Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 5.0 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £87.3bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
Funding for charities isn't evenly distributed
- As a result of Brexit, European Structural Funding ended in March 2022, but the UK Shared Prosperity Fund was launched in April 2022 to replace it. £2.6 billion was made available until the end of March 2025 to support funding for social programmes, providing help to UK charities through grants, business advice and mentoring. According to the UK government, the UKSPF enabled over 19,000 enterprises and 19,000 individuals to receive business and skills support, created more than 1,400 jobs and helped over 5,200 people progress into employment or training. The UKSPF has been extended through 2025-26, with an additional £900 million in funding to support the extension of service.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
The Better Futures Fund supports charities’ income
- The Better Futures Fund (BFF), launched by the UK government in July 2025, is a £500 million initiative that aims to support up to 200,000 vulnerable children and their families over the following 10 years. The fund’s goals are to break down barriers to opportunity, boost pupil achievement, reduce reoffending and provide specialist support for children facing challenges like school exclusion, mental health issues and risk of crime.
Biggest companies in the Charities in the UK
| Company | Market Share (%)
2026 | Revenue (£m)
2026 |
|---|---|---|
Cancer Research UK | 710.2 | |
Oxfam | 420.9 | |
Barnardo's | 360.2 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Social services, Education and research and Religion. Social services is the largest segment of the Charities in the UK.
Trends and Insights
Cost-of-living pressures mean social service charities are in demand
- These charities offer support to young, old or vulnerable people; emergency and relief services, such as lifeboat organisations; homeless shelters; refugee assistance and foodbanks.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
This industry includes organisations that meet the National Council for Voluntary Organisations’ definition of general charities. These are defined as non-profit organisations with a meaningful degree of voluntary participation and whose aims are in the public benefit. broader civil society organisations, such as places of worship, independent schools, housing associations and government bodies, aren't considered part of the industry
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Charities industry in the United Kingdom include Social services, Education and research, Religion, Development and housing, Culture and recreation, Healthcare and medical, International aid and Environment, conservation and animal welfare.Companies
Companies covered in the Charities industry in the United Kingdom include Cancer Research UK, Oxfam and Barnardo's.Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Charities industry in the United Kingdom include legacy, ncvo and non-profit organisation.Industry Code
SIC 85.42/1 - Charities in the UK
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Scandals hit major charities’ reputations. A series of scandals involving well-known charities like the Captain Tom Foundation dented consumers’ confidence in these organisat...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Charities contend with fluctuating individual donations. The turbulent economic climate, amplified by the cost-of-living squeeze and high inflation, is discouraging people fr...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
London holds a huge number of charities. Organisations in the capital thrive on the region's vast wealth and distinct inequalities. At the same time, London's international f...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Charities vie for funding sources. They strive to maintain an impeccable public image and demonstrate efficient fund usage to attract voluntary donations and government suppo...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
There’s a huge number of charities in the UK. They come in all different shapes and sizes and are needed to fund a huge variety of causes, keeping the market highly fragmente...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
- Overview of Cancer Research UK's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Oxfam's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Barnardo's's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Cancer Research UK, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Oxfam, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Barnardo's, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Regulations steer charities' operations. They have to make sure they’re registered with their regional charity regulator, adhere to standards for their accounting practices a...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Charities don’t operate in pursuit of profit. Any surplus they generate is invested back into their social endeavours, ensuring their operations continue to focus on their mi...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Liquidity Ratios (2019-2023)
- Coverage Ratios (2019-2023)
- Leverage Ratios (2019-2023)
- Operating Ratios (2019-2023)
- Assets (2019-2023)
- Liabilities (2019-2023)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Charities industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
The market size of the Charities industry in the United Kingdom is £87.3bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Charities industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
There are 173k businesses in the Charities industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.0 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Charities industry in the United Kingdom?
The Charities industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Charities industry in the United Kingdom?
The Charities industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Charities industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Charities industry in the United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 5.0 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Charities industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Charities industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Charities industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Charities industry in the United Kingdom are Cancer Research UK, Oxfam and Barnardo's
What does the Charities industry in the United Kingdom include?
Social services and Education and research are part of the Charities industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Charities industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the Charities industry in the United Kingdom is Cancer Research UK.
How competitive is the Charities industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Charities industry in the United Kingdom.
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
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Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the UK include:
- Office for National Statistics
- Office for Budget Responsibility
- Bank of England
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
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