BBC Children in Need

Analysis

BBC Children in Need is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Greater Manchester. It was registered in September 1989, 37 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, disability and the prevention or relief of poverty, which this site groups under disability. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04723022). It says it makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending June 2025, BBC Children in Need reported income of £61.0m and spending of £53.6m, spending 88% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from June 2021 to June 2025, income fell from £65.6m to £61.0m (-7.0%), an average of -1.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to June 2023, when income dropped by 28%. Over the whole period it spent 92% of the income it received.

Among 12,871 England and Wales charities whose main cause is disability and that reported income, BBC Children in Need 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 Fitzroy Support (£60.2m), The London Marathon Charitable Trust Limited (£69.7m) and The Donkey Sanctuary (£59.6m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 87%, charitable activities 8.3% and investments 4.4%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £3.2m. Charitable activities took 81% of spending and raising funds 18%. Grants to other organisations totalled £37.6m. Reserves of £66.6m would cover about 15 months of spending at that rate. It employed 167 people.