Sense, the National Deafblind and Rubella Association

Analysis

Sense, the National Deafblind and Rubella Association is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Birmingham. It was registered in July 1984, 42 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives and disability, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01825301). It says it provides services, provides advocacy/advice/information and other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Sense, the National Deafblind and Rubella Association reported income of £101.9m and spending of £104.2m, spending 102% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £75.2m to £101.9m (+35%), an average of +7.9% 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, Sense, the National Deafblind and Rubella Association sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Malaria Consortium (£99.4m), The Road Safety Trust (£102.1m) and The Priory of England and the Islands of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem (£98.8m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 69%, donations and legacies 16% and trading 15%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £3.9m. Charitable activities took 76% of spending and raising funds 6.6%. It employed 2,956 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.