English Folk Dance and Song Society

Analysis

English Folk Dance and Song Society is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in September 1963, 63 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science, amateur sport and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00297142). It says it makes grants to individuals, provides human resources and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending March 2025, English Folk Dance and Song Society reported income of £1.5m and spending of £1.6m, spending 107% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £1.4m to £1.5m (+9.6%), an average of +2.3% a year. Over the whole period it spent 103% 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, English Folk Dance and Song Society 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 95th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Create (Arts) Limited (£1.5m), Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art Limited (£1.5m) and The Vincent Wildlife Trust (£1.5m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 37%, trading 32%, charitable activities 27% and investments 2.6%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £61k. Charitable activities took 72% of spending and raising funds 3.6%. Reserves of £400k would cover about 3 months of spending at that rate. It employed 22 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.