The Band Aid Charitable Trust

Analysis

The Band Aid Charitable Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Surrey. It was registered in July 1985, 41 years ago. Its declared purposes cover the prevention or relief of poverty and overseas aid/famine relief, which this site groups under poverty relief. It says it makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending November 2025, The Band Aid Charitable Trust reported income of £3.5m and spending of £4.0m, spending 112% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from November 2021 to November 2025, income grew from £2.1m to £3.5m (+69%), an average of +14% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to November 2025, when income rose by 43%. Over the whole period it spent 100% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, The Band Aid Charitable Trust sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% 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 United Utilities Trust Fund (£3.5m), Salford Foundation Limited (£3.6m) and Youth Business International (£3.5m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 96%, donations and legacies 1.9% and investments 1.9%. Charitable activities took 96% of spending and raising funds 3.1%. Grants to other organisations totalled £3.7m. Reserves of £3.8m would cover about 12 months of spending at that rate.

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.