Arthritis Action
Analysis
Arthritis Action is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in September 1985, 41 years ago. Its declared purposes cover 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 01914825). It says it provides services, provides advocacy/advice/information and sponsors or undertakes research.
In the financial year ending October 2025, Arthritis Action reported income of £651k and spending of £1.2m, spending 178% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from October 2021 to October 2025, income grew from £606k to £651k (+7.4%), an average of +1.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to October 2024, when income rose by 109%. Over the whole period it spent 146% of the income it received.
Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Arthritis Action sits at the 86th percentile: it is larger than about 86% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 91st percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Pimapalestine Limited (£651k), The Institute of Group Analysis (£651k) and Henderson Trust (£650k).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 66%, investments 24% and charitable activities 9.7%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £333k. Charitable activities took 66% of spending and raising funds 29%. Grants to other organisations totalled £3,939. Reserves of £4.2m would cover about 41 months of spending at that rate. It employed 16 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 15%
- Legacies 51%
- Charitable activities 9.7%
- Trading 0.3%
- Investments 24%
- Other 0.0%
In the charity's own words
Founded in 1942, Arthritis Action is a UK charity helping people with arthritis to live a more active life with less pain. The Charity offers a holistic self-management approach to people living with all forms of arthritis, comprised of healthy eating and nutritional consultations, education and support groups, self-management events, and access to physical therapies across the UK.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Pimapalestine Limited | Cheshire | £651k |
| The Institute of Group Analysis | London | £651k |
| Henderson Trust | Norwich | £650k |
| Exercise Rehabilitation Association Limited | Kingswinford | £651k |