The Royal National Institute of Blind People

Analysis

The Royal National Institute of Blind People is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in March 1963, 63 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives, disability and accommodation/housing, which this site groups under health and saving lives. It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides human resources.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Royal National Institute of Blind People reported income of £95.9m and spending of £95.4m, spending 99% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £86.5m to £95.9m (+11%), an average of +2.6% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 24%. Over the whole period it spent 92% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, The Royal National Institute of Blind People 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 The Gatsby Charitable Foundation (£95.5m), The Greencliffe Foundation Ltd (£97.9m) and Autism Initiatives Group (£93.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 69%, trading 23%, charitable activities 6.0% and investments 2.0%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £46.0m. Charitable activities took 59% of spending and raising funds 22%. Grants to other organisations totalled £6.2m. Reserves of £49.7m would cover about 6 months of spending at that rate. It employed 1,286 people.