Mental Health Matters

Analysis

Mental Health Matters is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Sunderland. It was registered in February 1984, 42 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, disability, accommodation/housing and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under disability. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01786914). It says it provides human resources, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Mental Health Matters reported income of £28.2m and spending of £27.6m, spending 98% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £17.8m to £28.2m (+58%), an average of +12% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 21%. Over the whole period it spent 98% of the income it received.

Among 12,871 England and Wales charities whose main cause is disability and that reported income, Mental Health Matters sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund (£27.7m), The Thalidomide Trust (£28.6m) and Worth Abbey (£27.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 99%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £45k. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £5.1m would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 604 people.