---
title: "What is a good admin cost ratio for a charity?"
description: "There is no single perfect number — context matters. Many well-run medium and large charities spend 70–90% on charitable activities (cause spend)."
source: https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/answers/good-admin-ratio
retrieved: 2026-08-18T01:24:29.381Z
license: "Charity data © Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0"
---

Charity finances

# What is a good admin cost ratio for a charity?

**In short:** There is no single perfect number — context matters. Many well-run medium and large charities spend 70–90% on charitable activities (cause spend). Compare peers of similar size in the same cause rather than chasing zero admin. Related: what is a good spending ratio for a charity?

Data from [CharityCompare editorial](https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/), last updated 12 August 2026.

Use **cause spend** (charitable activities ÷ total expenditure) rather than a vague “admin” slogan. A common band is about **70–90%**. Lowest overhead is not automatically best — see [charity admin costs UK](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/charity-admin-costs-explained) and [what is a good spending ratio for a charity?](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/answers/good-spending-ratio).

## Related questions

- [→ Are charity CEO salaries too high?](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/answers/charity-ceo-pay)
- [→ What is a good spending ratio for a charity?](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/answers/good-spending-ratio)
- [→ How much should I donate to charity?](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/answers/how-much-should-i-donate)
- [→ What is the difference between restricted and unrestricted funds?](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/answers/restricted-vs-unrestricted-funds)

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