War on Want

Analysis

War on Want is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in September 1962, 64 years ago. Its declared purposes cover the prevention or relief of poverty, overseas aid/famine relief and human rights/religious or racial harmony/equality or diversity, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00629916). It says it makes grants to organisations and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, War on Want reported income of £4.0m and spending of £2.7m, leaving 33% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £1.7m to £4.0m (+134%), an average of +24% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 141%. Over the whole period it spent 76% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, War on Want sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Little Village (£4.0m), The London Irish Centre (£4.1m) and The Salvation Army Retired Officers Allowance Scheme (£4.0m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 71%, donations and legacies 25% and investments 4.2%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £314k. Charitable activities took 77% of spending and raising funds 22%. Grants to other organisations totalled £61k. Reserves of £1.7m would cover about 7 months of spending at that rate. It employed 28 people.