The Philharmonia Benevolent Fund

Analysis

The Philharmonia Benevolent Fund is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in July 1980, 46 years ago. Its declared purposes cover the advancement of health or saving of lives, disability and the prevention or relief of poverty, which this site groups under health and saving lives. It says it makes grants to individuals.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Philharmonia Benevolent Fund reported income of £41k and spending of £72k, spending 174% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £26k to £41k (+56%), an average of +12% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 21%. Over the whole period it spent 116% 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 Philharmonia Benevolent Fund sits at the 49th percentile: it is larger than about 49% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 58th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include York Coronary Support Group Trust (£41k), Elh Charitable Trust (£41k) and Town Lands (£41k).

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.