British Heart Foundation

Analysis

British Heart Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in March 1963, 63 years ago. Its declared purposes cover the advancement of health or saving of lives, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00699547). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, British Heart Foundation reported income of £410.6m and spending of £427.1m, spending 104% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £225.3m to £410.6m (+82%), an average of +16% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 56%. Over the whole period it spent 99% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, British Heart 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 Oasis Charitable Trust (£344.5m), Wellcome Trust (£589.5m) and Change, Grow, Live (£339.7m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 58%, donations and legacies 40% and investments 2.4%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £108.4m. Charitable activities took 34% of spending and raising funds 11%. Grants to other organisations totalled £98.6m. Reserves of £106.5m would cover about 3 months of spending at that rate. It employed 4,545 people.