among 200 England and Wales charities whose main cause is armed forces, emergency and public safety and that reported income, The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust sits at the 100th 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 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (£16.2m), BFBS (£32.3m) and Army Benevolent Fund (£13.7m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 98% and investments 1.3%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £65k. Charitable activities took 7.3% of spending and raising funds 93%. Grants to other organisations totalled £1.4m. Reserves of £6.8m would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 3 people.