Practical Action
Also known as: Intermediate Technology Development Group Ltd, Practical Action Limited
Practical Action is a global innovator, inspiring people to discover and adopt ingenious, practical ways to free themselves from poverty and disadvantage
Activities & Mission
Practical Action is a global innovator, inspiring people to discover and adopt ingenious, practical ways to free themselves from poverty and disadvantage
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.
Show all 14 areas of operation Hide areas of operation
Financial Information
Financial Efficiency
Higher than 38% of UK Social welfare charities with income over £10M (sample: 208). How is this calculated?
Higher than 32% of UK Social welfare charities with income over £10M. How is this calculated?
Lower overhead than 35% of UK Social welfare charities with income over £10M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?
Latest Financial Breakdown
Income Sources
Expenditure Categories
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 | £33,140,000 | £32,363,000 | £27,876,000 | £8,442,000 | £8,442,000 | 478 / 0 |
| 2024 | £30,020,557 | £30,542,960 | £28,022,859 | £7,958,000 | £6,011,000 | 450 / 0 |
| 2023 | £26,950,000 | £28,921,000 | £26,425,000 | £8,197,000 | £8,197,000 | 432 / 750 |
| 2022 | £27,867,000 | £27,663,000 | £25,246,000 | £10,670,000 | £10,670,000 | 489 / 0 |
| 2021 | £30,439,000 | £29,229,000 | £26,656,000 | £10,466,000 | £10,466,000 | 511 / 0 |
Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers
Frequently asked questions about Practical Action
What does Practical Action do?
Practical Action is a global innovator, inspiring people to discover and adopt ingenious, practical ways to free themselves from poverty and disadvantage
How much income did Practical Action report in 2025?
Practical Action reported total income of £33.14m and reported expenditure of £32.36m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.
How efficient is Practical Action?
Practical Action has a program ratio of 84.1%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 38% of UK Social welfare charities with income over £10M (sample of 208 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.
When was Practical Action registered as a charity?
Practical Action was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 26 April 1966 as charity number 247257. It has been registered for 60 years.
Who runs Practical Action?
Practical Action is governed by a board of 13 trustees. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.
Where does Practical Action operate?
Practical Action operates across 14 areas, including Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso and 11 others. The full list is shown on its profile.
Is Practical Action a registered charity?
Yes — Practical Action is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 247257.
Details
The Robbins Building
25 Albert Street
RUGBY
CV21 2SD
Registry Information
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Major UK charities in the same primary sector, drawn from the curated priority cohort.
Trustees
Also governs 1 other charity
Sectors & Classifications
Also Known As
- Intermediate Technology Development Group Ltd
- Practical Action Limited
- Practical Action
Data & trust
- Register data refreshed
- 14 May 2026
- Methodology
- How metrics are calculated