The Christopher Laing Foundation

Analysis

The Christopher Laing Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in September 1979, 47 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, which this site groups under children and youth development. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending April 2025, The Christopher Laing Foundation reported income of £8.1m and spending of £563k, leaving 93% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from April 2021 to April 2025, income grew from £395k to £8.1m (+1949%), an average of +113% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to April 2025, when income rose by 1590%. Over the whole period it spent 27% of the income it received.

Among 5,641 England and Wales charities whose main cause is children and youth development and that reported income, The Christopher Laing Foundation sits at the 100th 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 Localgiving Foundation (£8.0m), The Marcela Trust (£8.3m) and Point North Community Foundation (£7.7m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 92% and investments 8.3%. Charitable activities took 88% of spending and raising funds 8.5%. Grants to other organisations totalled £484k. Reserves of £232k would cover about 5 months of spending at that rate.