The Bristol Benevolent Institution

Analysis

The Bristol Benevolent Institution is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Bristol. It was registered in May 1962, 64 years ago. Its declared purposes cover the prevention or relief of poverty, which this site groups under poverty relief. It says it makes grants to individuals.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Bristol Benevolent Institution reported income of £511k and spending of £629k, spending 123% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income fell from £637k to £511k (-20%), an average of -5.4% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2025, when income rose by 30%. Over the whole period it spent 140% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, The Bristol Benevolent Institution sits at the 87th percentile: it is larger than about 87% 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 African Community School (£511k), Faith Ministries (£511k) and Dartmouth United Charities (£511k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 100%. Charitable activities took 91% of spending and raising funds 6.2%. Grants to other organisations totalled £8,000. Reserves of £216k would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 5 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.