Royal Astronomical Society

Analysis

Royal Astronomical Society is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in September 1963, 63 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and other charitable purposes, which this site groups under education and training. It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Royal Astronomical Society reported income of £7.1m and spending of £5.6m, leaving 21% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £5.2m to £7.1m (+35%), an average of +7.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2025, when income rose by 37%. Over the whole period it spent 83% of the income it received.

Among 21,402 England and Wales charities whose main cause is education and training and that reported income, Royal Astronomical Society sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Bishopsgate School Limited (£7.1m), The Harrow Development Trust (£7.1m) and The Collegiate Charitable Foundation (£7.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 92% and investments 6.8%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £27k. Charitable activities took 96% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Grants to other organisations totalled £321k. Reserves of £10.5m would cover about 21 months of spending at that rate. It employed 31 people.