NATIONAL CHILDREN'S BUREAU
Registered charity 258825 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as NCB
The National Children's Bureau is a leading charity that for 60 years has been improving the lives of children and young people, especially the most vulnerable. We work with children and for children, to influence government policy, be a strong voice for young people and practitioners, and provide creative solutions on a range of social issues.
Causes: Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Disability · Economic/community Development/employment · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity achieved an operational break-even for the year, with a small operating surplus on unrestricted funds of £10k before exceptional expenditure. Free reserves stood at £2.7m, which is above the trustees' stated minimum policy target of £1.5m, providing a buffer against risks such as funding cessation or unexpected costs. The charity holds significant tangible fixed assets valued at £4.3m, primarily its London office property.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Related-party transaction: NCB Enterprises Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary. The amount owed from the parent company at 31st March 2025 was £5,374.
“The amount owed from the parent company at 31st March 2025 was £5,374 (2024: £5,374). Further details are shown in note 9.” — page 92
“NCB and NCB RiP entered into an on-demand facility agreement dated 30 January 2024 under which NCB RiP may borrow from NCB funds up to the total value of £500,000.” — page 91
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: NCB RiP is a subsidiary charity. NCB and NCB RiP entered into an on-demand facility agreement under which NCB RiP may borrow from NCB funds up to £500,000.
“The amount owed from the parent company at 31st March 2025 was £5,374 (2024: £5,374). Further details are shown in note 9.” — page 92
“NCB and NCB RiP entered into an on-demand facility agreement dated 30 January 2024 under which NCB RiP may borrow from NCB funds up to the total value of £500,000.” — page 91
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Lawrence Walker was a trustee of Childlife, a consortium charity that donated £115,000 to NCB.
“The amount owed from the parent company at 31st March 2025 was £5,374 (2024: £5,374). Further details are shown in note 9.” — page 92
“NCB and NCB RiP entered into an on-demand facility agreement dated 30 January 2024 under which NCB RiP may borrow from NCB funds up to the total value of £500,000.” — page 91
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Sayer Vincent LLP. Discloses 3 of 6 completeness components.
In the news
Recent coverage mentioning this charity by name (automated match; headlines belong to their publishers).
Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — NCB (matched by registered charity number).
Property (HM Land Registry)
3 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold); recorded price paid £2.4m. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£48k
Reported reserves equal ~2.0 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (97% 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: 0.3% of total income — below the median for charities its size (3.8%) (benchmarks).
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (18/03/2024) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- Sarah Margaret Mullenchair
- Bethan Myfanwy Hoggan
- Dr Catriona Lucy Hugman
- Dr Dominic Martin McSherry
- Emma Margaret Beeden
- Jadesola Chiamaka Oluwatobiloba Olusanya
- Kathryn Elizabeth Pugh
- Marjorie Ann James
- Nainan Shah
- Onder Beter
- Professor Neal Hazel
- Steven Crocker
- Tayo Leigh
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Northern Ireland · Throughout England
Income and spending
Common questions
Is NATIONAL CHILDREN'S BUREAU financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity achieved an operational break-even for the year, with a small operating surplus on unrestricted funds of £10k before exceptional expenditure. Free reserves stood at £2.7m, which is above the trustees' stated minimum policy target of £1.5m, providing a buffer against risks such as funding cessation or unexpected costs. The charity holds significant tangible fixed assets valued at £4.3m, primarily its London office property. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Sayer Vincent LLP.
Who funds NATIONAL CHILDREN'S BUREAU?
Funders whose own accounts filings name NATIONAL CHILDREN'S BUREAU as a grant recipient include THE EDUCATION ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION, THE NUFFIELD FOUNDATION, KUSUMA TRUST UK, CHARITY OF SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON, CHILDLIFE.
Known funders
Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
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 THE NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.