The Council for British Archaeology

Analysis

The Council for British Archaeology is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in York. It was registered in September 1983, 43 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01760254). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides human resources.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Council for British Archaeology reported income of £978k and spending of £957k, spending 98% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £941k to £978k (+3.9%), an average of +1.0% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income dropped by 28%. Over the whole period it spent 96% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Council for British Archaeology 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 94th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Royal Borough of Greenwich Heritage Trust (£977k), Calderdale Music Limited (£979k) and Cleveland Independent Theatre Company Limited (£975k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 100%. Charitable activities took 100% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £80k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 16 people.