Skip to content
CharityCompare
Menu

Rating for ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS

90/100 Clarity Score · 4 stars · Charity Commission filings · How we score

Give with confidence
90/100

Clarity score

Exceptional

Donate
Sheffield · UK-wide · SG19 2DL Reg 207076 Registered charity Official website Charity Commission register

Mission

ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS is a registered UK charity (207076) working in children & youth across the United Kingdom. CharityCompare scores the organisation from public Charity Commission annual accounts — financial efficiency, transparency, and filing compliance — not programme outcomes.

In short: ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS scores 90 out of 100 (4 stars). 75% average program spend (3-year average). Filings are up to date with no major concerns.

Overview

ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS has a Clarity Score of 90 out of 100 on CharityCompare (4 stars, Exceptional). Charity Commission registration number 207076. Status: Registered. Primary cause area: Children & youth. Latest accounts year 2021: total income £142m, with 75% of expenditure on charitable activities. Accounts filing: up to date. Reserves: approximately 3 months of operating costs. 1 filing concern(s) noted on this profile. Scores are independent and based on official filings — not a donation recommendation.

Data from Charity Commission register, last updated .

Overall score

90/100

4★ · Great

Cause spend

75%

3-yr avg · charitable activities

Accountability

100/100

Finance beacon

Income

£142m

Latest year 2021

Reserves

3 mo

Months of running costs

Accounts filing

On time

Charity Commission

£4.1 raised per £1 fundraising (3-yr avg) · 26% overhead · Website on register · Confidence: high

Data & confidence

Source
Charity Commission (E&W)
Accounts year
2021
Filing date
2026-06-24 00:00:00.0000000
Profile reviewed
2026-06-24

High confidence — complete filing data

Scores reflect the latest annual accounts on the register. Impact, leadership, and culture beacons require information beyond public filings.

Beacon report

Detailed accountability and finance metrics from Charity Commission filings — structured for transparency in our four-beacon report.

Accountability & Transparency

Baseline trust from filing discipline, board oversight, and declared governance policies.

100/100

Accountability & Transparency metrics for ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS
Metric Score Value
Filing history (5 years)

100% on-time over five years = 15 pts · one late filing = 5 pts · two or more = 0 pts.

100% 15/15 pts
Trustee oversight

Three or more trustees on the register = 15 pts · one or two = 0 pts (governance red flag).

100% 12 trustees · 15/15 pts
Declared policies

Safeguarding (4) · conflict of interest (3) · volunteer management (3) — from Charity Commission annual return.

100% 10/10 pts

Financial Health

Stability and solvency — reserves, revenue trend, and debt from Charity Commission accounts.

100/100

Financial Health metrics for ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS
Metric Score Value
Reserves (months of cash)

3–24 months = 15 pts · 1–3 months = 7 pts · under 1 month or over 3 years (hoarding) = 0 pts.

100% 3 months · 15/15 pts
Income stability / growth

Positive or stable three-year revenue trend = 10 pts · sustained decline = 0 pts.

100% 10/10 pts · 3-year average
Liabilities to assets

Low debt (< 30% liabilities to assets) = 5 pts · high debt = 0 pts.

100% 8% · 5/5 pts

Financial Efficiency

How efficiently funds reach the cause — program spend and fundraising cost ratios.

50/100

Financial Efficiency metrics for ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS
Metric Score Value
Program expense ratio

≥ 75% on charitable activities = 10 pts · 60–75% = 5 pts · below 60% = 0 pts.

50% 75% · 5/10 pts (3-year average)
Fundraising efficiency

Spends ≤ £0.20 to raise £1 = 10 pts · £0.21–£0.35 = 5 pts · above £0.35 = 0 pts (fundraising cost ÷ income).

50% 25p per £1 income · 5/10 pts (3-year average)

Community Support

Grassroots backing from Charity Commission workforce data — volunteers vs paid staff.

100/100

Community Support metrics for ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS
Metric Score Value
Volunteer-to-staff ratio

More volunteers than paid staff = 10 pts · equal mix = 5 pts · no volunteers = 0 pts.

100% 13,000 volunteers / 2486 staff · 10/10 pts

How we calculate beacon scores →

Clarity Score

90/100 total · Exceptional · 4 of 4 stars

Four pillars (40 + 30 + 20 + 10 points) from Charity Commission filings — see methodology for full weightings.

100/100
Accountability & Transparency
100/100
Financial Health
50/100
Financial Efficiency
100/100
Community Support

Accountability & Transparency

Baseline trust from filing discipline, board oversight, and declared governance policies.

100/100

Filing history (5 years)15/15 pts
Trustee oversight12 trustees · 15/15 pts
Declared policies10/10 pts

Financial Health

Stability and solvency — reserves, revenue trend, and debt from Charity Commission accounts.

100/100

Reserves (months of cash)3 months · 15/15 pts
Income stability / growth10/10 pts · 3-year average
Liabilities to assets8% · 5/5 pts

Financial Efficiency

How efficiently funds reach the cause — program spend and fundraising cost ratios.

50/100

Program expense ratio75% · 5/10 pts (3-year average)
Fundraising efficiency25p per £1 income · 5/10 pts (3-year average)

Community Support

Grassroots backing from Charity Commission workforce data — volunteers vs paid staff.

100/100

Volunteer-to-staff ratio13,000 volunteers / 2486 staff · 10/10 pts

Revenue & expenses

Latest filed year 2021 · Source: Charity Commission annual accounts

ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS revenue and expenses for 2021
Category Amount % of spend
Total income £142m
Total expenditure £122m
Charitable activities £90m 74%
Fundraising £32m 26%
Governance & admin £246k 0%
74%On charitable activities

Where the money goes

Latest accounts (2021) · £122m spent

  • Charitable activities74%
  • Fundraising26%
  • Governance0%

Trust indicators

Pulled from the Charity Commission register — filing behaviour, board size, and workforce where reported.

  • Accounts filed on time

    up to date · last filing 2026-06-24 00:00:00.0000000

  • Trustee board size (3–12)

    12 trustees on the Charity Commission register

  • Workforce on register

    2486 employees · 13,000 volunteers (5:1 volunteer-to-staff)

Fundraising Regulator

Status not yet checked

Separate from our financial scores — shows whether the charity follows the Code of Fundraising Practice.

Check Fundraising Regulator →

Official register

Reg 207076

Full trustee list, accounts, and regulatory history on the Charity Commission.

View on Charity Commission →

Trustees & officers

  • John Kenneth Mason since 2021
  • Dr Benjamin Lian Caldecott since 2022
  • James Nicholas Lowther since 2022
  • William James Sutherland since 2023
  • Susanna Clare Dinnage since 2024
  • Catherine Thea Dugmore since 2024
  • Jane Elizabeth Reeves since 2024
  • Sir Andrew Thomas Cahn Chair · since 2024
  • Simon Patrick Loftus Butcher since 2024
  • Dr Grace Deepa Senapathi since 2025
  • Emyr Lloyd Williams since 2025
  • Stephen Peers Aston since 2025
How we score charities +

The Clarity Score is a 100-point rating from UK Charity Commission data. Four pillars — Accountability & Transparency (40), Financial Health (30), Financial Efficiency (20), and Community Support (10). A statutory inquiry sets the score to 0 automatically.

Full methodology →

Accountability & Transparency

Scored from filings

40 points — filing history (15), trustee oversight (15), declared policies (10).

Financial Health

Scored from filings

30 points — reserves (15), income stability (10), liabilities to assets (5).

Financial Efficiency

Scored from filings

20 points — program expense ratio (10), fundraising efficiency (10). Kept at 20% to avoid punishing legitimate infrastructure costs.

Community Support

Scored from filings

10 points — volunteer-to-staff ratio from Charity Commission workforce data.

Overall score

Sum of all pillar points. Translated to stars: 90–100 Exceptional (4★), 75–89 Good (3★), 60–74 Needs improvement (2★), below 60 Poor (1★).

Five-year trends

£0k £48800k £97600k £146400k £195200k 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Income 2021: £142,383k Spending 2021: £121,618k Cause spend 2021: £89,626k Income 2022: £157,699k Spending 2022: £143,112k Cause spend 2022: £106,258k Income 2023: £164,702k Spending 2023: £164,817k Cause spend 2023: £120,619k Income 2024: £169,877k Spending 2024: £167,994k Cause spend 2024: £125,280k Income 2025: £194,964k Spending 2025: £176,791k Cause spend 2025: £134,122k
  • Income
  • Spending
  • Cause spend

Values in £ thousands · Source: Charity Commission accounts

Key facts

Overall score
90/100 (4★)
Income
£142m
Cause spend
75% of expenditure
Reg number
207076
Scope
UK-wide
Reserves
3 months
Trustees
12
Accounts year
2021
Filing
up to date

Similar children & youth charities

Top-rated peers by CharityCompare score

Export profile

Opens a printer-friendly view of this profile for ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS.

For this charity

Show your score on your website

Embed your independent Clarity score — free to use with a link back to your profile and our methodology.

Red flags

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS's rating, finances, and Charity Commission status.

What is ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS's charity rating? +

ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS scores 90 out of 100 on CharityCompare (4 stars — Exceptional). The Clarity Score V1 sums four pillars from Charity Commission filings: Accountability & Transparency (40 pts), Financial Health (30), Financial Efficiency (20), and Community Support (10).

Is ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS a legitimate UK charity? +

Yes — ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under registration number 207076. You can verify the entry on the official register.

What is ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS's Charity Commission registration number? +

ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS's registration number is 207076. Official register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/207076

How much income does ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS receive? +

ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS reported £142m total income in its 2021 accounts, based on Charity Commission filings. Five-year trend: declining.

What percentage of ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS's spending goes to charitable activities? +

Approximately 75% of total expenditure went to charitable activities in the latest filed year. Fundraising was 25% and combined overhead (fundraising plus governance) was 26%.

Are ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS's accounts up to date? +

Filing status: up to date (last filing 2026-06-24 00:00:00.0000000). CharityCompare flags late or missing accounts separately from the financial score.

Where is ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS based? +

ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS is listed at Sheffield · UK-wide · SG19 2DL and operates UK-wide, focused on children & youth.

How does CharityCompare score ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS? +

We analyse Charity Commission annual accounts using three-year averages for program expense, fundraising efficiency, and overhead; working capital from reserves vs average expenditure; liabilities-to-assets from the latest balance sheet when available. Impact, leadership, and culture beacons are not yet assessed from public data alone. See our methodology for weights and thresholds.

Does CharityCompare recommend donating to ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS? +

No. CharityCompare provides independent scores and facts from official filings. We do not tell you where to donate or earn commission from charities.

How can I compare ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS with other charities? +

Use our free compare tool to put ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS side-by-side with other UK charities on scores, finances, and filing status.