Action Medical Research

Analysis

Action Medical Research is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in December 1962, 64 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives and disability, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00549089). It says it makes grants to organisations and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Action Medical Research reported income of £7.8m and spending of £9.3m, spending 119% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £4.5m to £7.8m (+76%), an average of +15% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 37%. Over the whole period it spent 111% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Action Medical Research sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% of them. 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 British Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (£7.8m), Torus Foundation (£7.8m) and The Leathersellers' Foundation (£7.8m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 95% and investments 5.1%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £208k. Charitable activities took 46% of spending and raising funds 53%. Grants to other organisations totalled £3.0m. Reserves of £4.6m would cover about 6 months of spending at that rate. It employed 42 people.