The Royal Literary Fund

Analysis

The Royal Literary Fund is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in April 1964, 62 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and the prevention or relief of poverty, which this site groups under poverty relief. It says it makes grants to individuals.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Royal Literary Fund reported income of £4.3m and spending of £9.1m, spending 214% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £3.1m to £4.3m (+40%), an average of +8.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 55%. Over the whole period it spent 199% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, The Royal Literary Fund 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 Addington Fund (£4.3m), Jubilee Church London (£4.3m) and Jamma International (£4.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 83% and donations and legacies 8.9%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £118k. Charitable activities took 86% of spending and raising funds 13%. Reserves of £191.6m would cover about 250 months of spending at that rate. It employed 12 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.