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Hong Kong Watch

Charity rating & review

78/100 Clarity Score · 4 stars · Charity Commission filings · How we score

Verified · Charity Commission data
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78 /100

Clarity score

Good

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Quick answer

Is Hong Kong Watch a good charity?

Hong Kong Watch scores 78/100 (4 stars, Good) on CharityCompare's Clarity Score, calculated from its UK regulator filings. Its latest accounts year is 2024 (£431k total income, 91% of spending on charitable activities). This reflects financial transparency and stewardship on paper — not the real-world impact of its programmes. See the full breakdown.

London · UK-wide · EC4M 7JN Reg 1180013 Registered charity Official website Charity Commission register

What does Hong Kong Watch do?

Hong Kong Watch is a registered charity (no. 1180013) working in human rights across the United Kingdom. Its latest Charity Commission filing directs 91% of spending to charitable activities, holding roughly 38 months of reserves, and files its annual accounts on time. Reported income has been declining (≈13% a year). CharityCompare's Clarity Score rates the organisation only from public Charity Commission accounts — accountability, financial health, efficiency and community support — not the quality or impact of its programmes.

Summarised from public filings — Hong Kong Watch hasn't added its own description yet. Work here? Add it free →

In short: HONG KONG WATCH scores 78 out of 100 (4 stars). 91% average program spend (Latest year, disclosed years only). Filings are up to date with no major concerns.

What is Hong Kong Watch?

Hong Kong Watch has a Clarity Score of 78 out of 100 on CharityCompare (4 stars, Good). Charity Commission registration number 1180013. Status: Registered. Primary cause area: Human rights. Latest accounts year 2024: total income £431k, with 91% of expenditure on charitable activities. Accounts filing: up to date. Reserves: approximately 38 months of operating costs. 1 filing concern(s) noted on this profile. Scores are independent and based on official filings — not a donation recommendation.

Data from Charity Commission register, last updated .

Overall score

78/100

4★ · Good

Cause spend

91%

latest year · charitable activities

Accountability

100/100

Finance beacon

Income

£431k

Latest year 2024

Reserves

38 mo

Months of running costs

Accounts filing

On time

Charity Commission

£43.2 raised per £1 fundraising (latest year) · 3% overhead · Website on register · Confidence: high

How does HONG KONG WATCH compare?

Clarity Score percentile against similar UK charities — the share of peers HONG KONG WATCH scores higher than.

Income band (£100k–£500k)69thpercentile

Scores higher than 69% of 972 charities in its income band · 78/100 vs 70 peer average (marker).

Human rights charities50thpercentile

Scores higher than 50% of 146 charities in this cause · 78/100 vs 77 peer average (marker).

How reliable is Hong Kong Watch's data?

Source
Charity Commission (England & Wales)
Accounts year
2024
Filing date
Profile reviewed

High confidence — complete filing data

Scores reflect the latest annual accounts on the register. Clarity Score measures how clearly the charity accounts for money in those filings — not programme impact.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Sources: Charity Commission for England and Wales, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. Open Government Licence v3.0 .

What is Hong Kong Watch's Beacon report?

Detailed accountability and finance metrics from UK regulator filings — structured for transparency in our four-beacon report.

Accountability & Transparency

Baseline trust from filing discipline, board oversight, and declared governance policies.

100/100

Accountability & Transparency metrics for HONG KONG WATCH
Metric Score Value
Filing history (5 years)

100% on-time over five years = 15 pts · one late filing = 5 pts · two or more = 0 pts.

100% 15/15 pts
Trustee oversight

Three or more trustees on the register = 15 pts, scaled down for fewer (governance red flag below three).

100% 4 trustees · 15/15 pts
Declared policies

Safeguarding (4) · conflict of interest (3) · volunteer management (3) — from Charity Commission annual return.

100% 10/10 pts

Financial Health

Stability and solvency — reserves, revenue trend, and debt from Charity Commission accounts.

37/100

Financial Health metrics for HONG KONG WATCH
Metric Score Value
Reserves (months of cash)

3–24 months = full marks, tapering on both sides · 0 months or 4+ years (hoarding) = 0 pts.

40% 38 months · 6/15 pts
Income stability / growth

+20% or more over the window = 10 pts · flat = 5 pts · −20% or worse = 0 pts, scaled between.

0% 0/10 pts · 3-year average
Liabilities to assets

0% liabilities-to-assets = 5 pts, scaling down to 0 pts at 60%+ debt.

100% 3% · 5/5 pts

Financial Efficiency

How efficiently funds reach the cause — program spend and fundraising cost ratios.

100/100

Financial Efficiency metrics for HONG KONG WATCH
Metric Score Value
Program expense ratio

90%+ on charitable activities = full marks, scaling down to 0 pts at 50% or below.

100% 91% · 10/10 pts (3-year average)
Fundraising efficiency

≤10p to raise £1 = full marks, scaling down to 0 pts at 40p or above (fundraising cost ÷ income).

100% 2p per £1 income · 10/10 pts (3-year average)

Community Support

Grassroots backing from Charity Commission workforce data — volunteers vs paid staff.

70/100

Community Support metrics for HONG KONG WATCH
Metric Score Value
Volunteer-to-staff ratio

Volunteers at 2x staff or more = full marks · no volunteers = 0 pts, scaled between.

70% 10 volunteers / 7 staff · 7/10 pts

How we calculate beacon scores →

What is Hong Kong Watch's Clarity Score?

78/100 total · Good · 4 of 5 stars

Four pillars (40 + 30 + 20 + 10 points) from Charity Commission filings — see methodology for full weightings.

100/100
Accountability & Transparency
37/100
Financial Health
100/100
Financial Efficiency
70/100
Community Support

Accountability & Transparency

Baseline trust from filing discipline, board oversight, and declared governance policies.

100/100

Filing history (5 years)15/15 pts
Trustee oversight4 trustees · 15/15 pts
Declared policies10/10 pts

Financial Health

Stability and solvency — reserves, revenue trend, and debt from Charity Commission accounts.

37/100

Reserves (months of cash)38 months · 6/15 pts
Income stability / growth0/10 pts · 3-year average
Liabilities to assets3% · 5/5 pts

Financial Efficiency

How efficiently funds reach the cause — program spend and fundraising cost ratios.

100/100

Program expense ratio91% · 10/10 pts (3-year average)
Fundraising efficiency2p per £1 income · 10/10 pts (3-year average)

Community Support

Grassroots backing from Charity Commission workforce data — volunteers vs paid staff.

70/100

Volunteer-to-staff ratio10 volunteers / 7 staff · 7/10 pts

How much does Hong Kong Watch raise and spend?

Latest filed year 2024 · Source: Charity Commission filings

HONG KONG WATCH revenue and expenses for 2024
Category Amount % of spend
Total income £431k
Total expenditure £437k
Charitable activities Not disclosed

Where does the money go?

Latest accounts (2024) · £437k spent. Not disclosed in this filing — the Charity Commission return omits the charitable-activities split.

What trust indicators does Hong Kong Watch have?

Pulled from the Charity Commission register — filing behaviour, board size, and workforce where reported.

  • Accounts filed on time

    up to date · last filing

  • Trustee board size (3–12)

    4 trustees on the Charity Commission register

  • Workforce on register

    7 employees · 10 volunteers (1:1 volunteer-to-staff)

Fundraising Regulator

Status not yet checked

Separate from our financial scores — shows whether the charity follows the Code of Fundraising Practice.

Check Fundraising Regulator →

Official register

Reg 1180013

Full trustee list, accounts, and regulatory history on the Charity Commission.

View on Charity Commission →

Trustees & officers

  • AILEEN YI WAN LAM since 2018
  • GRAY DANIEL SERGEANT since 2018
  • Dr MALTE PHILIPP KAEDING PHD since 2018
  • Benedict Rogers Chair · since 2024
How we score charities +

The Clarity Score is a 100-point rating from UK regulator filings (Charity Commission for England and Wales, OSCR and CCNI). Four pillars — Accountability & Transparency (40), Financial Health (30), Financial Efficiency (20), and Community Support (10) — each scored on a continuous scale, not pass/fail cutoffs. A statutory inquiry sets the score to 0 automatically.

Full methodology →

Accountability & Transparency

Scored from filings

40 points — filing history (15), trustee oversight (15, scaling up to a board of three or more), declared policies (10).

Financial Health

Scored from filings

30 points — reserves (15, full marks 3–24 months, tapering on both sides), income stability (10), liabilities to assets (5, scaling down as debt rises).

Financial Efficiency

Scored from filings

20 points — program expense ratio and fundraising cost, each on a graduated scale (not a single cutoff). Kept at 20% of the total: financial-ratio scoring alone is not a reliable effectiveness signal (see "why not just an overhead ratio?" below).

Community Support

Scored from filings

10 points — volunteer-to-staff ratio from Charity Commission workforce data, scaling continuously up to a 2:1 ratio.

Overall score

Sum of all pillar points. Display stars use the same bands as the labels: 90–100 → 5★ Exceptional; 75–89 → 4★ Good; 60–74 → 3★ Needs improvement; 1–59 → 2★ Poor; 0 → not rated.

How have Hong Kong Watch's finances changed over five years?

£0k £200k £400k £600k £800k 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Income 2020: £757k Spending 2020: £136k Cause spend 2020: £116k Income 2021: £567k Spending 2021: £272k Cause spend 2021: £242k Income 2022: £601k Spending 2022: £387k Cause spend 2022: £354k Income 2023: £392k Spending 2023: £419k Cause spend 2023: £0k Income 2024: £431k Spending 2024: £437k Cause spend 2024: £0k
  • Income
  • Spending
  • Cause spend

Values in £ thousands · Cause spend plotted only when the filing discloses a split · Source: Charity Commission accounts

What are the key facts about Hong Kong Watch?

Overall score
78/100 (4★)
Income
£431k
Cause spend
91% of expenditure
Reg number
1180013
Scope
UK-wide
Reserves
38 months
Trustees
4
Accounts year
2024
Filing
up to date

Where HONG KONG WATCH sits

The causes this charity is classified under, and other charities working nearby.

Similar human rights charities

Top-rated peers by CharityCompare score

How can you share Hong Kong Watch's rating?

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How do you add Hong Kong Watch's rating to your site?

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What red flags does Hong Kong Watch have?

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Hong Kong Watch's rating, finances, and Charity Commission status.

Is Hong Kong Watch a good charity? +

Hong Kong Watch scores 78 out of 100 (4 stars — Good) on CharityCompare's Clarity Score, our independent read of its UK regulator filings. Around 91% of its spending goes to charitable activities and its accounts are up to date. That reflects how transparent and financially healthy it looks on paper — it does not measure the real-world impact of its work, so treat it as one factor alongside the cause you care about. CharityCompare never tells you where to donate.

Is Hong Kong Watch a legitimate charity? +

Yes — Hong Kong Watch is a legitimate registered charity (charity number 1180013). Verify it on the official register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/1180013. Registration proves status; Clarity Score then summarises filing transparency on paper, not programme impact.

What is Hong Kong Watch's charity number? +

Hong Kong Watch's charity number is 1180013. Check that number on the official register (Charity Commission, OSCR or CCNI) or this CharityCompare profile before you donate — scammers sometimes reuse real numbers on fake appeals.

What is Hong Kong Watch's charity rating? +

Hong Kong Watch scores 78 out of 100 on CharityCompare (4 stars — Good). The Clarity Score V1 sums four pillars from UK regulator filings: Accountability & Transparency (40 pts), Financial Health (30), Financial Efficiency (20), and Community Support (10). Stars use the same bands as those labels — 90+ is 5★ Exceptional. It is not an impact ranking.

Does Hong Kong Watch have reviews and complaints? +

CharityCompare does not host public user reviews for Hong Kong Watch. Instead you get a filing-based Clarity Score, cause spend, reserves and red flags such as late accounts (1 filing concern(s) noted on this profile). For formal complaints about a charity, contact the Charity Commission, OSCR, CCNI or the Fundraising Regulator as appropriate.

How much of my donation reaches Hong Kong Watch? +

According to its 2024 regulator filing, 91% of Hong Kong Watch's total spending went to charitable activities. That is the closest official figure to "how much of your donation reaches the cause" — it is an average across all spending in the filing, not a pound-by-pound breakdown of an individual gift.

What are Hong Kong Watch's overheads? +

According to its 2024 regulator filing, fundraising costs were about 9% of total expenditure and combined overheads (fundraising plus governance) were about 3% of total expenditure at Hong Kong Watch. The filings CharityCompare uses do not publish CEO or senior-staff pay, so we cannot say what Hong Kong Watch's chief executive is paid — where disclosure rules apply, senior pay appears in the trustees' annual report on the Charity Commission register.

How much income does Hong Kong Watch receive? +

Hong Kong Watch reported £431k total income in its 2024 accounts, based on UK regulator filings. Five-year trend: declining.

Are Hong Kong Watch's accounts up to date? +

Filing status: up to date (last filing 2026-06-24). CharityCompare flags late or missing accounts separately from the financial score.

Where is Hong Kong Watch based? +

Hong Kong Watch is listed at London · UK-wide · EC4M 7JN and operates UK-wide, focused on human rights.

How does CharityCompare score Hong Kong Watch? +

We calculate a Clarity Score of 0–100 from four pillars in Hong Kong Watch's regulator filings: Accountability & Transparency (40 points — filing history, trustees, policies), Financial Health (30 — reserves, income trend, debt), Financial Efficiency (20 — cause spend and fundraising cost, on a graduated scale) and Community Support (10 — volunteer-to-staff ratio). An open statutory inquiry scores 0. The score measures reporting on paper, not programme impact. CharityCompare is free for donors, takes no commission on donations, and scores cannot be bought.

How often is this page updated? +

This profile was last updated on 17 July 2026 from the latest UK regulator data available to CharityCompare, and Hong Kong Watch's most recent accounts cover 2024. Scores and figures refresh whenever we re-ingest the register, so the page reflects our latest data pull rather than a one-off review.