The Big C Appeal Limited

Analysis

The Big C Appeal Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Norwich. It was registered in February 1981, 45 years ago. Its declared purposes cover the advancement of health or saving of lives, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01521441). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Big C Appeal Limited reported income of £3.2m and spending of £3.5m, spending 112% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £3.1m to £3.2m (+1.0%), an average of +0.3% a year. Over the whole period it spent 100% 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 Big C Appeal Limited sits at the 95th percentile: it is larger than about 95% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Kent Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (£3.2m), Huntingtons Disease Association (£3.2m) and The British Thoracic Society (£3.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 49%, donations and legacies 35%, charitable activities 15% and investments 1.5%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £537k. Charitable activities took 43% of spending and raising funds 55%. Grants to other organisations totalled £17k. It employed 93 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.