THE UNITED KINGDOM COMMITTEE FOR UNICEF

Registered charity 1072612 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as UNICEF UK · also registered in Scotland as SC043677 (OSCR)

UNICEF is the world's leading organisation working for children. UNICEF works in partnership with families, local communities, partners and governments in over 190 countries and territories to help every child realise their full potential.UNICEF UK raises funds for UNICEF's emergency and development work around the world and advocates for lasting change for children worldwide.

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

Latest income

£135.3m

Latest spending

£136.6m

Registered

1998

Accounts read

FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that UNICEF UK raised £135 million in income for 2024, resulting in a net deficit of £1.3 million. The charity holds £5.6 million in general unrestricted reserves, which the trustees confirm is consistent with their policy to cover four months of unfunded expenditure. The financial statements were prepared on a going concern basis with no material uncertainties identified.

Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Employees paid over £60,000: 78

“There were 78 employees in the year (2023:58 employees) with emoluments over £60,000” — page 97

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Largest income source: Partnerships and Philanthropy (46% of income)

“46% (2023: 48%) of our income was raised by our Partnerships and Philanthropy teams”

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Fundraising cost ratio: 22.0% of fundraised income, as disclosed

“Over the past five years, excluding fundraising development funds provided by UNICEF, UNICEF UK has spent an average of 22 pence to raise the next pound.”

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: four months of unfunded expenditure from unrestricted funds (held: £5.6m)

“The appropriate level of reserves is set at an amount sufficient to cover unfunded expenditure from unrestricted funds for a period of four months in the event of a significant fall in income.”

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: UNICEF UK transferred £66.3 million to UNICEF as grants for international programmatic work.

“During 2024 UNICEF UK transferred £66.3 million (2022: £89.2 million) to UNICEF as grants for international programmatic work to support children around the world.” — page 103

“UNICEF UK owns 50% of the share capital of Soccer Aid Productions Limited, a company whose business is the development, production and marketing of the Soccer Aid for UNICEF campaigns.”

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: UNICEF UK owns 50% of Soccer Aid Productions Limited, a joint venture.

“During 2024 UNICEF UK transferred £66.3 million (2022: £89.2 million) to UNICEF as grants for international programmatic work to support children around the world.” — page 103

“UNICEF UK owns 50% of the share capital of Soccer Aid Productions Limited, a company whose business is the development, production and marketing of the Soccer Aid for UNICEF campaigns.”

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: UNICEF UK Enterprises Limited is a wholly owned trading subsidiary.

“During 2024 UNICEF UK transferred £66.3 million (2022: £89.2 million) to UNICEF as grants for international programmatic work to support children around the world.” — page 103

“UNICEF UK owns 50% of the share capital of Soccer Aid Productions Limited, a company whose business is the development, production and marketing of the Soccer Aid for UNICEF campaigns.”

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Trading subsidiary: UNICEF UK Enterprises Limited

“UNICEF UK has a wholly owned trading subsidiary, UNICEF UK Enterprises Limited, which carries out commercial activities for the charity.”

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Crowe U.K. LLP. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Year-over-year changes

Employees paid over £60,000: 58 (FY2023) → 78 (FY2024).

Comparing this charity’s FY2023 and FY2024 accounts as analysed by this site.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — UNICEF UK (matched by registered charity number).

Property (HM Land Registry)

1 registered title in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

Trustpilot: UNICEF UK scores 1.8/5 from 25 reviews (source) — reviews usually concern the charity’s shops or services, not its charitable performance.

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook (389,408 likes) · instagram (345K followers)

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)

Total income

£135.3m

Total spending

£136.6m

Cost of raising funds

£36.7m

Reserves (reported)

£7.0m

Employees

400

Reported reserves equal ~0.6 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 2.7 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 27.1% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 2.9%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Received assets from another charity (30/03/2026) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (17/06/2024) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (24/01/2024) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (07/06/2023) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (14/05/2021) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (03/02/2021) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Shatish Damodar Dasanichair
Christopher James Merry
Dr Margaret Elizabeth Atkinson · trustee of 1 other charity
Heather Francis
Meryl Candice Bagguley
Sarah Davis · trustee of 1 other charity
Sheena Amin
Sophie Pender
Zamila Skingsley

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

Operates in: Angola · Bangladesh · Belize · Benin · Bolivia · Brazil · Burkina Faso · Burma · Burundi · Cambodia · Central African Republic · Chad

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2024	£135.3m	£136.6m
31/12/2023	£160.8m	£160.4m
31/12/2022	£179.5m	£176.5m
31/12/2021	£141.8m	£139.7m
31/12/2020	£109.4m	£109.3m

Common questions

Is THE UNITED KINGDOM COMMITTEE FOR UNICEF financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that UNICEF UK raised £135 million in income for 2024, resulting in a net deficit of £1.3 million. The charity holds £5.6 million in general unrestricted reserves, which the trustees confirm is consistent with their policy to cover four months of unfunded expenditure. The financial statements were prepared on a going concern basis with no material uncertainties identified. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Crowe U.K. LLP.

Who funds THE UNITED KINGDOM COMMITTEE FOR UNICEF?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE UNITED KINGDOM COMMITTEE FOR UNICEF as a grant recipient include STELIOS PHILANTHROPIC FOUNDATION, ELEVA FOUNDATION LTD, OPTIGENE FOUNDATION, THE PEARS FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, THE HEALTH FOUNDATION.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
STELIOS PHILANTHROPIC FOUNDATION	FY2024	£640k	Direct donations made by Stelios Philanthropic Foundation UK to other charities
ELEVA FOUNDATION LTD	FY2022	£354k	The Children's Emergency Fund
OPTIGENE FOUNDATION	FY2025	£238k
THE PEARS FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	FY2022	£200k	match funding donation to the Give the World a Shot Vaccinaid campaign.
THE HEALTH FOUNDATION	FY2021	£200k	Other (COVID-19 grants)
THE FRAXINUS CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2021	£100k
THE FRAXINUS CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£50k	towards their programme to end child marriage and increase access to education for girls in Nepal
THE FRAXINUS CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£50k	Second year funding towards the programme to help end child marriage and increase access to education for girls in Nepal.
THE PENNIES FOUNDATION	FY2021	£45k	Grant to institution
THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITED	FY2023	£45k
THE TANLAW FOUNDATION	FY2021	£40k	Grant
THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITED	FY2024	£30k
THE GSR FOUNDATION	FY2024	£30k
TOBY AND REGINA WYLES CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£25k
PHILIP BREEZE WILL TRUST	FY2026	£23k
TOBY AND REGINA WYLES CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£20k
PHILIP BREEZE WILL TRUST	FY2024	£20k	Discretionary payments
PHILIP BREEZE WILL TRUST	FY2022	£20k
THE CRANBROOK FOUNDATION	FY2024	£15k
PHILIP BREEZE WILL TRUST	FY2023	£15k
THE GRANT FOUNDATION	FY2023	£10k	Afghanistan & Bangladesh Appeals
THE CHARLES LITTLEWOOD HILL TRUST	FY2022	£10k	Welfare
THE E C SOSNOW CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£10k
PHILIP BREEZE WILL TRUST	FY2024	£10k	Annual distribution to Charities
THE GRANT FOUNDATION	FY2022	£10k	North African Humanitarian Support
THE SUNNY SKIES FOUNDATION	FY2024	£10k
MERCURY PHOENIX TRUST	FY2022	£10k
TOBY AND REGINA WYLES CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£8k
THE MAGENI TRUST	FY2023	£5k
THE TANLAW FOUNDATION	FY2022	£5k	Overseas Aid
THE GUNTER CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£2k
The Dentons UK and Middle East LLP Charitable Trust	FY2025	£2k
THE MAGENI TRUST	FY2024	£2k
THE MAGENI TRUST	FY2022	£2k
THE STEVENSON FAMILY'S CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£1k	General charitable purposes
THE MAGENI TRUST	FY2025	£1k
THE STEVENSON FAMILY'S CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£1k	General charitable purposes
CBRE UK CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£1k
THE GUNTER CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£1k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIATICAL PARISH OF ST ANDREW GREAT ILFORD	FY2023	£750	Overseas missionary and charitable giving
THE GUNTER CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£601
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIATICAL PARISH OF ST ANDREW GREAT ILFORD	FY2022	£500	Missionary and charitable giving: Overseas
CBRE UK CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£500
SLOUGH BAPTIST CHURCH	FY2022	£290
The Squire Patton Boggs Charitable Trust	FY2022	£200	General Charitable Purposes
TOBY AND REGINA WYLES CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£0
THE TANLAW FOUNDATION	FY2024	£0	Grant (Amount is '-')
THE REED FOUNDATION	FY2021	—
THE GUNTER CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	—

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
Postcode Lottery	10/02/2025	£3.0m	Regular Grant 2025
Greater London Authority (GLA)	01/04/2024	£1.4m	Unicef Rights Respecting Schools in London
Greater London Authority	01/04/2024	£1.4m	Unicef Rights Respecting Schools in London
Greater London Authority (GLA)	20/12/2023	£6k	UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI)
Greater London Authority	20/12/2023	£6k	UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI)
Postcode Lottery	01/12/2023	£2.5m	Regular Grant 2024
Postcode Lottery	28/02/2023	£2.6m	Regular Grant 2023
ARCADIA	31/03/2022	£3.0m	To support the emergency response in Ukraine
Postcode Lottery	09/02/2022	£2.5m	Regular Grant 2022
The National Lottery Community Fund	26/06/2014	£500k	The United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK)
City Bridge Foundation	07/05/2009	£125k	Grant to Unicef UK
The National Lottery Community Fund	11/12/2008	£497k	Strengthening Child Protection in Tsunami Affected Thailand

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
ELRHA	3	£480k
STANDARD CHARTERED FOUNDATION	2	£330.0m
MOONDANCE FOUNDATION	2	£97k
THE KIRBY LAING FOUNDATION	2	£45k
GOWLING WLG (UK) CHARITABLE TRUST	2	£38k
C B AND H H TAYLOR 1984 TRUST	2	£4k
ARIMATHEA CHARITABLE TRUST	2	£2k
The Caring Family Foundation	1	£1.6m

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with WORLD VISION UK.

WORLD VISION UK income £66.1m
SOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGES UK income £6.8m
United Kingdom for UNHCR income £25.5m
ELEVA FOUNDATION LTD income £8.9m
PLAN INTERNATIONAL UK income £61.7m
ACTION FOR CHILDREN income £163.4m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE UNITED KINGDOM COMMITTEE FOR UNICEF	£135.3m	—	78	within	22.0%	no doubt
WORLD VISION UK FY2025	£66.1m	—	—	unclear	18.2%	no doubt
SOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGES UK FY2025	£6.8m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
United Kingdom for UNHCR FY2024	£25.5m	—	—	above	—	no doubt
ELEVA FOUNDATION LTD FY2025	£8.9m	—	0	below	—	no doubt
PLAN INTERNATIONAL UK FY2025	£61.7m	£163,495	—	unclear	—	no doubt

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