Every registered charity in England and Wales must file accounts with the Charity Commission. As a donor, you do not need to be an accountant — three numbers matter most.
Charitable activities spend
This is money spent directly on the charity’s purpose: research, beds, food parcels, animal care, and so on. Our Cause spend star rating compares this to total expenditure.
Fundraising costs
How much the charity spent to raise money. Some fundraising is necessary; very high ratios may appear as a red flag on the charity’s profile.
Reserves
Money held for future work. Too little is risky; too much for years may mean your donation is not used soon. We show reserves in months of operating costs where available.
What we do not score
We do not score “worthiness” of the cause, celebrity backing, or marketing polish — only what the filings show.