Sailors' Children's Society

Analysis

Sailors' Children's Society is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Hessle. It was registered in December 1966, 60 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes and the prevention or relief of poverty, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00159673). It says it makes grants to individuals and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Sailors' Children's Society reported income of £896k and spending of £1.0m, spending 114% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £957k to £896k (-6.3%), an average of -1.6% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 40%. Over the whole period it spent 115% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, Sailors' Children's Society sits at the 92nd percentile: it is larger than about 92% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 93rd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include African Wildlife Foundation (£894k), Aston - Mansfield Charitable Trust (£897k) and North East Law Centre (£892k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 69%, charitable activities 22% and investments 9.7%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £676. Charitable activities took 68% of spending and raising funds 30%. Reserves of £633k would cover about 7 months of spending at that rate. It employed 9 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.