The Farthing Trust

Analysis

The Farthing Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Newmarket. It was registered in August 1974, 52 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives, the prevention or relief of poverty and overseas aid/famine relief, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to individuals and makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending April 2025, The Farthing Trust reported income of £501k and spending of £553k, spending 110% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from April 2021 to April 2025, income grew from £236k to £501k (+112%), an average of +21% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to April 2023, when income rose by 301%. Over the whole period it spent 160% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, The Farthing Trust sits at the 83rd percentile: it is larger than about 83% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 90th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Helix Arts Limited (£501k), Bury Involvement Group in Mental Health (£501k) and Streatham Youth and Community Trust (£501k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 69% and investments 31%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £344k. Charitable activities took 95% of spending and raising funds 2.4%. Grants to other organisations totalled £476k. Reserves of £6.2m would cover about 132 months of spending at that rate.

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.