Research Institute for Disabled Consumers

Registered charity 1007726 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as R I C A, RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, RICABILITY

The Research Institute for Disabled Consumers is the UK consumer champion for disabled & older people. We are leading experts in user-centred research involving direct input from disabled & older consumers. We're here to advise, inform, educate and advocate. We help businesses improve products and services, provide information/user reviews, and represent the voice of disabled and older consumers.

Causes: Disability · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£1.5m

Latest spending

£1.6m

Registered

1992

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that total funds decreased to £445,425 from £493,941 in the prior period, following a net movement in funds of negative £48,516. The trustees report that the charity's reserves are below its stated policy target range of £450,000 to £600,000, though they maintain a going concern basis with adequate resources for the foreseeable future.

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

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: £80,001 - £90,000 — above the median for charities its size (£70k)

“In the band £80,001 - £90,000 1”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Fundraising cost ratio: 4.4% of fundraised income, as disclosed

“Expenditure on: Raising funds 65,882”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: £450,000 to £600,000 (held: £445k)

“Our target current range of general and designated reserves combined is £450,000 to £600,000.” — page 6

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The Consumers' Association currently gives RiDC an annual core grant of £75,000 as disclosed in note 2 to these financial statements (£112,500 received for the eighteen month period).

“During the period grants of £112,500 (2023: £75,000) were received from The Consumers' Association, a charity, as described in the Trustees' Report.” — page 26

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 01/04/2025)

Total income

£1.5m

Total spending

£1.6m

Cost of raising funds

£66k

Reserves (reported)

£445k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~3.4 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (56% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 4.4% of total income — below the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

ADELE AITCHISON
Dr ABIGAIL PEARSON
GREGORY SMITH
Karen Fraser
MICHAEL NICHOLOSON
MICHAEL WILLIAM BRIGGS
MRS CAROL CAMPBELL
RASHMIKANT NAVALCHAND MEHTA · trustee of 3 other charities
SANDRA BUCHAN
SANDRA WITZEL
SHAUN MORRIS-ARMITAGE
Tracey Proudlock

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
01/04/2025	£1.5m	£1.6m
30/09/2023	£801k	£799k
30/09/2022	£678k	£670k
30/09/2021	£511k	£486k
30/09/2020	£415k	£513k

Common questions

Is Research Institute for Disabled Consumers financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that total funds decreased to £445,425 from £493,941 in the prior period, following a net movement in funds of negative £48,516. The trustees report that the charity's reserves are below its stated policy target range of £450,000 to £600,000, though they maintain a going concern basis with adequate resources for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

What does the highest-paid employee of Research Institute for Disabled Consumers earn?

Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £80,001 - £90,000 band.

Who funds Research Institute for Disabled Consumers?

Funders whose own accounts filings name Research Institute for Disabled Consumers as a grant recipient include FOUNDATION FOR INTEGRATED TRANSPORT.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
FOUNDATION FOR INTEGRATED TRANSPORT	FY2025	£10k	Breaking barriers to sustainable transport – Addressing eco-ableism in public and active travel

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Community Fund	16/03/2026	£1.8m	Breaking Barriers: Inclusive Environmentalism for a Net-Zero Future
City Bridge Foundation	26/09/2019	£100k	Grant to Research Institute for Disabled Consumers

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.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£1.3m
THE THREE GUINEAS TRUST	1	£675k
THE LEGAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION	1	£510k
THE ALBORADA TRUST	1	£292k
THE BROOMTON FOUNDATION	1	£210k
GENESIS AMERICA (UK) LIMITED	1	£182k
TRUST FOR LONDON	1	£76k
THE PETS AT HOME FOUNDATION	1	£46k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION INCORPORATING CARRIAGE DRIVING.

RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION INCORPORATING CARRIAGE DRIVING income £3.9m
DISABILITY SHEFFIELD CENTRE FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING LIMITED income £994k
REGIONAL DRIVING ASSESSMENT CENTRE income £2.0m
BUSINESS DISABILITY FORUM income £4.4m
THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF LEARNING DISABILITIES income £3.4m
DISABILITY STOCKPORT CIO income £1.5m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
Research Institute for Disabled Consumers	£1.5m	£80,001 - £90,000	—	unclear	4.4%	no doubt
RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION INCORPORATING CARRIAGE DRIVING FY2025	£3.9m	£100,000 - £109,999	—	within	—	no doubt
DISABILITY SHEFFIELD CENTRE FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING LIMITED FY2025	£994k	—	0	unclear	—	noted
REGIONAL DRIVING ASSESSMENT CENTRE FY2025	£2.0m	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
BUSINESS DISABILITY FORUM FY2025	£4.4m	—	—	above	—	no doubt
THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF LEARNING DISABILITIES FY2025	£3.4m	—	—	above	—	no doubt

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