The London City Mission

Analysis

The London City Mission is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in March 1966, 60 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, the prevention or relief of poverty and religious activities, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04284615). It says it makes grants to individuals, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The London City Mission reported income of £8.4m and spending of £12.4m, spending 147% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £7.8m to £8.4m (+7.6%), an average of +1.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 29%. Over the whole period it spent 136% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, The London City Mission 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 Citizens Advice Manchester (£8.3m), The Wilkes Alms Charity (£8.6m) and Birmingham and Solihull Women's Aid (£8.3m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 64%, investments 12%, charitable activities 2.3% and trading 1.2%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £1.9m. Charitable activities took 81% of spending and raising funds 17%. Reserves of £6.2m would cover about 6 months of spending at that rate. It employed 178 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.