National Star Foundation

Analysis

National Star Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cheltenham. It was registered in November 1963, 63 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, disability and accommodation/housing, which this site groups under disability. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00522846). It says it provides human resources, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending August 2025, National Star Foundation reported income of £49.6m and spending of £47.1m, spending 95% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from August 2021 to August 2025, income grew from £32.3m to £49.6m (+54%), an average of +11% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to August 2025, when income rose by 15%. 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, National Star Foundation sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Motor Neurone Disease Association (£48.0m), Coastline Housing Limited (£52.1m) and Milestones Trust (£46.7m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 94%, donations and legacies 3.1% and trading 2.4%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £458k. Charitable activities took 97% of spending and raising funds 2.4%. Reserves of £4.9m would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 1,269 people.