SECTOR INSIGHT SECTOR INSIGHT SECTOR INSIGHT Armed Forces Charities 2020 An overview and analysis Armed Forces Charities Armed Forces Charities Since 2014, the Directory of Social Change (DSC) has provided an unrivalled depth of analysis An overview and analysis of charities that support the UK armed forces community. This report builds upon DSC’s growing body of research, which includes two Sector Insight reports, six Focus On reports and DSC’s www.armedforcescharities.org.uk website, to provide a detailed account of armed forces charities as a distinct sector. 2020 This latest report offers insightful analysis and exposition of armed forces charities, including: Stuart Cole Total numbers and types of charity Anthony Robson Financial size and characteristics of the sector Longitudinal trends in opening and closing of charities Rhiannon Doherty An overview of charities by beneficiary groups supported Examples of collaboration between armed forces charities An overview and analysis Grant-making practices This report provides a body of evidence to inform policy, practice and research. This is a unique resource for charities, the government, policymakers and researchers to understand the topography and nature of the UK armed forces charities. 2020 ‘I commend this excellent DSC report to all who are involved in our sector and are seeking to address the challenges that lie ahead. The objective and thorough research conducted by DSC will support evidence-based policy development and decision-making, and will benefit the armed forces community we are all here to serve.’ Stuart Cole Anthony Robson Rhiannon Doherty General Sir John McColl KCB CBE DSO, Chair of Cobseo helping you This report is part of a wider project for and about In association with Funded by armed forces charities, which includes the website to help others www.armedforcescharities.org.uk Armed Forces Charities Sector.indd 1 29/07/2563 BE 14:08 SECTOR INSIGHT Armed Forces Charities An overview and analysis 2020 Stuart Cole Anthony Robson Rhiannon Doherty Armed Forces Charities Sector title.indd 1 29/07/2563 BE 11:32 Published by the Directory of Social Change (Registered Charity no. 800517 in England and Wales) Head office: Resource for London, 352 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA Northern office: Suite 103, 1 Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3 9HG Tel: 020 7697 4200 Visit www.dsc.org.uk to find out more about our books, subscription- funding websites and training events. 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Base map (figures 3.15 and 3.17) # Maproom at www.maproom.net Sector insight: UK Armed Forces Charities Contents Contents List of figures v List of tables viii Foreword by General Sir John McColl ix Preface by Ray Lock x About the authors xi Acknowledgements xii About the Directory of Social Change xiii Executive summary xiv Introduction xxi Chapter 1: Context 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 A brief history of armed forces charities 2 1.3 Beneficiary population 3 1.4 Beneficiaries by geographical location 8 1.5 The role of legislation and other government action 10 1.6 The role of the Ministry of Defence 18 1.7 Charitable provision for the armed forces community 23 1.8 Welfare needs of the armed forces community 27 1.9 Public perception and challenges 40 1.10 Why this report is timely and necessary 41 Chapter 2: An overview of the UK’s armed forces charity sector 45 2.1 Introduction 45 2.2 Size of the armed forces charity sector 45 2.3 Financial overview 51 2.4 Financial analysis of charities by type 60 2.5 Chapter summary 97 iii Sector insight: UK Armed Forces Charities Contents Chapter 3: Armed forces charities by beneficiary group 99 3.1 Introduction 99 3.2 Armed forces charities by Service affiliation 99 3.3 Armed forces charities by topic of support 127 3.4 Armed forces charities by geographical location 135 3.5 Chapter summary 140 Chapter 4: Grant-making practices 143 4.1 Introduction 143 4.2 Grant-making in the armed forces charity sector 143 4.3 Grant distribution networks and application processes 154 4.4 Key insights from grant-makers 158 4.5 Chapter summary 160 Chapter 5: Collaboration, evaluation and insights 161 5.1 Introduction 161 5.2 Collaboration and partnership 162 5.3 Evaluation and impact 169 5.4 Perspectives on challenges and opportunities 172 5.5 Chapter summary 175 Chapter 6: The last word: key insights from the research 177 6.1 Introduction 177 6.2 Are perceptions of the armed forces charity sector grounded in evidence 177 6.3 The current health of the armed forces charity sector 181 6.4 Armed forces charities in the context of the wider charitable sector 183 6.5 Future challenges facing the sector 185 References 187 Appendix 214 iv Sector insight: UK Armed Forces Charities Figures FIGURES Figure 1 Charity inclusion and exclusion process between the 2014 Sector Insight report and this report xxv Figure 2 UK charity registration xxvii Figure 1.1 Percentages of ex-Service personnel versus the general population by age group 6 Figure 1.2 Percentages of current ex-Service personnel against predictions of the percentages of ex-Service personnel in 2028 by age group 7 Figure 2.1 Number of armed forces charities operating as of April 2019 47 Figure 2.2 Number of UK armed forces charities in operation: 2012–2019 48 Figure 2.3 Openings and closures by type of charity: 2012–2019 49 Figure 2.4 Total sector income and expenditure by type of charity 52 Figure 2.5 Total and average income of all armed forces charities: 2012–2017 53 Figure 2.6 Percentage of charities and income by charity size bracket 55 Figure 2.7 Top ten armed forces welfare charities’ total and cash reserves, annual income and annual expenditure 58 Figure 2.8 Openings and closures of welfare charities: 2012–2019 65 Figure 2.9 Welfare charities by income bracket 66 Figure 2.10 Income and expenditure of welfare charities compared to all armed forces charity types 67 Figure 2.11 Total and average income of welfare charities: 2012–2017 68 Figure 2.12 Total and average expenditure of welfare charities: 2012–2017 69 Figure 2.13 Income by type for welfare charities with incomes over £500,000 70 Figure 2.14 Expenditure by type for welfare charities with incomes over £500,000 70 Figure 2.15 Asset base of welfare charities with incomes over £500,000 71 Figure 2.16a Current asset base of welfare charities with incomes over £500,000 (£ million) 72 v Sector insight: UK Armed Forces Charities Figures Figure 2.16b Fixed asset base of welfare charities with incomes over £500,000 (£ million) 72 Figure 2.17 Reserves (cash, non-cash, total) and expenditure of welfare charities with incomes over £500,000 73 Figure 2.18 Service funds by income bracket 76 Figure 2.19 Income and expenditure of Service funds compared to all armed forces charity types 77 Figure 2.20 Total and average income of Service funds: 2012–2017 78 Figure 2.21 Total and average expenditure for Service funds 79 Figure 2.22 Income by type for Service funds with incomes over £500,000 80 Figure 2.23 Expenditure by type for Service funds with incomes over £500,000 80 Figure 2.24 Asset base of Service funds with incomes over £500,000 81 Figure 2.25 Income by type for associations with incomes over £500,000 84 Figure 2.26 Expenditure by type for associations with incomes over £500,000 84 Figure 2.27 Openings and closures of association branches: 2012–2019 88 Figure 2.28 Total and average income of associations