BBC CHILDREN IN NEED

Registered charity 802052 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as THE BBC CHILDREN IN NEED APPEAL · also registered in Scotland as SC039557 (OSCR)

The Charity?s objects are to further such exclusively charitable objects and purposes in any part of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man as the Directors may in their discretion think fit and in particular (without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing) to relieve need, hardship, sickness, handicap and distress amongst children and young persons.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · Disability · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£61.0m
Latest spending
£53.6m
Registered
1989
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that total unrestricted reserves stood at £62.9 million, significantly exceeding the stated continuity target of £12.75 million. The charity reported a net income of £9.4 million and holds sufficient liquidity to meet grant commitments over the next one to three years. The trustees confirmed that assets exceed liabilities and that there are no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue operating.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: £12.75m minimum unrestricted reserves (held: £62.9m)
“The minimum unrestricted reserves of £12.75m held by the Charity are to ensure we have sufficient funds to flex with seasonal income generation, respond to unexpected factors affecting children and young people across the UK and continue operations in periods of uncertainty” — page 54
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Trustee Kenny Imafidon declared a conflict of interest regarding engagement with Clearview and Renaisi for grant evaluation activity costing circa £100k.
“During the financial year BBC Children in Need engaged with research partners Clearview and Renaisi to perform grant evaluation activity. Trustee Kenny Imafidon, Co-founder of Clearview, who also works with Renaisi, declared a conflict of interest but had no involvement in contracting the services (the total cost of the evaluation activity was circa £100k).” — page 81
“At the year end, BBC Children in Need had a creditor balance with the BBC Group of £1.7m (2024: £1.4m) relating to the recharge of employee costs.” — page 81
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Creditor balance with BBC Group for employee cost recharges.
“During the financial year BBC Children in Need engaged with research partners Clearview and Renaisi to perform grant evaluation activity. Trustee Kenny Imafidon, Co-founder of Clearview, who also works with Renaisi, declared a conflict of interest but had no involvement in contracting the services (the total cost of the evaluation activity was circa £100k).” — page 81
“At the year end, BBC Children in Need had a creditor balance with the BBC Group of £1.7m (2024: £1.4m) relating to the recharge of employee costs.” — page 81
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Children in Need Limited
“BBC Children in Need has one trading subsidiary: Children in Need Limited. Children in Need Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary, which primarily exists to licence products using the ‘Pudsey Bear’ trademark and to sell Pudsey merchandise.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Crowe UK 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

CHILDREN IN NEED LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts
  • Turnover: £776k
  • Profit before tax: £253k
  • Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £250k
  • Intercompany loan of £150,000 and Gift Aid payment of £250,051 included in creditors owed to group undertakings.
“Included within the amount owed to group undertakings of £518,316 (2024: £594,174) is the gift aid payment to BBC Children in Need for £250,051 (2024: £372,318)”

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — BBC Children in Need (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.

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook (1,058,540 likes) · instagram (156K followers)

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/06/2025)

Total income
£61.0m
Total spending
£53.6m
Cost of raising funds
£9.6m
Reserves (reported)
£66.6m
Employees
167

Reported reserves equal ~14.9 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 15.7% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 3.8%) (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
30/06/2025£61.0m£53.6m
30/06/2024£54.9m£49.2m
30/06/2023£50.1m£39.8m
30/06/2022£69.9m£74.5m
30/06/2021£65.6m£59.5m

Common questions

Is BBC CHILDREN IN NEED financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that total unrestricted reserves stood at £62.9 million, significantly exceeding the stated continuity target of £12.75 million. The charity reported a net income of £9.4 million and holds sufficient liquidity to meet grant commitments over the next one to three years. The trustees confirmed that assets exceed liabilities and that there are no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue operating. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Crowe UK LLP.

Who funds BBC CHILDREN IN NEED?

Funders whose own accounts filings name BBC CHILDREN IN NEED as a grant recipient include THE PEARS FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, THE HEALTH FOUNDATION, THE PENNIES FOUNDATION, GUY'S AND ST THOMAS' FOUNDATION, THE HAPPY BABY COMMUNITY.

Known funders

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

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
THE PEARS FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2025£1.1mfor a new funder collaboration to tackle child poverty in the UK.
THE HEALTH FOUNDATIONFY2022£750kOther (Includes Cross-cutting and COVID-19 grants)
THE HEALTH FOUNDATIONFY2023£400kImproving people’s health and reducing inequalities
THE PENNIES FOUNDATIONFY2022£363k
GUY'S AND ST THOMAS' FOUNDATIONFY2025£250kImpact on Urban Health
GUY'S AND ST THOMAS' FOUNDATIONFY2024£250kImpact on Urban Health
THE HAPPY BABY COMMUNITYFY2025£38kThe Childrens' Team and their development.
THE HAPPY BABY COMMUNITYFY2024£33kThe Childrens Team and their development
THE PENNIES FOUNDATIONFY2021£11kGrant to institution
DOGS FOR AUTISMFY2023£11kRestricted funds
ALL SAINTS CHURCH WEST EWELLFY2024£10kToddler Time Fundraising
THE MATHER FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£10k
RJ AND AH DANIELS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£8k
THE PENNIES FOUNDATIONFY2023£8k
THE PENNIES FOUNDATIONFY2024£8k
CEREBRAL PALSY PLUSFY2023£5k
RJ AND AH DANIELS CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£5k
THE JOHN R. MURRAY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2021£3kRelief of those in need
HAYS TRAVEL FOUNDATIONFY2022£326
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY MAGDALENE, REIGATEFY2022£305Mission & Evangelism —Local & Social Outreach
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HOLY TRINITY & ST MATTHIAS, TULSE HILLFY2023£200Missionary and Charitable Giving
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HOLY TRINITY & ST MATTHIAS, TULSE HILLFY2024£200Missionary and Charitable Giving
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HOLY TRINITY & ST MATTHIAS, TULSE HILLFY2022£150Missionary and Charitable Giving
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HOLY TRINITY & ST MATTHIAS, TULSE HILLFY2021£150Giving to organisations
ALL SAINTS CHURCH WEST EWELLFY2022£100Toddle Time Fundraising
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST. PETER, FORMBYFY2022—Tree Festival collection

Government & lottery funding

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

FunderDateAmountPurpose
The National Lottery Community Fund17/03/2026£500kLead the Change
Postcode Lottery11/08/2025£500kSpecial Award 2025
Postcode Lottery01/12/2023£1.5mSpecial Award 2023
UK government26/06/2020£8.3mBBC Children in Need The Big Night In Match Fund - COVID Response

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 CHILDHOOD TRUST.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
BBC CHILDREN IN NEED£61.0m——unclear—no doubt
THE CHILDHOOD TRUST FY2025£3.3m£80,001 - £90,0001below—no doubt
VARIETY THE CHILDREN'S CHARITY FY2025£7.2m——above—no doubt
OUR KIDS FY2024£19.3mUnder £60,0000unclear—no doubt
CAREDUCATION TRUST LTD FY2025£133k—0unclear—no doubt
HAPPY CHILDREN LTD FY2025£465k—0within—no doubt

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