Medical research · Reg 1138804
Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation
Charity rating & review
82/100 Clarity Score · 4 stars · Charity Commission filings · How we score
Clarity score
Good
Quick answer
Is Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation a good charity?
Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation scores 82/100 (4 stars, Good) on CharityCompare's Clarity Score, calculated from its UK regulator filings. Its latest accounts year is 2024 (£4.8m total income, 66% 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.
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How can you give to WINGS FOR LIFE UK SPINAL CORD RESEARCH FOUNDATION?
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What does Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation do?
Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation is a registered charity (no. 1138804) working in medical research across the United Kingdom. Its latest Charity Commission filing directs 66% of spending to charitable activities, holding roughly 36 months of reserves, and files its annual accounts on time. Reported income has been growing (≈31% 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 — Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation hasn't added its own description yet. Work here? Add it free →
In short: WINGS FOR LIFE UK SPINAL CORD RESEARCH FOUNDATION scores 82 out of 100 (4 stars). 66% average program spend (3-year average). Filings are up to date with no major concerns.
What is Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation?
Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation has a Clarity Score of 82 out of 100 on CharityCompare (4 stars, Good). Charity Commission registration number 1138804. Status: Registered. Primary cause area: Medical research. Latest accounts year 2024: total income £4.8m, with 66% of expenditure on charitable activities. Accounts filing: up to date. Reserves: approximately 36 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
82/100
4★ · Good
Cause spend
66%
3-yr avg · charitable activities
Accountability
100/100
Finance beacon
Income
£4.8m
Latest year 2024
Reserves
36 mo
Months of running costs
Accounts filing
On time
Charity Commission
£5.3 raised per £1 fundraising (3-yr avg) · 36% overhead · Website on register · Confidence: high
How does WINGS FOR LIFE UK SPINAL CORD RESEARCH FOUNDATION compare?
Clarity Score percentile against similar UK charities — the share of peers WINGS FOR LIFE UK SPINAL CORD RESEARCH FOUNDATION scores higher than.
Scores higher than 59% of 2,776 charities in its income band · 82/100 vs 78 peer average (marker).
Scores higher than 77% of 22 charities in this cause · 82/100 vs 76 peer average (marker).
How reliable is Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation'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 Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation'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
| 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% | 9 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.
70/100
| Metric | Score | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Reserves (months of cash) 3–24 months = full marks, tapering on both sides · 0 months or 4+ years (hoarding) = 0 pts. | 53% | 36 months · 8/15 pts |
| Income stability / growth +20% or more over the window = 10 pts · flat = 5 pts · −20% or worse = 0 pts, scaled between. | 100% | 10/10 pts · 3-year average |
| Liabilities to assets 0% liabilities-to-assets = 5 pts, scaling down to 0 pts at 60%+ debt. | 60% | 23% · 3/5 pts |
Financial Efficiency
How efficiently funds reach the cause — program spend and fundraising cost ratios.
55/100
| Metric | Score | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Program expense ratio 90%+ on charitable activities = full marks, scaling down to 0 pts at 50% or below. | 40% | 66% · 4/10 pts (3-year average) |
| Fundraising efficiency ≤10p to raise £1 = full marks, scaling down to 0 pts at 40p or above (fundraising cost ÷ income). | 70% | 20p per £1 income · 7/10 pts (3-year average) |
Community Support
Grassroots backing from Charity Commission workforce data — volunteers vs paid staff.
100/100
| Metric | Score | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteer-to-staff ratio Volunteers at 2x staff or more = full marks · no volunteers = 0 pts, scaled between. | 100% | 20 volunteers / 6 staff · 10/10 pts |
What is Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation's Clarity Score?
82/100 total · Good · 4 of 5 stars
Four pillars (40 + 30 + 20 + 10 points) from Charity Commission filings — see methodology for full weightings.
Accountability & Transparency
Baseline trust from filing discipline, board oversight, and declared governance policies.
100/100
Financial Health
Stability and solvency — reserves, revenue trend, and debt from Charity Commission accounts.
70/100
Financial Efficiency
How efficiently funds reach the cause — program spend and fundraising cost ratios.
55/100
Community Support
Grassroots backing from Charity Commission workforce data — volunteers vs paid staff.
100/100
How much does Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation raise and spend?
Latest filed year 2024 · Source: Charity Commission filings
| Category | Amount | % of spend |
|---|---|---|
| Total income | £4.8m | — |
| Total expenditure | £3.3m | — |
| Charitable activities | £2.5m | 77% |
| Fundraising | £763k | 23% |
| Governance & admin | £54k | 2% |
Where does the money go?
Latest accounts (2024) · £3.3m spent
- Charitable activities77% · £2.5m
- Fundraising23% · £763k
- Governance2% · £54k
What trust indicators does Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation 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)
9 trustees on the Charity Commission register
-
Workforce on register
6 employees · 20 volunteers (3:1 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 1138804
Full trustee list, accounts, and regulatory history on the Charity Commission.
View on Charity Commission →Trustees & officers
- ANITA GERHARDTER
- DOMINIK MITSCH since 2013
- Paul Stewart Chair · since 2015
- Seth Marthinsson since 2016
- Jamie Rake since 2017
- RUPERT ELLIOTT since 2018
- Peter James Charles since 2019
- Stephen Ingham since 2023
- Mandy Glew since 2025
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.
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 Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation's finances changed over five years?
- 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 Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation?
- Overall score
- 82/100 (4★)
- Income
- £4.8m
- Cause spend
- 66% of expenditure
- Reg number
- 1138804
- Scope
- UK-wide
- Reserves
- 36 months
- Trustees
- 9
- Accounts year
- 2024
- Filing
- up to date
How does WINGS FOR LIFE UK SPINAL CORD RESEARCH FOUNDATION compare, and where else can you look?
Where WINGS FOR LIFE UK SPINAL CORD RESEARCH FOUNDATION sits
The causes this charity is classified under, and other charities working nearby.
Similar medical research charities
Top-rated peers by CharityCompare score
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- HEART RESEARCH UK 87/100 · £3.4m
- HOMEOPATHY RESEARCH INSTITUTE 87/100 · £1.6m
How can you share Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation's rating?
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What red flags does Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation have?
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation's rating, finances, and Charity Commission status.
Is Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation a good charity? +
Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation scores 82 out of 100 (4 stars — Good) on CharityCompare's Clarity Score, our independent read of its UK regulator filings. Around 66% 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 Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation a legitimate charity? +
Yes — Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation is a legitimate registered charity (charity number 1138804). Verify it on the official register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/1138804. Registration proves status; Clarity Score then summarises filing transparency on paper, not programme impact.
What is Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation's charity number? +
Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation's charity number is 1138804. 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 Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation's charity rating? +
Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation scores 82 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 Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation have reviews and complaints? +
CharityCompare does not host public user reviews for Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation. 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 Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation? +
According to its 2024 regulator filing, 66% of Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation's total spending went to charitable activities (3-yr avg across disclosed years). 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 Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation's overheads? +
According to its 2024 regulator filing, fundraising costs were about 34% of total expenditure and combined overheads (fundraising plus governance) were about 36% of total expenditure at Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation. The filings CharityCompare uses do not publish CEO or senior-staff pay, so we cannot say what Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation'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 Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation receive? +
Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation reported £4.8m total income in its 2024 accounts, based on UK regulator filings. Five-year trend: growing.
Are Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation'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 Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation based? +
Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation is listed at London · UK-wide · WC2H 9LA and operates UK-wide, focused on medical research.
How does CharityCompare score Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation? +
We calculate a Clarity Score of 0–100 from four pillars in Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation'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 Wings for Life UK Spinal Cord Research Foundation'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.