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MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT

Registered charity 261017 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as CANCER RELIEF MACMILLAN FUND, MACMILLAN, MACMILLAN CANCER RELIEF, NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR CANCER RELIEF, THE NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR CANCER RELIEF · also registered in Scotland as SC039907 (OSCR)

Macmillan Cancer Support exists to help improve the lives of people affected by cancer - those with cancer and their families, carers and communities. We are a source for support, helping anyone affected by cancer navigate through the system to get what they need, and a force for change, working to improve cancer care.

Causes: Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£245.5m
Latest spending
£225.9m
Registered
1989
Accounts read
FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity ended the year with a £21.1 million surplus and total reserves of £39.3 million, operating within its agreed liquidity target range of £55-£85 million. Per the trustees' report, the organization returned to balanced budgets after deliberate spend-down of excess liquidity, resulting in a stable financial position despite a challenging external environment.

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

What the accounts disclose

Employees paid over £60,000: 321
“The number of employees earning over £60,000 is 321 (2023: 237).” — page 112
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Largest income source: Legacies (43% of income)
“Legacies were the main driver behind our 6% income growth this year, and they continue to be Macmillan’s biggest single source of revenue, making up 43.2% of our total income” — page 37
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Fundraising cost ratio: 33.2% of fundraised income, as disclosed
“We spent £150.4 million on charitable activities in 2024 and £75.5 million on raising income in 2024.” — page 7
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

In the news

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

Corporate structure

MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT TRADING LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts
  • Turnover: £3.1m
  • Profit before tax: £1.3m
  • Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £1.3m
  • Loan of £370,000 secured by debenture; remaining balances unsecured, interest-free, repayable on demand.
“Accordingly the profit for the year of £1,291,374 (2023: £967,976) has been transferred to Macmillan Cancer Support under the Gift Aid rules.”

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Macmillan Cancer Support (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.

Official officers record.

UK research funding (UKRI Gateway to Research)

Property (HM Land Registry)

34 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (5 freehold); recorded price paid £119k. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

Trustpilot: Macmillan Cancer Support scores 1.6/5 from 236 reviews (source) — reviews usually concern the charity’s shops or services, not its charitable performance.

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook (1,132,735 likes) · instagram (204K followers)

Advertised salaries (public job ads)

Roles this charity has advertised on CharityJob, matched on the exact employer name. A different source from the statutory pay bands above: these are asking salaries for vacancies, not what anyone was paid.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)

Total income
£245.5m
Total spending
£225.9m
Cost of raising funds
£75.5m
Reserves (reported)
£39.3m
Employees
1,782

Reported reserves equal ~2.1 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 2.7 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 30.7% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 2.9%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Guernsey · Isle Of Man · Jersey · Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/12/2024£245.5m£225.9m
31/12/2023£232.5m£265.2m
31/12/2022£227.1m£251.7m
31/12/2021£230.7m£234.1m
31/12/2020£194.9m£147.8m

Common questions

Is MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity ended the year with a £21.1 million surplus and total reserves of £39.3 million, operating within its agreed liquidity target range of £55-£85 million. Per the trustees' report, the organization returned to balanced budgets after deliberate spend-down of excess liquidity, resulting in a stable financial position despite a challenging external environment. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

Who funds MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT?

Funders whose own accounts filings name MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT as a grant recipient include CHOBHAM POOR ALLOTMENTS, THE PENNIES FOUNDATION, THE MASTER CHARITABLE TRUST, THE SIR ROBERT OGDEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST.

Known funders

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

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
CHOBHAM POOR ALLOTMENTSFY2022£1.9m
THE PENNIES FOUNDATIONFY2023£1.2m
THE PENNIES FOUNDATIONFY2024£1.2m
THE MASTER CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£1.0m
THE PENNIES FOUNDATIONFY2021£725kGrant to institution
THE SIR ROBERT OGDEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2024£520kcore grant
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£500k
THE NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEMEFY2021£500kNursing and health beneficiaries
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£500k
THE NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEMEFY2022£475kNursing beneficiaries
THE NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEMEFY2024£450kAnnual donation
BC Partners FoundationFY2024£432k
THE SIR ROBERT OGDEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2022£430kCharitable activities
THE SIR ROBERT OGDEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2023£425kContributions to the funding of the building of the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre for the treatment of cancer in Northallerton
THE ELWYN THOMAS MEMORIAL FUNDFY2022£400k
OVE ARUP PARTNERSHIP CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£400k
THE ARDEOLA CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£161k
Richard Oatley Trust Number TwoFY2024£160kCancer research and patient support
THE SCREWFIX FOUNDATIONFY2023£150kcommunity build projects
THE SCREWFIX FOUNDATIONFY2022£143kCommunity build projects
SSP FOUNDATIONFY2022£136k
2104 CHARITY FOUNDATIONFY2025£123k
SSP FOUNDATIONFY2023£113kCharity of the Year support (match funding and donations)
THE PAYBACK TIME TRUSTFY2025£111k
THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITEDFY2022£105k
BNA CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATIONFY2022£100k
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£100k
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£100k
PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£93k
PEACOCK CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£93k
Richard Oatley Trust Number TwoFY2023£88k
THE MACKAY AND BREWER CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£83k
THE CONSTANCE TRAVIS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£80k
BNA CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATIONFY2024£76k
E B M CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£75kGrant paid to institution
THE CHURCHILL FOUNDATIONFY2024£65k
THE EARL FITZWILLIAM CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£65k
BANHAM FOUNDATION LIMITEDFY2025£63k
THE CHURCHILL FOUNDATIONFY2022£60k
THE PENNIES FOUNDATIONFY2022£60k
THE SYNCONA FOUNDATIONFY2023£60k
THE CHURCHILL FOUNDATIONFY2021£55k
THE CONSTANCE TRAVIS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£50k
THE CONSTANCE TRAVIS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£50k
BNA CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATIONFY2023£50k
E B M CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£50k
THE ARDEOLA CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£50k
THE 29TH MAY 1961 CHARITYFY2022£50kcore funding for the national cancer counselling telephone line
GENESYS LEGACY PROJECT LTDFY2024£50k
PADWA CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2022£50k

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

FunderDateAmountPurpose
Community Foundation North East10/07/2025£500Grant to Macmillan Cancer Support
Community Foundation North East25/07/2024£500Grant to Macmillan Cancer Support
Community Foundation North East06/06/2024£500Grant to Macmillan Cancer Support
Community Foundation North East19/01/2023£2kGrant to Macmillan Cancer Support
Community Foundation North East11/08/2022£1kGrant to Macmillan Cancer Support
Community Foundation North East25/11/2021£2kA grant to Macmillan Cancer Support
Community Foundation North East21/10/2021£500A grant to Macmillan Cancer Support
Community Foundation North East23/09/2021£455A grant to Macmillan Cancer Support
Community Foundation North East12/08/2021£740A grant to Macmillan Cancer Support
UK government05/10/2020£90kCoronavirus Community Support Fund
Community Foundation North East05/11/2018£250General charitable purposes
Community Foundation North East09/04/2018£2kTowards running costs of the Morpeth Committee
Community Foundation North East10/02/2018£250General charitable purposes
Sport England24/08/2015£50kMacmillan 'Let's Get Moving' Pathway Programme
Sport England20/05/2014£101kMacmillan 'Let's Get Moving' Pathway Programme
Sport England28/03/2014£402kMacmillan 'Let's Get Moving' Pathway Programme
Sport England17/07/2013£115kMacmillan 'Let's Get Moving' Pathway Programme
The National Lottery Community Fund14/03/2007£319kMacmillan CAB Welfare Benefits Advice Service - for people affected by canc

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.

FunderSimilar charities fundedAmount to them
DENISE COATES FOUNDATION2£6.6m
DAVID LISTER CHARITABLE TRUST2£104k
WARWICKSHIRE FREEMASONS' CHARITABLE FOUNDATION2£3k
THE REDEEMED CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD "CITY OF HIS GRACE"1—
ONE FOOTSTEP1—
CHILDREN WITH CANCER UK1£2.8m
GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL CHILDREN'S CHARITY1£1.4m
VEG TRUST INCORPORATING THE MATTHEW EYTON ANIMAL WELFARE TRUST1£1.3m

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with MACMILLAN CARING LOCALLY.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT£245.5m—321unclear33.2%no doubt
MACMILLAN CARING LOCALLY FY2025£3.1m—0above—no doubt
CANCER RESEARCH UK FY2025£734.8m—380above22.0%no doubt
CANCER SUPPORT UK (CSUK) FY2025£599k——unclear—no doubt
DOUGLAS MACMILLAN HOSPICE FY2025£21.7m£120,001 - £130,000—unclear—no doubt
CANCER SUPPORT YORKSHIRE FY2025£581k—0above—no doubt

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