The Inland Waterways Association

Analysis

The Inland Waterways Association is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Berkhamsted. It was registered in December 1962, 64 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science, amateur sport and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00612245). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides human resources and provides services.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Inland Waterways Association reported income of £1.5m and spending of £1.2m, spending 82% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income fell from £1.8m to £1.5m (-16%), an average of -4.2% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2025, when income dropped by 18%. Over the whole period it spent 95% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Inland Waterways Association sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 95th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Pembroke Castle Trust (£1.5m), Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Trust (£1.5m) and Royal Sutton Coldfield Community Town Hall Trust (£1.5m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 72%, trading 20%, investments 6.3% and charitable activities 1.5%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £670k. Charitable activities took 62% of spending and raising funds 34%. Grants to other organisations totalled £231k. Reserves of £814k would cover about 8 months of spending at that rate. It employed 8 people.