British Refugee Council

Also known as: Refugee Council, The Refugee Council

The Refugee Council is one of the leading charities in the UK working directly with refugees, and supporting them to rebuild their lives. We also speak up for refugees using our direct work as an evidence base, ensuring refugees have a stronger and more influential voice in decisions that will affect them. We work with a range of partners and in collaboration to ensure we best support our clients.

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Activities & Mission

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.

Region

England

Financial Information

Latest Income

£14,924,000

Latest Expenditure

£19,632,000

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 113.5%

% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 97% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income over £10M (sample: 685). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 86.3%

% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 21% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income over £10M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 15.1%

Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 17% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income over £10M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?

Latest Financial Breakdown

Income Sources

Donations & Legacies £3,198,000

Charitable Activities £11,561,000

Other Trading £0

Investments £165,000

Other Income £0

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £16,933,000

Raising Funds £2,699,000

Governance £275,000

Grants to Institutions £22,000

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 Year	Income	Expenditure	Charitable Spending	Net Assets	Reserves	Staff
2025	£14,924,000	£19,632,000	£16,933,000	£7,438,000	£1,249,000	349 / 431
2024	£20,697,000	£19,364,000	£16,672,000	£12,146,000	£4,000,000	339 / 423
2023	£19,074,000	£17,110,000	£15,897,000	£10,813,000	£4,500,000	321 / 423
2022	£15,791,943	£12,918,924	£11,221,403	£8,849,397	£4,618,239	242 / 305
2021	£12,602,000	£11,551,000	£10,312,000	£5,976,000	£2,924,000	222 / 305

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about British Refugee Council

What does British Refugee Council do?

How much income did British Refugee Council report in 2025?

British Refugee Council reported total income of £14.92m and reported expenditure of £19.63m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is British Refugee Council?

British Refugee Council has a program ratio of 113.5%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 97% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income over £10M (sample of 685 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was British Refugee Council registered as a charity?

British Refugee Council was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 2 October 1992 as charity number 1014576. It has been registered for 34 years.

Where does British Refugee Council operate?

British Refugee Council operates in England, as recorded in its Charity Commission filing.

Is British Refugee Council a registered charity?

Yes — British Refugee Council is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1014576.