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WORLD CANCER RESEARCH FUND

Registered charity 1000739 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as WCRF UK

To raise awareness that the risk of cancer is reduced by healthy food and nutrition, physical activity and weight management.To fund cutting-edge research on how the foods we eat, the amount of physical activity we do and our body weight impact our cancer risk so that our diet and health recommendations for reducing the risk of cancer are based on current science.

Causes: Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£11.9m
Latest spending
£12.1m
Registered
1990
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £461,516 for the year, a significant deterioration from the previous year's surplus. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves decreased to £6,625,103, with free reserves standing at £2,870,759, which equates to three months of current year expenditure. The trustees believe the charity is well placed to manage business risks, though they note the possibility of declining income due to economic conditions.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Legacies (20% of income)
“Legacy income 2,439,070”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Fundraising cost ratio: 26.5% of fundraised income, as disclosed
“Expenditure on raising funds increased by £205,519 to £3,165,080 (2023/2024: £2,959,561).”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Royalty fees paid to the President
“During the year, royalty fees, £20,664 (FY2023/2024: £0) were paid to the President, Marilyn Gentry, in respect of the use of her name in connection with the charity’s promotional activities. The transaction was conducted under a contractual arrangement approved by the Trustees.” — page 37
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: WCRF (Trading) Ltd
“WCRF has a wholly owned trading subsidiary, WCRF (Trading) Ltd, which is incorporated in the UK. WCRF (Trading) Ltd ceased operations in 2015.” — page 37
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by RSM UK Audit LLP. Discloses 3 of 6 completeness components.

In the news

Recent coverage mentioning this charity by name (automated match; headlines belong to their publishers).

Corporate structure

WCRF (TRADING) LTD. — per its own Companies House accounts

    Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — World Cancer Research Fund (matched by registered charity number).

    Company officers (Companies House)

    Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

    Official officers record.

    Property (HM Land Registry)

    2 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold); recorded price paid £3.2m. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

    Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram · linkedin

    Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/09/2025)

    Total income
    £11.9m
    Total spending
    £12.1m
    Cost of raising funds
    £3.2m
    Reserves (reported)
    £6.6m
    Employees
    58

    Reported reserves equal ~6.6 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

    Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 26.5% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 3.8%) (benchmarks).

    Trustees · trustee networks

    Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

    Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

    Income and spending

    Financial year endIncomeSpending
    30/09/2025£11.9m£12.1m
    30/09/2024£12.7m£11.6m
    30/09/2023£10.6m£11.1m
    30/09/2022£10.8m£11.0m
    30/09/2021£10.8m£10.8m

    Common questions

    Is WORLD CANCER RESEARCH FUND financially healthy?

    Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net deficit of £461,516 for the year, a significant deterioration from the previous year's surplus. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves decreased to £6,625,103, with free reserves standing at £2,870,759, which equates to three months of current year expenditure. The trustees believe the charity is well placed to manage business risks, though they note the possibility of declining income due to economic conditions. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by RSM UK Audit LLP.

    Who funds WORLD CANCER RESEARCH FUND?

    Funders whose own accounts filings name WORLD CANCER RESEARCH FUND as a grant recipient include THE JGW PATTERSON FOUNDATION, PINK RIBBON FOUNDATION, THE BUZZACOTT STUART DEFRIES MEMORIAL FUND, RJ AND AH DANIELS CHARITABLE TRUST, THE WILL CHARITABLE TRUST.

    Known funders

    Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

    FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
    THE JGW PATTERSON FOUNDATIONFY2022£675kRheumatology and arthritis research / Cancer research
    PINK RIBBON FOUNDATIONFY2024£416k
    THE BUZZACOTT STUART DEFRIES MEMORIAL FUNDFY2025£127k
    RJ AND AH DANIELS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£10k
    THE WILL CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£10kCancer Care
    THE CHARIS TRUSTFY2022£10kdonation to fund cancer prevention research
    THE WILL CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£5kCancer Care
    SIR SAMUEL SCOTT OF YEWS TRUSTFY2022£5k
    THE EDWARD CADBURY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£5kCompassionate Support
    The Belstead Ganzoni Charitable SettlementFY2022£2kGeneral charitable donations
    THE IAN ASKEW CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£1k
    THE IAN ASKEW CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£1k
    R G HILLS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£1k
    THE CHAMPNISS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£1k
    PINK RIBBON FOUNDATIONFY2023£1k
    THE OAKDALE TRUSTFY2024£1k
    R G HILLS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£1k
    Evelyn Partners Charitable TrustFY2024£0Employee grant support programme

    Funders of similar charities

    Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

    FunderSimilar charities fundedAmount to them
    MILLS AND REEVE CHARITABLE TRUST3£10k
    THE MASTER CHARITABLE TRUST2£1.5m
    DENISE COATES FOUNDATION2£1.0m
    THE PENNIES FOUNDATION2£416k
    DAVID LISTER CHARITABLE TRUST2£151k
    GOWLING WLG (UK) CHARITABLE TRUST2£11k
    THE EARL FITZWILLIAM CHARITABLE TRUST2£6k
    THE SAMUEL STOREY FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST2£460

    Charities like this

    Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with CANCER RESEARCH WALES.

    Side by side with its peers

    CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
    WORLD CANCER RESEARCH FUND£11.9m——unclear26.5%no doubt
    CANCER RESEARCH WALES FY2026£5.9m——unclear—no doubt
    CANCER PREVENTION RESEARCH TRUST FY2025£857k—0unclear—no doubt
    THE INSTITUTE FOR CANCER VACCINES AND IMMUNOTHERAPY FY2025£433k£70,001 - £80,0001unclear6.0%no doubt
    CANCER AWARENESS TRUST FY2024£1.1m£100,001 - £110,000—unclear—no doubt
    YORKSHIRE CANCER RESEARCH FY2025£27.7m——unclear—no doubt

    Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.