The National Childbirth Trust

Analysis

The National Childbirth Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in April 1989, 37 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and the advancement of health or saving of lives, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02370573). It says it provides services, provides advocacy/advice/information and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The National Childbirth Trust reported income of £11.1m and spending of £11.9m, spending 107% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £10.4m to £11.1m (+6.9%), an average of +1.7% a year. Over the whole period it spent 102% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, The National Childbirth Trust sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include International Water Association (£11.1m), The Alongside Charity (£11.2m) and The Cochrane Collaboration (£11.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 85%, donations and legacies 7.5% and trading 1.8%. Charitable activities took 94% of spending and raising funds 1.2%. Reserves of £3.6m would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 185 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.