The Little Way Association

Analysis

The Little Way Association is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in August 1964, 62 years ago. Its declared purposes cover the prevention or relief of poverty, overseas aid/famine relief and religious activities, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending August 2025, The Little Way Association reported income of £4.4m and spending of £3.6m, leaving 20% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from August 2021 to August 2025, income grew from £3.3m to £4.4m (+36%), an average of +8.1% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to August 2023, when income rose by 50%. Over the whole period it spent 102% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, The Little Way Association 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 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Varkey Foundation (£4.4m), Queen's Hall Action on Poverty (£4.5m) and Givedirectly UK (£4.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 92% and investments 8.0%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £2.9m. Charitable activities took 93% of spending and raising funds 0.6%. Grants to other organisations totalled £3.3m. Reserves of £10.6m would cover about 35 months of spending at that rate. It employed 5 people.