Variety the Children's Charity

Analysis

Variety the Children's Charity is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in July 1962, 64 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes and disability, which this site groups under disability. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00509811). It says it makes grants to individuals and makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Variety the Children's Charity reported income of £7.2m and spending of £6.7m, spending 93% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £3.7m to £7.2m (+95%), an average of +18% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 46%. Over the whole period it spent 97% of the income it received.

Among 12,871 England and Wales charities whose main cause is disability and that reported income, Variety the Children's Charity sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 98% 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 Heart of England Mencap (£7.2m), Plus (Providence Linc United Services) (£7.2m) and Autism Hampshire (£7.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 79% and trading 20%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £224k. Charitable activities took 78% of spending and raising funds 20%. Grants to other organisations totalled £3.6m. Reserves of £1.2m would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 22 people.