The Royal Theatrical Fund

Analysis

The Royal Theatrical Fund is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in July 1963, 63 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, disability and the prevention or relief of poverty, which this site groups under disability. It says it makes grants to individuals and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Royal Theatrical Fund reported income of £679k and spending of £774k, spending 114% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £2.4m to £679k (-72%), an average of -27% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income dropped by 66%. Over the whole period it spent 89% of the income it received.

Among 12,871 England and Wales charities whose main cause is disability and that reported income, The Royal Theatrical Fund sits at the 90th percentile: it is larger than about 90% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 92nd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Centre of Sign-Sight-Sound (Y Ganolfan Arwyddo-Golwg-Sain) (£678k), Naval Families Federation (£680k) and Green Lane Community Centre (£677k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 74%, donations and legacies 25% and trading 1.2%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £86k. Charitable activities took 88% of spending and raising funds 8.8%. Reserves of £15.9m would cover about 237 months of spending at that rate. It employed 4 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.