The London Library

Analysis

The London Library is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in October 1968, 58 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The London Library reported income of £6.3m and spending of £5.8m, spending 92% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £4.9m to £6.3m (+28%), an average of +6.4% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 49%. Over the whole period it spent 94% 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, The London Library sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery Trust (£6.2m), Postal Heritage Trust (£6.3m) and The Zoological Society of East Anglia Limited (£6.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 48%, donations and legacies 46%, investments 4.8% and trading 1.7%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £1.5m. Charitable activities took 82% of spending and raising funds 14%. Reserves of £2.6m would cover about 5 months of spending at that rate. It employed 73 people.