THE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS LIMITED

Registered charity 235351 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as IEA

The IEA's activities include research, publications, conferences, lectures, seminars, special events, a website, blog and extensive programme of student and teacher outreach.

Causes: Education/training · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£1.3m
Latest spending
£2.2m
Registered
1969
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net movement in funds of (£1,075,211) for the year, resulting in unrestricted general funds being in a deficit of £548,533. Despite having net current liabilities, the trustees confirm the going concern basis is appropriate based on forecasts to March 2027 and adequate resources. Total net assets decreased from £6,319,096 to £5,243,885, largely due to investment losses and reduced donations.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £-549k; policy: 10% of budgeted expenditure (approx £202,000))
“The free reserves of the charity as at 31 March 2025, defined as being unrestricted, undesignated funds not represented by tangible fixed assets, were in negative balance of £548,533” — page 8
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Donations from IEA Forum Limited
“Donations and fees of £120,400 (2024: £580,600) were received or pledged in the period from IEA Forum Limited, a company in which a Trustee is a director, and three Trustees are members. £19,606 (2024: £122,600) was outstanding at the year-end in respect of these transactions.” — page 31
“Donations from trustees in the period totalled £56,000 (2024: £51,490).” — page 31
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Donations from trustees
“Donations and fees of £120,400 (2024: £580,600) were received or pledged in the period from IEA Forum Limited, a company in which a Trustee is a director, and three Trustees are members. £19,606 (2024: £122,600) was outstanding at the year-end in respect of these transactions.” — page 31
“Donations from trustees in the period totalled £56,000 (2024: £51,490).” — page 31
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Streets Audit LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Corporate structure

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.

Official officers record.

Property (HM Land Registry)

1 registered title in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (1 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

Electoral Commission register entries

Entries on the Electoral Commission’s public register where this charity (or its company) appears as the source — typically sponsorship of an APPG or an overseas visit provided to an MP, which charities may lawfully do. Shown with the Commission’s own reference; this is a transparency record, not an allegation.

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

Total income
£1.3m
Total spending
£2.2m
Cost of raising funds
£366k
Reserves (reported)
£0
Employees
20

Reported reserves equal ~0.0 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (84% 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: 27.3% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.2%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Belgium · Throughout London

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/03/2025£1.3m£2.2m
31/03/2024£2.0m£3.0m
31/03/2023£2.3m£2.4m
31/03/2022£2.6m£2.3m
31/03/2021£2.3m£2.3m

Common questions

Is THE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS LIMITED financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net movement in funds of (£1,075,211) for the year, resulting in unrestricted general funds being in a deficit of £548,533. Despite having net current liabilities, the trustees confirm the going concern basis is appropriate based on forecasts to March 2027 and adequate resources. Total net assets decreased from £6,319,096 to £5,243,885, largely due to investment losses and reduced donations. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Streets Audit LLP.

Who funds THE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS LIMITED?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS LIMITED as a grant recipient include MOYNITRUST, THE STREET FOUNDATION, PAUL AND LOUISE COOKE ENDOWMENT, THE SIR EDWARD LEWIS FOUNDATION, THE SAMUEL STOREY FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST.

Known funders

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

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
MOYNITRUSTFY2025£13k
THE STREET FOUNDATIONFY2023£10k
PAUL AND LOUISE COOKE ENDOWMENTFY2023£10kgeneral
PAUL AND LOUISE COOKE ENDOWMENTFY2022£10k
MOYNITRUSTFY2022£3k
THE SIR EDWARD LEWIS FOUNDATIONFY2022£3kEconomic research and education
THE SAMUEL STOREY FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£500
THE STREET FOUNDATIONFY2022£0Other
PAUL AND LOUISE COOKE ENDOWMENTFY2024£0

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.

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with ENERGY INSTITUTE.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
THE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS LIMITED£1.3m——below—no doubt
ENERGY INSTITUTE FY2025£11.0m——unclear—no doubt
THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS FY2025£20.2m——unclear—no doubt
INSTITUTE OF EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS FY2025£150k—0unclear—no doubt
INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC DIALOGUE FY2024£6.1m——above—no doubt
IESE FOUNDATION UK FY2025£357k—0unclear—no doubt

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