ACTION FOR ME

Registered charity 1036419 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · Wikidata: Q4677204 · Wikipedia · also known as ACTION FOR M E, AFME · also registered in Scotland as SC040452 (OSCR)

Action for M.E. was established for the relief of people suffering from the disease MyalgicEncephalomyelitis, (commonly known as M.E., or CFS/ME), and to provide information, advice and support, and to promote public education, campaigning and research into the disease. On a day to day basis we provide telephone support to people with M.E., manage Online M.E Centre and publish 'InterAction'.

Objects

THE RELIEF OF PERSONS SUFFERING FROM THE DISEASE MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS (M.E. WHICH EXPRESSION WHERE USED IN THE ARTICLES SHALL INCLUDE CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROMES AND OTHER ASSOCIATED SYNDROMES) AND TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, ADVICE AND SUPPORT AND TO PROMOTE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND RESEARCH INTO THE DISEASE (PROVIDED THAT THE USEFUL RESULTS OF ANY SUCH RESEARCH ARE FULLY DISSEMINATED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC)

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Disability · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Other Charitable Purposes · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Bristol, City of, South West, England (from the postcode on the register)

Received the assets of:

CFS RESEARCH FOUNDATION (charity 1011900) — merger registered 24/05/2022
THE M.E. TRUST (charity 1142583) — merger registered 05/04/2022
ASSOCIATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITH ME LIMITED (charity 1082059) — merger registered 10/05/2017

Source: Charity Commission register of merged charities (OGL v3.0).

Latest income

£1.7m

Latest spending

£1.7m

Registered

1994

Accounts read

FY2026

Financial health, per its FY2026 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported an overall surplus of £47.3k for the year, with total income increasing by 25% to £1.7m. However, unrestricted reserves fell to £246.5k, which is below the charity's own policy target of three months of unrestricted expenditure. The trustees acknowledge this shortfall and are focused on rebuilding unrestricted reserves through tighter expenditure control and increased income generation.

Automated summary of the FY2026 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £247k)

“The Trustees recognise this is below the minimum requirement set out in the policy”

Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Sumer Audit Co Limited. Discloses 3 of 6 completeness components.

Year-over-year changes

Reserves position vs the charity's own policy moved from "within" (FY2025) to "below" (FY2026).
Going concern: material uncertainty (FY2025) → no going-concern doubt (FY2026).

Comparing this charity’s FY2025 and FY2026 accounts as analysed by this site.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2026

Volunteers: 45
Government income: £43,443 — grants £43,443 (2); 3% of the £1,701,798 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 3 (£60,001–£70,000: 2; £100,001–£110,000: 1)

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2025

Volunteers: 36
Government income: £7,357 — grants £7,357 (1); under 1% of the £1,365,672 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 2 (£60,001–£70,000: 1; £100,001–£110,000: 1)

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2024

Volunteers: 48
Government income: £32,528 — grants £32,528 (1); 2% of the £1,734,551 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 3 (£60,001–£70,000: 2; £100,001–£110,000: 1)

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 02906840

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.

CLARK, Beatrix Diane — director, appointed 26/11/2025on trustee list
ANDERSON, Sarah — director, appointed 26/11/2025on trustee list
MORGAN, Colin Andrew — director, appointed 03/07/2025on trustee list
LIPPMANN, Wendy — director, appointed 05/12/2024on trustee list
BOYLE, Rosalyn Elizabeth — director, appointed 25/06/2024on trustee list
BULMER, Eleanor Jessie — director, appointed 29/09/2023on trustee list
SANTIAPILLAI, Nirmala, Dr — director, appointed 20/09/2022on trustee list
DEVINE, Julianne — director, appointed 04/02/2022on trustee list
COURTNEY, Phillip — director, appointed 01/02/2022not on trustee list
MANUEL, Jonathan Roy — director, appointed 11/02/2021on trustee list
DE BOO, Shaun Vernon — director, appointed 11/02/2021not on trustee list
LEIGH, David Bernard — director, appointed 13/11/2020on trustee list
SIDDLE, Roger William John — director, appointed 15/10/2019on trustee list

Official officers record.

CQC provider record: Action for M.E. — Registered, 3 registered locations, 1 regulated activity.charity number confirmed by CQC CQC record

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2026)

Total income

£1.7m

Total spending

£1.7m

Cost of raising funds

£430k

Reserves (reported)

£247k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~1.8 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.7 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 25.3% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.3%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Received assets from another charity (05/04/2022) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (18/03/2021) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (16/05/2018) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (10/05/2017) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (02/01/2015) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Roger Siddlechair
Beatrix Clark
Colin Morgan
David Bernard Leigh
Dr Nirmala Santiapillai
Jonathan Manuel
Julianne Devine
Philip Courtney
Rosalyn Elizabeth Boyle
Sarah Anderson
Shaun Vernon De Boo · trustee of 1 other charity
Wendy Lippmann

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

Operates in: Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2026	£1.7m	£1.7m
31/03/2025	£1.4m	£1.8m
31/03/2024	£1.7m	£1.8m
31/03/2023	£1.1m	£1.8m
31/03/2022	£2.5m	£1.3m

Common questions

Is ACTION FOR ME financially healthy?

Per its FY2026 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported an overall surplus of £47.3k for the year, with total income increasing by 25% to £1.7m. However, unrestricted reserves fell to £246.5k, which is below the charity's own policy target of three months of unrestricted expenditure. The trustees acknowledge this shortfall and are focused on rebuilding unrestricted reserves through tighter expenditure control and increased income generation. Its FY2026 accounts were audited by Sumer Audit Co Limited.

Who funds ACTION FOR ME?

Funders whose own accounts filings name ACTION FOR ME as a grant recipient include THE FIDELITY UK FOUNDATION, THE DE LASZLO FOUNDATION, JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST, PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUST, THE PRUDENCE TRUST.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE FIDELITY UK FOUNDATION	FY2024	£150k	Towards a new post of Philanthropy Manager to increase fundraised income and support financial sustainability.
THE DE LASZLO FOUNDATION	FY2025	£35k	Fellowship research grant for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.)
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2021	£35k
PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£30k
THE PRUDENCE TRUST	FY2024	£30k	Core costs
PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£30k
PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£30k
ANA LEAF FOUNDATION	FY2025	Unverified read£28k	Health Preservation
ANA LEAF FOUNDATION	FY2024	£28k	Health Preservation
PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£25k
THE CHRISTOPHER LAING FOUNDATION	FY2023	£20k
THE DE LASZLO FOUNDATION	FY2024	£20k	Myalgic Encephalomyelitis research
THE CHRISTOPHER LAING FOUNDATION	FY2025	£20k	Other
DRAPERS CHARITABLE FUND	FY2023	£15k	Information & Support Service
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£10k
THE SIR JAMES RECKITT CHARITY	FY2021	£10k	Medical
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£10k
THE SIR JAMES RECKITT CHARITY	FY2024	£7k	Medical
THE SIR JAMES RECKITT CHARITY	FY2023	£7k	Medical
THE SIR JAMES RECKITT CHARITY	FY2022	£6k	Medical
THE SIR EDWARD LEWIS FOUNDATION	FY2022	£5k	Support for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis
THE SIR EDWARD LEWIS FOUNDATION	FY2024	£5k	Support to children, young people and adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome)
THE MARTIN LAING FOUNDATION	FY2023	£5k	Health & Medical Welfare
THE SIR EDWARD LEWIS FOUNDATION	FY2025	£5k	Action for M.E. provides support to children, young people and adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome) both now and in the future. They
THE MARTIN LAING FOUNDATION	FY2022	£5k	Health & Medicine
THE MARTIN LAING FOUNDATION	FY2026	£5k
The Patricia Routledge Foundation	FY2025	£3k
THE SIR JAMES RECKITT CHARITY	FY2025	£3k	Medical
THE TULA TRUST LIMITED	FY2024	£3k
The Patricia Routledge Foundation	FY2024	£3k
THE INMAN CHARITY	FY2024	£3k	Medical General
THE W A HANDLEY CHARITY TRUST	FY2023	£2k	Health
The Belstead Ganzoni Charitable Settlement	FY2022	£2k	General charitable donations
THE TULA TRUST LIMITED	FY2023	£2k
THE WILLIAM ALLEN YOUNG CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£2k
The Patricia Routledge Foundation	FY2022	£2k
THE TULA TRUST LIMITED	FY2021	£2k
THE W A HANDLEY CHARITY TRUST	FY2024	£1k
THE SIR JAMES ROLL CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£1k
DORIS FIELD CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£1k	Single payment
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£1k
The Belstead Ganzoni Charitable Settlement	FY2023	£1k
THE HELEN JEAN COPE CHARITY	FY2021	£1k
THE SIR JAMES ROLL CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2021	£1k
The Belstead Ganzoni Charitable Settlement	FY2021	£1k
EDWARD VINSON 1957 CHARITY SETTLEMENT	FY2021	£500	Supporting children with ME
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ALL SAINTS, LITTLE SHELFORD	FY2022	£250	Home missions, local school and other

Grants marked “Unverified read” were flagged by automated checks as possibly misread from the funder’s filed accounts. They are listed, but left out of the totals, counts and funder relationships this site computes.

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	29/09/2023	£226k	Young People's ME Counselling
The National Lottery Community Fund	18/02/2022	£10k	Information Support and Advocacy Service
The National Lottery Community Fund	21/05/2014	£10k	SEE M.E. (Support, Empower and Employ people with M.E.)
The National Lottery Community Fund	28/04/2014	£10k	Action ME - Hear me, Influence M.E.
The National Lottery Community Fund	21/02/2006	£503k	Establish CFS/ME Observatory for epidemiological & social research

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 HOSPITAL OF GILBERT, EARL OF SHREWSBURY AT SHEFFIELD	1	£7k
R G HILLS CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£4k
CHURCH BURGESSES TRUST	1	£4k
SHEFFIELD TOWN TRUST	1	£3k
THE SYLVIA AND COLIN SHEPHERD CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£2k
THE FRANK LITCHFIELD GENERAL CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£1k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST PETER, IGHTHAM	1	£382

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE MYALGIC ENCEPHALOPATHY ASSOCIATION LIMITED.

THE MYALGIC ENCEPHALOPATHY ASSOCIATION LIMITED income £895k
SHEFFIELD YOGA FOR ME/CFS income £30k
MAST CELL ACTION income £132k
ME & DEE income £349k
MS ACTION LIMITED income £355k
MS COMMUNITY ACTION & SUPPORT income £14k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
ACTION FOR ME	£1.7m	—	—	below	—	no doubt
THE MYALGIC ENCEPHALOPATHY ASSOCIATION LIMITED FY2025	£895k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
SHEFFIELD YOGA FOR ME/CFS FY2025	£30k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
MAST CELL ACTION FY2025	£132k	—	0	unclear	—	noted
ME & DEE FY2025	£349k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
MS ACTION LIMITED FY2025	£355k	—	0	below	—	no doubt

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