National Children's Bureau

Analysis

National Children's Bureau is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in June 1969, 57 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives, disability and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00952717). It says it provides advocacy/advice/information, sponsors or undertakes research and acts as an umbrella or resource body.

In the financial year ending March 2025, National Children's Bureau reported income of £15.8m and spending of £16.0m, spending 101% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £16.2m to £15.8m (-2.8%), an average of -0.7% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 24%. Over the whole period it spent 102% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, National Children's Bureau sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% 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 The Football League (Community) Limited (£15.7m), Brook Young People (£15.8m) and Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust (£15.7m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 97% and donations and legacies 1.8%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £15k. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.3%. Reserves of £2.7m would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 206 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.