CENTRE FOR CRIMINAL APPEALS

Registered charity 1144162 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as APPEAL, CCA

APPEAL provides investigation services and legal advocacy for victims of unsafe convictions and unfair sentences and uses individual cases as leverage for system-wide criminal justice reform.

Causes: Education/training · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Human Rights/religious Or Racial Harmony/equality Or Diversity · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£630k

Latest spending

£659k

Registered

2011

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a deficit of £28,946 for the year ended 31 March 2025, with total funds decreasing to £723,835. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £639,766, which is within the stated policy target of holding between £315,916 and £442,283 (five to seven months of running costs). The trustees confirm the charity is a going concern, citing diverse revenue streams including grants, donations, and legal aid.

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

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: £51,095 — below the median for charities its size (£60k)

“No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000. The highest wage paid was £51,095 per annum.” — page 18

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: between five and seven months running costs in reserve at the start of the financial year (between £315,916 - £442,283) (held: £640k)

“the appropriate reserves policy is to hold between five and seven months running costs in reserve at the start of the financial year (between £315,916 - £442,283)” — page 6

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

Funders the charity credits

Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).

Big D’s BBQ — “Grant-givers' include: Big D’s BBQ” (source page)

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)

Total income

£630k

Total spending

£659k

Cost of raising funds

£32k

Reserves (reported)

£640k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~11.7 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (97% 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: 5.0% of total income — above the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Allegra Rosa Elizabeth Curling
Chris David
David Corker
Emma Goodall
Jacob Kendal Bindman
Mair Rose Williams
Yusuf Solley

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£630k	£659k
31/03/2024	£687k	£524k
31/03/2023	£455k	£430k
31/03/2022	£508k	£339k
31/03/2021	£425k	£334k

Common questions

Is CENTRE FOR CRIMINAL APPEALS financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a deficit of £28,946 for the year ended 31 March 2025, with total funds decreasing to £723,835. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £639,766, which is within the stated policy target of holding between £315,916 and £442,283 (five to seven months of running costs). The trustees confirm the charity is a going concern, citing diverse revenue streams including grants, donations, and legal aid. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

What does the highest-paid employee of CENTRE FOR CRIMINAL APPEALS earn?

Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £51,095 band.

Who funds CENTRE FOR CRIMINAL APPEALS?

Funders whose own accounts filings name CENTRE FOR CRIMINAL APPEALS as a grant recipient include PERSULA FOUNDATION, THE RODDICK FOUNDATION, NETWORK FOR SOCIAL CHANGE CHARITABLE TRUST, HIGHWAY ONE TRUST, MISS E F RATHBONE CHARITABLE TRUST.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
PERSULA FOUNDATION	FY2025	£40k
THE RODDICK FOUNDATION	FY2023	£33k	Unrestricted funding
THE RODDICK FOUNDATION	FY2025	£30k
THE RODDICK FOUNDATION	FY2024	£30k
THE RODDICK FOUNDATION	FY2022	£30k
THE RODDICK FOUNDATION	FY2026	£30k
NETWORK FOR SOCIAL CHANGE CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£18k	Fast Track
NETWORK FOR SOCIAL CHANGE CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£14k	Pool/Fast Track
HIGHWAY ONE TRUST	FY2023	£10k
HIGHWAY ONE TRUST	FY2021	£10k
HIGHWAY ONE TRUST	FY2022	£10k
MISS E F RATHBONE CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£3k
MICHAEL AND SHIRLEY HUNT CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£1k	Grant for Katie
THE REED FOUNDATION	FY2021	£1k

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	15/01/2026	£15k	Bound By Injustice Community
The National Lottery Community Fund	10/10/2024	£15k	Supporting victims of miscarriages of justice and their families
A B Charitable Trust	13/09/2024	£4k	A grant to APPEAL (Centre for Criminal Appeals)
A B Charitable Trust	12/09/2024	£22k	A grant to APPEAL (Centre for Criminal Appeals)
A B Charitable Trust	21/08/2023	£22k	A grant to APPEAL (Centre for Criminal Appeals)
The National Lottery Community Fund	03/02/2023	£10k	Supporting victims of miscarriages of justice and their families
A B Charitable Trust	06/10/2022	£20k	A grant to APPEAL (Centre for Criminal Appeals)
A B Charitable Trust	15/10/2018	£10k	A grant to Centre for Criminal Appeals
A B Charitable Trust	25/10/2016	£10k	Free innocent prisoners, reform the system