The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society

Analysis

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Liverpool. It was registered in October 1963, 63 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00088235). It says it provides human resources and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society reported income of £12.6m and spending of £14.8m, spending 117% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £8.5m to £12.6m (+49%), an average of +10% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 21%. Over the whole period it spent 111% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society sits at the 99th 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 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Rsa (The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) (£12.6m), Birmingham Museums Trust (£12.6m) and Booktrust (£12.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 48%, charitable activities 28% and trading 23%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £149k. Charitable activities took 69% of spending and raising funds 30%. It employed 306 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.