Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Action Medical Research

Also known as: Action for the Crippled Child, Action Research, Action Research for the Crippled Child, Arcc, National Fund for Poliomyelitis Research, National Fund for Research into Poliomyelitis and Other Crippling Diseases, The National Fund for Research into Crippling Diseases (known as Action Research), The Polio Research Fund

Action Medical Research is a charity whose objects are to promote medical research into the prevention, management and cure of disabling diseases and conditions. We are a UK-wide charity saving and changing children's lives through medical research. We fund a broad range of cutting-edge medical research most likely to deliver real benefit to babies, children and young people.

Email Charity

Activities & Mission

Action Medical Research is a charity whose objects are to promote medical research into the prevention, management and cure of disabling diseases and conditions. We are a UK-wide charity saving and changing children's lives through medical research. We fund a broad range of cutting-edge medical research most likely to deliver real benefit to babies, children and young people.

Areas of Operation

Where this charity is registered to operate, as self-declared to the Charity Commission. These are regulatory classifications, not a list of active programmes, and don't necessarily indicate fundraising activity in each location.

Financial Information

Latest Income
£7,822,810
Latest Expenditure
£9,297,461

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 55.3%
% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 6% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £1M to £10M (sample: 1170). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 46.5%
% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 4% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £1M to £10M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 53.8%
Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 2% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £1M to £10M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?

Latest Financial Breakdown

Income Sources

Donations & Legacies £7,422,076
Charitable Activities £0
Other Trading £0
Investments £400,734
Other Income £0

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £4,322,354
Raising Funds £4,975,107
Governance £24,294
Grants to Institutions £3,006,199
Other Expenditure £0

Financial Trend

Annual Returns

As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2025.

Financial YearIncomeExpenditureCharitable SpendingNet AssetsReservesStaff
2025
£7,822,810
£9,297,461£4,322,354£6,699,284£4,564,21042 / 450
2024
£8,180,759
£8,633,019£4,235,461£7,125,173£7,044,38951 / 480
2023
£7,986,085
£7,974,454£3,663,156£7,888,497£7,828,48549 / 550
2022
£6,112,701
£7,224,790£3,645,877£6,541,984£6,259,46838 / 550
2021
£4,452,453
£5,342,427£2,782,682£6,804,215£6,501,94138 / 764

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about Action Medical Research

What does Action Medical Research do?

Action Medical Research is a charity whose objects are to promote medical research into the prevention, management and cure of disabling diseases and conditions. We are a UK-wide charity saving and changing children's lives through medical research. We fund a broad range of cutting-edge medical research most likely to deliver real benefit to babies, children and young people.

How much income did Action Medical Research report in 2025?

Action Medical Research reported total income of £7.82m and reported expenditure of £9.30m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is Action Medical Research?

Action Medical Research has a program ratio of 55.3%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 6% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £1M to £10M (sample of 1170 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was Action Medical Research registered as a charity?

Action Medical Research was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 12 December 1962 as charity number 208701. It has been registered for 64 years.

Who runs Action Medical Research?

Action Medical Research is governed by a board of 8 trustees. The chair of trustees is Luke George Batchelor Bordewich. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does Action Medical Research operate?

Action Medical Research operates across 3 areas: Northern Ireland, Scotland and England And Wales.

Is Action Medical Research a registered charity?

Yes — Action Medical Research is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 208701.

Details

Address
Action Medical Research
5th Floor
167-169 Great Portland Street
London
W1W 5PF
Registration Date
12 December 1962
Status
Registered

Registry Information

Organisation Number
208701
Charity Number
208701

Is this your charity?

Add your logo, photos and tell the story behind the numbers in your own words. Free for our first 50 launch partners.

Claim this listing Learn more about premium profiles

Trustees

Luke George Batchelor Bordewich Chair
Bhavin Patel
CLARE JOANNA ELIZABETH FERGUSON
Karen Ann Last
Also governs 1 other charity
Professor David Edwards
Also governs 1 other charity
Professor Stephanie Schorge
Richard Duncan Wild
Richard Jonathan Stoneham-Buck

Sectors & Classifications

Also Known As

  • Action for the Crippled Child
  • Action Research
  • Action Research for the Crippled Child
  • Arcc
  • National Fund for Poliomyelitis Research
  • National Fund for Research into Poliomyelitis and Other Crippling Diseases
  • The National Fund for Research into Crippling Diseases (known as Action Research)
  • The Polio Research Fund

Data & trust

Register data refreshed
30 July 2026
Report a data issue