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The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain

The Society, a charity for musicians run by musicians, provides grants and support to professional musicians and their families in need because of accident, illness or old age whether or not they are members. Founded in 1738 as the Fund for Decay'd Musicians, early members included Handel, Arne, Boyce and Sammartini. Today it maintains its tradition of responding swiftly to needs of colleagues.

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Activities & Mission

The Society, a charity for musicians run by musicians, provides grants and support to professional musicians and their families in need because of accident, illness or old age whether or not they are members. Founded in 1738 as the Fund for Decay'd Musicians, early members included Handel, Arne, Boyce and Sammartini. Today it maintains its tradition of responding swiftly to needs of colleagues.

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
£1,420,536
Latest Expenditure
£1,270,539

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 69.1%
% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 16% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £1M to £10M (sample: 3130). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 77.3%
% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 14% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £1M to £10M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 28.7%
Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 9% 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 £304,177
Charitable Activities £0
Other Trading £19,718
Investments £1,079,506
Other Income £17,135

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £981,614
Raising Funds £288,925
Governance £75,807
Grants to Institutions £0
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
£1,420,536
£1,270,539£981,614£38,318,391£566,5985 / 40
2024
£1,512,799
£1,542,542£1,245,326£38,238,124£166,1805 / 40
2023
£1,296,250
£1,265,226£1,031,065£35,766,474£120,8025 / 35
2022
£1,436,776
£1,374,856£1,147,604£37,733,220£800,0005 / 0
2021
£1,395,645
£1,729,554£1,527,979£37,199,836£475,0004 / 0

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain

What does The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain do?

The Society, a charity for musicians run by musicians, provides grants and support to professional musicians and their families in need because of accident, illness or old age whether or not they are members. Founded in 1738 as the Fund for Decay'd Musicians, early members included Handel, Arne, Boyce and Sammartini. Today it maintains its tradition of responding swiftly to needs of colleagues.

How much income did The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain report in 2025?

The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain reported total income of £1.42m and reported expenditure of £1.27m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain?

The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain has a program ratio of 69.1%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 16% of UK Beneficiary group charities with income £1M to £10M (sample of 3130 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain registered as a charity?

The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 22 October 1962 as charity number 208879. It has been registered for 64 years.

Who runs The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain?

The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain is governed by a board of 12 trustees. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain operate?

The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain operates across 3 areas: Northern Ireland, Scotland and England And Wales.

Is The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain a registered charity?

Yes — The Royal Society Of Musicians Of Great Britain is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 208879.

Details

Address
ROYAL SOCIETY OF MUSICIANS OF GB
26 Fitzroy Square
LONDON
W1T 6BT
Website
rsmgb.org
Registration Date
22 October 1962
Status
Registered

Registry Information

Organisation Number
208879
Charity Number
208879

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Trustees

Daniel Baruch Meyer
Elizabeth Drew
George Caird Professor
Also governs 1 other charity
George Vass
Also governs 2 other charities
Jacoba Gale
Keith Martin Ames
Kim Murphy
Marianne Olyver
Nickie Dixon

Data & trust

Register data refreshed
14 May 2026
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