The Nuffield Foundation

Analysis

The Nuffield Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in October 1966, 60 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training and the prevention or relief of poverty, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to organisations and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Nuffield Foundation reported income of £14.3m and spending of £33.7m, spending 235% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £11.7m to £14.3m (+23%), an average of +5.3% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income rose by 58%. Over the whole period it spent 271% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, The Nuffield 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 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond (£13.5m), The Auckland Project (£14.5m) and Fylde Coast YMCA (£13.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 57% and donations and legacies 43%. Charitable activities took 91% of spending and raising funds 8.3%. Grants to other organisations totalled £15.8m. Reserves of £17.3m would cover about 6 months of spending at that rate. It employed 96 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.