COMBAT STRESS

Registered charity 206002 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as EX-SERVICES MENTAL WELFARE SOCIETY · also registered in Scotland as SC038828 (OSCR)

The Charity provides relief of need and advancement of health of veterans and others in the Armed Forces Network, which includes members of the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (and regular reserves, volunteer reserves, and sponsored reserves of these bodies), and their families, dependents and support network, who have or have had mental health issues.

Causes: The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£14.3m

Latest spending

£13.8m

Registered

1962

Accounts read

FY2026

Financial health, per its FY2026 accounts

The accounts state that total income increased to £14.3m while total expenditure decreased to £13.8m, resulting in a net increase in funds of £1.2m. The charity holds £13.3m in investments, with £10.8m designated as general reserves, which the trustees confirm represents 10.5 months of budgeted unrestricted expenditure. The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis with no material uncertainties identified.

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

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: £120,001 - £130,000 — below the median for charities its size (£130k)

“Between £120,001 – £130,000” — page 50

Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Combat Stress purchased merchandise from Combat Stress Trading Ltd for fundraising activities.

“During the year, Combat Stress purchased merchandise from Combat Stress Trading Ltd for £39,837 (2025: £66,520) which it used for fundraising activities, including subsidised third party challenge event merchandise purchases from Combat Stress Trading Ltd.” — page 60

“All taxable profits of Combat Stress Trading Limited are donated to its ultimate parent undertaking, Combat Stress. For the year ended 31 March 2026 this was £22,797 (31 March 2025: £70,049).” — page 60

Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Combat Stress Trading Limited donated taxable profits to the parent charity.

“During the year, Combat Stress purchased merchandise from Combat Stress Trading Ltd for £39,837 (2025: £66,520) which it used for fundraising activities, including subsidised third party challenge event merchandise purchases from Combat Stress Trading Ltd.” — page 60

“All taxable profits of Combat Stress Trading Limited are donated to its ultimate parent undertaking, Combat Stress. For the year ended 31 March 2026 this was £22,797 (31 March 2025: £70,049).” — page 60

Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Management fees charged by parent charity to subsidiary.

“During the year, Combat Stress purchased merchandise from Combat Stress Trading Ltd for £39,837 (2025: £66,520) which it used for fundraising activities, including subsidised third party challenge event merchandise purchases from Combat Stress Trading Ltd.” — page 60

“All taxable profits of Combat Stress Trading Limited are donated to its ultimate parent undertaking, Combat Stress. For the year ended 31 March 2026 this was £22,797 (31 March 2025: £70,049).” — page 60

Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Moore Kingston Smith LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

In the news

Recent coverage mentioning this charity by name (automated match; headlines belong to their publishers).

Army Benevolent Fund has awarded a grant of £280,000 to Combat Stress - Cobseo cobseo.org.uk · 13/04/2026
Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund awards Combat Stress funding to continue supporting RAF veterans across the UK - Cobseo cobseo.org.uk · 30/01/2026
ABF The Soldiers’ Charity awards Combat Stress a grant of £350,000 - Cobseo cobseo.org.uk · 15/06/2018
Military charities accused of sensationalising post-combat stress to get more donations civilsociety.co.uk · 02/09/2016
Downton Abbey star Joanne Froggatt becomes an ambassador for Combat Stress thirdsector.co.uk · 18/02/2014

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 00256353
Trading subsidiary: COMBAT STRESS TRADING LIMITED Companies House 07839816

COMBAT STRESS TRADING LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts

Turnover: £153k
Profit before tax: £23k
Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £23k
Management charge £47,654; Rental of store room £636; Amount due to parent Company £128,591

“The company’s profit was donated to Combat Stress, the parent Charity, under a deed of covenant and therefore no corporation tax is payable.”

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Combat Stress (matched by registered charity number).

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.

WINSTANLEY, Palmer — director, appointed 04/06/2026on trustee list
STURT-SCOBIE, Alysoun — director, appointed 20/11/2025on trustee list
LATHAM, Andrew — director, appointed 01/09/2025on trustee list
FRASER-HOPEWELL, Peter — director, appointed 01/09/2025on trustee list
RUSSELL, Gillian — director, appointed 27/11/2024on trustee list
MAYBURY, Florence — director, appointed 27/11/2024on trustee list
KAPUR, Neeraj — director, appointed 13/10/2022on trustee list
EVANS, Rorie Charles Edward — director, appointed 15/12/2021on trustee list
MCCUE, Jane Louise, Dr — director, appointed 16/10/2019on trustee list
ALLAN, Carole Ann, Dr — director, appointed 16/10/2019on trustee list
OSBORNE, George Edward — director, appointed 16/10/2019on trustee list
CAMPBELL, Douglas Ian — director, appointed 16/10/2019on trustee list
DOWNIE, Iain — secretary, appointed 01/09/2025

Official officers record.

CQC provider record: Combat Stress — Registered, 3 registered locations, 1 regulated activity, last inspected 09/07/2019.charity number confirmed by CQC CQC record

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

Total income

£14.3m

Total spending

£13.8m

Cost of raising funds

£3.3m

Reserves (reported)

£10.8m

Employees

186

Reported reserves equal ~9.4 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 23.1% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 3.8%) (benchmarks).

Care Quality Commission ratings

CQC inspection ratings for services run by a provider matching this charity’s name (matched by name; verify provider identity on CQC’s site).

Tyrwhitt House: Good (12/10/2016) · CQC record

Register events

Received assets from another charity (12/02/2025) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (06/12/2024) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (23/08/2022) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (20/06/2022) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (27/10/2021) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (22/07/2021) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

George Osbornechair
Alysoun Sturt-Scobie
Andrew Latham
Douglas Campbell
Dr Carole Allan
Florence Maybury
Gillian Russell
Jane McCue
NEERAJ KAPUR
Palmer Winstanley
Peter Fraser-Hopewell
Rorie Evans · trustee of 1 other charity

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	£14.3m	£13.8m
31/03/2025	£14.1m	£16.9m
31/03/2024	£13.4m	£15.4m
31/03/2023	£13.9m	£14.2m
31/03/2022	£15.4m	£10.2m

Common questions

Is COMBAT STRESS financially healthy?

Per its FY2026 accounts: The accounts state that total income increased to £14.3m while total expenditure decreased to £13.8m, resulting in a net increase in funds of £1.2m. The charity holds £13.3m in investments, with £10.8m designated as general reserves, which the trustees confirm represents 10.5 months of budgeted unrestricted expenditure. The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis with no material uncertainties identified. Its FY2026 accounts were audited by Moore Kingston Smith LLP.

What does the highest-paid employee of COMBAT STRESS earn?

Per its FY2026 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £120,001 - £130,000 band.

Who funds COMBAT STRESS?

Funders whose own accounts filings name COMBAT STRESS as a grant recipient include THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION, THE MICHAEL UREN FOUNDATION, THE JULIA RAUSING TRUST, THE BAND TRUST, THE THALES CHARITABLE TRUST.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION	FY2022	£2.3m	Grants for Welfare Services and Remembrance
THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION	FY2025	£1.1m	Grants awarded by the Charity
THE MICHAEL UREN FOUNDATION	FY2024	£750k	Armed Forces
THE MICHAEL UREN FOUNDATION	FY2025	£610k	Armed Forces
THE JULIA RAUSING TRUST	FY2025	£400k	Veterans Intensive Complex Trauma Organised Recovery (VICTOR)
THE MICHAEL UREN FOUNDATION	FY2022	£200k	Armed Forces
THE MICHAEL UREN FOUNDATION	FY2023	£200k	Armed Forces
THE BAND TRUST	FY2024	£163k	Army and Veterans
THE THALES CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£156k
LLOYD'S PATRIOTIC FUND	FY2022	£150k	Strategic charity partnership (18 month period ended 31 Dec 2022)
Army Benevolent Fund	FY2024	£143k	Wellbeing
Army Benevolent Fund	FY2026	£138k	Wellbeing
Army Benevolent Fund	FY2026	£131k	Wellbeing (Designated)
Army Benevolent Fund	FY2023	£120k	Wellbeing
Army Benevolent Fund	FY2023	£100k	Wellbeing (Designated)
ARMED FORCES COVENANT FUND	FY2024	£100k	Reaching and Supporting Armed Forces Communities programme
LLOYD'S PATRIOTIC FUND	FY2021	£100k	Strategic charity partnership grant
THE ROYAL AIR FORCE BENEVOLENT FUND	FY2022	£88k	External Grants
THE ROYAL AIR FORCE BENEVOLENT FUND	FY2023	£81k	External Grants
FORCES IN MIND TRUST	FY2025	£62k	Forecasting the Future Role of Charity Mental Health Provision for the Armed Forces
THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITED	FY2025	£50k
PETER DIXON CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£50k
THE ROYAL NAVY AND ROYAL MARINES CHARITY	FY2022	£48k	Veterans’ Support Programme
Army Benevolent Fund	FY2024	£32k	Wellbeing (Restricted)
QUEEN MARY'S ROEHAMPTON TRUST	FY2023	£30k	in support of the Community Mental Health Programme for eligible beneficiaries
QUEEN MARY'S ROEHAMPTON TRUST	FY2024	£30k	in support of the Community Mental Health Programme for eligible beneficiaries
QUEEN MARY'S ROEHAMPTON TRUST	FY2022	£30k	in support of the Community Mental Health Programme for eligible beneficiaries
QUEEN MARY'S ROEHAMPTON TRUST	FY2025	£30k	in support of the Community Mental Health Programme for eligible beneficiaries
Army Benevolent Fund	FY2023	£30k	Wellbeing (Restricted)
THE ROYAL AIR FORCE BENEVOLENT FUND	FY2025	£30k	External Grants
EDITH MURPHY FOUNDATION	FY2024	£20k	Welfare
THE CORPORATION OF TRINITY HOUSE OF DEPTFORD STROND	FY2022	£16k	Welfare
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ALL SAINTS, FULHAM	FY2023	£15k
THE CORPORATION OF TRINITY HOUSE OF DEPTFORD STROND	FY2025	£15k	Welfare
Army Benevolent Fund	FY2025	£15k	Wellbeing
THE BRIGHT FUTURE TRUST	FY2023	£13k
THE ALAN AND SHEILA DIAMOND CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£13k
THE BRIGHT FUTURE TRUST	FY2022	£13k
Army Benevolent Fund	FY2026	£11k	Wellbeing (Restricted)
THE ELIZABETH FRANKLAND MOORE AND STAR FOUNDATION	FY2025	£10k
THE ALAN AND SHEILA DIAMOND CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£10k
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£10k
THE ELIZABETH FRANKLAND MOORE AND STAR FOUNDATION	FY2024	£10k
Army Benevolent Fund	FY2024	£10k	Wellbeing (Designated)
THE KRISTINA MARTIN CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£10k
LLOYD'S PATRIOTIC FUND	FY2023	£10k	Small annual grant
THE SIR JAMES RECKITT CHARITY	FY2021	£10k	Support for veterans
WILLIAM ADLINGTON CADBURY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£10k	Grant
THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITED	FY2024	£10k
THE ADINT CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£10k

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	26/03/2025	£372k	Peer Support – Improving the lives of veterans with complex mental health issues
The National Lottery Community Fund	24/02/2025	£309k	Peer Support. Improving veteran mental health through a lived experience service
The National Lottery Community Fund	17/09/2024	£80k	Peer Recovery. Helping Veterans with Complex Mental Health Conditions
The National Lottery Community Fund	08/08/2024	£20k	Veteran Community Hub
UK government	14/10/2022	£33k	Covenant Fund
UK government	11/03/2022	£114k	OVA Afghanistan Veterans' Fund
UK government	03/09/2021	£250k	Veterans Mental Health Strategic Lead Grants
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	17/07/2017	£22k	"Combat Stress Archives Project"
The National Lottery Community Fund	13/03/2013	£629k	Expansion of Outreach provision in Scotland to include alcohol/substance mi

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 GOSLING FOUNDATION LIMITED	2	£150k
DRAPERS CHARITABLE FUND	2	£75k
THE INMAN CHARITY	2	£9k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST BOTOLPH-WITHOUT-BISHOPSGATE	1	—
THE SACKLER TRUST	1	£500k
HEDLEY FOUNDATION LIMITED	1	£382k
THE WESTMINSTER FOUNDATION	1	£107k
THE MAHORO CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£100k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with CARE AFTER COMBAT.

CARE AFTER COMBAT income £973k
CARE FOR VETERANS income £5.9m
FORCES SUPPORT LIMITED income £2.3m
THE VETERANS CHARITY income £397k
THE ROYAL NAVY AND ROYAL MARINES CHARITY income £13.7m
VETERANS AID income £2.2m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
COMBAT STRESS	£14.3m	£120,001 - £130,000	—	unclear	—	no doubt
CARE AFTER COMBAT FY2025	£973k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
CARE FOR VETERANS FY2024	£5.9m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
FORCES SUPPORT LIMITED FY2025	£2.3m	£80,001 - £90,000	1	unclear	—	no doubt
THE VETERANS CHARITY FY2024	£397k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE ROYAL NAVY AND ROYAL MARINES CHARITY FY2024	£13.7m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt

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