The Thomson Foundation

Analysis

The Thomson Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in December 1962, 64 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, which this site groups under education and training. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to individuals, provides human resources and provides services.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Thomson Foundation reported income of £3.1m and spending of £4.0m, spending 128% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £2.6m to £3.1m (+21%), an average of +4.9% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2024, when income rose by 35%. Over the whole period it spent 121% of the income it received.

Among 21,402 England and Wales charities whose main cause is education and training and that reported income, The Thomson Foundation 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 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Ermine Education Trust (£3.1m), Belmont School (Feldemore) Educational Trust Limited (£3.1m) and Maritime + Engineering College North West (£3.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 74%, charitable activities 21% and investments 5.2%. Charitable activities took 72% of spending and raising funds 0.7%. Reserves of £13.1m would cover about 29 months of spending at that rate. It employed 12 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.