£2.18m From Government: What Refugee Action's Accounts Show
September 26, 2026 · Frisian News
Charity Commission accounts show Refugee Action received £1.77 million in government contracts and £405,000 in government grants in the year to March 2025, nearly a third of its total income of £6.855 million.
Nearly a third of Refugee Action's income in the year to March 2025 came from government money, according to Charity Commission records. The charity, registered in England since December 1981 and based in London, received £1.77 million from three government contracts and £405,000 from four government grants, out of total income of £6.855 million.
The organisation does not only deliver welfare. Its own Charity Commission entry states that it raises awareness of refugee issues, influences policy, and campaigns for refugee rights. Its website lists active campaigns calling for asylum seekers to be allowed to work under the banner #LiftTheBan, alongside a racial justice programme and a push for not-for-profit asylum housing. In July 2026, Refugee Action published a post addressed to "Britain's next Prime Minister" urging the incoming leader to "listen to people seeking safety." The following month, the Asylum Housing Alliance published an open letter to the Prime Minister that appeared on Refugee Action's site. In September 2026, the charity delivered what it called a "housewarming card" to Andy Burnham in Westminster.
The 2024-25 government total is a sharp drop from the preceding two years. State money that year accounted for just under half the charity's entire revenue.
In 2022-23 the pattern was similar. The government-funded share came to roughly 41 percent of everything the charity raised that year.
Across the five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25, Charity Commission financial records show government contracts and grants combining to a considerable aggregate total. No financial year in that period recorded zero from the state: even in 2020-21, contracts and grants combined exceeded £2 million.
The charity spent more than it earned in 2024-25. Total expenditure reached £8.107 million against income of £6.855 million, leaving a deficit. Of that outgoing, £6.17 million went on charitable activities and £1.94 million on raising funds. Refugee Action employs 95 people and uses 200 volunteers.
The same Charity Commission entry lists a "campaigns and political activity policy" among the charity's formal governance documents. Influencing government policy is part of Refugee Action's stated charitable purpose. Refugee Action receives government contracts and lobbies the same government to change course on asylum.
FryskHast in tredde fan de ynkomsten fan Refugee Action yn it jier oant maart 2025 kaam fan oerheidsjild, neffens registraasjes by de Charity Commission. De organisaasje, sûnt desimber 1981 registrearre yn Ingelân en fêstige yn Londen, ûntfong £1,77 miljoen fan trije oerheidsopdrachten en £405.000 fan fjouwer oerheidsubsydzjes, op in totale ynkomst fan £6,855 miljoen.
De organisaasje fersoarget net allinnich sosjale tsjinsten. Yn de eigen ynskriuwing by de Charity Commission stiet dat it bewustwêzen oer flechtlingekwestjes fergrutsje, belied beynfloedet en kampanjes fiert foar rjochten fan flechtlingen. Op de webside steane aktive kampanjes dy't der foar pleitsje dat asylsikers tastien wurdt te wurkjen ûnder it motto #LiftTheBan, neist in programma foar rasiale rjochtfeardigens en in aksje foar net-kommersjele asylhúsfesting. Yn july 2026 publisearre Refugee Action in berjocht rjochte oan "Britain's next Prime Minister", wêryn de oankommende lieder frege waard om "listen to people seeking safety." De folgjende moanne publisearre de Asylum Housing Alliance in iepen brief oan de minister-presidint dy't ferskynde op de side fan Refugee Action. Yn septimber 2026 brocht de organisaasje wat it in "housewarming card" neamde nei Andy Burnham yn Westminster.
It oerheidsbedrach foar 2024-25 is in skerpe daling yn ferliking mei de twa foargeande jierren. It steatsbedrach foel dat jier krekt ûnder de helte fan de totale ynkomsten fan de organisaasje.
Yn 2022-23 wie it patroan ferlykber. It oerheidsfinansjearre part kaam út op goed 41 prosint fan alles wat de organisaasje dat jier byinoar brocht.
Oer de fiif jierren fan 2020-21 oant en mei 2024-25 litte de finansjele registraasjes fan de Charity Commission sjen dat oerheidsopdrachten en subsydzjes kombinearre oprinne ta in flinke totaal. Gjin inkeld finansjeel jier yn dy perioade registrearre nul fan de steat: sels yn 2020-21 kamen opdrachten en subsydzjes kombinearre boppe de £2 miljoen út.
De organisaasje joech yn 2024-25 mear út as dat it ynkaam. De totale útjeften beliepen £8,107 miljoen tsjin ynkomsten fan £6,855 miljoen, sadat in tekoart ûntstie. Fan dy útjeften gie £6,17 miljoen nei woldiedige aktiviteiten en £1,94 miljoen nei it rûnheljen fan jild. Refugee Action hat 95 minsken yn tsjinst en brûkt 200 frijwilligers.
Deselde ynskriuwing by de Charity Commission neamt in "campaigns and political activity policy" ûnder de offisjele bestjoersdokuminten fan de organisaasje. It beynfloedzjen fan oerheidbelied heart ta de fêststelde woldiedige doelstelling fan Refugee Action. Refugee Action ûntfangt oerheidsopdrachten en lobbyt by deselde oerheid om in oar asylbelied te fieren.
Published September 26, 2026 · Frisian News