The Martin Laing Foundation

Analysis

The Martin 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, accommodation/housing and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under housing and shelter. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending April 2026, The Martin Laing Foundation reported income of £624k and spending of £365k, leaving 42% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from April 2022 to April 2026, income grew from £409k to £624k (+52%), an average of +11% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to April 2025, when income rose by 1807%. Over the whole period it spent 24% of the income it received.

Among 2,324 England and Wales charities whose main cause is housing and shelter and that reported income, The Martin Laing Foundation sits at the 85th percentile: it is larger than about 85% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 91st percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Norton Folgate Almshouse Charities (£621k), Maldon Housing Association Ltd (£652k) and Community Impact Bucks (£617k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 100%. Charitable activities took 96% of spending and raising funds 0.3%. Grants to other organisations totalled £327k. Reserves of £23.1m would cover about 729 months of spending at that rate.