FRIENDS OF THE ELDERLY

Registered charity 226064 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

The charity offers residential, nursing and dementia care to older people in care homes on seven sites across England. We operate day care centres and a free-to-access grants service for individuals, and work to combat the devastating effects of loneliness among older people. Our vision is for a society in which all older people have the opportunity to live fulfilled lives.

Causes: The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Accommodation/housing · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£22.0m

Latest spending

£22.5m

Registered

1964

Accounts read

FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported an underlying operating deficit of £1.6m for the year ended 31 March 2024, driven by lower care home occupancy and inflationary cost pressures. However, the trustees confirm that free reserves of £2.2m, combined with £2.4m accessible from restricted Sir Thomas Lipton funds, provide sufficient resources to continue operations for at least 12 months from the approval of the statements.

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

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: £140,001 - £150,000 — above the median for charities its size (£130k)

“£140,001 to £150,000” — page 50

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Employees paid over £60,000: 16

“The number of staff whose emoluments (not including employer pension contributions) plus taxable benefits amounted to over £60,000 during the year were as follows: 2024 No. 10 1 3 1 1” — page 50

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £2.2m; policy: between £3.0m and £4.35m)

“Excluding this, general reserves are below the minimum target at the end of the year.”

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Pension scheme deficit: £9k

“The overall provision of £9,000 (2023: £24,000) is the net present value of future deficit contributions payable to the schemes.”

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Saffery LLP. Discloses 6 of 6 completeness components.

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 00133850

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Friends Of The Elderly (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.

FLANAGAN, Stephen David — director, appointed 20/08/2026on trustee list
REES, Lindsay Anne — director, appointed 23/05/2024on trustee list
AVERY, Nicholas William James — director, appointed 23/05/2024on trustee list
HOUGHTON, Lee Anne — director, appointed 23/05/2024on trustee list
MAKINSON, Emily Jane Louise — director, appointed 23/05/2024on trustee list
DUNCAN, Craig Jeffrey — director, appointed 23/05/2024on trustee list
FOSTER, Paul Guy — director, appointed 18/02/2021on trustee list
BEECROFT, Martin Richard — director, appointed 18/02/2021on trustee list
DEACON, David John — director, appointed 18/02/2021on trustee list
HOGARTY, Louisa Clare — director, appointed 18/02/2021on trustee list
PROSSER, Sharon — director, appointed 19/04/2018on trustee list
MAIDMENT, Christopher John — director, appointed 22/07/2017on trustee list
SMITH, Susan Jane — secretary, appointed 13/02/2015

Official officers record.

Property (HM Land Registry)

14 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (10 freehold); recorded price paid £293k. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

CQC provider record: Friends of the Elderly — Registered, 23 registered locations, 3 regulated activities, last inspected 04/08/2023.charity number confirmed by CQC CQC record

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

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

Total income

£22.0m

Total spending

£22.5m

Cost of raising funds

£502k

Reserves (reported)

£3.3m

Employees

451

Reported reserves equal ~1.7 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 2.3% of total income — below the median for charities its size (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).

The Lawn Residential Care Home: Requires improvement (22/01/2026) · CQC record
Orford House Residential Care Home: Good (07/10/2025) · CQC record
Redcot Residential Care Home: Good (05/11/2025) · CQC record
The Bernard Sunley Nursing and Dementia Care Home: Good (16/04/2020) · CQC record
Little Bramingham Farm Residential Care Home: Outstanding (31/03/2020) · CQC record
New Copford Place Residential Care Home: Good (14/07/2018) · CQC record

Register events

Received assets from another charity (20/06/2025) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (31/07/2024) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (10/10/2020) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Christopher John Maidmentchair · trustee of 1 other charity
Craig Jeffrey Duncan
David John Deacon
Emily Jane Louise Makinson
Lee Houghton
Lindsay Anne Rees
Louisa Clare Hogarty
Martin Richard Beecroft
Nicholas William James Avery
Paul Guy Foster
Sharon Prosser
Stephen David Flanagan

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

Operates in: Throughout England

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£22.0m	£22.5m
31/03/2024	£22.8m	£24.0m
31/03/2023	£21.8m	£22.6m
31/03/2022	£19.6m	£21.1m
31/03/2021	£20.3m	£22.2m

Common questions

Is FRIENDS OF THE ELDERLY financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported an underlying operating deficit of £1.6m for the year ended 31 March 2024, driven by lower care home occupancy and inflationary cost pressures. However, the trustees confirm that free reserves of £2.2m, combined with £2.4m accessible from restricted Sir Thomas Lipton funds, provide sufficient resources to continue operations for at least 12 months from the approval of the statements. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Saffery LLP.

What does the highest-paid employee of FRIENDS OF THE ELDERLY earn?

Per its FY2024 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £140,001 - £150,000 band, and 16 employees earned over £60,000.

Who funds FRIENDS OF THE ELDERLY?

Funders whose own accounts filings name FRIENDS OF THE ELDERLY as a grant recipient include THE BAND TRUST, THE OFENHEIM CHARITABLE TRUST, THE EDWARD GOSTLING FOUNDATION, THE BRITFORD BRIDGE TRUST, PILKINGTON CHARITIES FUND.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE BAND TRUST	FY2022	£260k	Specific grantee
THE BAND TRUST	FY2024	£30k	Elderly
THE OFENHEIM CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£24k
THE OFENHEIM CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£12k
THE OFENHEIM CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£12k
THE EDWARD GOSTLING FOUNDATION	FY2022	£10k
THE BAND TRUST	FY2022	£10k	Specific grantee
THE BRITFORD BRIDGE TRUST	FY2022	£10k	Secondary - The relief of those in need, by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
THE BAND TRUST	FY2023	£10k	Elderly
THE BRITFORD BRIDGE TRUST	FY2023	£10k	Primary
PILKINGTON CHARITIES FUND	FY2022	£8k
HYDE PARK PLACE ESTATE CHARITY	FY2024	£6k
HYDE PARK PLACE ESTATE CHARITY	FY2025	£6k
THE EQUILIBRIUM FOUNDATION	FY2023	£6k	Grant service for essentials
SKIPTON BUILDING SOCIETY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	FY2025	£6k
THE EQUILIBRIUM FOUNDATION	FY2024	£5k	Supporting older people living in poverty (heating costs, boiler repairs, mattress)
RJ AND AH DANIELS CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£5k
PILKINGTON CHARITIES FUND	FY2023	£5k
LILIAN FRANCES HIND BEQUEST (TRUSTEES OF LADY HIND)	FY2021	£5k	Welfare
THE BROTHERS TRUST	FY2025	£5k	Funded their Christmas celebrations
PILKINGTON CHARITIES FUND	FY2025	£4k
GOWLING WLG (UK) CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£3k
THE MARY ROBERTSON TRUST	FY2022	£3k
THE JENOUR FOUNDATION	FY2022	£2k
THE MARY ROBERTSON TRUST	FY2025	£2k
THE MARY ROBERTSON TRUST	FY2024	£2k
THE TULA TRUST LIMITED	FY2024	£2k
THE JENOUR FOUNDATION	FY2023	£2k
THE TULA TRUST LIMITED	FY2022	£2k
THE MARY ROBERTSON TRUST	FY2023	£2k
THE TULA TRUST LIMITED	FY2023	£2k
THE WALTER GUINNESS CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£2k	for work in Wiltshire
HYDE PARK PLACE ESTATE CHARITY	FY2022	£2k
THE WILLIAM ALLEN YOUNG CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£2k
CHARLES S FRENCH CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£2k
HYDE PARK PLACE ESTATE CHARITY	FY2023	£2k	Providing relief for those in need or sickness and the advancement of life
THE SIR EDWARD LEWIS FOUNDATION	FY2022	£1k	Support for older people
THE WILLIAM ALLEN YOUNG CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£1k
THE HOBSON CHARITY LIMITED	FY2024	£1k	Elderly
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2021	£1k
GOWLING WLG (UK) CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£500
THE CHANDRIS FOUNDATION	FY2022	£500	Other Charities
THE CHANDRIS FOUNDATION	FY2021	£500	Other Charities
THE ANCASTER TRUST	FY2023	£300
THE EQUILIBRIUM FOUNDATION	FY2025	—	Supporting older people living in difficult circumstances
THE EQUILIBRIUM FOUNDATION	FY2022	—	help 12 older people who were struggling to cope
THE JENOUR FOUNDATION	FY2026	—

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	05/07/2005	£250k	Smiles Resource Centre

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 FRANCIS WINHAM FOUNDATION	2	£61k
THE LAWSON TRUST CIO	2	£36k
THE JULIA RAUSING TRUST	1	£629k
THE MASTER CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£303k
JOHN LAING CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£288k
AGE UK	1	£126k
GOODNEWS EVANGELICAL MISSION	1	£100k
ZURICH COMMUNITY TRUST (UK) LIMITED	1	£76k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with TOWER HAMLETS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS.

TOWER HAMLETS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS income £190k
AGE UK NORTHAMPTONSHIRE income £4.7m
TIME TO TALK BEFRIENDING income £472k
ABBEYFIELD NORTHUMBRIA income £4.7m
RICHMOND HILL ELDERLY ACTION LIMITED income £227k
ABBEYFIELD WEST WIGHT SOCIETY LTD income £349k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
FRIENDS OF THE ELDERLY	£22.0m	£140,001 - £150,000	16	below	—	no doubt
TOWER HAMLETS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS FY2025	£190k	—	0	below	—	no doubt
AGE UK NORTHAMPTONSHIRE FY2025	£4.7m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
TIME TO TALK BEFRIENDING FY2025	£472k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
ABBEYFIELD NORTHUMBRIA FY2025	£4.7m	£70,001 - £80,000	1	below	—	no doubt
RICHMOND HILL ELDERLY ACTION LIMITED FY2025	£227k	—	0	within	—	no doubt

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