The National Institute of Economic and Social Research

Analysis

The National Institute of Economic and Social Research is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in August 1962, 64 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under community and economic development. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00341010). It says it sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending March 2026, The National Institute of Economic and Social Research reported income of £3.3m and spending of £3.4m, spending 104% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2022 to March 2026, income fell from £4.6m to £3.3m (-29%), an average of -8.2% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income dropped by 39%. Over the whole period it spent 103% of the income it received.

Among 1,869 England and Wales charities whose main cause is community and economic development and that reported income, The National Institute of Economic and Social Research sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% 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 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (United Kingdom Branch) (£3.3m), Training and Development Resource Limited (£3.3m) and The Trust for Developing Communities (£3.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 93% and trading 7.3%. Charitable activities took 98% of spending and raising funds 0.9%. Reserves of £2.0m would cover about 7 months of spending at that rate. It employed 43 people.