THE RESPITE ASSOCIATION

Registered charity 1193232 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

Since 2001 (we became a CIO in 2021) we have enabled Carers, who are ordinary people doing extraordinary things, to obtain a well earned break by funding an alternative Carer to act in their place whilst they have a break. Breaks can take the form of anything from enabling attendance at an evening class, a weekend break or longer. We also provide free week long seaside holidays.

Objects

THE RELIEF OF SICKNESS AND POVERTY OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, LONG-TERM PHYSICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS OR TERMINAL ILLNESSES, AND THEIR CARERS, WITHIN THE UNITED KINGDOM, BY (A) OFFERING ASSISTANCE TO ENABLE THOSE IN NEED TO SECURE RESPITE CARE AND (B) PROVIDING RESPITE BREAKS AND OTHER SUPPORT FOR CARERS.

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

Causes: Disability · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: West Devon, South West, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£360k

Latest spending

£172k

Registered

2021

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity ended the year with an unrestricted undesignated balance of £183,800, which is significantly above its stated reserves policy target of £96,000 (nine months' running costs). The unrestricted surplus for the year was £162,349, largely driven by a one-off anonymous donation of £119,419 and an unrealised investment gain, though the underlying operational surplus was modest at £16,142. The trustees note that while the financial position is healthy, they expect to return to a planned deficit in 2026 due to inflationary pressures and increased demand.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: nine months’ running costs of £96,000 in operating reserves (reserves figure: £184k)

“the Trustees remain mindful of the precarious nature of income generation as a result of the current financial crisis and have created a reserve policy to reflect this, holding an estimated nine months’ running costs of £96,000 in operating reserves should a sudden drop in income occur to ensure continuity of service.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

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
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
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 31/12/2024

Volunteers: 1

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2023

Volunteers: 3
Grant-making is its main activity

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

Register events

Received assets from another charity (15/10/2026) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Claire Pond · trustee of 1 other charity
Hon. Alderman Alexander Michael Bentley · trustee of 1 other charity
Joanne Clark · trustee of 1 other charity
Rosemary Ann England · trustee of 1 other charity
Valerie Margaret England · trustee of 2 other charities

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

Operates in: Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£360k	£172k
31/12/2024	£197k	£217k
31/12/2023	£182k	£137k
31/12/2022	£109k	£132k
31/12/2021	£128k	£329k

Common questions

Is THE RESPITE ASSOCIATION financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity ended the year with an unrestricted undesignated balance of £183,800, which is significantly above its stated reserves policy target of £96,000 (nine months' running costs). The unrestricted surplus for the year was £162,349, largely driven by a one-off anonymous donation of £119,419 and an unrealised investment gain, though the underlying operational surplus was modest at £16,142. The trustees note that while the financial position is healthy, they expect to return to a planned deficit in 2026 due to inflationary pressures and increased demand. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds THE RESPITE ASSOCIATION?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE RESPITE ASSOCIATION as a grant recipient include SALOMAN FOUNDATION.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
SALOMAN FOUNDATION	FY2026	amount not stated	Support of carers and provision of respite care.

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	10/04/2025	£11k	Giving Respite to unpaid Carers

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 EDWARD GOSTLING FOUNDATION	2	£290k
The Considered Ask Foundation	2	£91k
CHK Foundation	2	£12k
THE BLAGRAVE TRUST	1	£257k
DAVID & RUTH LEWIS FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£255k
THE TOLKIEN TRUST	1	£220k
John Lewis Partnership Foundation	1	£181k
AKO FOUNDATION	1	£175k

Charities like this

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

THE RETREAT ASSOCIATION income £143k
MAKING IT OUT CIO income £207k
ESSEX RESPITE & CARE ASSOCIATION income £284k
RYE RECREATION & WELLBEING CIO income £668k
ACCURO (CARE SERVICES) income £578k
RAINBOW SURPRISE CIO income £322k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE RESPITE ASSOCIATION	£360k	—	—	above	—	no doubt
THE RETREAT ASSOCIATION FY2025	£143k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
MAKING IT OUT CIO FY2025	£207k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
ESSEX RESPITE & CARE ASSOCIATION FY2025	£284k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
RYE RECREATION & WELLBEING CIO FY2026	£668k	—	—	above	—	no doubt
ACCURO (CARE SERVICES) FY2025	£578k	—	0	below	—	no doubt

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