Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind
Notable UK charityAlso known as: Sight Savers, Sightsavers, Sightsavers International
Seventy five per cent of blindness in the world is either avoidable or treatable. Sightsavers works with partners in developing countries to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. Our work alleviates poverty among poor and marginalised communities and thus helps to realise the internationally accepted Millenium Development Goals.
Activities & Mission
Seventy five per cent of blindness in the world is either avoidable or treatable. Sightsavers works with partners in developing countries to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. Our work alleviates poverty among poor and marginalised communities and thus helps to realise the internationally accepted Millenium Development Goals.
Grants
Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind makes grants as part of its work.
- Gives grants to
- organisations
- Grants paid (2025)
- £31,670,000
- Who it helps
- children and young people, elderly people, people with disabilities, other charities or voluntary bodies and the general public
- What it supports
- education and training, the advancement of health or the saving of lives, disability, the prevention or relief of poverty, overseas aid or famine relief and economic or community development and employment
As recorded with the Charity Commission. To ask about applying, use the contact details and check the trustees and latest accounts below.
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Learn more about premium profiles See a sample profileAreas 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 31 areas of operation Hide areas of operation
Financial Information
Financial Efficiency
Higher than 56% of UK Health charities with income over £10M (sample: 165). How is this calculated?
Higher than 53% of UK Health charities with income over £10M. How is this calculated?
Lower overhead than 50% of UK Health 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 | £283,836,000 | £288,392,000 | £261,434,000 | £59,744,000 | £27,858,000 | 857 / 0 |
| 2024 | £285,595,000 | £288,464,000 | £265,153,000 | £63,749,000 | £27,412,000 | 826 / 0 |
| 2023 | £337,945,000 | £340,501,000 | £317,316,000 | £66,267,000 | £30,362,000 | 840 / 0 |
| 2022 | £313,352,000 | £309,174,000 | £286,881,000 | £68,698,000 | £33,026,000 | 790 / 0 |
| 2021 | £236,775,000 | £213,622,000 | £194,686,000 | £65,417,000 | £32,185,000 | 745 / 248885 |
Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers
Frequently asked questions about Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind
What does Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind do?
Seventy five per cent of blindness in the world is either avoidable or treatable. Sightsavers works with partners in developing countries to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. Our work alleviates poverty among poor and marginalised communities and thus helps to realise the internationally accepted Millenium Development Goals.
How much income did Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind report in 2025?
Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind reported total income of £283.84m and reported expenditure of £288.39m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.
How efficient is Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind?
Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind has a program ratio of 92.1%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 56% of UK Health charities with income over £10M (sample of 165 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.
When was Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind registered as a charity?
Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 22 September 1962 as charity number 207544. It has been registered for 64 years.
Who runs Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind?
Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind is governed by a board of 13 trustees. The chair of trustees is CLIVE JONES CBE. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.
Where does Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind operate?
Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind operates across 31 areas, including Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso and 28 others. The full list is shown on its profile.
Is Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind a registered charity?
Yes — Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 207544.
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Registry Information
Other notable Health charities
Major UK charities in the same primary sector, drawn from the curated priority cohort.
Trustees
Sectors & Classifications
Also Known As
- Sight Savers
- Sightsavers
- Sightsavers International
Data & trust
- Register data refreshed
- 2 November 2026
- Methodology
- How metrics are calculated