Britten Sinfonia Ltd
Analysis
Britten Sinfonia Ltd is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cambridgeshire. It was registered in May 1985, 41 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and recreation, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01486893). It says it provides services and other charitable activities.
In the financial year ending March 2026, Britten Sinfonia Ltd reported income of £1.6m and spending of £1.9m, spending 114% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2022 to March 2026, income grew from £1.2m to £1.6m (+38%), an average of +8.4% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 46%. Over the whole period it spent 100% 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, Britten Sinfonia Ltd sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 96th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Maltings (Berwick) Trust (£1.6m), Rockingham Forest Trust (£1.6m) and The Richard Stoker Trust (£1.6m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 63% and donations and legacies 37%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £105k. Charitable activities took 89% of spending and raising funds 10.0%. Reserves of £347k would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 13 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 31%
- Legacies 6.4%
- Charitable activities 63%
- Investments 0.0%
In the charity's own words
Britten Sinfonia is an orchestra.The objectives of the charity are:To be the international benchmark for the chamber orchestra.To inspire people with fresh and exciting performances of great music from Albinoni to Zappa.To appeal to diverse cultural groups, both through the work it presents and the way it is presented.To promote the appreciation of music.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| The Maltings (Berwick) Trust | Berwick-Upon-Tweed | £1.6m |
| Rockingham Forest Trust | Wellingborough | £1.6m |
| The Richard Stoker Trust | London | £1.6m |
| Stockport Plaza Trust Limited | Stockport | £1.6m |