THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON FOR IMPROVING NATURAL KNOWLEDGE (COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE ROYAL SOCIETY)
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that free reserves were £35.8 million, which is well above the target level of £16.0 million. The charity holds significant investment assets valued at £563.7 million and reports a defined benefit pension scheme surplus of £2.4 million.
What the accounts disclose
“The total emoluments of the Society’s Executive Director, Dame Julie Maxton, including taxable benefits in kind, in 2024/25 were £442,966”
“The following numbers of employees of the Royal Society earning £60,000 per annum or more received total emoluments within the bands shown.” — page 80
“Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, has use of the Presidentʼs flat at Carlton House Terrace. The value of this benefit in kind for the year was deemed to be £13,196” — page 84
Leadership, per the charity’s website
- Paul Nurse — President
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Trustees
- Anne Ridley
- Colin Peter Smith FRS FREng
- Professor Carlos Frenk CBE FRS
- Professor Dame Frances Mary Ashcroft DBE FRS
- Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell FRS
- Professor Eric William Wolff FRS
- Professor Gideon Davies FRS
- Professor Ian Walmsley FRS
- Professor Jonathan Felix Ashmore FRS
- Professor Jonathan Keating FRS
- Professor Julia Alison Noble OBE FRS
- Professor Krishnaswamy Vijayraghavan FRS
- Professor Marta Kwiatkowska FRS
- Professor Miles Padgett FRS
- Professor Robin Allshire FRS
- Professor Sarah Darby FRS
- Professor Sheila Rowan CBE FRS
- Professor Sir Andrew Pollard FRS
- Professor Sir Colin John Humphreys CBE FRS
- Professor Sir Paul Maxime Nurse OM CH FRS
- Professor Stephen West CBE
- Professor Tim Palmer CBE FRS
- Sir David Charles Baulcombe FRS
- Sir Mark Walport
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £157.6m | £151.5m |
| 31/03/2024 | £396.3m | £146.0m |
| 31/03/2023 | £139.8m | £141.7m |
| 31/03/2022 | £124.6m | £127.7m |
| 31/03/2021 | £136.2m | £138.4m |
Common questions
Is THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON FOR IMPROVING NATURAL KNOWLEDGE (COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE ROYAL SOCIETY) financially healthy?
The accounts state that free reserves were £35.8 million, which is well above the target level of £16.0 million. The charity holds significant investment assets valued at £563.7 million and reports a defined benefit pension scheme surplus of £2.4 million. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by BDO LLP.
What does the highest-paid employee of THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON FOR IMPROVING NATURAL KNOWLEDGE (COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE ROYAL SOCIETY) earn?
Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £440,001 - £450,000 band, and 52 employees earned over £60,000.
Who funds THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON FOR IMPROVING NATURAL KNOWLEDGE (COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE ROYAL SOCIETY)?
Funders whose own accounts filings name THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON FOR IMPROVING NATURAL KNOWLEDGE (COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE ROYAL SOCIETY) as a grant recipient include THE SINO-BRITISH FELLOWSHIP TRUST, DEVELOPMENTS IN LITERACY UK (UK), THE JOHN S COHEN FOUNDATION, Friends of the Nations' Libraries, THE NATIONAL MANUSCRIPTS CONSERVATION TRUST.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE SINO-BRITISH FELLOWSHIP TRUST | FY2023 | £14k |
| DEVELOPMENTS IN LITERACY UK (UK) | FY2023 | £10k |
| THE JOHN S COHEN FOUNDATION | FY2024 | £8k |
| THE SINO-BRITISH FELLOWSHIP TRUST | FY2022 | £5k |
| Friends of the Nations' Libraries | FY2023 | £3k |
| THE NATIONAL MANUSCRIPTS CONSERVATION TRUST | FY2025 | £3k |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 03/05/2001 | £43k | "Web of Science" |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE HEALTH FOUNDATION | 1 | £150k |
| THE NUFFIELD FOUNDATION | 1 | £66k |
| THE RISMAN FOUNDATION | 1 | £50k |
| THE COMPANY OF BIOLOGISTS | 1 | £38k |
| ANTIPODE FOUNDATION LTD. | 1 | £6k |