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ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC

Registered charity 310007 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · Wikidata: Q1144673 · Wikipedia · also known as R A M

To provide pre-professional, undergraduate and postgraduate musical training of the highest national and international standards.

Objects

THE CULTIVATION OF THE SCIENCE OF MUSIC AND TO AFFORD FACILITIES FOR ATTAINING PERFECTION IN IT BY ASSISTING WITH GENERAL INSTRUCTION ALL PERSONS DESIROUS OF ACQUIRING A KNOWLEDGE THEREOF.

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Westminster, London, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income
£33.2m
Latest spending
£32.5m
Registered
1973
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported an operating surplus of £0.7m and a total comprehensive income of £5.2m for the year ended 31 July 2025. Unrestricted reserves increased to £142.9m, supported by significant investment gains and the reclassification of endowment funds, despite an underlying operational deficit of £0.4m.

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

What the accounts disclose

Fundraising cost ratio: 14.3% of fundraised income, as disclosed
“In 2024/25 the team delivered a return of 7:1, well above the sector average.” — page 31
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Grant to RAM Student Union
“A grant of £47k (£44.7k 2023/24) was paid to the RAM SU for their work in supporting students during the year.” — page 67
“In the financial year 2024/25, the Academy received a distribution of £1.75m (£500k 2023/24).” — page 67
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Distribution from ABRSM
“A grant of £47k (£44.7k 2023/24) was paid to the RAM SU for their work in supporting students during the year.” — page 67
“In the financial year 2024/25, the Academy received a distribution of £1.75m (£500k 2023/24).” — page 67
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Scholarships from ABRSM
“A grant of £47k (£44.7k 2023/24) was paid to the RAM SU for their work in supporting students during the year.” — page 67
“In the financial year 2024/25, the Academy received a distribution of £1.75m (£500k 2023/24).” — page 67
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by MHA. Discloses 3 of 6 completeness components.

In its annual return the charity told the Commission it is also regulated by: Ofsted (Office For Standards In Education). This is the charity’s own declaration; it is not a rating and has not been verified by the Commission or by this site.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/07/2025

  • Government income: £5,617,000 — grants £5,617,000 (6); 17% of the £33,157,000 total gross income on the same return
  • Employees paid over £60,000: 49 (£60,001–£70,000: 15; £70,001–£80,000: 8; £80,001–£90,000: 7; £90,001–£100,000: 5; £100,001–£110,000: 7; £110,001–£120,000: 1; £120,001–£130,000: 3; £150,001–£200,000: 2; £250,001–£300,000: 1)
  • Has a trading subsidiary

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/07/2024

  • Government income: £5,806,000 — grants £5,806,000 (6); 17% of the £33,503,000 total gross income on the same return
  • Employees paid over £60,000: 37 (£60,001–£70,000: 7; £70,001–£80,000: 9; £80,001–£90,000: 5; £90,001–£100,000: 4; £100,001–£110,000: 4; £110,001–£120,000: 4; £120,001–£130,000: 1; £150,001–£200,000: 2; £250,001–£300,000: 1)
  • Has a trading subsidiary

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/07/2023

  • Government income: £6,220,000 — grants £6,220,000 (5); 19% of the £32,525,000 total gross income on the same return
  • Employees paid over £60,000: 42 (£60,001–£70,000: 13; £70,001–£80,000: 8; £80,001–£90,000: 5; £90,001–£100,000: 3; £100,001–£110,000: 4; £110,001–£120,000: 2; £120,001–£130,000: 3; £130,001–£140,000: 1; £150,001–£200,000: 2; £250,001–£300,000: 1)
  • Has a trading subsidiary

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

In the news

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

Property (HM Land Registry)

11 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (2 freehold); recorded price paid £275k. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/07/2025)

Total income
£33.2m
Total spending
£32.5m
Cost of raising funds
£1.5m
Reserves (reported)
£14.5m
Employees
273

Reported reserves equal ~5.4 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 4.5% of total income — above the median for charities its size (3.7%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/07/2025£33.2m£32.5m
31/07/2024£33.5m£30.3m
31/07/2023£32.5m£29.5m
31/07/2022£32.6m£26.5m
31/07/2021£30.1m£24.5m

Common questions

Is ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported an operating surplus of £0.7m and a total comprehensive income of £5.2m for the year ended 31 July 2025. Unrestricted reserves increased to £142.9m, supported by significant investment gains and the reclassification of endowment funds, despite an underlying operational deficit of £0.4m. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by MHA.

Who funds ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC?

Funders whose own accounts filings name ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC as a grant recipient include THE GATSBY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, THE ASSOCIATED BOARD OF THE ROYAL SCHOOLS OF MUSIC, THE LEVERHULME TRUST, THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST, THE ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATION.

Shared trustees with funders

Register facts shown side by side: a person serves as trustee of both this charity and a funder whose accounts record grants to it. Shared trusteeship is lawful and common; well-run charities manage it through declared-interest procedures.

Known funders

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

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
THE GATSBY CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2022£6.0mA permanent endowment to towards core costs of the Gatsby Chair of Musical Theatre.
THE ASSOCIATED BOARD OF THE ROYAL SCHOOLS OF MUSICFY2021£1.0mScholarships
MARIA BJORNSON MEMORIAL FUNDFY2022Unverified read£830k
THE LEVERHULME TRUSTFY2024£670k
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£500k
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£450k
THE ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATIONFY2025£250k
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£200k
BACKSTAGE TRUSTFY2024£170kImplementation of new cloud-based finance management software
THE BAND TRUSTFY2022£150kSpecific grantee
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£100k
Q CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2021£100k
THE MARTIN SMITH FOUNDATIONFY2022£80k
THE MILA CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONFY2023£75k
BACKSTAGE TRUSTFY2022£75k
THE CONSTANCE TRAVIS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£60k
THE CONSTANCE TRAVIS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£60k
BACKSTAGE TRUSTFY2023£55k
THE KARLSSON JATIVA CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2022£50k
MARIA BJORNSON MEMORIAL FUNDFY2025£45k
DRAPERS CHARITABLE FUNDFY2024£35kScholarships
HENRY WOOD ACCOMMODATION TRUSTFY2025£30kGrant funding of activities
HENRY WOOD ACCOMMODATION TRUSTFY2026£30kGrant funding of activities
HENRY WOOD ACCOMMODATION TRUSTFY2023£29k
HENRY WOOD ACCOMMODATION TRUSTFY2024£29k
HENRY WOOD ACCOMMODATION TRUSTFY2022£29kGrant funding of activities
Q CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£25k
Q CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£25k
THE SAMWORTH FOUNDATIONFY2026£25kDonation
Q CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£25k
Q CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£25k
THE MILA CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONFY2022£25k
Q CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£25k
THE KARLSSON JATIVA CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2023£25kJunior Academy Musical Theatre course
THE KARLSSON JATIVA CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2024£25kJunior Academy Musical Theatre
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£25k
Q CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£25k
THE BAND TRUSTFY2023£25kEducational
THE KARLSSON JATIVA CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2021£25ksupporting the development of a new junior conservatoire programme in musical theatre
Q CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£25k
Q CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£25k
THE ALBERT AND EUGENIE FROST MUSIC TRUST CIOFY2024£20k
THE ALBERT AND EUGENIE FROST MUSIC TRUST CIOFY2022£20k
THE SIR JACK LYONS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£20kSupport of music programs
THE MACKINTOSH FOUNDATIONFY2024£20k
THE ALBERT AND EUGENIE FROST MUSIC TRUST CIOFY2023£20k
CHK FoundationFY2022£20kGrants to charitable institutions
THE MACKINTOSH FOUNDATIONFY2025£20k
THE SCOPS ARTS TRUSTFY2022£20kGrants pledged for payment in later years
THE ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER FOUNDATIONFY2024£19kPerforming Arts Scholarship

Grants marked “Unverified read” were flagged by automated checks as possibly misread from the funder’s filed accounts. They are listed, but left out of the totals, counts and funder relationships this site computes.

Government & lottery funding

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

FunderDateAmountPurpose
The National Lottery Heritage Fund25/05/2004£45k"Musical Notes"

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
ST GILES-IN-THE-FIELDS AND WILLIAM SHELTON EDUCATIONAL CHARITY2£4k
NEW GENERATION EUROPE FOUNDATION1£187k
THE HEADLEY TRUST1£163k
THE REED FOUNDATION1£139k
ROYAL COMMISSION FOR THE EXHIBITION OF 18511£112k
THE POLONSKY FOUNDATION1£88k
E B M CHARITABLE TRUST1£85k
THE VASEPPI TRUST1£75k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC£33.2m——unclear14.3%no doubt
THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC FY2025£41.1m——unclear—no doubt
RADIO ACADEMY FY2025£478k—0unclear—no doubt
ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA LIMITED FY2025£11.8m——unclear5.0%no doubt
GLOBAL MUSIC ACADEMY FY2025£65k—0above—no doubt
THE ASSOCIATION FOR MUSIC IN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS FY2025£659k——unclear—no doubt

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