Annual Report 2024-25

Barts Charity is an endowment-backed medical charity dedicated to improving health in East London through funding innovative research and transformational healthcare. With a £506m investment portfolio and a five-year strategy backed by over £150m in planned grants, in 2024-25 it awarded £21.7m across Barts Health NHS Trust, Queen Mary University of London and City St George's. Key investments include a £4.63m tuberculosis centre with global research potential, a new rectal cancer treatment service, and studies into air pollution's impact on children's lung health.

Report snapshot
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📋About

Grant-making across three funding schemes: Research Project Grants (up to 36 months), Research Seed Grants (early-stage), and Healthcare Small Grants; partners: Barts Health NHS Trust (£5.0m), Queen Mary University of London Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry (£16.6m), City St George's University of London (£0.1m); endowment management; fundraising and communications; Clinical Research Facility development at The Royal London Hospital Custom geography from upload: East London / National / Global

📊Key Metrics

£21.7m granted to healthcare and research projects in 2024-25; investment portfolio valued at £506m at year end; endowment-backed five-year strategy (2022-2027) commits over £150m in planned investment Key Metric 1
£4.63m awarded to establish a new centre tackling high rates of tuberculosis in East London — with potential global impact on TB diagnosis and treatment; £0.65m to introduce contact x-ray brachytherapy for rectal cancer at Barts Health (treating tumours without surgery) Key Metric 2
£0.65m to establish a nurse-led alcohol and drug liaison service at Newham Hospital; £0.4m to study impact of air pollution in London school playgrounds on children's lung function and asthma risk; £3.6m of permanent endowment released for Fellowship programme Key Metric 3

Key Outcomes

  • Funding split across research and healthcare delivery at five NHS hospitals in East London; Clinical Research Facility at The Royal London Hospital progressing — building start aimed for second half of 2025; refreshed Intellectual Property policy launched
  • Major gift fundraising pivoted following Breast Cancer Centre feasibility challenges; however feasibility work funded by Barts Charity helped clarify cost and risk profile for Barts Health and accelerated service improvements
  • Externally-led recruitment review completed to improve inclusivity and objectivity; first external staff engagement survey delivered with high engagement scores; benefits review led to increased annual leave and employer pension contributions

📍Geography

Other

2026 Enhanced

Impact — Winter 2026

Total income £18,180,000 and total expenditure £18,560,000 (year ended 31 December 2024, charity no. 1084958 England/Wales and SC039654 Scotland); in 2024 spent £3.8m on charitable activities including £1,079,000 on research, £1,366,000 on EB Community Support, £943,000 on public education, £270,000 on EB healthcare and £185,000 on respite breaks
Key Metric 1
700+ members supported through in-person visits and support calls in 2025; 697 support grants allocated in 2025 for essential items including specialist clothing, cooling fans and sheepskin liners; 2 new holiday homes purchased in 2025 with over 700 guests enjoying holiday homes; £34,000 raised through 2025 winter 'The Longest Night' appeal
Key Metric 2
Largest global investment in EB research to date: multi-million-pound drug repurposing trial provisionally agreed with LifeArc partner at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London; EB Priorities Setting Partnership study completed mapping global research priorities for all four main EB forms
Key Metric 3
£34,000 raised in 2025 winter appeal supporting families like Darcie's with specialist items, emotional support and research; 697 support grants delivered in 2025; first Members Connect event in Northern Ireland; EB Priorities Setting Partnership study completed providing global research roadmap
2025 Enhanced

Impact Report 2025

22,507 households helped through RBL casework and specialist support services across 66 countries
Key Metric 1
22,600 grants given to those in need, totalling £11.8 million
Key Metric 2
733 beneficiaries represented at tribunals, resulting in £24.5 million in War Pensions awards
Key Metric 3
1,548 new families living with dementia supported by RBL Admiral Nurses service
2025 Enhanced

Our Impact 2024-25

3,600 blind veterans received support across the UK; 447 new blind veterans started receiving support in 2024/25
Key Metric 1
1,598 referrals to rehabilitation services completed; 313 veterans received assistive technology training
Key Metric 2
997 volunteers donated 26,824 hours of support; befriending service awarded Quality in Befriending Excellence — one of only 11 organisations in the UK to achieve this
Key Metric 3
1,831 National Creative Wellbeing Project packs issued to help veterans reconnect with creativity and independence