The National Life Story Collection

Analysis

The National Life Story Collection is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in September 1987, 39 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02172518). It says it provides advocacy/advice/information, sponsors or undertakes research and acts as an umbrella or resource body.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The National Life Story Collection reported income of £306k and spending of £368k, spending 120% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £164k to £306k (+87%), an average of +17% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 68%. Over the whole period it spent 113% 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 National Life Story Collection sits at the 89th percentile: it is larger than about 89% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 86th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The British Association of Barbershop Singers (£306k), Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust (£306k) and The Sutton Hoo Ship's Company (£306k).

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.