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THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED

Charity rating & review

72/100 Clarity Score · 2 stars · Charity Commission filings · How we score

Verified · Charity Commission data
72 /100

Clarity score

Needs improvement

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Is THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED a good charity?

THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED scores 72/100 (Needs improvement) on our Clarity Score, with 72% of spending going to charitable activities and accounts up to date. This reflects financial transparency and stewardship from Charity Commission filings — not the real-world impact of its programmes. See the full breakdown.

Birmingham · B15 3TR Reg 528981 Registered charity Official website Charity Commission register

Mission

THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED is a registered charity (no. 528981) working in animals in Birmingham · B15 3TR. Its latest Charity Commission filing directs 72% of spending to charitable activities, holding roughly 2 months of reserves, and files its annual accounts on time. Reported income has been declining over recent years. 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.

In short: THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED scores 72 out of 100 (2 stars). 72% average program spend (3-year average). Review the pillar breakdown below.

Overview

THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED has a Clarity Score of 72 out of 100 on CharityCompare (2 stars, Needs improvement). Charity Commission registration number 528981. Status: Registered. Primary cause area: Animals. Latest accounts year 2021: total income £1.6m, with 72% of expenditure on charitable activities. Accounts filing: up to date. Reserves: approximately 2 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

72/100

2★ · Needs improvement

Cause spend

72%

3-yr avg · charitable activities

Accountability

100/100

Finance beacon

Income

£1.6m

Latest year 2021

Reserves

2 mo

Months of running costs

Accounts filing

On time

Charity Commission

£4.1 raised per £1 fundraising (3-yr avg) · 31% overhead · Website on register · Confidence: high

How THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED compares

Clarity Score benchmarked against similar UK charities — higher is better.

Income band (£1m–£5m)72 vs 77 avg

Ranks higher than 36% of 3,014 charities in its income band.

Animals charities72 vs 76 avg

Ranks higher than 40% of 2,982 charities in this cause.

Data & confidence

Source
Charity Commission (E&W)
Accounts year
2021
Filing date
2026-06-24 00:00:00.0000000
Profile reviewed
2026-06-25

High confidence — complete filing data

Scores reflect the latest annual accounts on the register. Impact, leadership, and culture beacons require information beyond public filings.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Charity Commission for England and Wales . Open Government Licence v3.0 .

Beacon report

Detailed accountability and finance metrics from Charity Commission 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 THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED
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 · one or two = 0 pts (governance red flag).

100% 13 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.

40/100

Financial Health metrics for THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED
Metric Score Value
Reserves (months of cash)

3–24 months = 15 pts · 1–3 months = 7 pts · under 1 month or over 3 years (hoarding) = 0 pts.

47% 2 months · 7/15 pts
Income stability / growth

Positive or stable three-year revenue trend = 10 pts · sustained decline = 0 pts.

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

Low debt (< 30% liabilities to assets) = 5 pts · high debt = 0 pts.

100% 16% · 5/5 pts

Financial Efficiency

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

50/100

Financial Efficiency metrics for THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED
Metric Score Value
Program expense ratio

≥ 75% on charitable activities = 10 pts · 60–75% = 5 pts · below 60% = 0 pts.

50% 72% · 5/10 pts (3-year average)
Fundraising efficiency

Spends ≤ £0.20 to raise £1 = 10 pts · £0.21–£0.35 = 5 pts · above £0.35 = 0 pts (fundraising cost ÷ income).

50% 25p per £1 income · 5/10 pts (3-year average)

Community Support

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

100/100

Community Support metrics for THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED
Metric Score Value
Volunteer-to-staff ratio

More volunteers than paid staff = 10 pts · equal mix = 5 pts · no volunteers = 0 pts.

100% 100 volunteers / 44 staff · 10/10 pts

How we calculate beacon scores →

Clarity Score

72/100 total · Needs improvement · 2 of 4 stars

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

100/100
Accountability & Transparency
40/100
Financial Health
50/100
Financial Efficiency
100/100
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 oversight13 trustees · 15/15 pts
Declared policies10/10 pts

Financial Health

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

40/100

Reserves (months of cash)2 months · 7/15 pts
Income stability / growth0/10 pts · 3-year average
Liabilities to assets16% · 5/5 pts

Financial Efficiency

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

50/100

Program expense ratio72% · 5/10 pts (3-year average)
Fundraising efficiency25p per £1 income · 5/10 pts (3-year average)

Community Support

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

100/100

Volunteer-to-staff ratio100 volunteers / 44 staff · 10/10 pts

Revenue & expenses

Latest filed year 2021 · Source: Charity Commission annual accounts

THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED revenue and expenses for 2021
Category Amount % of spend
Total income £1.6m
Total expenditure £1.4m
Charitable activities £1.2m 82%
Fundraising £259k 18%
Governance & admin £32k 2%
82%On charitable activities

Where the money goes

Latest accounts (2021) · £1.4m spent

  • Charitable activities82%
  • Fundraising18%
  • Governance2%

Trust indicators

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

  • Accounts filed on time

    up to date · last filing 2026-06-24 00:00:00.0000000

  • Trustee board size (3–12)

    13 trustees on the Charity Commission register

  • Workforce on register

    44 employees · 100 volunteers (2:1 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 528981

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

View on Charity Commission →

Trustees & officers

  • James Michael Brown since 2019
  • Caroline Clutton-Brock since 2020
  • Fiona Taylor since 2021
  • Rob Macpherson since 2021
  • Pamela Smith since 2021
  • Susan Beardsmore since 2022
  • Rita McLean since 2023
  • Daniel Murphy since 2024
  • Lynsey Rutter since 2024
  • Carol King since 2024
  • William Holden since 2024
  • Philip Chapman since 2025
How we score charities +

The Clarity Score is a 100-point rating from UK Charity Commission data. Four pillars — Accountability & Transparency (40), Financial Health (30), Financial Efficiency (20), and Community Support (10). A statutory inquiry sets the score to 0 automatically.

Full methodology →

Accountability & Transparency

Scored from filings

40 points — filing history (15), trustee oversight (15), declared policies (10).

Financial Health

Scored from filings

30 points — reserves (15), income stability (10), liabilities to assets (5).

Financial Efficiency

Scored from filings

20 points — program expense ratio (10), fundraising efficiency (10). Kept at 20% to avoid punishing legitimate infrastructure costs.

Community Support

Scored from filings

10 points — volunteer-to-staff ratio from Charity Commission workforce data.

Overall score

Sum of all pillar points. Translated to stars: 90–100 Exceptional (4★), 75–89 Good (3★), 60–74 Needs improvement (2★), below 60 Poor (1★).

Five-year trends

£0k £700k £1400k £2100k £2800k 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Income 2021: £1,574k Spending 2021: £1,433k Cause spend 2021: £1,174k Income 2022: £1,699k Spending 2022: £1,738k Cause spend 2022: £1,050k Income 2023: £2,490k Spending 2023: £1,781k Cause spend 2023: £1,204k Income 2024: £2,118k Spending 2024: £2,068k Cause spend 2024: £1,538k Income 2025: £2,012k Spending 2025: £2,109k Cause spend 2025: £1,591k
  • Income
  • Spending
  • Cause spend

Values in £ thousands · Source: Charity Commission accounts

Key facts

Overall score
72/100 (2★)
Income
£1.6m
Cause spend
72% of expenditure
Reg number
528981
Scope
Local (birmingham)
Reserves
2 months
Trustees
13
Accounts year
2021
Filing
up to date

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Red flags

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED's rating, finances, and Charity Commission status.

What is THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED's charity rating? +

THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED scores 72 out of 100 on CharityCompare (2 stars — Needs improvement). The Clarity Score V1 sums four pillars from Charity Commission filings: Accountability & Transparency (40 pts), Financial Health (30), Financial Efficiency (20), and Community Support (10).

Is THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED a good charity to donate to? +

THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED scores 72 out of 100 (2 stars — Needs improvement) on CharityCompare's Clarity Score, our independent read of its Charity Commission filings. Around 72% 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 THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED a legitimate UK charity? +

Yes — THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under registration number 528981. You can verify the entry on the official register.

What is THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED's Charity Commission registration number? +

THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED's registration number is 528981. Official register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/528981

How much income does THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED receive? +

THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED reported £1.6m total income in its 2021 accounts, based on Charity Commission filings. Five-year trend: declining.

What percentage of THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED's spending goes to charitable activities? +

Approximately 72% of total expenditure went to charitable activities in the latest filed year. Fundraising was 28% and combined overhead (fundraising plus governance) was 31%.

Are THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED's accounts up to date? +

Filing status: up to date (last filing 2026-06-24 00:00:00.0000000). CharityCompare flags late or missing accounts separately from the financial score.

Where is THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED based? +

THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED is listed at Birmingham · B15 3TR, focused on animals.

How does CharityCompare score THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED? +

We analyse Charity Commission annual accounts using three-year averages for program expense, fundraising efficiency, and overhead; working capital from reserves vs average expenditure; liabilities-to-assets from the latest balance sheet when available. Impact, leadership, and culture beacons are not yet assessed from public data alone. See our methodology for weights and thresholds.

Does CharityCompare recommend donating to THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED? +

No. CharityCompare provides independent scores and facts from official filings. We do not tell you where to donate or earn commission from charities.

How can I compare THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED with other charities? +

Use our free compare tool to put THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY LIMITED side-by-side with other UK charities on scores, finances, and filing status.