The Union of the Sisters of Mercy of Great Britain

Analysis

The Union of the Sisters of Mercy of Great Britain is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in November 1983, 43 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the prevention or relief of poverty and religious activities, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides human resources.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Union of the Sisters of Mercy of Great Britain reported income of £5.5m and spending of £6.7m, spending 122% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £6.3m to £5.5m (-14%), an average of -3.6% a year. Over the whole period it spent 109% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, The Union of the Sisters of Mercy of Great Britain sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Minority Rights Group (£5.5m), Women's Aid Federation of England (£5.5m) and Mifal Hachesed Vehatzedokoh (£5.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 35%, investments 35% and charitable activities 28%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £7,008. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.3%. Grants to other organisations totalled £197k. Reserves of £6.6m would cover about 12 months of spending at that rate. It employed 73 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.