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NSPCC Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25 Contents
Welcome	3
Welcome from our Chair	4
Welcome from our Chief Executive	6
Hello from our Young People’s Board for Change.	8
Our strategy	10
Objectives and achievements	12
Our impact goals	13
Fundraising highlights	31
Our values, principles, and standards	50
Structure, management and governance	63
Principal risks and uncertainties	69
Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)	73
Patrons, trustees, ofcers, and professional advisors	78
Financial review	85
Summary	86
Independent Auditor's Report to the Trustees of the NSPCC	97
Financial statements	102
The support we received	103
How we helped protect children	104
Financial statements and notes	105
NSPCC ofces	132
2

Welcome

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Welcome from our Chair

Over the past 10 years, it has been my privilege to serve the NSPCC — first as Trustee, and most recently as Chair of the Board of Trustees. Throughout that time, I have been continually amazed by the tenacity, passion and determination of all of you — our volunteers, our employees, our supporters and partners — in making the world a safer place for children. As I hand over to our new Chair, I do so with the pride and confidence that you will continue to shine that light in the decade ahead.

Of course, we must acknowledge that the years ahead are not without their challenges. Children's lives have never changed as fast as they are today, and I know that the need for the NSPCC will be greater in the future than it has been in the past. But I couldn’t be prouder in knowing that the NSPCC will continue to stand with children — as we have done for over 140 years, to meet that increasing need head on. My chapter is relatively small in our longstanding history, but I know that we will continue to evolve, and reflect the lives of babies, children and young people into 2025 and beyond. I know this is, rightly, an important focus of Chris and your Executive Leadership team this year and they have my full support in securing that long-term legacy.

But I leave my post as Chair not with pessimism, but with hope; that thanks to each and every one of you — your tireless campaigning, your creative fundraising, your power of connection with parents, children and families as they navigate the dilemmas of today’s world — we will continue to make a difference in households, schools, workplaces, parliaments, Cabinet tables and playgrounds across the UK.

As ever, I will continue to be one of your fiercest supporters as you work for the change that we know the UK’s children so desperately need and deserve — and I know that Emma Scott, as your new Chair, will be an indispensable ally in all that you do.

Neil Berkett Chair of Trustees

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Welcome from our Chief Executive

Let me open this year’s Annual Report by acknowledging the immeasurable contribution of Neil Berkett to the NSPCC, as he concludes his term as our Chair this year. I have personally hugely valued his insight and guidance in our time working together. I’m also looking forward to welcoming Emma Scott to take up the mantle as Chair, who I know will lead the Board of Trustees with the energy and experience it deserves.

Since joining you as CEO in January this year, I have been impressed by so many elements of the NSPCC’s work in keeping children safe for the last 140 years. Our incredible Childline service was a source of support in my own childhood, and now as your CEO I know that the need for the NSPCC will be even greater in the future than it has been in the past — with challenges facing this generation of children that our founders could not have even imagined. In tackling those challenges today, we have some real, unique strengths.

We have a vital role as a campaigning organisation thanks to the high esteem we are held in, both by policymakers and the public. We base our decisions on real world evidence, ensuring that our work has the greatest possible impact on the children we are here to serve. And, backed by that strong expertise, we are not only highlighting the dangers facing children in today’s world, but leading the way in finding the solutions for parents, for Government, for tech companies, and for us all, to keep children safe from them.

Harnessing those strengths, we have had some real achievements this year that will tangibly improve the lives of the UK’s children. Our Childline Vision programme was successfully rolled out to ensure we are here for more children when and where they need us. We have gained important wins on government policy, including on some of IICSA’s recommendations, and have launched powerful campaigns on the physical punishment of children in England and Northern Ireland, and on Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) in Scotland. And all of this was made possible by the generosity of our donors and

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

supporters, which ensures we can continue to be here for children in the coming years.

The fundraising environment, however, has remained challenging, and unprecedented cost pressures have seen our operating costs grow — April 2025’s increase in Employer’s National Insurance contributions alone will add an additional £1.6 million to our ongoing costs. While some substantial and welcome bequests have cushioned the impacts of this in the short term, we will be looking at our expenditure in the years ahead to ensure we can be here for children another 140 years from now.

Ensuring a safe future for children also means improving how we work, being efficient and effective, increasing our appetite for calculated risk, and going further to maximise our impact and deliver our vital vision and mission. We are already making progress here: for example, our powerful brand campaign launching early in 2026 will go a long way to position the NSPCC as standing alongside parents navigating a complex online world.

Because, in the midst of an uncertain world, the NSPCC is needed now more than ever, and our work can and must continue. The challenges facing children and families have not gone away — quite the opposite. They continue to grow and change at an unprecedented pace, and so it is our duty — one I know we can fulfil — to continue to evolve and be there alongside them.

Chris Sherwood Chief Executive Officer

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Hello from our Young People’s Board for Change.

The NSPCC’s Young People’s Board for Change is instrumental in offering a young person’s viewpoint to the incredible work the NSPCC does to keep children safe. If the organisation is going to truly ‘work together’ to protect children and young people, it is vital that it has access to the perspective and experiences of young people themselves, allowing us to help shape priorities and decision making.

What an incredible journey it has been, working with the NSPCC over the last two years! I would never have anticipated the amazing opportunities presented to me, allowing me to play a small part in assisting the charity’s cause. One of my highlights was my involvement in the Children at the Table campaign. Because of this initiative, I had the pleasure of attending a select committee at The Houses of Parliament, where I presented on the pressing affairs affecting young people today. I also presented evidence in support of the Online Safety Bill to a panel of Lords. Furthering the Children at the Table campaign, I also had the honour of representing the NSPCC, delivering our petition to 10 Downing Street.

Amid these headline grabbing events, I also contributed to smaller scale supporting projects which I believe carried equal significance. I contributed to a podcast discussing the importance of a ‘mental health first aid kit’ for young people. As social media plays a prominent role in young people’s lives, I believe this podcast was particularly helpful in contacting the target demographic about raising awareness of the challenges that can be experienced while using these platforms. Throughout this experience, I have had the pleasure of meeting and collaborating with other members from the Board, where we exchanged knowledge and insights to help advance the charity’s work.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

I have tried my best to forward the NSPCC’s cause, involving myself at all levels, and it has been incredibly gratifying and rewarding. I also realise that the NSPCC has, in return, offered me personal growth: I have more confidence talking to people, a deeper understanding of the issues that young people encounter that I have not experienced, and am far more educated regarding online safety.

It has been a privilege to be a part of this remarkable charity, and I look forward to the next chapter of my future involvement as an alumna. While it saddens me to leave the Board, I know that the future YPBC board will strive for excellence and make a difference in all they do. I wish them and the NSPCC all the best in their future endeavours.

Alice, Age 18

Member of YPBC 2023-2025

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25 Our strategy Whatwewanttoachieve for children by 2031: Togothgr, wecan 5topchlld abuseandneglect. Throu9h the collective power of our staff. volunteers. SUDporters antl partners, Thgdrfferenc•wowantto makn: Outlined below are the three areas we must address in order to make the most progress towards our overall vision to stopchild abuseand neglect. Everyme playsth•lrpart topreventthlldabus• Well work together to make it easier for everyone to play their part and create a 50C131 safety net that VentS child abuse and neglect. Every rhlldls safe onllne Chlldr¢nt•¢l sale, Ilstenedto andsu Together. well transform the online world. so it's sèfe lor every child to go online. NAore childrenwill be able to speak out. so theyfeel safe, 115tened to and under5tood- and abuse doesn't shape their future. Whythe5ethree amas? Our strategy is driven by children s experiences in the UK and Channel Islands. And it's built on our strengths. credibility and experience. along with insight from ourstaff. volunteer5, and those we work with. Each of these focus areas contribute something different. On their own. theywill see us makin9 significant and nece55ary changes for children. And they build on each other- collectively. making change across these three afeas will make a huge impact for children. Our guidlng prlnc5ple$ Our seven principles will shape and guide everything we do". influencing howwe work together and how we support children and young people. Wewlll= Focu5 rnore npreventing child abusè and negloct Be inspired and led by childrèn Workin partnership Embed equality. divorsityand Incluslon 1n5pirefflore peopleto bOtr@for ChIre Betrauma informed Bulld onour strength5 io

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25 To effecthty dellver ow strategy. we have drawn out seven principles that will shape and guide everything we do for children and young people. Focus more on preventing child abuse and neglect Prevention is in ourname.. its atthe heartofwhatwe do.We'll coritinue to preventabuseand eglectfrorn happening in the first place and concentrate Dn stopping itfasteronce its started. Be Inspired and led by children Work In partnership Embed equality? diversity and inclusion Well involve chiklren and young people in ourwork and decision- making through Fneaningful participation.We11 Continue io listen to thern. learn from them. nd be inspired bythpm. Wellworktogethtrwith eVerye We believe everychildhood is from schools to local authorities warth fighting for Together. and corporate partners- to reach well remove real and perceived rnorechildrenand prevent child barriers to inclusion and diver51ty. abuseandneglect.And, bywoTking Because recognising. embracing tDgetherwith CDmmunities.we11 and valuillg difference lead5 striveto be nationallysignificant to improvtrmtrnt5 fof all. and locallyrelevant- balancing our responsibilityas a nationalcharity with responding to localneed. Insplre more people to be there for children Be trauma informed Bulld on our strengths Well inSre more people to bethere for children. to keepchildren safe and rnake the biggest difference to childr8n's lives.toy*ther. All Df ourworkwth childrenwill be We re drawing on Dverloo underpinnEd by an understanding year5 Df experience.We11 do oftraufna.We11 helpothers With thethings we do well- that thistoo- develDpinga shared other5 cant.won't or dont do. awareness oftrauma and making W¢'ll do moreto be present sUalIChIldren getthe respDnse in communities. understand and 5UPPQrttheyneed. their nEeds andwork with them to shapewhatwe do.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Objectives and achievements

Throughout the fourth year of our 2021–31 strategy, we put children and families’ needs at the forefront of our work, while continuing to cement the internal foundations for achieving our ten-year goals.

As we approach year five of our strategy, we move forward acknowledging our achievements, while maintaining focus on the continued delivery of our strategic programmes. Together, these will help prevent child abuse and neglect.

We’ve made good progress against the targets we set ourselves for our impact framework measures. In 2024/25, we met or exceeded 46% of our targets and were close to target for a further 26%. This section of the report summarises what we achieved under each of our three impact goals between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Our impact goals

Goal 1 — Everyone plays their part to prevent child abuse

For this impact goal, we’re focused on the role adults can play in local communities, nationally, and the changes we need to see in legislation to make the UK a safer place for all children. Our work here is targeted towards the public, adults who have a defined safeguarding role, and the role of government, to ensure that everyone knows how child abuse and neglect can be identified and prevented. In 2024/25 we have seen good progress across many of our supporting activities and key services that contribute to us achieving this.

NSPCC Helpline

NSPCC Helpline is a free service, offering advice, guidance and support to any adult with a concern about a child. We want everyone, from parents and professionals to the wider public, to know that they can contact the service — whatever their worry, and without hesitation.

For this year, we have seen lower numbers than expected on our Helpline contacts, this represents an 8% decline compared to 2023/24. The decrease in contacts reflects several planned changes to the Helpline service, like changes to contact channel availability and preparing for our Helpline Technology Transformation, as well as some unexpected technical issues.

In 2024/25, NSPCC Helpline responded to over 69,920 contacts from people with concerns about a child’s welfare.

The NSPCC Helpline also runs specific lines in partnership with external agencies. 25 commissioned helplines were operational this year and they handled a total of 1,786 child welfare contacts.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

National campaigns

Our national campaigns are shaped and adapted to support communities across the UK so that they are better equipped to help safeguard children and young people. Additionally, we use our campaigns to ask our supporters to help us be there for every child by donating, fundraising or volunteering.

Movement for change

This aims to mobilise the public behind our cause, inspiring people and organisations across the UK to take actions that help keep children safe. Listen up, Speak up was the first initiative to launch under this umbrella. It aims to educate adults across the UK on signs a child might be at risk and how they can offer support. The initial campaign was piloted in 2022/23 and ran a first full burst of marketing in 2023/24.

Listen up, Speak up returned with a third burst in February 2025 with 4,078 sign-ups online. The campaign is running into 2025/26, where we expect the number of people to sign up throughout this burst to increase and more people being able to take action to keep children safe.

Participants who give feedback on Listen up, Speak up tell us the campaign has increased their knowledge of how to keep children safe, made them more confident in their ability to keep children safe, and made them more likely to act. Participants also say they have a better understanding of the NSPCC.

Look, Say, Sing, Play

Parents and carers are interacting with their babies all the time, but don't always realise that these interactions can help shape the way their baby's brain develops. Look, Say, Sing, Play is a set of resources developed by the NSPCC (based on our work with Vroom) that encourage higher quality interaction between parents and their babies, with tips that can be easily incorporated into everyday routines.

We had 28,478 people sign up to our Look, Say, Sing, Play behaviour change emails this year.

Talk PANTS

PANTS helps children understand that their body belongs to them, and they should tell a safe adult if anything makes them feel upset or worried. We have created a range of resources including guides to help parents talk PANTS with their children, teaching resources for schools and a catchy PANTS song performed by Pantosaurus. This includes films and resources in Makaton, a

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

unique language programme that uses symbols, signs, and speech to help with communication.

We had 4,121 people sign up to our Talk PANTS emails this year. And over 1.4 million parents of children aged 3–8 said they had had at least one conversation with their children about PANTS.

Campaigns we delivered locally

Our Local Campaigns team supports the work we do within our national campaigns, by recognising that that every community is different, so we work in close partnership with local communities to develop and deliver safeguarding campaigns, which respond directly to local needs on topics such child sexual exploitation and neglect.

Our local campaigns engaged with professionals, adults, and children 82,559 times.

----- Start of picture text -----
Talk PANTS week
reached more than
4,059 people reached
20,000 children across 2,541 people reached
through Listen up,
London, Grimsby, through online safety
Speak up local
Plymouth Edinburgh, local workshops
workshops
Northern Ireland and
East England
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Some of our local campaigns include:

In Safe Hands — Merseyside

The campaign aimed to raise awareness by creating inclusive resources for the d/Deaf community to help keep children safe online. Partners include Merseyside Society for Deaf People and Knotty Ash Primary School. Resources feature videos on accessing Childline and the Helpline via sign language and signed videos offering online safety advice for BSL-using parents. Topics include parental controls, grooming, and gaming. These resources are now shared across the UK, enhancing local campaigns to better support underserved communities.

London Talk PANTS campaign

Launched in June 2024, we partnered with three London boroughs to deliver our Talk PANTS campaign. This new cascade model builds capacity with statutory and voluntary partners to embed Talk PANTS messages and

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

resources. It's the first-time multiple boroughs have supported a campaign simultaneously, building on a two-year pilot in Haringey. Significant support for the pilot came from funding in memory of trustee Anita Green. We also engaged the Deputy Mayor for Children and Young People in London, gaining her support for both the Haringey pilot and the wider London model.

Together for Childhood

Together for Childhood (TFC), is a 10-year NSPCC initiative that uses a placebased approach to build and sustain local community partnerships. TFC has now completed its 7th year in the cities of Stoke on Trent, Plymouth, and Glasgow, and the town of Grimsby. It continues to seek to understand and address problems at a local level in a truly integrated way, with a focus on community capacity-building and evidence-based development.

The programme goes beyond simply developing a number of evidence-based services to support children and families. Instead, we aim to create a widereaching project that creates sustainable systems change and engages local people to get them involved in thinking and understanding how they can contribute to keeping children safe within their community.

Together for Childhood events were attended by parents, carers, public professionals, and children over 31,300 times.

Supporting professionals to keep children safe

We are the UK’s centre of excellence on safeguarding information, guidance and training. We want to improve the practice of people who work and volunteer with children, enabling them to recognise and respond to signs of child abuse and neglect.

NSPCC Learning podcast listens	Over 84,000
NSPCC Learning unique visitors	Almost 2.4 million over 6.4 million pages
Subscribers to our 3 newsletters	187,000
eLearning courses completed	49,968
Contracted consultancy days	105
Professional Learning Services National Training Programme attendees	6,524
Professionals at our How Safe conference	293

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

We have relaunched a new Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) learner journey to better reflect the needs of our education customers. The new DSL offer features 3 new training courses which are tailored to the learner experience: new to safeguarding, a refresher for experienced professionals and a dedicated course for strategic leadership positions.

This year we have expanded our training offer to include webinars, such as our Schools Update series, bringing bite-size learning to teachers and educators on a range of new and emerging topics.

We also launched our first Safeguarding Apprentices campaign, featuring new online content and a webinar to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week following increased demand from organisations with a young workforce.

Child Protection in Sport Unit

The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) aims to minimise the risk of abuse and ensure that the sport and activity sector stays safe, inclusive, and enjoyable for all those involved. In 2024/25, we worked directly with funded national governing bodies and active partnerships of sport, and a range of community activity providers across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

We supported organisations, through training, consultancy, and expert advice, to develop, implement, and maintain their safeguarding policies and procedures. We worked with 114 National Governing Bodies and 42 Active Partnerships.

We had 954 attendees at CPSU safeguarding training and learning events with successful attendance at its National Safeguarding Lead Officers Support Forum in England and Wales.

We also launched our Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport campaign, which calls on sports and activity groups across the UK to participate and prioritise the safeguarding of children and young people through Team Huddles — events designed to foster social connections and raise awareness about safeguarding.

The campaign’s press campaign reached 11 million via online media and a social campaign which saw 3.8 million impressions.

Child Protection in Sport Unit Case study — Olympics & Paralympics

In early summer 2024, the NSPCC CPSU delivered safeguarding training and briefings to the British Olympic Association (BOA), Paralympics GB, and to national governing body athletes, support staff, and coaches in run up to the Olympics and Paralympics in Paris 2024.

Whilst in previous years the CPSU had trained coaches and support staff travelling to world stage events, this was the first time the team were involved

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

in training Olympic and Paralympic athletes. In total 81 athletes received training, and 67 coaches and support staff who were travelling to the Paris games.

The training provided was delivered in 8 virtual sessions by CPSU staff who work on the UK Sport contract with extensive experience of elite athlete welfare and performance sport. The aim of the athlete training was to provide opportunities to understand what safeguarding was in an elite environment, to give participants a voice, by providing them with safe spaces to ask questions and discuss concerns and ultimately to help athletes and staff achieve their potential.

The CPSU used scenario-based learning as a key part of all athlete and staff training, using examples of performance situations to provide attendees with relevant learning experiences. All sessions were fully accessible to everyone taking part, this included Para athletes with a range of physical, sensory, and learning needs. CPSU consultants worked closely with sports psychologists from the UK Sports Institute (UKSI) to ensure all sessions were tailored to meet the individually assessed needs of those attending.

A focus on our influencing work

We know that to keep children safe we need to make sure national laws, policies, and guidance across the UK are fit-for-purpose in preventing cruelty to babies, children, and young people.

NSPCC’s Six-Point Plan

In the run up to the first UK General Election in five years, we published a sixpoint plan to stop child abuse and support children's recovery which we shared with election candidates from all parties. With a new parliament and Government in place, we have continued to advocate for our specific policy calls to be taken forward to protect children.

In 2024/25, we influenced 11 changes to laws, policies, or guidance across the UK.

As part of our policy focus on the early years, we successfully pressed the new UK Government to make commitments in their Opportunity Mission and Child Poverty Strategy to delivering accessible, integrated maternity, baby, and family support services that our research has shown is crucial in the first 1,001 days of a child’s life. We also worked with the Scottish Government to ensure that their plan for implementing a new approach to the care system is grounded in the needs and best interests of babies and infants.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Following our campaign with other charities, we persuaded the Welsh Government to appoint a Minister for Children to act as a champion for babies, children, and young people at the heart of the new Welsh cabinet team.
As part of our mission to transform the online world so it is safe for children, we have lobbied for the UK Government and regulator to adopt a robust approach to implementing the Online Safety Act and successfully ensured that Government’s list of priorities for Ofcom includes a requirement to engage children and young people in their work.
We have also made sure new legislation in England stipulates that the needs of children and young people, who are victims of abuse, must be reflected in the plans that local bodies draw up to provide support services to victims of crime. In parallel, we pressed for a new Government strategy in Northern Ireland on tackling sexual and domestic abuse to contain dedicated provisions about the needs of children affected by these harms.

Children’s Charities Coalition and Children at the Table

We know that the task of keeping children safe is one the NSPCC cannot achieve alone. A key focus of our influencing work has been working with partners to ensure political parties and leaders committed to being champions for babies, children, and young people.

Alongside partners at Action for Children, Barnardo’s, the National Children’s Bureau (NCB), and The Children’s Society, the NSPCC led the ‘Children at the Table’ campaign to ensure children's voices were included in decision-making about laws, policies, and political priorities. The campaign involved children attending parliamentary events, handing in a petition, and participating in party conferences. This direct involvement amplified their voices within the political agenda.

Some key statistics from the campaign include over 28,000 signatures in a petition, 1,316 media mentions, and 1.8 billion potential audience reach. The tagline #ChildrenAtTheTable was viewed 56.4 million times, 12.4 million users were reached, there were 4.3k mentions, and 3 million ad views.

The Coalition saw a positive response to our policy asks. The main political parties made pledges in line with our recommendations and reflected some in their manifestos. Since the election we have also seen key commitments from the new UK Government including:

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

development of a new cross-Government child poverty strategy driven by a new Child Poverty Taskforce with, following our advocacy, a focus on the early years and some of our youngest children;
creation of a consistent child identifier for improved data-sharing across multiple public bodies and effective safeguarding of babies, children, and young people;
roll-out access to specialist mental health professionals in every school and community hub;
the introduction of a ‘Children’s Wellbeing Bill’ that will reform children’s social care and strengthen multi-agency child protection; and
financial commitments in the Autumn Budget to continue funding children’s social care reform programmes, Family Hubs, and provision for SEND children.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Goal 2: Every child is safe online

Impact goal two focuses on ensuring that:

children and young people have safe and healthy online experiences;
children who experience online harm and abuse are supported;
effective regulation and compliance mechanisms are in place;
providers of online products put child safety at the heart of their design;
adults play their part to keep children safe.

To help us achieve this impact goal, we're focusing on providers of online products and effective regulation and compliance mechanisms to ensure that child safety is at the heart of their design. Our work is targeted towards ensuring children and young people have safe and healthy online experiences, children who experience online harm and abuse are supported, and that adults play their part in keeping children safe online. Underpinning all this is our focus on listening to and amplifying the voices and experiences of children.

Report Remove

Report Remove is a tool launched by Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in 2020 to help young people get nude images removed from the internet. The tool can be found on the Childline website and is available for any young person under the age of 18.

1,281 reports were made to the Internet Watch Foundation through Report Remove to help young people get nude images removed from the internet. 716 reports were actioned, and a total of 1,681 items (URLs, images or videos) were removed as a result of a report through the tool.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

We have been pleased to see a 40% increase year on year in the use of our Report Remove tool, much of this increase can be attributed to our successful Behind the Screen campaign. The campaign was developed to engage and reach boys and young males, raising awareness of sexually coerced extortion, sometimes referred to as ‘sextortion’.

The campaign’s short adverts reached an incredible 10.2 million people across various social media platforms, including YouTube.
The thru plays (an instance where an advert is watched in its entirety) of the adverts exceeded our expectations with over 200,000 combined across Meta and YouTube.

Amplify the voices and experiences of children and young people

This year we launched our Voice of Online Youth (VoOY), a group of 15 young people formed to ensure decisions about online safety are informed by young people’s unique experiences, through which they will be meeting with decision makers across all nations of the UK, attending events, and engaging in workshops. The group has been formed just as Ofcom consults on its initial plans to regulate social media under the Online Safety Act.

The VoOY have set their manifesto priorities and are taking up a range of different opportunities to get their voices heard across a variety of key forums. Through the group, we have successfully amplified children’s voices to some high profile and key decision makers including: meeting Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for a roundtable discussion on children's online safety following Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’ series; Peter Kyle MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, to discuss priorities for keeping children safe online, as well as Josh McAlister MP to discuss his intended bill and position of banning smartphones.

In total, we provided 30 opportunities to amplify the voices and experiences of children and young people to help keep them safe online.

In addition to those mentioned above, other notable amplification opportunities have included:

VoOY speaking at a fringe event for the global AI safety summit.
Our first report piloting new ways of improving online safety Childline insights was provided to Ofcom.
VoOY members attended a series of high-profile events discussing children’s safety in relation to AI.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Additionally, Vodafone, who has been working in partnership with us since 2023, has committed to continuing to work with us to support young people as they bring their experiences, ideas and learning to the discussion of safety online. Their input and expertise will help contribute to the industry’s collective objectives around online safety.

Techosaurus

In 2024/25, we launched Techosaurus, our online safety product, helping to keep children safe and happy when going online for the first time. Techosaurus is aimed at children who are starting to use technology and the internet and has been specifically designed to make these first conversations as easy and effective as possible. Our aim is to create healthy online habits, routines, and behaviours from a young age, and build basic knowledge and skills around online safety.

We've seen an encouraging response to our first Techosaurus product, a family friendly activity and information pack, which can be ordered from the NSPCC shop. We have had over 2,200 orders helping to raise over £24,000 in donations and sales. In May 2025 we also launched the book 'Techosaurus Saves the School' published by Sweet Cherry Publishing.

Child Safety Online (CSO) Taskforce

The CSO Taskforce, established in 2023, includes a diverse group of senior industry leaders passionate about helping us transform the online world for children. The taskforce has been working with the NSPCC to help accelerate and unlock the ambitions of our online safety work in a range of exciting ways.

Mobilising industry change: developing a commercial value model to show that child safety is beneficial for business.
Child advocacy: the CSO Taskforce helps us listen to and amplify the voices of children on a greater scale.
Funding and resources: securing new partnerships and showcasing NSPCC's work to influential audiences.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Goal 3: Children feel safe, listened to, and supported

To help us achieve this impact goal, we will work with children and young people directly to ensure they understand what abuse and neglect is, that they have the right to be safe, and that abuse is never a child’s fault. By working together to give children the supportive response they need, we can also make sure abuse doesn’t shape their future. We’ll also build on and share our expert support to help children recover if they've experienced abuse.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Childline

Our Childline service is there to listen to and give children and young people a voice. Whatever problems or dangers they face, we give them somewhere to turn to for confidential support when they need it. Childline has been a beacon of hope and a lifeline for children and young people for almost 40 years.

This year, our Childline counselling sessions saw a 14% decrease from 2023/24 to 162,018. This reflects changes made to the service and some unforeseen challenges experienced, including recruitment to deliver the service and service technical issues.

Furthermore, the way that children use the Childline service has evolved over time. This year, we launched the first steps of our bold and exciting 7-year journey to grow, enhance, and transform the Childline service so we can better meet the needs of the children and young people both today and long into the future.

As part of this journey, we have created a more flexible volunteer offer, with the aim of recruiting, training, and retaining more volunteers, with successful national campaigns that have seen higher sign-up rates. We also invested in more support for our volunteers, including increasing dedicated resources for our overnight support.

Our work through schools

Part of the NSPCC’s ‘making children feel safe, listened to and supported’ impact goal, we need children to understand what abuse and neglect is, that they have the right to be safe, and that abuse is never a child’s fault. Therefore, working with schools is key for educating and raising awareness among children and young people.

In the last year, we reached 1,538,266 children in 6,371 schools to deliver our Speak out Stay safe programme. In 3,485 of these schools, we delivered additional face-to-face workshops to 351,218 children aged 6–7 and 9–11 years.

Another aspect of our work through schools is Talk Relationships. Talk Relationships supports all UK secondary schools to confidently deliver inclusive Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) through providing a suite of resources. Our aim is for all secondary school-aged young people to speak out and access the help they need.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

175	1,055	23,940	844
Talk Relationships for school leaders’ coursers were completed so they can take a whole-school approach to SRE.	Talk Relationships for Teachers courses completed so they can feel confdent when delivering sex and relationships education.	Talk Relationships lesson plans downloaded.	Schools registered to use our Talk Relationships Whole School Approach to help create a safe education environment that promotes healthy relationships.

Our work directly with children, young people, and families

In 2024/25, our trained Building Connections befrienders delivered 1,136 online sessions. This resulted in us supporting 223 children and young people, up to the age of 19, who were experiencing loneliness. Our befrienders were able to support these children and young people by offering support in building resilience and learning coping techniques.

We also ran services where we worked directly with children, young people and their families across the UK, such as Pregnancy in Mind (PiM), Domestic Abuse Recovering Together (DART) and Letting the Future In (LTFI).

We accepted 1,144 referrals for children and families into our services

We accepted 1,144 referrals for children and families into our services	We accepted 1,144 referrals for children and families into our services	We accepted 1,144 referrals for children and families into our services
422	107	263
Parents accepted for our parents’ preventative, evidence-based, groupwork, mental health service (PiM).	Referrals accepted for our group work programme aimed at improving outcomes for mothers and their children following domestic abuse (DART).	Children accepted to be supported to recover from the impact of sexual abuse (LTFI).

We refreshed PiM and expanded its work directly with children and young people through strategic partnerships across the regions and nation. Our

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Northeast, Yorkshire, and Humber hub has extended into North Yorkshire — including Askham Grange Open Prison and Barnsley.

Scaling up and licensing is a powerful way for the NSPCC to amplify the reach of our services provided to children and families. Last year, we had 262 organisations in the UK and Channel Islands licensed, trained, or supported to deliver services that we had tried and tested.

Our participation work with children and young people

We recognise the importance of continuing to develop our approach to working with children and young people, ensuring we are a child-led organisation. This commitment informs how we make decisions internally as a charity, and how we drive change externally across the UK.

This year, our previous group of Young People’s Board for Change (YPBC) ended, and we were pleased to welcome and onboard a brand new group of 15 children and young people.

We listened to children and young people a total of 414 times through our participation activity.

A standout for this year was children and young people participating in a visit to 10 Downing Street for a roundtable on adolescent safety influenced by the Netflix drama 'Adolescence'. They discussed collaboration with the Government to promote healthy relationships and attended an anti-bullying Department for Education roundtable with a government minister. Participation also included the Childline Reach campaign — Behind the Screen, NSPCC Helpline's Fit for the Future project, and Together for Childhood work. YPBC members also took part in NSPCC Learning and Child Protection Sport Unit podcasts and our virtual staff awards. Young people also contributed to the recruitment of various roles, including our new CEO, Chris Sherwood.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Strengthening our ability to deliver the strategy

Our enabling pillar is an internal goal that focuses on how we'll work together to strengthen our ability to deliver our 10-year strategy, so we can have the tools we need as an organisation to prevent child abuse and neglect. All our internal teams across the NSPCC take part in various programmes of work that will help us deliver our strategy, alongside our supporters, volunteers and partners.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is key area that is fundamental to us delivering our 10-year strategy. Over the last year, we have continued to see progress in both attracting and recruiting a more diverse workforce and volunteer base, a direct result of our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) action plan 2022–2025. Since the introduction of our EDI action plan, we have seen the diversity of our senior leadership and trustee board improve significantly.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

We now have 7 Lived Experience Network Groups, with the most recent addition of our Menopause Lived Experience network.
We also have more than 200 EDI Champions across the organisation.

We have also been pleased to see that our commitment to creating an inclusive culture is also recognised through the consistent increase in scores returned by respondents to our annual engagement survey.

Additionally, in 2024/25 we have been accredited as an ‘Inclusive Excellence Leader’ by Inclusion UK for our commitment to EDI in our policies and procedures, accessibility, engagement, learning and development, and strategic planning. We were also finalists in the Excellence in Equality, Diversity & Inclusion category at the BQF Excellence Awards 2024.

Embedding trauma-informed approaches

Becoming a trauma-informed organisation is critical to allowing us to better recognise and meet the needs of children and the adults in their lives and ultimately help us to realise our 2031 vision.

70% of our employees agree that trauma-informed principles shape and guide their work. This is a 10-percentage point increase on our benchmarking data in 2022.
The number of our people who have completed the level 1 traumainformed basic training course has increased from 270 to 1,083 staff and volunteers.
We launched our level 2 trauma-informed practice training and managers training in the year.
We have also woven our trauma-informed ethos throughout the NSPCC’s recruitment and onboarding journey, launched resources as part of our trauma-informed toolkit, and created a thriving trauma-informed champions’ network.

Volunteer Valuing

86% of our volunteers would recommend the NSPCC as a great place to volunteer — up 5 percentage points from 2023/24.

Our first volunteer valuing programme is coming to an end, one of our key achievements includes creating our volunteer pledges which remain the foundation of the programme. We are very pleased to see our pledge scores improved from an already strong baseline in 2023/24.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Some key achievements of the programme include establishing a recognition framework for all our volunteers, launching a managers development programme specifically for volunteer managers and creating a volunteer workbook, so that volunteers can share their own stories.

Staff engagement

A huge thank you to our staff who shared their voice in our annual engagement survey. This marks an increase in response rate from the previous year.

Our 2024 Workforce engagement index is 74%.
95% of respondents stated they feel proud to work for the NSPCC.
78% would recommend the NSPCC as a great place to work.

In addition to our survey, we have also taken actions to measure organisational trends in levels of psychological safety and conducted a Psychological Safety leadership appraisal. This will provide a baseline, to build actions from that foster high levels of psychological safety consistently across the NSPCC.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Partnerships: National corporate partnerships

Lidl GB

We are delighted that Lidl GB has extended their partnership with us for another five years, pledging to raise an additional £5 million for Childline to support young people’s mental health up until 2030. This announcement coincided with Lidl celebrating raising £10 million for us since 2017. We are so grateful for Lidl’s ongoing support.

Matalan

Matalan and the NSPCC celebrated an incredible 20-year partnership anniversary milestone in June 2024. Throughout those years, customers and colleagues have taken part in challenges, donated their spare change, and created special edition product lines — raising over £11.5 million to keep children safe. We’re excited to continue working with Matalan as they work towards their next milestone of raising £1 million to support the NSPCC Liverpool Hub and Childline.

Major giving: Philanthropy — individuals

Ellerdale Trust

The Ellerdale Trust has been an incredible supporter of young people for decades. Thanks to their transformational support, young people have been helped to rebuild their lives after abuse. Spearheaded by the founder, the late Simon Moores, with his legacy and passion for helping children continuing through his children Sam and Clare, we’re immensely grateful for the wonderful partnership with the Ellerdale Trust.

Jasper Conran OBE

We are very grateful to Jasper Conran OBE for his passion to protect children and prevent abuse and neglect. Jasper has generously used his influence and platform to raise awareness and funds for children. With a matched donation of £10,000, his fundraising has helped us deliver our vital services to help children rebuild their lives after abuse.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

The Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation

We would like to say a big thank you to the Trustees of the Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation for their continued support of our Speak out Stay safe schools service in Yorkshire. The Foundation has supported the service since it started 11 years ago and last year, thanks to their generous commitment, we were able to reach over 115,000 children in Yorkshire primary schools.

Partnerships: Volunteer partnerships and special events

London-based volunteer boards:

Our four volunteer boards: Rebuilding Childhoods Board, Childline Board, Property Board, and Sports Steering Group

We are hugely grateful to our volunteer boards for their ongoing hard work and commitment. The boards continue to open up their networks, make introductions to new corporate partners and individuals, and host high value fundraising events. They have collectively raised over £2 million this year for the NSPCC and Childline, as well as secured over £5 million worth of gift in kind opportunities to amplify our work through partnerships such as Newsquest.

London event committees:

Our four event committees: City Fine Wine Challenge, Great Chefs Dinner, Merry Little Christmas, and White Hat Ball — plus the Heavy Metal Truants.

A huge thank you to our London special event committees for their hard work, passion, and commitment in collectively raising over £1.4 million for Childline. They have helped to organise a wide range of high-value fundraising events throughout the year, as well as sharing their expertise and opening up their networks. Each event attracts a variety of senior professionals from a number of industries, which is invaluable to us. Our committees and supporters come together to raise incredible funds in the fight for every childhood.

Newsquest

Our partnership with Newsquest, the UK’s leading local media group, continued throughout 2024 with an additional £3.7 million of gifted media space being received April – December 2024, on top of the £1 million received in 2023/24.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Over this time, we launched a series of advertising and editorial activities promoting the NSPCC’s work, allowing us to reach a readership of 2.8 million across 27 daily newspapers, 127 weekly newspapers, and 27 magazines. Alongside advertising and editorial support, Newsquest employees also undertook different fundraising activities for the NSPCC, including running raffles at existing events, and testing themselves with challenges including runs, cycles and hikes.

Community supporters

London Marathon 2024

An incredible team of 710

TeamNSPCC supporters took on the London Marathon in 2024, which is our largest marathon team ever, including when we were Charity of the Year in 2016. Our runners came from across the UK and Channel Islands, with representation from the wider Community team, volunteer partnerships, national and regional

corporates as well as a majority from mass participation audiences. We saw a high number of exceptional fundraisers, with almost 18% raising over £3,000, and this contributed to an overall income total of over £2million. This not only smashed our initial target but was also the most we’ve ever raised from a London Marathon.

Childhood Day

The Enniskillen District Committee

The Enniskillen Fundraising Committee really got behind our Childhood Day campaign and encouraged the whole town of Enniskillen to get involved in different ways. Organising a street collection, bake sale, golf day, sports day, Gaelic match, tennis tournament, and air show collection, our supporters were out in full force raising awareness of the NSPCC, of Childhood Day and raising vital funds across the town.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Elonex

For the fourth year in a row, Nick Smith, member of the NSPCC’s West Midlands Business Board and founder of Birmingham-based Elonex, donated over 3,000 digital advertising boards across the UK in support of Childhood Day. Based in shopping centres, on motorways, at sports stadiums and entertainment venues, the value of this gift in kind is £300k every year.

Dyane

Dyane took part in the Childhood Day Mile 2024, choosing to run 5km whilst moving a ball side to side with a lacrosse stick. She raised an incredible £70 for the NSPCC.

Lidl GB

Lidl GB gave tremendous support of Childhood Day this year, raising over £326,000 for the campaign. Sponsoring us for the third year, they also engaged their customers through the Lidl Plus app to raise over £262,000, as well as staff who took part in employee fundraising activity, and participated in our corporate Dragon Boat Race event.

Matalan

To celebrate 20 years in partnership with the NSPCC, Matalan launched an exclusive Bing t-shirt for Childhood Day, and a range of Back to Nursery clothes. Bing is a CBeebies fan-favourite, and 100% of profits from the range came to the NSPCC. The full range has raised over £50,000 for the NSPCC.

Childline Board

The Childline Board hosted three Childline Sports Day events in London, Manchester, and Glasgow — which were supported by our headline sponsor O2, and supporting sponsor Baringa. Our media partners, Ocean Outdoor and the Financial Times, also supported the events. With it being an Olympic year, we were delighted to be joined by Olympians and Paralympians, including Matt Richards, Vanessa Wallace, Brett Wild, Kathleen Dawson, Beth Munro and Siobhan-Marie O’Connor. The events raised an incredible £234,000 net!

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Walk for Children

Emma Hampton and sons Evan and Luca

Emma took part in Walk for Children with her 11-year-old son, Evan and newborn baby, Luca. They decorated Luca’s pram with green balloons and walked around Dulwich Park in London on 21 December. Evan has fundraised for other charities in the past, and chose to raise money for the NSPCC in 2024 as he’d learned more about the work we do to help children who might be struggling with their mental health. He wanted to do something to help, so took on this challenge while also studying for his 11+ exams! Emma and Evan shared their fundraising page in group chats with family and friends and smashed their target within just a few days — raising an incredible £161!

Pranav Mehta

In December 2024, Pranav, age 18, travelled to the Isle of Man and took on the impressive challenge of hiking the length of the island, which is approximately 43km over a weekend in the Christmas holiday. By bracing the winter weather, Pranav raised an amazing £445! Pranav was motivated to fundraise in winter because he understands how challenging this season can be for some children and young people, plus there was the additional challenge of hiking in the winter conditions.

Gaming

Steam sale

In Partnership with Skybound Games, we launched our first ever Steam sale, featuring over 50 games discounted for a weeklong sale event, with 10% of proceeds coming to us as CRM. We had a great trailer produced for promoting on a pro bono basis from marketing agency Other Things, and promotional artwork produced by award winning artist Angus Dick.

Fanatical bundle

In Partnership with digital games retailer Fanatical, we launched our first ever game bundle, featuring 16 games at an aggressively discounted promotional price. All the proceeds from this bundle came to us (minus payment processing and admin fees etc.), with over £100,000 donated. The bundle sold out all 15,000 units in around three weeks. We’ve already agreed a date with Fanatical for another bundle in June 2025.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Schools

Number Day — launch with HRH Duchess of Edinburgh

Friday 7[th] February 2025 saw Number Day celebrate its 25[th] anniversary, with an increase in registrations of 16% taking it to a total of 10,584. The promotion of Number Day was helped by our launch event at Legoland in the presence of: HRH Duchess of Edinburgh; NSPCC personnel; our Ambassadors, such as Emmanuel Asuquo and Johnny Ball; as well as local school children. It was an amazing event which gained a lot of media coverage.

Kindness Challenge

This financial year also saw Schools Fundraising’s 3[rd] termly product in market, the Kindness Challenge, which took place in the autumn term and registrations exceeded expectations.

Thanks to the 6,307 schools, nurseries, and childminder settings that signed up to our second ever ‘Kindness Challenge’ — a fundraising campaign aiming to spread kindness by encouraging children to commit to a list of kind acts, whilst raising money for the NSPCC. The campaign was created as a new way to encourage children to participate in fundraising activities for the NSPCC, and in total £20,671 was raised.

"The Kindness Challenge was received so well across our school, including children, teachers and parents. It gave us the opportunity to make kindness the priority during our first term.

Kindness is so important and being able to promote it, using the NSPCC resources, was a great way to get the whole school talking about kindness and actively demonstrating it at playtimes and lunch times.

The children really got onboard with this initiative and were thrilled to be raising money at the same time."

Emily Loveridge, Assistant Head Teacher, St Josephs, Sheffield

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Community fundraising

Southwest

Bluebird Ball

The 2024 Bluebird Ball was held at Hatherley Manor Hotel, Cheltenham, welcoming 350 young people through the doors and raising £10,000 for Childline. Thanks to the amazing endeavours of our Bluebird Ball Committees, the event has been held since 1938 and continues to be part of the social calendar in Cheltenham.

Bristol comes together to support the NSPCC

In early May NSPCC hosted an immersive showcase event in Bristol as an opportunity to engage the city’s community with our work in Bristol and at a national level. Major donors, local volunteers, and community partners came together at the offices of KPMG to learn more about NSPCC services and campaigns.

Midlands

Football teams supporting the NSPCC — Birmingham City FC and Derby County FC

Derby County FC selected the NSPCC as their Charity of the Year for the third year running, holding a fundraising match, supporting campaigns, and raising awareness through their website, socials and programme. Birmingham City FC held their annual ‘Arthur match’ to remember the life of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes as well as

fundraising, and all club staff taking NSPCC’s Listen Up, Speak Up training. Both clubs work in partnership with the NSPCC, to fundraise and raise awareness so that we can all be empowered to help children.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Big C and Little C

A new group in the East Midlands raised £12,260 by hosting a ‘Three Bunkers Challenge’ golf fundraiser. Inspired after a visit to the NSPCC’s Nottingham Hub, the ‘Big C and Little C’ group was founded by business entrepreneurs, Andrew Springhall and Colin Shaw, who aim to raise money for both the NSPCC and Cancer Research.

Give a little, change a lot

Nima Shahbazi Chegeni is one of our new NSPCC fundraising volunteers. He's also a classically trained musician in his native Iran and wanted to use his musical skills to help children as he has recently become a father himself. Nima busked with his setar in Leicester raising £130 and is now encouraging many more to join him in support of NSPCC.

Northeast

NSPCC North East Network

This year we launched our NSPCC North East Network and welcomed businesses, ambassadors, and fundraisers to an evening to understand what role they can play in our efforts to keep children safe. We are delighted that we now have

nine members of the Network from across different business settings and backgrounds and they have met regularly throughout the year and supported events and fundraising activities in the Northeast including the Kevin Keegan Dinner and Durham Cathedral Carol Concert. One of its members raised over £1,000 by spending seven days completing St Cuthberts Way for the NSPCC. The Network have lots of plans to continue growing their membership and income over the next year.

Kendal Christmas Cracker Committee

Our brand-new fundraising committee came together to plan the wonderful Kendal Carols by Candlelight event in the Lake District. Following on from the other successful concerts we have across the Northwest a decision was made to do an event at the beautiful Kendal Parish Church. Over 200 people came together for an evening of musical performances by local choirs and musicians. A special evening was had by all and almost £4,000 was raised.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Northwest

Cheshire Special Events Committee

The Cheshire Special Events Committee held a Spirit of Ascot Luncheon in June at Nunsmere Hall Hotel. It was a fantastic afternoon with racing, stalls, fashion, great food and fantastic entertainment. This event raised over £28,000 and is being planned again for 2025.

Northern Ireland

Magheramourne Foundation

The Magheramourne Foundation has continued their long-term support for the NSPCC in Northern Ireland with a very generous donation of £15,000 towards our Letting the Future In service in Belfast & Foyle. Since 2002, the Foundation has given the incredible sum of £265,000 to support the local work in Northern Ireland.

Scotland

Fizz and Fabulous Committee

This year, we proudly celebrate the incredible efforts of the Fizz and Fabulous Committee, who have reached a remarkable milestone — raising an outstanding £220,000 over the past seven years, under the inspiring leadership of Janette McAllister. Their passion and dedication to supporting the NSPCC have sparkled brighter than ever, as they delivered not one, but two standout events this year including their much-loved Ladies’ Lunch, now in its seventh successful year, and the dazzling debut of their Childline Ball. We are truly grateful for their continued support, which helps ensure Childline can continue to be a lifeline for thousands of children when they need it most.

Team Uprising — Everest Trek

In April 2024, a team of 11 men and women embarked on a trek to Everest Base Camp, with one member reaching the summit. Known as Team Uprising, they raised over £50,000 for the NSPCC. The amazing team consisted of some child abuse survivors and their family and friends. For their next challenge, some members of the Everest group, along with new participants, are set to tackle the 2025 London Marathon!

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

London and Southeast

Kensington and Chelsea Branch (Electric Ball Committee)

At the start of the year, the Electric Ball raised an amazing £96,000. The event committee, led by Sophie Graham and Alexa Ridley, did a fantastic job, supported by their local Community Fundraising Manager, Binita Shah. Two nights were organised this year along with an online auction. The events are a fun and exciting way for children to meet up with their friends and raise money for Childline.

Odiham Branch

In November, the biannual SPARKLE Ball at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hampshire made a net profit of £70,000. The event was led by Chair Anne Marie Revell and the NSPCC Odiham branch, with the full support and excellent stewardship by local Community Fundraising Manager, Gemma Graves. Aaron Hearne MBE was guest speaker and shared Liam’s story, which always has a significant impact on audiences.

Wales

NSPCC’s groups — 140 years of fundraising

For 140 years, the NSPCC has protected children and helped keep them safe. As long as there have been NSPCC services to help children, local groups and committees have existed to raise much needed funds and awareness for our services. In October, NSPCC held its Annual Council Meeting in Birmingham, where a group was first set up in 1887, its legacy continuing with the very active West Midlands Business Board raising over £55,000 this year.

Cardiff Branch going from strength to strength

NSPCC Cymru’s Cardiff Branch had yet another incredible year raising over £38,000, with the return of their annual Literary Lunch and Bicester Christmas trip. Fundraisers also supported Rosaleen Moriarty-Simmonds OBE, a hand and mouth artist, who held a gallery exhibition featuring 11 portraits of Welsh celebrities in aid of NSPCC, raising almost £3,000.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Leekes beats all fundraising targets

Long standing corporate supporter for NSPCC Cymru, furnishing retailer Leekes, raised an impressive £20,100 for the NSPCC through their annual Golf and Spa Day, setting a new fundraising record for the company whose employees also took part in fundraising, store raffles, events and challenge events, such as the Cardiff Half Marathon.

Wales Fundraising Board

The Wales Fundraising Board has had another successful year, recruiting new members and new supporters to their Childline Club Cymru appeal as well as delivering a successful Christmas fundraising campaign raising £15,000 through Veezu Ltd’s adoption of the NSPCC. With sponsorship support from The Peterson Family, the Llandaff Carol concert welcomed back 300 guests to the sold-out event, celebrating its 10-year anniversary and the Vale Golf Day welcomed 20 teams to the National course, hosted by Ryan Jones MBE, raising over £10,000.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Our regular givers

We continue to be incredibly grateful to our loyal and committed supporters who give to us on a regular basis. Last year we received £41.7 million from the nearly 380,000 people who support us with a regular gift.

This year we are thankful to the 16,000 supporters who have chosen to play our weekly lottery.

Each year, around a quarter of the NSPCC’s donations come from gifts in wills. These gifts come from kind supporters who have continued their own legacy, supporting the NSPCC after

Every single gift makes a diference A quarter of the NSPCC’s income comes from Gifts in Wills

they have gone. In 2024/25, we saw £26.2 million of income from gifts left in wills. Of the gifts we were advised of last year, 39% were residual — gifts left as a percentage of a supporter’s estate. Gifts of any size make an incredible difference to the NSPCC and our mission to continue to protect and support children and young people from harm. Last year, we saw gifts ranging from £100 to £1,250,000, with some of the largest payments being from Mr Peter Hancock, Mr Alan Barwick, and Mrs Mary Sansom.

The NSPCC, in alignment with other charities, can have a lead time of 7–10 years between someone writing their will, informing a charity of this expression and the gifts being received. Therefore, showcasing the importance of gifts in wills to our supporters to encourage this consideration is imperative to our future.

In 2024/25, the NSPCC saw around a thousand supporters pledge a gift in their will and inform us, with over 400 supporters using our will-writing services, and over 2,000 supporters expressing an interest in finding out more about leaving a gift in the future. All of this supports our future pipeline of legacy income. Supporters like Andrew, who decided to leave a gift in his will and used our will-writing service:

I chose to leave a legacy to the NSPCC for them to help children experiencing difficulties in life. I am passionate about educating parents before they become parents, and I trust my gift will be spent well and effectively.

Should someone I know bring it up, I would tell them the advantages of giving something in your will to a charity: there’s a service to write your Will with no fee. It was simple, quick and the solicitors were very warm and friendly.’

Andrew

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Gifts left in wills are handled by our specialist Legacy Management team, who focus on ensuring the terms of wills are honoured, that estate administration costs are minimised and that the value of gifts left to children are maximised.

If you’d like to find out more about writing and leaving a gift to the NSPCC in your will, visit: NSPCC.org.uk/Wills . Any gift, large or small, makes a huge difference to the work the NSPCC does to support children and young people.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Professional learning services

NSPCC Learning Cyber Monday Sale

We achieved our best ever Cyber Monday Sale on the NSPCC’s eLearning courses in November 2024, raising over £48,000 thanks to a new look and feel, increased discounts, and a cleaner customer experience. We hope to expand this offer next year to reach more professionals and organisations who work or come into contact with children and young people.

easyJet holidays

The NSPCC’s training and consultancy team have worked with easyJet holidays over the last two years to build knowledge and confidence of safeguarding throughout the business. We have supported the tour operator to develop their safeguarding policies and processes, including creating a referral pathway directly to the NSPCC Helpline to report safeguarding concerns. In addition, we have provided introductory elearning to all customer-facing staff and also delivered some commissioned face-to-face training to their managers. We look forward to continuing our relationship in 2025/26 and supporting them on their safeguarding journey.

Leicestershire Partnership Trust

Leicestershire Partnership Trust stands as the largest customer of the National Training Centre. Since 2016 they have been tenants, utilising the separate building at the rear of the centre to deliver essential training to NHS staff. In addition to their tenancy, they hire additional rooms and the training centre, contributing significantly to our income. In 2024-2025 the rent and room hire have resulted in an income of £155,482. This partnership underscores the vital role the National Training Centre plays in supporting the training needs of NHS staff.

Chelsea Football Club

This year the Child Protection in Sport Unit has grown our relationship with Chelsea Football Club, providing new and bespoke training courses to Chelsea FC staff at all levels across the Club. We have delivered bespoke safeguarding training to the Chelsea Board and Foundation Board, delivered Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and DSL refresher training to staff in designated roles across the whole Club and trained frontline staff working in security, the Chelsea FC hotel and match day hospitality. With additional planned events already in the calendar for 2025 we look forward to building on this relationship and using the model of bespoke training we have developed at Chelsea with other professional clubs.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Plans for future activities

Looking forward, as we enter 2025/26, the halfway point of our 10-year strategy, we remain focused on delivering change and prioritising key activities that will help us realise our 2031 vision that together, we can stop child abuse and neglect.

Over the next 12 months, we will drive progress towards our three impact goals by advancing key initiatives designed to create meaningful change for all children. Here is a closer look at our plans for 2025/26.

Goal 1 — Everyone plays their part to prevent child abuse.

In 2025/26, we want to continue our important work focused on making it easier for adults to play their part and create a social safety net that prevents child abuse and neglect. Some of our key activities are:

Listen up, Speak up

Delivering our Listen up, Speak up campaign, which will test new messaging and different versions of the user journey, with the aim of reaching a bigger and broader audience, including in Welsh to reach even more adults.

Supporting adults to be there for children and young people

Enabling more adults that work or volunteer with children to improve their safeguarding knowledge and practice, so they have the confidence and tools to be able to take the appropriate action to prevent and stop abuse and neglect.

Following the launch of our first Safeguarding Apprentices campaign, in 2025/26 we will develop plans to create more opportunities for employers and providers of apprenticeships across the nations to ensure that young people can feel happy, safe and supported in the workplace.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Child Protection in Sport Unit

Following our safeguarding work at the Paris Olympics and Paralympics in 2024, we are exploring future opportunities to expand with the winter games in Milan Cortina (2026) and youth games events.

Policy and public affairs

Continuing to press for change for children, ensuring babies, children and young people’s best interests are firmly embedded in Governments policies. We will maintain our campaign to end the use of physical punishment against children in England and Northern Ireland, press Governments across the UK commit to invest in and reform child protection and children’s services, and challenge tech companies, Government, and regulators to make sure that children and young people can safely access the online world.

As well as delivering and developing our key strategic programmes and services, we will continue to raise awareness, knowledge, and income through key events like our How Safe Conference 2026, Childhood Day 2025 and Safeguarding Awareness Week 2026.

Goal 2 — Every child is safe online

In this evolving digital world, it remains vital that we continue to diligently focus our efforts to transform the online world, making it safe for every child to go online. In 2025/26 we will continue to drive the delivery of our Child Safety Online programmes and projects which include:

Child Safety Online (CSO) team

Building on our ongoing work to involve children and young people in shaping safer digital experiences. This involves collaboration with platforms such as Snapchat, Roblox, and TikTok to implement safety measures informed by young people’s voices. We will also champion the Voice of Online Youth Manifesto.

Child Safety Online (CSO) Taskforce

Together with partners at Baringa, we will launch and promote a new value model that demonstrates how prioritising child safety online benefits both business and society. The taskforce will continue to identify new ways that the NSPCC can influence target companies and industry bodies to incorporate a focus on children’s safety online into their core business.

We will also see the CSO Taskforce support us in listening to and amplifying the voices of children at a greater scale, with work planned to carry out a new analysis of young people’s views aligned with the chosen priorities of the Voice of Online Youth.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Financial support with our work across the programme

We are grateful to have secured financial support from various supporters and organisations to help support our CSO work in 2025/26. This includes:

Securing funding from Ofcom over the next two years for the Rapid Insights System which aims to deliver solutions for key external stakeholder and the insight they need to take action to keep children safer online.
The Katherine Martin Trust will be funding our se lf gen project over the next two years. This aims to raise awareness and address, ‘self-generated’ images by strengthening messaging in activities and resources. This will be achieved by using insights from children and young people to develop trauma informed solutions, which will equip adults with the knowledge and tools to have conversations with their children about this issue.

Goal 3 — Children feel safe, listened to and supported

In 2025/26, we will continue to focus our efforts in delivering activities and change that will help more children to feel able to speak out, so that they feel safe, listened to and understood, making sure that abuse does not shape their future. This will see us:

Baby Steps

Piloting an updated version of Baby Steps, focused on fostering strong parentchild relationships. This will be launching in 2025, with training and additional launch events later in the 2025/26.

Schools Service

Launch the next phase of our integrated school’s campaign, with the promotion of Talk PANTS school resources alongside Speak Out, Stay Safe (SOSS), Common Sense media (primary-aged children), and Talk Relationships and Building Connections (secondary-aged children). Our SOSS offer will include supplementary lesson plans, practitioner's toolkits and resources for parents who home educate.

Letting the Future In

Continue developing services, resources and training to support external organisations in supporting and meeting the needs of children who display Problematic Sexual Behaviours. This work will take place over the next two years and include development of proactive, short-term interventions to support young people and their parents/carers, as well as a suite of resources and training for both professionals and parents.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Enabling pillar — Strengthening our ability to deliver the strategy

For 2025/26, we recognise the importance of remaining committed in our efforts to strengthen our ability to achieve our 10-year strategy, so we can ensure we deliver on the expected outcomes of our three impact goals. To do this we will:

Trauma informed

We will enter the final year of our three-year programme of work, where we will be focusing on delivering our second module of training, as well as creating our final advanced training offer and setting up a community group of staff who have experienced childhood trauma.

Volunteer valuing

Build on the successful work to date in our Volunteer Valuing Programme, keeping our focus on continuing to create and maintain the conditions to make sure all our volunteers are active, authentic ambassadors for the NSPCC and feel truly valued for their contributions and the difference they are making for children.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

Maintain the approach of utilising our EDI data and lived experience insights. However, we will deliberately ‘tilt’ the focus of this within the 2025–2028 action plan to be more balanced in terms of internal and external-facing actions and priorities.

Tech Transformation

Focus on strengthening our technical capabilities through the Tech Modernisation Programme and Services Tech Transformation Portfolio. These initiatives will enhance functionality, supporting children, families, safeguarders, and communities.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Our values, principles, and standards

As the only charity focused on ending child cruelty across the UK, everything we do protects children and prevents abuse. The values that embody our charity and reflect what we stand for are:

Putting children first

We put children first in everything we do. For more than 140 years, we’ve put children first. We believe in children, we want what’s best for them, and we make sure that we fight for every childhood.

a way that protects every child and prevents abuse. We’re brave in our actions, are prepared to be unpopular when necessary, and sometimes force society to face uncomfortable truths where things get in the way of achieving our goal.

Striving for excellence

Taking a stand

We’re courageous in standing up for what’s right. We campaign, change laws where necessary, lead public debate, and are on the frontline — supporting those who work with children. We’ll speak out when something’s wrong and celebrate success with those who help things improve.

Making an impact

We base our actions on evidence and the difference we’ll make to children. Our work won’t end until we’ve changed attitudes and transformed services for children in

We always strive to be the best and give every child a life free from abuse. We’re constantly learning and developing our work. We measure what’s effective by sharing knowledge with others.

Working together

We achieve more for children when we work together. We can’t prevent cruelty to children on our own. Luckily, we don’t have to. Our passion inspires others, and our desire to listen, learn and improve means we continually work with inspirational people, organisations, and children.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Remuneration policy

We aim to be an employer of choice, with around 1,600 paid employees operating from ten regions in the UK and the Channel Islands. We regularly engage with employees and volunteers, value their opinions, and receive feedback through various events and surveys.

Our mission is core to us, but it’s not just about our purpose. It’s about purpose through people. We work hard to attract, nurture and retain talented employees to ensure our continued success. We have a transparent pay and total reward aspiration. Our pay promise sets out what our employees can expect of us in terms of direct and indirect financial rewards. Although pay and financial benefits are only one aspect of an individual’s motivation, it’s important — especially in a tight job market and in the context of the soaring cost of living.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for

our pay policy and for the salaries of executive directors. We exercise this through the Remuneration and People committee, a sub-group of the Board of Trustees. The committee approves executive pay and annual pay awards in line with appropriate best practice standards, including those of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).

In line with NCVO recommendations, the annual salaries of our Chief Executive and other Executive Leadership team (ELT) (previously named Executive Board) members are disclosed on our website, no more than two clicks away from the homepage. The table below shows the annual remuneration of the ELT as at 31 March 2025, including defined contribution pension and other benefits.

Executive Leadership Team annual remuneration

for the year ended 31 March 2025

			Paid in 2025	Paid in 2025	Paid in 2025	Paid in 2024	Paid in 2024	Paid in 2024

Executive	Responsibilities	*Annual	Salary	Benefts	Pension	Salary	Benefts	Pension
Leadership Team		salary

		£’000	£’000	£’000	£’000	£’000	£’000	£’000

Chief Executive Chris Sherwood (joined 20 January 2025)	Leading the organisation, which has an annual income of around £120 million and employs around 1,600 employees, delivering services across the UK and the Channel Islands.	195	40	-	-	-	-	-
Chief Executive Peter Wanless (resigned 31 December 2024)	Leading the organisation, which has an annual income of around £120 million and employs around 1,600 employees, delivering services across the UK and the Channel Islands.	-	146	1	18	187	1	23
Director of Communications and Marketing Devia Gurjar (joined 1 August 2024)	Manages the directorate responsible for all communication initiatives, ensuring that all communication on behalf of the organisation is appropriate, consistent with our brand and key messages, and of ahighstandard.	123	82	-	4	-	-	-

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

	Also works on behalf of the whole organisation promoting the NSPCC’s work, policies, campaigns and publications.
Director of Communications and Marketing David Hamilton (resigned 10 May 2024)	Manages the directorate responsible for all communication initiatives, ensuring that all communication on behalf of the organisation is appropriate, consistent with our brand and key messages, and of a high standard. Also works on behalf of the whole organisation promoting the NSPCC’s work, policies, campaigns and publications.	-	18	-	1	125	1	9
Director of Finance and Technology Paul Taylor	Manages the Finance and Procurement functions. Responsible for the fnancial management of the NSPCC. Ensures that the organisation has efective fnancial controls to safeguard resources for appropriate use. Responsibilities also included the Tech directorate from 1 July 2024.	127	123	1	15	108	1	13

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Director of Technology Greig Sharman (resigned 28 June 2024)	Leads our Technology Directorate, focused on supporting our strategy by enabling a step change in the tech-enabled experiences of our service users, employees, volunteers, donors and every other community that’s a part of the NSPCC.	-	36	-	2	130	1	9
Director of Income Generation Josephine Swinhoe	Manages the directorate responsible for generating the fnancial resources we need to help end cruelty to children. Responsible for managing the NSPCC’s supporters and delivering income from donations, legacies and other trading activities of over £100 million.	150	150	1	10	149	1	10
Director of People Brett Terry	Manages the directorate responsible for recruitment, development, and retention of around 1,600 NSPCC employees and thousands of volunteers across the NSPCC.	124	121	1	5	114	1	5
Director of Services Claire Watt	Manages the directorate responsible for providing our services, including Childline, Schools Services and all of	145	143	1	18	136	1	17

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

	our direct services we provide across the UK.
Director of Strategy and Knowledge Maria Neophytou	Manages the directorate responsible for the organisational strategy and for developing and testing activities. Responsible for our research programme, the evaluation of our services and our policy-infuencing work.	126	126	1	6	119	1	6
Chief Social Worker Tracey Holdsworth (joined ELT 27 March 2025)	Responsible for corporate safeguarding and advisory and/or delegated responsibility for directorate safeguarding. Supports directors and the safeguarding lead trustee, preparing the annual safeguarding report for Trustees and oversees the strategic safeguarding risk on behalf of the CEO.	84	1	-	-	-	-	-
Head of Governance Allison Howe (joined ELT 27 March 2025)	Responsible for the governance of the Charity supporting the Executive and Board through reporting at the Committee and Board meetings.	73	1	-	-	-	-	-

*Annual salary refers to annual salary excluding benefits in kind as of 31 March 2025.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Our policy is to pay competitive rates within the charity sector, reflect the nature and complexity of roles and to take account of contributions by rewarding strong performers the most. Rates are consistent with our charitable objectives and what we can afford. To demonstrate this, and in collaboration with Community, our Trade Union, we made a pay promise to our employees in 2019 to pay salaries that are at least comparable with the median salaries in the UK’s top charities. The overall aim is to ensure our median earner at the NSPCC is on a comparable salary to the median salary paid in the wider charity sector, using this as our external benchmark. Our commitment has been to move towards this over time and within the parameters of affordability. To enable progress, we’ve identified and committed to a series of targeted activities. These include lifting the bottom of our pay bands to ‘track’ the median and as of July 2024 our medians are 10% higher than they were in 2019.

We’re also aligning our annual performance-related pay awards to increases in the charity sector median. As part of this we offer a pay progression uplift to those longer serving (five years plus) employees remaining in the same grade who have consistently met expectations over the last three years. The increase will align 100% with the current charity sector median for their job bands. All employees with two years of service within the same grade will receive pay progression to at least 94% of the sector median for their grade. Additionally, we voluntarily offer our lowest earners the real London and real living wage, set annually.

In 2024/25, we reiterated our pay promise to our employees. We had committed that by July 2024, we would have lifted the bottom of each of our pay grades from the current minimum of 88% to 90% of the sector median for that grade, which has now been achieved. Additionally, we gave a consolidated award during the year, and honoured our pay progression uplifts.

Alongside these targeted activities, pay is also reviewed when existing employees take on additional responsibilities. New recruits are usually paid between the minimum and mid-point of the relevant pay band, as below, depending on their experience and skills. Where necessary, they may be paid at a higher rate, but never more than the pay range maximum. For some roles that are difficult to recruit for, a market premium of up to 10% above the pay ranges may be paid. The reasons for recruiting at market premium rates must be explained in a business case, which the relevant ELT director and the Director of People must approve. We also have 81 employees paid at ‘spot rates’ outside these ranges, including our Executive Leadership team, whose annual remuneration details are shown on the previous pages.

We undertake routine work, including our use of market premiums and allowances this year. This ensures our pay practices are fit for purpose and ensures the appropriate use of our limited financial resources.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

			Max, including market premium £ 28,951 36,631 44,903 51,993 62,629

Grade	Min £	Mid £

P3	22,932	23,480	28,951
P4	28,337	31,485	36,631
P5	34,582	38,425	44,903
P6	41,503	46,114	51,993
P7	48,748	54,164	62,629

Pay ranges exclude regional allowances.

In compliance with the Pensions Act 2008, we operate an auto-enrolment pension scheme. All eligible employees are automatically enrolled into the pension scheme after three months. Employer contribution pension rates are set in line with legislative requirements. Employees are also offered a salary exchange defined contribution pension scheme, where employer contribution rates match employee contributions, ranging from 4% to a maximum of 7%. We continue to operate an historic defined contribution pension scheme, now closed to new entrants. Our employees in the Channel Islands have different pension arrangements in compliance with local legislation.

Members of the defined pension contribution scheme receive life assurance cover equivalent to five times their annual salary. Non-members, those autoenrolled, and our employees based in the Channel Islands, receive life assurance cover equivalent to one times their annual salary.

At 31 March, the ratio between the highest paid and median salaries is as follows:

	2025	2024
Highest paid salary (£’000)	195	189
Median (£’000)	38	36
Ratio	5.1	5.3

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

The spread of annual salary entitlements for all our employees, excluding Executive Leadership team members, is detailed in the graph below:

Annual salary entitlements (full-time equivalent basis) for all NSPCC employees, excluding Executive Leadership Team, employed at 31 March 2025

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Diversity pay gap

In our equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) charter, we commit to ‘publish wider diversity pay gaps including but not limited to: Black and minoritised ethnic, disability, sexuality, and gender identity’. We have honoured this for the past two years. In March 2025, we extended our pay gap reporting ‘suite’ to include religion. This year we expanded our reporting further to look at the intersectionality of some of these characteristics. These steps enable fuller pay gap reporting and help to better inform our pay equity actions. Our latest 2024 median pay gap data shows:

The gender pay gap is 5.6% down from 9.2% last year; this marks another positive year-on-year improvement for us since 2018, and our gender pay gap remains considerably less than the national median of 13.1%.
The disability gap is 8.1%, which is a notable increase of 3.5% largely driven by increased representation of employees who have declared a disability in our two lowest paid quartiles
Our median sexual orientation and gender identity pay gap is 2.5% which reflects a small reduction since last year and resulting from increased representation of LGBTQ+ staff at all pay levels.
The ethnicity pay gap is 8.0%, an increase of 4.6 percentage points since last year which is disappointing. Through our considerable EDI efforts, we are seeing a significant increase in the representation of employees from ethnic minority backgrounds joining the NSPCC. These new starters are, however, largely in the lower paid quartiles.
The religion pay gap is 3.1%, which is an increase of 4% on last year. Whilst we have seen an increased representation of employees with religious beliefs other than Christian at all pay levels, the highest proportion was at our lower and lower-mid quartiles.

Our gender pay information is also available on our website in line with The Equality Act 2010.

Expenses policy

Our expenses policy applies to trustees, employees, and volunteers. The policy highlights each claimant’s obligation to only spend money if necessary and to always choose the most economical option. Video conferencing and teleconferencing facilities are encouraged to reduce spending on travel and to

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

save employees’ time. Expenses are only reimbursed when authorised by the relevant line manager, up to maximum limits set in the expenses policy.

We use a travel management company to make bookings for rail, air, vehicle hire, hotel accommodation, conference and event venues. Using this service reduces travel costs and is good value for money. These bookings are paid for directly by the organisation.

Since our trustees give their time voluntarily, they receive no remuneration or other benefits. Expenses incurred by trustees while carrying out their roles are included in note five of the accounts.

Procurement policy and modern slavery statement

We’re committed to acting ethically and with integrity internally and in our business relationships. We expect the same high standards from the organisations we work with. Our ethical values and procurement principles are communicated to our suppliers, and new suppliers are asked to evidence that they share our values. We’ll never knowingly support or do business with organisations in any way connected with slavery, human trafficking, or child labour.

Our procurement process aims to ensure we achieve value for money and that preferred suppliers meet or exceed our requirements regarding ethical procurement. Suppliers are asked to demonstrate that they embrace diversity, understand the risks within their supply chain, and remunerate their employees fairly.

Our supply chain is predominantly UK-based and is compliant with UK legislation. We take a risk-based approach to purchase, applying increased levels of scrutiny to high-risk supply categories, such as goods sourced from overseas. We focus our scrutiny on the policies, procedures and controls demonstrated by our direct suppliers, recognising that it is not always possible for us to have a close relationship with all parties in a supply chain.

Our relationship with donors and funders

The NSPCC subscribes to the Fundraising Regulator’s fundraising promise, which is available to download on our website. And, in addition, we have published our ‘promise to you’ as follows.

Our promise to you:

We will tell you about the amazing ways you’re helping to change children’s lives for the better.
We will follow the highest standards in fundraising.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

We will always keep your personal information safe.
We will share with you the ways you can keep the children in your life safe.
We will let you know about new ways that you can help support children.
We will always give you the power to decide how we contact you.

We receive over 80% of our funding from generous supporters. We raise funds from individuals through one-off donations, regular donations by direct debit, payroll giving, and gifts in wills and gaming products, such as raffle and lottery. We communicate with our supporters through a selection of mailings, telephone calls, email, and SMS.

Throughout 2024/25, we regularly shared with supporters how their donations allowed us to meet the needs of children. We also shared resources with supporters to help them to support the children in their lives. We have also recruited new donors during the period through online activity, television advertising, payroll giving, legacy promotion activity, contactless and direct debit payment collections. As a fundraising charity, we incur expenditure in order to raise income. The expenditure on raising funds incurred in 2024/25 not only resulted in income being raised in the year, but will also generate future income, particularly through ongoing regular donations and future legacy gifts, which are our largest sources of income.

During the year, we had external agencies fundraising directly with the public on our behalf, including outbound calls to existing supporters and face-to-face fundraising in private sites such as supermarkets and travel hubs. We strictly adhere to the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice and all relevant Chartered Institute of Fundraising rulebooks, as well as guidance on fundraising activity including the Treating Donors Fairly guidance. All fundraisers representing us, including external agencies and their subcontractors, are required to adhere to these standards and receive rigorous training, monitoring and mystery shopping to ensure they understand the standards we expect when they are speaking to members of the public on our behalf, and to ensure a positive experience for the people they talk to. Above and beyond industry guidance, we also have additional levels of protection built into our contracts and the training and guidance we provide to all fundraisers.

Our donors do not receive more than two financial asks in any fundraising interaction. Nobody who appears to be in potentially vulnerable circumstances is asked to commit to giving and those highlighting any form of diminished financial circumstances are offered an opportunity to give at lower value or to support our fight for every childhood in alternative ways, such as through volunteering and campaigning.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

We also voluntarily subscribe to the following fundraising bodies and uphold their standards:

Body	Standards
	The Code of Fundraising Practice
Fundraising Regulator	Rulebooks for private site
	fundraising
Chartered Institute of Fundraising	CIoF Rulebook Treating Donors
(CIoF)	Fairly Guidance
Direct Marketing Association	The Direct Marketing Code of Practice
Cabinet Ofce / Department for	National Exemption Order
Culture, Media and Sport	operational guidance

We have a complaints policy published on our website, which includes reference to inappropriate or improper fundraising methods. We are committed to dealing with all complaints constructively, impartially and effectively and will make every effort to ensure that all complaints receive a complete, accurate and timely response. No complaint is ever disregarded.

During this financial year, we received (either directly or through a person acting on our behalf) a total of 483 complaints relating to all methods of fundraising. We define a complaint as ‘any expression of dissatisfaction’ and we actively encourage members of the public to share with us their views on our work to resolve problems and to improve our performance. All agencies we worked with were closely monitored while carrying out fundraising on our behalf. For telephone agencies, we listened to a random selection of calls each week to ensure compliance with regulatory and legislative standards, and that our supporters have been offered a positive experience. All complaints received are tracked and discussed with our agencies on a weekly basis to ensure anything highlighted that could be improved upon is addressed and developed where needed.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Structure, management and governance

How we are organised and governed

Good governance is fundamental to our sustained success as a charity. With good governance in place, we're most able to deliver on our mission and achieve our objectives. It enables all our people to use their skills, together with our resources, to best effect.

Good governance helps make sure that we are:

compliant with all relevant legislation;
constantly reviewing the risks we're facing;
providing safeguarding standards of the highest quality;
supporting a positive culture for all of our people, including our volunteers

We review our charity governance using the Charity Governance Code, and report against the principles contained within the code in this report.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Organisational purpose

We were initially founded as The London Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 1884. We then became the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), incorporated by Royal Charter in 1895. We are also a charity registered with the Charity Commission in England and Wales, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, the Jersey Charity Commissioner and with the relevant authorities in Guernsey. We are still the only UK children's charity with statutory powers that means we can take action to safeguard children at risk of abuse.

We work in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Channel Islands. Our services for children and young people are adapted appropriately, taking regional and local interests into account.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Leadership

Strong and effective leadership helps us deliver our aims. It also sets the tone for the charity, including its vision, values, and reputation.

We are headed by a strong Board of Trustees (the Board) that provides strategic leadership in line with our aims and values. The Board has collective responsibility for everything that we do, including the legal responsibility to ensure the charity is controlled and properly managed. They exercise their powers in accordance with our Royal Charter, other legal requirements, and the principles of good governance. They act in the best interests of the organisation and our work to protect children and young people.

The Board also makes sure that we are delivering our work effectively and sustainably. The Board regularly reviews our charitable purposes and the external environment in which we are working to make sure that the NSPCC, and its purposes, stay relevant and valid.

The Board agreed the 2021–2031 strategy, which launched on 1 April 2021. The Board also agrees the priorities in the annual (plan) in March every year, together with a three-year roadmap. The Board monitors progress against, and the impact of, the strategy on a quarterly basis.

Integrity

The Board acts with integrity. It adopts our organisational values, uses ethical principles to make decisions, and creates a welcoming and supportive culture to help us achieve our charitable purposes. The Board understands how important it is that the public have confidence and trust in the integrity of the NSPCC. Trustees carry out their duties with this in mind, considering our values and ethics in everything they do.

Trustees declare any interests which might conflict with NSPCC business. Trustees also declare any gifts and hospitality they receive from NSPCC partners and contractors. All of our trustees give their time on a voluntary basis; they receive no remuneration or any other benefits. Note five details any out-of-pocket expenses, along with other costs paid directly by the charity, that the trustees have incurred while carrying out their duties.

Decision-making, risk, and control

The Board makes sure that its decision-making processes are informed, rigorous, and timely. They also make sure that effective delegation, control, and risk assessment are set up and monitored.

Our Board meets six times a year. We also hold two Board away days each year, where trustees and the Executive Leadership team focus on key strategic issues in more depth.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

There are certain matters which the Board reserves to itself through a written schedule. These include approval of our annual plan and budget, and our overall strategic direction. The ‘Matters Reserved for the Board statement’ makes clear the Board’s responsibilities and where there are clear delegated authorities to act on their behalf.

The Board delegates certain responsibilities to its committees or through the Chief Executive. The Chief Executive is accountable to the Trustee Board for the day-to-day running of the NSPCC and for executing the strategy and policies agreed by the Board and/or its committees.

Each Board committee has defined terms of reference, detailing the delegated authorities where appropriate.

Committee Advisors, who are not themselves trustees, serve on some of our committees. We are very grateful for the expertise, skills, and experience they bring.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Committees of the Board

	Maintains an overview of the fnancial aspects of our strategy. Reviews and monitors our policies, processes and standards to ensure efective fnancial management. Oversees our systems for quality, performance, risk management and internal controls ensuring that our systems are robust, efective, and ft for purpose.
Finance, Audit
and Risk
Committee

	Reviews the NSPCC income generation strategies, their relationship with wider brand positioning and marketing activities. Reviews impact on NSPCC’s reputation and, where appropriate, recommends relevant strategies to the Board.
Income
Generation
Committee

Nominations	Ensures that we comply with our Royal Charter and byelaws as well as best practice in governance. Reviews the role and membership of the Board of trustees and its committees.
and
Governance
Committee
	Responsible for identifying key issues on which we must have a public policy position and reviews our work with Government and other agencies.
Policy
Committee

	Decides on the appropriate level of remuneration for our Chief Executive and reviews recommendations for remuneration of the Executive Leadership team (ELT). Further information on the ELT and other senior staf remuneration is included earlier in this report.
Remuneration
and People
Committee

Service	Reports to and advises the Board on the development and impact of our services for children and young people. Ensures that high-quality services meet the needs of children and families based on local need.
Development,
Safeguarding
and Quality
Committee
	Provides oversight, leadership, and critical friendship to the Executive in ensuring we create an environment in which volunteers feel valued and able to be their best. Has oversight of a programme of activity where senior leaders, including trustees, engage directly with volunteers across the country in a reasonably systematic way.
Volunteer
Engagement
Committee

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Risk management and control

The Board has overall responsibility for risk management. It discusses and decides the level of risk it is prepared to accept for both specific and combined risks. In September 2021, the Board defined its risk appetite, and during the summer of 2023, we reviewed our risk management framework and risk registers.

The Board regularly reviews our specific significant risks and the cumulative effect of these risks. It makes plans to mitigate and manage these risks appropriately.

The Board puts in place and regularly reviews our process for identifying, prioritising, escalating and managing risks. Where applicable, it also reviews our system of internal controls to manage these risks.

We are committed to ongoing reviews of the internal and external risks facing the organisation. We have an annual review of risk appetite and effectiveness. Key to the effectiveness of our risk management system is the annual review of the Strategic Risk Register by the Board of Trustees and the reviews of risk by the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. Risks are also reviewed by the Executive Leadership team quarterly. There is an established process for identifying risks, involving senior management leadership teams, risk owners and risk champions regularly reviewing our strategic and operational risks.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Principal risks and uncertainties

The Strategic Risk Register (SRR) defines risks that could threaten our ability to deliver our strategy, if they took place.

Our SRR includes 15 strategic risks, which fall into the following categories:

Income generation — historic decline in donor base; competition against other charities for donors.
Economic uncertainty — cost of living, inflation, and interest rate impacts on the level of giving, operational costs and reserve cover. This also impacts staff recruitment and retention.
Cyber attack/data breach — cyber risk strategy; prevention measures; crisis management policy and procedures.
Reputation or brand damage — impact on revenue streams; use of external PR advisers on a contingency basis.
Operational risks — failure to successfully implement a major and critical systems project.
Failure to innovate — failure to initiate new revenue streams and use technology and social media platforms effectively.
Legacy technology systems — ageing technology impacts productivity and requires considerable support to stay operational.
Regulatory or legislative changes — compliance strategy to keep updated on significant changes which could affect the Society internally or externally.
Business interruption — disaster recovery and contingency policies (in place and being regularly tested).

The principal risks facing the organisation are as follows:

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Risk category Mitigations and actions

1 To help mitigate this risk category, we're prioritising six growth driver income streams as agreed with the Board INCOME of Trustees. GENERATION / ECONOMIC We're using business planning tools to regularly review UNCERTAINTY and report against KPIs in the annual and three-year financial plans.

Alongside this, we are investing in the supporter journey to ensure that our supporters are able to access products relevant to them.

2

To help mitigate this risk category, key controls include:

CYBER ATTACK / DATA BREACH

mandatory cyber security awareness/training with regular phishing attack exercises.;
proactive monitoring of critical vulnerabilities so we can deploy critical patches in a timely manner.;
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection and other targeted testing to protect key services;
preventing users from installing unauthorised software.

There are additional quality assurance and processes in place for use of web analytics tools. This includes quarterly scans across our websites, and an external audit to ensure cookie compliance and review new cookie requirements.

3 OPERATIONAL RISKS

Controls that are currently in place to help mitigate this risk category include:

a Technical Debt register, with a remediation project to safeguard frontline services. Following any major incident, an in-depth root cause investigation is conducted to prevent a reoccurrence;

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

‘Operational Change’ process assesses changes to our infrastructure and systems that are presented for approval;
a Business Relationship Management model helps to ensure that Services delivery outcomes are prioritised, agreed and monitored in project activities. This also provides a better foundation for future strategic programmes.

4 LEGACY TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS

Controls that are currently in place to help mitigate this risk category include:

a Technical Debt register. This is regularly updated with known risks and issues surrounding any infrastructure, system, or software going out of support;
audits and network monitoring of system use across the Society. This is informing plans and engagements on those systems to better manage any data and security risks;
annual and ad-hoc licence reviews to assess usage of appropriate licences and optimise costs;
production of technical roadmaps that include risks status against all areas, to determine areas of focus and onward planning.

Board effectiveness

The Board works as an effective team, using the appropriate balance of skills, experience, backgrounds and knowledge to make informed decisions. Trustees are appointed on the basis of the skills that they bring. We undertake regular diversity and skills audits to make sure there is an appropriate mix of skills, experience and backgrounds around the Board table.

Trustees usually serve an initial term of three years. This can be extended once, up to a maximum of six years. In very exceptional circumstances there may be a further extension, in accordance with the Charity Governance Code. (Trustees elected before 2016 were able to serve for three terms.)

The Board has plans to reduce its size to twelve, however this cannot be achieved for the next few years without causing some instability. Our trustees

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

are recruited through a variety of means, including open advertising. The Society has a trustee recruitment policy in place which was approved during 2019.

Our trustees take part in a comprehensive induction programme and are offered training and development opportunities throughout their trusteeship.

The induction typically consists of:

training in charity trusteeship and safeguarding;
induction meetings with the Chair, Chief Executive and Directors;
visits to Childline bases, service centres;
visits to Speak out Stay safe assemblies in schools.

Trustees will also have induction meetings with the chairs of the committees on which they will sit.

Trustees have adopted the Charity Governance Code, and the nominations and governance committee continually works to improve our governance. At the end of each Board meeting, trustees discuss areas that worked well and what more is needed to inform discussion and decision making. Additionally, the Chair meets with each trustee to discuss their effectiveness individually.

From January to March 2024, the Board completed a Board evaluation exercise with an external facilitator, in accordance with the Charity Governance Code.

The report stated:

"The last review of the Board of trustees of NSPCC was in 2020 and this review compares very favourably with that one, which was itself very positive. The Board is very well chaired. The atmosphere is open and inclusive and there is a real sense of shared commitment to the Society’s success. Decision-making is effective, with trustees able to constructively challenge and engage with the executive team on any aspect of its work. Trustees demonstrate their commitment through their considerable contributions both in and outside formal meetings."

The report contained 14 recommendations to further improve our governance. These have been implemented as far as practically possible.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

The Board has a clear, agreed, and effective approach to supporting EDI throughout the organisation and in its own practice. In order to be there for every child and young person, the Board recognises the need to consider EDI when making decisions.

This includes making sure the voices of children and young people are considered during the decision-making process.

The Board approved the NSPCC EDI Charter in 2020. Since then, the Board has taken part in training, including unconscious bias training, and has appointed a lead trustee for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. This trustee acts as a bridge, joining the organisational efforts and priorities with the Board of trustees’ governance responsibility, focus, and plans.

The Board also recognises that in order to make the best-informed decisions, the widest variety of backgrounds and experience is needed around the Board table. We have undertaken diversity audits which are used by the Chair to inform the trustee recruitment process.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Our employee diversity breakdown at the NSPCC is as captured in the table below. These percentages show the average proportion of our workforce, per demographic, for the 12 months ending 31 March 2025.

Female %	80.9%
LGBTQ+ %	12.9%
Black, Asian, and minoritised ethnicities %	14.5%
Disability %	12.2%
Average age	41

All our diversity and inclusion actions centre around three main areas of focus in our NSPCC Equality, Diversity and Inclusion action plan (2022–25). These are:

Diversifying our workforce.
Creating an inclusive culture of safety and belonging.
Inclusive leadership.

We call these three focal points our ‘diversity triangle', because we understand that there is interdependence between all three aspects.

Within our action plan, pinned against these three areas of focus, our priorities remain:

Diversifying the leadership of the organisation.
Removing barriers to entry as a member of staff or volunteer.
Disability accessibility and inclusion.

In addition, we retain our focus on the lived experience of our Black, Asian, and minoritised ethnic colleagues and were pleased to see the positive trends in our engagement survey responses in respect of employees and volunteers from this community.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Openness and accountability

The public’s trust that we are delivering public benefit is fundamental to our reputation and success. We engaged a range of stakeholders while developing the 2021-31 strategy. Having set out our ambition in the strategy, it’s important we understand how well we’re progressing towards these changes for children, and that we are open about our impact.

The Impact Framework stems from, and is intrinsically linked to, the 2021– 2031 strategy. It is anchored in helping us understand whether the changes for children set out in our strategy are being achieved. The Impact Framework includes wider, deeper research and evaluations. It also includes the measures we will track and report against regularly. Each quarter, the Board reviews its impact against our strategic priorities and publishes its impact report to staff and volunteers.

We have a published complaints process, and complaints are monitored by the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee on behalf of the Board of trustees. The Board reports any serious incidents to the Charity Commission and other regulators as appropriate. A register of interests for trustees and senior staff is maintained and is available on request.

Public benefit and how our activities deliver it

We must have due regard to the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance under section seventeen of the Charities Act 2011. We’re confident that we meet those public benefit requirements. We’ve taken Charity Commission guidance into consideration.

Our vision is to end cruelty to children in the UK and the Channel Islands. It may take many generations to achieve. We believe cruelty to children is preventable. By having our strategy in place, we can achieve much more: ‘Every childhood is worth fighting for’.

We believe we meet the public benefit requirements through the range of activities we undertake, most significantly through Childline — our free, confidential helplines and our range of services for children and families. We deliver projects in local communities for children who have experienced or are at risk of abuse as well as those in care, focusing on children who most need help. We also provide advice to adults and professionals who are concerned about children. We work with other organisations that come into contact with children, ensuring they protect children and challenging those who don’t. We visit schools, providing young people with the knowledge and resilience to keep themselves safe. And we campaign to make children safer and improve the child protection system across the UK and the Channel Islands.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Trustees’ responsibilities statement

The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including FRS 102 (The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland).

The law applicable to charities in England, Wales, and Scotland requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity, and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed;
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charity Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and the provisions of the royal charter. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Subsidiaries and related parties

NSPCC Trading Company Limited and Childline are both wholly owned subsidiaries of the NSPCC, and their accounts are consolidated in the accounts presented on pages 107 to 134.

The principal activities of NSPCC Trading Company Limited are organising participation fundraising events on behalf of the NSPCC, a mail order operation

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

and the sale of NSPCC branded goods. The company has seen an increase in income this year, due to a successful Letter for Santa campaign and increased sponsorship income. The company had a profitable year and continues to develop its activities to support our work. The profit before tax of £0.9 million (2024 £0.3 million) was donated under Gift Aid to the NSPCC.

Childline continues as a separate legal entity in order to receive legacy income not otherwise receivable by the NSPCC. In the year ending 31 March 2025, it received £1.5 million legacy income (2024 £1.6 million). This is paid by way of a grant to the NSPCC towards the operation for the Childline service for which the funds were received.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Patrons, trustees, ofcers, and professional advisors

Royal Patron HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh

Royal Patron of Childline HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh

President HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh

President of Childline Dame Esther Rantzen DBE

Deputy President of Childline Rebecca Wilcox

Board of trustees

Neil Berkett

Trustee since 4 October 2018[1] .
Chair since 2 October 2019.
Finance Committee (member) to 6 October 2022.
Nominations and Governance committee (chair).
Policy Committee (member).
Remuneration and People Committee (chair).

Pippa Gough MA MSc PGCEA RN RM HV FQNI FRSA

Trustee since 4 October 2018.
Vice-chair since 12 December 2019.
Policy Committee (chair from 2 September 2019).
Nominations and Governance committee.
(member since 4 December 2019).
Remuneration and People Committee (member since 12 December 2019).

Pete Daffern

Ifeoluwapo (Ife) Grillo

Trustee since 6 October 2022.
Trustee since 1 October 2020.
Vice-chair since 28 March 2024.
Volunteer Engagement Committee (member).
Nominations and Governance Committee (member since 3 April 2023).
Income Generation Committee (chair).

Eithne Daly

Trustee since 1 October 2020.
Service Development, Safeguarding and Quality Committee (member).

Mark A. Corbidge

Ryan den Rooijen

Trustee since 6 October 2022.
Hon Treasurer since 6 October 2022.
Finance, Audit and Risk Committee (chair).
Remuneration and People Committee (member).
Trustee since 3 October 2024.
Finance, Audit and Risk Committee (member) Income Generation Committee (member).

Albert Heaney

Dr Joanna Begent MBBS

Trustee since 7 October 2021.
Trustee from 2015 to 3 October 2024.
Lead trustee with responsibility for safeguarding (from 2 October 2020).
Policy Committee (member).
Service Development, Safeguarding and Quality Committee (Chair since 28 March 2024).
Policy Committee (member).
Service Development, Safeguarding and Quality Committee (member).

Andrew Kerr

Trustee since 4 October 2018.
Policy Committee (member).
� Service Development, Safeguarding and Quality Committee (member).

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Tarek Khlat MBA

Trustee 2015 to 3 October 2024.
Income Generation Committee (member).
Volunteer Engagement Committee (chair 12 December 2019 – 28 March 2024).

Kathleen Saxton

Trustee since 3 October 2024.

Derrick Mortimer

Trustee 4 October 2018 to 3 October 2024.
Finance, Audit and Risk Committee (member).
Service Development, Safeguarding and Quality Committee (chair to 28 March 2024).
Volunteer Engagement Committee (member).

Emma Scott

Trustee since 9 July 2025.

Emma Smyth

Trustee since 7 October 2021.
Volunteer Engagement Committee (member).

Sheanna Patelmaster

Thomas Toumazis MBE

Trustee since 1 October 2018.
Finance, Audit and Risk Committee (member).
Service Development, Safeguarding and Quality Committee (member).
Policy Committee (chair since 1 January 2025).

Sarah Ridgway

Trustee 4 October 2018 to 3 October 2024.
Vice-chair 12 December 2019 to 28 March 2024.
Nominations and Governance Committee 12 December 2019 to 28 March 2024.
Remuneration and People Committee 12 December 2019 to 28 March 2024.
Service development, Safeguarding and Quality Committee (member).
Trustee 4 October 2018 to 3 October 2024.
Income Generation Committee (member).
Audit and Risk Committee (member to 6 October 2022).

Chanelle Wilson

Trustee since 5 October 2023.
Service Development, Safeguarding and Quality Committee (member).

Gaby Zein

Trustee since 5 October 2023.
Service Development, Safeguarding and Quality Committee (member).
Volunteer Engagement Committee (member to 28 March 2024, Chair since 28 March 2024).

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Committee Advisors

We thank the following for the support on our committees, recognising the expert advice they give:

Angela Cha Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.

Hywel Peterson

Income Generation Committee.

Julian Short

Dr Carlene Cornish Policy Committee.

Income Generation Committee.

Paul Snell

Professor Julia Davidson Policy Committee.

Service Development, Safeguarding and Quality Committee.

Sally Essler

Service Development, Safeguarding and Quality Committee; Volunteer Engagement Committee.

Sarah Timby Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.

Francesca Valli

Income Generation Committee.

Ed Grimsey Volunteer Engagement Committee.

Jonathan Middup FCA Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.

We also thank the trustees of the NSPCC Pension Scheme Limited:

Lynne Stewart-Brindle, Pan Trustees UK LLP (chair).
Alex Camm.
Tracey Dawkins.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Senior management (the Executive Leadership team)

Chief Executive

Peter Wanless to 31 December 2024. Chris Sherwood from 21 January 2025.

Director of Communications and Marketing

David Hamilton to 8 May 2024. Devia Gurjar from 1 August 2024.

Director of Finance (to 30 June 2024) Director of Finance and Technology (from 1 July 2024) Paul Taylor.

Director of Income Generation, Fundraising and Engagement Jo Swinhoe to 4 April 2025. Tim Hunter from 7 April 2025.

Director of Services Claire Watt.

Director of People Brett Terry.

Director of Strategy and Knowledge Maria Neophytou.

Director of Technology and Data Greig Sharman to 28 June 2024.

Chief Safeguarding Officer (member of ELT from 27 March 2025) Tracey Holdsworth.

Head of Governance, Risk & Compliance (member of ELT from 27 March 2025) Allison Howe.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Bankers and professional advisers

Bankers

Barclays Bank Plc

1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP

Internal Audit Partner KPMG LLP

15 Canada Square, London E14 5GL

The Co-operative Bank Plc

9 Prescot Street, London E1 8BE

NatWest Plc

250 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4AA

Auditors Crowe U.K.

55 Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7JW

Investment managers Blackrock

12 Throgmorton Avenue, London EC2N 2DL

Credit Suisse (UK) Limited 1 Cabot Square, London E14 4QJ

J.P. Morgan International Bank Ltd.

25 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 5JP

Goldman Sachs International 25 Shoe Lane, London, EC4A 4AU

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Legal advisors

Bates Wells & Braithwaite

10 Queen Street Place, London EX4R 1BE

Carbon Law Partners

89 Eastgate, Cowbridge CF71 7AA

Wilson’s Law

4 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3AA

Withers Worldwide

20 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7AN (who also advise us on a probono basis)

Carson McDowell LLP

Murray House, Murray Street, Belfast BT1 6DN (who also advise us on a probono basis)

We would like to thank the following firms for their pro-bono work:

Baker & McKenzie

100 New Bridge Street, London EC4V 6JA

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP

Cannon Place, 78 Cannon Street, London EC4N 6AF

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP Exchange House, Primrose Street, London EC2A 2EG

Mayer Brown International LLP

201 Bishopsgate, London EC4V 6JA

Devereux Chambers

Devereux Court, Temple, London WC2R 3JH

Simmons and Simmons City Point, 1 Ropemaker Street, London EC2Y 9SS

DLA Piper

3 Noble Street, London EC2V 7EE

Doughty Street Chambers

53-54 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LS

Gowling WLG

Walker Morris

Kings Court, 12 King Street, Leeds LS1 2HL

Weil, Gotshal & Manges 110 Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1AY

3 Waterhouse Square, 142 Holborn, London EC1N 2SW

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Summary

This year’s annual report marks our fourth year of progress in our ambitious ten-year strategy. Much of the social safety net the NSPCC provides is dependent on our indispensable volunteers who — alongside our employees, supporters, and partners — keep lifelines like Childline and the Helpline open to the children and families who need them. Crucially, none of those vital services would be possible without the generosity and goodwill of our supporters, who continue to donate much-needed funds.

Our total income decreased in the year, with increases in our regional and community fundraising, and corporate partnership and investment income streams offsetting a continued decline in individual direct giving as well as a reduction in legacies and grant income this year. Despite this overall reduction, our income from supporters (donations and legacies*, and other trading activities) remains around 85% of total income received, which continues to illustrate the clear mandate we hold to act on behalf of the public to protect children.

The amount spent on charitable activities has reduced by £0.3 million to £85.3 million, and we have had to spend more on raising funds and therefore the percentage of our funds spent on directly helping children and families has reduced slightly to 71.7% (2024 73.4%). We have chosen to invest in fundraising infrastructure, including our supporter engagement platform and, for a period, acknowledge that this will have an impact on this metric. However, this still means that for every pound we spend, almost 75 pence** goes on charitable activities.

We would like to thank everyone who stands with us in the fight for every childhood and who continues to support our work.

*Income from supporters included income from donations and legacies (excluding statutory non- performance related grants) and other trading activities.

**Expenditure on charitable activities is 71.7% (2024: 73.4%) of total expenditure excluding other expenditure. Excluding donated services of £6.9 million (2024: £5.0 million), expenditure on charitable activities would be 75.7% (2024: 76.3%) of total expenditure excluding other expenditure. Donated services are recognised within raising funds (£6.5 million (2024: £4.6 million)) and charitable activities (£0.4 million (2024: £0.4 million)).

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

How we helped children

Our ambition over our ten-year strategy is to work with more children and make the biggest impact we can to help prevent child abuse and neglect. This year we spent a total of £85.3 million on charitable activities (2024: £85.5 million) with the amount spent to directly help children and families remaining around 75% of expenditure.**

Expenditure on services for children and families increased slightly by £0.4 million to £25.5 million (2024: £25.1 million). You can read more about the delivery of our direct services throughout the annual report.

Expenditure on Childline and our Schools Service increased by £1.5 million to £25.8 million (2024: £24.3 million). Through 2024/25, Childline has continued to listen to and respond to children and young people’s needs for help and support. This year we delivered fewer counselling sessions — around 162,000 (2024: almost 188,000), with the help of over 1,200 volunteer counsellors (2024 over 1,000 volunteer counsellors) who provided over 106,000 hours (2024 over 123,000 hours). Childline continues to face challenges in providing enough capacity during the busiest periods — evenings and weekends are often the hardest shifts to fill with volunteers. During the year the service was restructured to manage the shift pattern of the counsellors to help meet the demand. We’re also focusing on recruiting more volunteers and getting them trained as efficiently as possible. Delivery of our Speak out. Stay safe programme through school assemblies remained largely virtual through the year. We delivered assemblies to over 6,300 schools (2024 over 5,600 schools) reaching over 1,500,000 children across the UK (2024 over 1,376,000 children). You can read more about our Childline service and Speak out Stay safe programme on page 24.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Expenditure on child protection advice and awareness decreased by £2.1 million to £27.8 million (2024: £29.9 million). This year we have spent less in this area as we postponed a number of public awareness campaigns. The NSPCC Helpline continues to support adults — including parents, professionals and other members of the public — who have concerns about a child. During the year, our Helpline responded to 69,920 contacts in relation to child welfare (2024: over 75,600). You can read more about our Helpline on page 12.

Expenditure on child protection consultancy remained at £6.2 million (2024: £6.2 million). A major component is our NSPCC Learning activity, where we offer our range of online courses that help organisations and individuals working with children and young people to gain the knowledge and skills they need to keep them safe. In 2024/25, we had over 3 million visitors to the NSPCC Learning website. And we’re well on our way to achieving our vision to be the ‘go-to’ place for safeguarding information, and for training professionals working or volunteering with children. You can read more about our NSPCC Learning on pages 15 and 16.

Expenditure on raising funds increased by £2.6 million to £33.6 million (2024: £31.0 million). This includes increased advertising costs for our awareness and fundraising campaigns, including gifted advertising.

Our efforts over the years to streamline all that we do have enabled us to continually reduce support costs, and to reduce this as a percentage of our total expenditure from 7% in 2012 to just 4% in 2019, which has since been broadly maintained. This year, although support costs increased slightly to £5.6 million, proportionally this is similar to previous years at 4.6% of total expenditure (2024: £5.2 million, 4.4%). Support costs include expenditure on governance activities of £0.5 million (2024: £0.5 million). Governance costs include the cost of internal audit, legal advice, costs associated with meeting constitutional and statutory requirements and strategic planning.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

The support we received

This year our total income reduced by £4.4 million to £120.3 million (2024: £124.7 million). Of that, overall income from donations and legacies decreased by £3.5 million to £97.1 million (2024: £100.6 million).

Income from individual giving, including regular donations, reduced again this year by £1.6 million to £41.7 million (2024: £43.3 million), continuing the trend of decline in the number of committed regular giving relationships. Cost of living pressures have persisted over the last 12 months, contributing to a rise in cancellation rates, with committed givers reducing by 22,000 to 380,000 (2024: reducing by 20,000 to 402,000). This year we were able to secure 7,000 new regular donors (compared to 10,000 in 2024).

Legacy income decreased by £4.6 million to £26.2 million (2024: £30.8 million). The decline is partly due to 2024 being the last year of an exceptionally generous gift which totalled £19.7 million over 2021/22– 2023/24, with £6m of this received in 2024. In the year, there were 16 gifts over £250,000 with a total value of £8.5 million (2024: 13 gifts over £250,000 with a total value of £11.5 million). This includes a significant gift of £1.25 million.

Income from corporates, trusts and major donors increased by £1.8 million to £17.9 million (2024: £16.1 million). This is primarily due to a significant partnership with Newsquest, who provided £3.7 million marketing services as gifts in kind in the year, offset by the non-continuation of the Omaze partnership reported last year. You can read more about our corporate partners on page 31. The Katherine Martin Charitable Trust (KMCT) donated £3.0m during the year which has been recognised as restricted income across a number of different projects with £1.5 million spent on the delivery of Childline, and the remainder carried forward to be spent on other campaigns including Talk PANTS and online abuse support.

Other voluntary income streams remained relatively consistent with the prior year though reduced slightly as we received £0.3 million of capital income in 2024 to develop one of our service centres.

Income from trading activities increased by £0.3 million to £5.6 million (2024: £5.3 million). This was due to increased income from high value events compared to last year including the Great Chefs Dinner, White Hat Ball, City Fine Wine, and Merry Little Christmas.

Income from charitable activities, received primarily from government and other statutory sources through grants and contracts, decreased by £2.2 million to £13.5 million (2024: £15.7 million). Sales from our bespoke training increased and our elearning sales through NSPCC Learning — which was launched in 2019 — reduced slightly by £0.3 million compared to last year,

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

with our range of online courses that help organisations and individuals working with children and young people to gain the knowledge and skills they need to keep them safe. In 2024 we received a one-year grant of £1.2 million from the Home Office to support the long-term aim of building public awareness about child sexual abuse and to ensure the provision of accessible expert advice and a confidential reporting mechanism for whistleblowers. This was not repeated in 2025.

Income from supporters (donations and legacies*, and other trading activities) remains above 80% of total income received, which continues to illustrate the clear mandate we hold to act on behalf of the public to protect children. We would like to thank all our supporters for their commitment to the cause and their passion for what we do, which leads them to give generously in so many ways. This support is as vital as it has ever been, and we simply could not reach the children who need us without our supporters standing with us.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Reserves

Total reserves now stand at £125.9 million, an increase of £6.3 million compared to last year.

This reflects:

unrestricted general funds of £98.7 million (2024: £100.1 million);
designated funds of £40.0 million (2024: £41.5 million);
restricted funds of £2.8 million (2024: £1.6 million) and endowment funds of £1.6 million (2024: £1.6 million), offset by the negative pension reserve of £17.2 million (2024: £25.2 million).

The £1.4 million decrease in unrestricted general funds reflects net income for 2024/25 of £1.2 million, partly offset by transfers of £2.3 million, with £2.2 million transferred to the pension reserve for defined benefit contributions paid during the year.

The £1.5 million decrease in designated funds reflects expenditure on projects and fixed asset property depreciation. Designated funds are funds set aside by the trustees out of general funds to cover the value of property fixed assets held, which includes freehold and leasehold properties, or to fund specific future purposes or projects. Designated funds relating to freehold and leasehold properties were £22.6 million, consisting of property fixed assets, with a land value of £1.9 million, investment property value of £1.9 million and depreciating property assets of £15.0 million, and related provision for property dilapidations of £3.8 million. The remaining average depreciation time for these property assets is 31 years. In addition, £17.4 million is held for the furtherance of strategic projects.

The £1.2 million increase in restricted funds reflects additional gifts received in the year from the Katherine Martin Charitable Trust (KMCT) to support our work in the coming year. Restricted funds at 31 March 2025 represent unspent restricted income of £2.6 million, being £1.1 million for our KMCT projects and £1.5 million across a number of projects to end cruelty to children. The remaining balance of £0.3 million relates to capital restricted income, where the asset is yet to be brought in to use.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Endowment funds, being donations where the capital needs to be preserved, have remained at £1.6 million (2024: £1.6 million).

Per our reserves policy, we aim to retain sufficient unrestricted free reserves in a range equivalent to three to six months’ forward expenditure. Unrestricted free reserves are calculated as excluding fixed assets included within general funds, adjusted for the actuarial deficit in the pension scheme and investment volatility. We hold these unrestricted free reserves in case of any sudden decline in income, so that we can honour our commitments to children and young people by ensuring contractual obligations to staff, premises and funding partners can be met with confidence.

Our unrestricted free reserves totalled £63.5 million (2024: £59.3 million) and are equivalent to 5.9 months forward expenditure (2024: 5.8 months), which are within our target range.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Investments and cash

Our reserves are largely represented by the amounts that we hold in investments and cash.

The trustees’ responsibilities with respect to investments are set out in the Royal Charter and by-laws. These responsibilities are delegated to the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, which oversees the management of the portfolio.

JP Morgan and Credit Suisse are our investment managers, with each actively managing a mixed portfolio of equities, bonds, and cash deposits with the aim of achieving return goals within risk parameters and applying a set of ethical screens using industry recognised screening tools such as provided by MSCI ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) Research and ECPI Research.

At 31 March 2025, total investments and cash totalled £126.9 million (2024: £126.9 million). Fixed asset investments totalled £118.8 million (2024: £122.3 million), of which £29.5 million was held in equities (2024: £30.2 million); £42.6 million was held in fixed income bonds (2024: £41.5 million); £43.9 million was held in bank deposits and money market funds (2024: £48.7 million); and £2.8 million in investment property (2024: £1.9 million).

A total of £76.3 million is held by Credit Suisse and JP Morgan (2024: £75.1 million). This increase is due to £7.2 million of investment gains combined with £1.1 million net investment income. The table below shows the performance of our investment managers at 31 March 2025:

Fund manager	Benchmarks used	Fund value 31 March 2025 £’000 Inception Performance Since Inception %
JP Morgan	51% BBG Capital Sterling Corporate 1-10yrs 49% MSCI World After Tax	Equities Bonds Deposits 18,812 19,913 432 1st October 2018 Performance Benchmark 40.80 52.84 Total 39,157 Variance (12.04)

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Credit Suisse	37% Bloomberg GBP Non-Gilts 1- 10yr 31% MSCI World Idx TR Net Hdg into GBP 24% Bloomberg GBP Gilts 1-10yr 8% JPMorgan Cash GBP 1M	Equities Bonds Deposits 10,719 22,684 3,695 2nd July 2018 Total 37,098	Performance Benchmark 26.79 29.90
			Variance (3.11)

The investment managers’ performance against their respective benchmarks is monitored closely by the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. JP Morgan’s underperformance versus its benchmark since inception has been impacted by sustainability objectives. Although JP Morgan’s performance has been below benchmark, it has delivered a strong overall absolute return since inception.

Current investments and cash were £8.1 million (2024: £4.6 million), comprising operational cash held plus overnight money market investments. The overall return on cash investments for the year ending 31 March 2025 was 4.8% (2024: 4.2%). We also earned rental income of £0.3 million (2024: £0.1 million) from our investment properties.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Pensions

We provide a defined contribution pension scheme available to all staff, operated by Aviva. We also operate a defined benefit scheme.

The non-contributory section of this defined benefit scheme was closed to new members on 1 July 2002, and the contributory section was closed to new members on 1 July 2008. The full scheme was closed to future accrual on 31 December 2009; on closure, members of the scheme had the opportunity to join the defined contribution scheme.

The most recent triennial actuarial valuation, carried out at 31 March 2024, calculated a funding deficit of (£14.9m). Based on this valuation, the Society has agreed with the Pension trustees that it will aim to eliminate the deficit over a period of nine years from 31 March 2024 by the payment of annual contributions of £1.8m until 30th June 2028, rising to £2.5m from 1st July 2028 to 31st March 2033. In addition, and in accordance with the actuarial valuation, the Society has agreed with the trustees that it will pay £0.4m per annum to meet expenses of the scheme and levies to the Pensions Protection Fund.

The next triennial actuarial valuation is due 31 March 2027, with the existing funding arrangements remaining in place until this is finalised, and a new funding plan agreed.

The basis of calculating a pension surplus and deficit for funding purposes is different to the basis that needs to be adopted to determine an accounting valuation under FRS 102. The FRS 102 valuation as at 31 March 2025 reported assets of £102.1 million with liabilities of £119.3 million, giving a deficit of £17.2 million (2024: £25.2 million). This deficit decrease reflects £8.0 million actuarial gains, and expenses of £2.2 million, partly offset by £2.2 million of contributions during the year.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Going concern

When setting the 2025/26 budget, we reviewed our income expectations in light of historic returns and future scenario modelling.

We have considered our risks and opportunities, to ensure that our income targets are realistic, and have aligned our planned services and activities with our expected future short-term income. We have considered our need to balance investment in future income streams to ensure financial longevity, against the desire to do as much as we can for children now, and the potential consequences of upward trends in inflation on our financial position.

Despite management’s view that the 2025/26 budget represents a realistic, risk adjusted, view of our expected outcome for the year, we acknowledge that our operating environment continues to reflect some uncertainty. Sensitivity analysis has been prepared to model the impact that unexpected changes in income might have on our overall position and viability. Two scenarios have been considered: firstly, the impact of a worsening of economic and political climate, with higher inflation and reductions in donor contribution and, secondly, the impact of damage from an adverse reputational event. Our budget for 2025/26 has been drawn up to expect a reduction in reserves by the end of the year to support and develop the activities of the Society.

We have assessed projected future income, expenditure and cash flows over the period to 31 March 2027, including additional downside scenarios, and analysed the strength of the Society’s reserves, liquid assets and its ability to withstand a short-term material fall in income. In conclusion, the trustees have agreed that there is a reasonable expectation that the Society and its subsidiaries have adequate resources to continue their activities for the foreseeable future. Therefore, we have continued to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.

Neil Berkett Chair, 16 July 2025

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Independent Auditors’ Report to the Trustees of the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of NSPCC (‘the charity’) and its subsidiaries (‘the group’) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities, Consolidated Balance Sheet and Charity Balance Sheet, Consolidated Cash Flow Statement and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and the parent charity’s affairs as at 31 March 2025 and of the group’s income and expenditure for the year then ended;
have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice;
have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 and the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and Regulations 6 and 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (amended).

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustee's use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity's or the group’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

the information given in the financial statements is inconsistent in any material respect with the trustees’ report; or
sufficient and proper accounting records have not been kept by the parent charity; or

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the group and the parent charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditor under section 151 of the Charities Act 2011, and section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and report in accordance with the Acts and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Details of the extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations are set out below.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities

Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We identified and assessed the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements from irregularities, whether due to fraud or error, and discussed these between our audit team members. We then designed and performed audit procedures responsive to those risks, including obtaining audit evidence sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks within which the charity and group operate, focusing on those laws and regulations that have a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The laws and regulations we considered in this context were the Charities Act 2011 and The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, together with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 2019. We assessed the required compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our audit procedures on the related financial statement items.

In addition, we considered provisions of other laws and regulations that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which might be fundamental to the charity’s and the group’s ability to operate or to avoid a material penalty. We also considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the charity and the group for fraud. The laws and regulations we considered in this context for the UK operations included General Data Protection Regulation, Fundraising regulations, Child Welfare legislation, and Employment legislation.

Auditing standards limit the required audit procedures to identify noncompliance with these laws and regulations to enquiry of the Trustees and other management and inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

We identified the greatest risk of material impact on the financial statements from irregularities, including fraud, to be within the timing of recognition of legacy and performance related grant income, the valuation of the defined benefit pension scheme liabilities, and the override of controls by management. Our audit procedures to respond to these risks included enquiries of management, internal audit, legal counsel and the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities, sample testing on the posting of journals, reviewing accounting estimates for biases, reviewing regulatory correspondence with the Charity Commission, and reading minutes of meetings of those charged with governance.

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Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. For example, the further removed noncompliance with laws and regulations (irregularities) is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely the inherently limited procedures required by auditing standards would identify it. In addition, as with any audit, there remained a higher risk of non-detection of irregularities, as these may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detect noncompliance with all laws and regulations.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and Regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Crowe U.K. LLP Statutory Auditor,

London,

18[th] July 2025

Crowe U.K. LLP is eligible for appointment as auditor of the charity by virtue of its eligibility for appointment as auditor of a company under section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

Crowe U.K. LLP is eligible for appointment as auditor of the charity under regulation 10(2) of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations by virtue of its eligibility under section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

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The support we received

Donations and legacies

£97.1 million (80.8%)

Voluntary donations made by our supporters on a regular or one-off basis, including grants which do not have performance-conditions attached.

(£100.6 million in 2024)

Income from carrying out our charitable work

£13.5 million (11.2%)

Income which we receive in the course of carrying out our charitable work. For example, income received from service level agreements with local authorities; government grants; and income received from provision of training and education in child protection to professional groups.

(£15.7 million in 2024)

Other trading activities

£5.7 million (4.7%)

Activities undertaken for the purpose of raising funds to support our charitable work. For example, dinners and balls, auctions, challenge events, sale of Christmas cards and allowing commercial organisations to use our name and logo in their marketing activity.

(£5.3 million in 2024)

Investment income

£4.0 million (3.3%)

Income received from our bank accounts and investment holdings.

(£3.1 million in 2024)

Other

£nil

This includes profit on sale of properties and other capital assets.

(£nil in 2024)

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How we helped protect children

Charitable expenditure

£85.3 million (70.4%)

The cost of undertaking direct charitable activities which are defined under the following headings: (£85.5 million in 2024)

• Services for children and families £25.5 million (£25.1 million in 2024)

• Childline and the Schools service £25.8 million (£24.3 million in 2024)

• Child protection advice and awareness £27.8 million (£29.9 million in 2024)

• Child protection consultancy £6.2 million (£6.2 million in 2024)

Other trading activities

Raising donations and legacies

£27.0 million (22.3%)

£6.1 million (4.9%)

The cost of fundraising events, attracting support for our weekly lottery and other trading activities to raise funds to support our work.

The cost of receiving voluntary donations, attracting new supporters and ongoing supporter care.

(£25.1 million in 2024) (£5.4 million in 2024)

*Total expenditure was £122.2 million (£118.2 million in 2024) including other expenditure of £3.3 million (£1.7 million in 2024). These costs have been excluded from the figures presented above as they are outside business as usual activities.

Investment management costs £0.5 million (0.4%)

The cost of managing our investments.

(£0.5 million in 2024)

Other*

£1.1 million

Costs outside businessas-usual activities, such as restructuring and impairments.

(£1.7 million in 2024)

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NSPCC Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities

for the year ended 31 March 2025

				Year	Year
			Restricted &	ended	ended
		Unrestricted	endowment	31 March	31 March
		funds	funds [i]	2025	2024
	Notes	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Income from:
Donations and legacies	3	83,198	13,945	97,143	100,639
Charitable activities	4	4,516	9,001	13,517	15,701
Other trading activities	3	3,402	2,238	5,640	5,252
Investments	3	3,925	59	3,984	3,142
Total income		95,041	25,243	120,284	124,734
Expenditure on:
Raising donations and legacies	5	26,834	200	27,034	25,140
Other trading activities	5	6,069	13	6,082	5,354
Investment management costs	5	519	3	522	460
Raising funds		33,422	216	33,638	30,954
Net income available for charitable
application		61,619	25,027	86,646	93,780
Expenditure on:
Services for children and families		16,939	8,534	25,473	25,081
Childline and the schools service		13,156	12,626	25,782	24,313
Child protection advice and awareness		25,956	1,838	27,794	29,894
Child protection consultancy		5,509	720	6,229	6,260
Charitable activities	5	61,560	23,718	85,278	85,548
Other	5	3,263	-	3,263	1,728
Total expenditure		98,245	23,934	122,179	118,230

Net (expenditure)/income before		(3,204)	1,309	(1,895)	6,504
investmentgains
Net gains on investments	13	228	4	232	8,671
Net (expenditure)/income		(2,976)	1,313	(1,663)	15,175

Transfer between funds	21	99	(99)	-	-
Other recognised losses:
Actuarial gains / (losses) on defined
benefit pensionscheme	19	8,011	-	8,011	(1,012)
Net movement in funds		5,134	1,214	6,348	14,163
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds broughtforward		116,385	3,217	119,602	105,439
Total funds carried forward		121,519	4,431	125,950	119,602

[i] The net gains on investments shown under Restricted & endowment funds are attributable to permanent endowment investments and along with the allocation of investment management fees are the only movements on the Permanent endowment fund. All other income and expenditure relates to restricted funds. Details of the Permanent endowment fund are given within notes 21 and 22.

There were no other recognised gains and losses other than those listed above and the net income for the year. All income relates to continuing operations.

The Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities with fund comparatives is detailed within note 2.

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NSPCC and Consolidated Balance Sheets as at 31 March 2025

		Group	Group	Charity	Charity
		2025	2024	2025	2024
	Notes	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Fixed assets
Tangible assets	11	18,853	18,106	18,853	18,106
Intangible assets	11	3,252	3,041	3,252	3,041
Investments	13	118,800	122,288	118,800	122,288
Total fixed assets		140,905	143,435	140,905	143,435
Current assets
Debtors	14	11,332	13,871	11,184	13,549
Investments	15	7,607	4,210	7,607	4,210
Cash at bank and in hand	15	494	375	469	308
Total current assets		19,433	18,456	19,260	18,067
Creditors - amounts falling due within one year	16	(13,211)	(13,514)	(13,068)	(13,155)
Net current assets		6,222	4,942	6,192	4,912
Total assets less current liabilities		147,127	148,377	147,097	148,347
Provisions for liabilities	17	(3,991)	(3,531)	(3,991)	(3,531)
Net assets excluding pension scheme liability		143,136	144,846	143,106	144,816
Defined benefit pension scheme liability	19	(17,186)	(25,244)	(17,186)	(25,244)
Total net assets		125,950	119,602	125,920	119,572
Total funds
Endowment funds	21	1,564	1,563	1,564	1,563
Restricted income funds	21	2,867	1,654	2,867	1,654
Unrestricted funds:
Designated funds	21	39,994	41,531	39,994	41,531
General funds	21	98,711	100,098	98,681	100,068
Unrestricted funds excluding pension liability		138,705	141,629	138,675	141,599
Pension reserve	21	(17,186)	(25,244)	(17,186)	(25,244)
Total unrestricted funds		121,519	116,385	121,489	116,355
Total funds		125,950	119,602	125,920	119,572

The accompanying notes form part of these accounts.

Approved by the Board of Trustees on 16[th] July 2025 and signed on its behalf by

Neil Berkett, Chair

Mark Corbidge Treasurer

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Consolidated Cash Flow Statement for the year ended 31 March 2025

		2025	2024
	Notes	£'000	£'000
Cash flows (used by)/provided from operating activities:
Net cash (used by)/provided from operating activities	a	(2,167)	7,848
Cash flows from investing activities:
Dividends and interest from investments		3,984	3,142
Purchase of tangible and intangible fixed assets		(2,916)	(2,331)
Proceeds from sale of investments		56,783	55,518
Purchase of investments		(52,168)	(68,483)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities		5,683	(12,154)
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period		3,516	(4,306)
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period	b	4,585	8,891
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period	b	8,101	4,585
Notes to the cash flow statement
		2025	2024
		£'000	£'000
a. Reconciliation of net (expenditure)/income to net cash flow
from operating activities
Net (expenditure)/income		(1,663)	15,175
Adjustments for:
Depreciation and amortisation charges		1,958	1,964
Gains on investments		(232)	(8,671)
Dividends and interest from investments		(3,984)	(3,142)
Decrease in debtors		1,644	3,395
Decrease in creditors		(303)	(82)
Increase/(Decrease) in other provisions		460	(107)
Difference between pension contributions paid and charges made		(47)	(684)
Net cash provided/(used) by operating activities		(2,167)	7,848
b. Analysis of cash and cash equivalents
Cash at bank and in hand		494	375
Current investments		7,607	4,210
Total cash and cash equivalents		8,101	4,585

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Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Notes to the Consolidated Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025

1. Accounting policies

1.1 Basis of accounting

The NSPCC is a public benefit entity. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in notes to the accounts and comply with the Charity’s governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland issued in October 2019. The accounts are prepared under the historical cost convention as modified for the revaluation of investments.

After making enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity and its subsidiaries have adequate resources to continue their activities for the foreseeable future. When setting the 2025/26 budget, we reviewed our income expectations in light of historic returns and income modelling. We have considered our risks and opportunities, to ensure that our income targets are realistic, and have aligned our planned services and activities with our expected future short term income. Having assessed projected future income, expenditure and cash flows over the period to 31 March 2026, including additional downside scenarios and analysed the strength of the Charity’s reserves, liquid assets and its ability to withstand a short- term material fall in income we have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation that the

Charity and its subsidiaries have adequate resources to continue their activities for the foreseeable future. Therefore, we have continued to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.

1.2 Consolidated accounts

The results of NSPCC Trading Company Limited (the 'Trading Company') and Childline, which are wholly-owned subsidiaries, have been consolidated on a line-by-line basis in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) and Balance Sheet. A summary of the results of the parent charity are given within note 10.

Where Childline is used to describe part of charitable income or expenditure by activity, this does not refer to the results of the statutory entity. Childline, the entity, exists to receive legacy income otherwise not receivable by the NSPCC. Childline, the charitable activity, provides support and advice to ensure that every child is listened to and protected.

NSPCC Pension Scheme Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary, has not been consolidated as it is a dormant entity with no assets or liabilities. The company acts solely as a corporate trustee of the NSPCC Pension Scheme and does not trade on its own behalf.

1.3 Principal accounting estimates and judgements

In the application of the Charity’s accounting policies, management is required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the

carrying amounts of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from those estimates and the estimates, along with their underlying assumptions, are continually reviewed. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods.

The following critical

judgements have been made in the process of applying the Charity's accounting policies and have the most significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements:

Legacy income recognition: Income from residuary legacies are recognised when there is entitlement and the income is measurable and probable as detailed within accounting policy 1.5. Legacy income recognised in the year is shown in note 3, and legacies not recognised in the year are detailed in note 23.
Expenditure allocations: Expenditure is apportioned where it relates to more than one cost category as detailed within accounting policy 1.6.
The following are the key

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sources of estimation uncertainty:
Actuarial assumptions: See detailed disclosure within note 19.
Property impairments: See detailed disclosure within note 11.

1.4 Financial instruments

Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the Society becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. All financial assets and liabilities are initially measured at transaction price (including transaction costs). Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value, with the exception of fixed asset investments, as detailed within accounting policy 1.9.

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any discount offered and net of the bad debt provision. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due. Creditors and provisions are recognised where the Charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

1.5 Income

All income is accounted for in the SOFA when the Charity is legally entitled to the income, it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.

For pecuniary legacies the recognition point is normally at the date probate is granted, and residuary legacies are

normally recognised when draft estate accounts are available or other suitable information which allows the legacy to be measured with reasonable accuracy. Income is not recognised for legacies which remain subject to a life interest.

Income received from fundraising activities organised by volunteer groups operating under the Charity’s control is in many cases received net of related expenditure. An estimate of the expenditure has been calculated according to payments made out of the branch bank accounts and returns sent from the volunteer groups. Income and expenditure have been increased by this amount. The Trustees have concluded that this is a reasonable estimate to use given the cost and administrative effort involved to account for the actual gross branch income.

Gifts in kind and donated

services have been included at the lower of their value to the Society and their estimated open market value. No amount has been included for services donated by volunteers.

All grants and contractual payments are included on a receivable basis. Contract income is recognised as performance obligations are satisfied. Grant income with performance related conditions received in advance of delivering specified goods and services, or income with a time restriction placed on it by the donor, is deferred until the donor stipulated criteria are met. Income is also deferred if it is probable it could become refundable. Income from contracted services and performance related grants generated through the delivery of goods and services furthering the objects of the Charity is included under income from charitable activities. This policy applies to both non-government and government grants.

1.6 Expenditure

Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and allocated to the appropriate heading in the accounts.

Charitable activities expenditure enables the Society to meet its charitable aims and objectives. Expenditure on raising funds includes expenditure incurred in raising donations and legacies, other trading activities and investment management costs. These costs are regarded as necessary to generate funds that are needed to finance charitable activities.

Expenditure is apportioned where it relates to more than one cost category, such as communication with the public around child protection advice and awareness with the parallel purpose of encouraging potential donors to contribute funds to the Society. The method of apportionment uses the most appropriate basis in each case. Marketing activities with the dual purpose of generating funds and informing the public about child protection are allocated based on content. An analysis of the split between directly attributable costs and allocated costs incurred for fundraising activities and child protection advice and awareness is detailed within note 6.

Support costs are those costs which enable raising funds and charitable activities to be undertaken. These costs include finance, human resources, information systems, communications, property management, legal costs, and governance costs. All support costs are apportioned on the basis of full-time equivalent staff numbers, except costs relating to information systems which are apportioned based on the number of computers and laptops in use.

Redundancy costs are recognised when there is a legal or constructive obligation. Employment related costs and

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redundancy costs are detailed within note 8.

Any irrecoverable VAT is included as part of the cost to which it relates. The amount suffered in the year is detailed within note 5.

1.7 Fund Accounting

General funds - these are funds given freely to the organisation that can be applied at the discretion of the Trustees in accordance with the Society’s charitable objects.

Designated funds - these are funds set aside by the Trustees out of general funds, to cover the value of property fixed assets and investment property held, or to fund specific future purposes or projects. Restricted funds - these are funds received for undertaking an activity specified by the donor when making the gift, or may result from the terms of an appeal for funds.

Endowment funds - these are funds where the assets must be held permanently by the Society, principally in the form of investments. Endowment funds are not shown separately on the SOFA on the basis of materiality but are detailed within note 21. Income received from endowments is added to the appropriate fund in accordance with any restriction placed upon it. Any capital gains or losses arising on the investments form part of the fund.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is detailed within note 21.

1.8 Tangible and intangible fixed assets

Tangible and intangible fixed assets are stated at cost. Depreciation and amortisation is calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets by equal annual instalments over their expected useful lives as follows:

Freehold property 50 years Leasehold property the shorter of the lease term or 50 years

Furniture, fittings and equipment 2 - 5 years Intangible assets 2 - 5 years No depreciation is provided on freehold land.

Tangible and intangible fixed assets costing less than £2,000 are not capitalised, and are written off in the year of purchase. Technology hardware refresh projects that purchase individually insignificant items but that in aggregate are over £100,000 are capitalised in order to reflect the hardware’s pattern of use.

Impairment reviews on fixed assets are conducted on an annual basis and if found to have a carrying value materially higher than its recoverable amount, it is written down accordingly. As part of the impairment review, an assessment is performed to record properties at the lower of net book value and recoverable amount. Fair value is estimated through property valuations which are conducted triennially by an independent valuer. The valuation, which conforms to International Valuation Standards, was arrived at by reference to market evidence of transaction prices for similar properties.

1.9 Investments

Other than investments in

subsidiaries, which are stated at cost, and donated shares as in the paragraph below, investments are stated at fair value (market value) through the SOFA.

Investment properties are held by the Society to earn rentals or for capital appreciation, or both rather than for use by the entity. Investment properties are initially recognised at cost which includes purchase cost and any directly attributable expenditure. They are subsequently held at fair value with the fair value assessment being conducted triennially by an independent valuer. The valuation, which conforms to

International Valuation Standards, was arrived at by reference to market evidence of transaction prices for similar properties.

No depreciation is provided on the investment properties and changes in fair value are recognised in the SOFA. Rental income from operating leases is recognised as income from investments in the SOFA on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.

Donated shares that come with a requirement that they be held for a fixed period or are infrequently traded are included in the balance sheet at the lower of market value if available and a value assessed by the Trustees. This value is reviewed by the Trustees at each balance sheet date. Investment income is

recognised gross of costs when the Charity is entitled to it, it is probable that it will be received, and it can be reliably measured. Realised and unrealised gains and losses are combined in the appropriate section in the SOFA.

1.10 Pension costs

The NSPCC defined benefit scheme is closed to new entrants and to further accrual. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those in the group, in a separate trustee administered fund. Pension scheme assets are measured at fair value and liabilities are measured on an actuarial basis using the projected unit method and discounted at a rate equivalent to the current rate of return on a high-quality corporate bond of equivalent currency and term to the scheme liabilities. The resulting defined benefit asset or liability is presented separately after other net assets on the face of the balance sheet. Whilst the scheme includes a provision to allow the Society to claim a refund after the payment of all outstanding benefits, the scheme trustees retain full

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discretion over whether to grant such a refund and may instead apply any balance of assets to augment members' benefits. As such, the Society does not recognise an asset in respect of potential future refunds. Full actuarial valuations are obtained triennially.

The amounts charged in expenditure are gains and losses on settlements and curtailments. These are included as part of staff costs together with losses and gains due to benefit changes which are recognised immediately if the benefits have vested. The net amount of interest cost and the discount rate applied to the assets are included within other expenditure. Actuarial gains and losses are recognised immediately under Other recognised gains and losses.

Costs incurred in relation to the defined contribution scheme are included in staff pension costs. Costs recognised are equivalent to the contributions in the year and are recognised on an accruals basis and any unsettled amounts are included in other creditors.

1.11 Operating leases

Rentals under operating leases are charged on a straight-line basis over the lease term, even if the payments are not made on such a basis. Benefits received and receivable as an incentive to sign an operating lease are similarly spread on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

1.12 Tax

The NSPCC as a registered charity is exempt from tax

under Chapter 3 of Part 11 to the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation for Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent surpluses are applied to its charitable purposes. No corporation tax charge has arisen in the Charity's subsidiaries since all their profits are gifted to the NSPCC.

1.13 Cash flow

The Society meets the definition of a qualifying entity under FRS 102 and has therefore taken advantage of the disclosure exemption in relation to presentation of a cash flow statement in respect of its separate financial statements, which are presented alongside the consolidated financial statements.

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2. Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities with fund comparatives

	Unrestricted	Restricted &	Year ended	Unrestricted	Restricted &	Year ended
	funds	endowment	31 March	funds	endowment	31 March
	£'000	funds	2025	£'000	funds	2024
		£'000	£'000		£'000	£'000
Income from:
Donations and legacies	83,198	13,945	97,143	86,176	14,463	100,639
Charitable activities	4,516	9,001	13,517	5,018	10,683	15,701
Other trading activities	3,402	2,238	5,640	3,173	2,079	5,252
Investments	3,925	59	3,984	3,093	49	3,142
Total income	95,041	25,243	120,284	97,460	27,274	124,734
Expenditure on:
Raising donations and legacies	26,834	200	27,034	24,831	309	25,140
Other trading activities	6,069	13	6,082	5,320	34	5,354
Investment management costs	519	3	522	456	4	460
Raising funds	33,422	216	33,638	30,607	347	30,954
Net income available for
charitable application	61,619	25,027	86,646	66,853	26,927	93,780
Expenditure on:
Services for children and families	16,939	8,534	25,473	15,299	9,782	25,081
Childline and the schools service	13,156	12,626	25,782	10,987	13,326	24,313
Child protection advice and awareness	25,956	1,838	27,794	26,761	3,133	29,894
Child protection consultancy	5,509	720	6,229	5,540	720	6,260
Charitable activities	61,560	23,718	85,278	58,587	26,961	85,548
Other	3,263	-	3,263	1,728	-	1,728
Total expenditure	98,245	23,934	122,179	90,922	27,308	118,230

Net (expenditure)/income before	(3,204)	1,309	(1,895)	6,538	(34)	6,504
investmentgains
Net gains on investments	228	4	232	8,570	101	8,671
Net (expenditure)/income	(2,976)	1,313	(1,663)	15,108	67	15,175

Transfer between funds	99	(99)	-	96	(96)	-
Other recognised gains/(losses):
Actuarial gains/(losses) on defined	8,011	-	8,011	(1,012)	-	(1,012)
benefit pension scheme
Net movement in funds	5,134	1,214	6,348	14,192	(29)	14,163
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward	116,385	3,217	119,602	102,193	3,246	105,439
Total funds carried forward	121,519	4,431	125,950	116,385	3,217	119,602

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3. Analysis of income from raised funds

3. Analysis of income from raised funds
	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000
Donations and legacies:
Individual giving including regular donations	41,668	43,291
Legacies	26,218	30,832
Regional and community fundraising	10,291	9,035
Corporates, trusts and major donors	17,943	16,075
Schools fundraising	468	499
Other donations and gifts	555	907
Total	97,143	100,639
Other trading activities:
Fundraising events	3,539	3,182
Sale of goods and other activities*	2,101	2,070
Total	5,640	5,252
Investments:
Dividends	400	385
Interest	3,333	2,632
Investment property	251	125
Total	3,984	3,142

*Other activities include sponsorship, promotions, training, sundry sales, lotteries and rental income, none of which are individually material.

Donated goods and services amounted to £6,929,000 (2024 £4,970,000), of which £6,314,000 (2024 £4,309,000) has been recognised within corporates, trusts, and major donors; £352,000 (2024 £350,000) within Regional and community fundraising; and £263,000 (2024 £311,000) within Other donations and gifts.

Donations and legacies include £9,000 (2024 £250,000) income received for a capital purpose recognised within other donations and gifts.

Income from donations and legacies includes £5,728,000 from non-performance related grants (2024 £5,785,000), of which £884,000 are government grants (2024 £614,000). £2,500,000 was received from People's Postcode Lottery (2024 £2,600,000), recognised within corporates, trusts, and major donors. There were no unfulfilled conditions or other contingencies relating to government grant income recognised in the year. None of the income received from government grants has been used to fund political campaigning.

Although required to disclose the aggregate donated by trustees the Society recognises that all of our trustees give their time on a voluntary basis and make valuable non-financial contributions. Total trustee donations of £51,000 (2024 £37,000) have been received in the year, of which £36,000 (2024 £36,000) was restricted.

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4. Analysis of income from charitable activities

Income raised by the following child protection activities:

	Statutory funding	Statutory funding	Non-Statutory funding	Non-Statutory funding
	Contracts	Performance	Contracts	Performance	Total	Total
	and fees	related grants	and fees	related grants	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Services for children and
families	836	4,828	56	41	5,761	6,465
Childline and the schools service	-	1,997	4	-	2,001	1,920
Child protection advice and
awareness	34	573	72	264	943	2,161
Child protection consultancy	385	714	3,713	-	4,812	5,155
Total	1,255	8,112	3,845	305	13,517	15,701

Statutory funding includes income received from government, government agencies and similar bodies whether local, national or international.

Income from charitable activities includes £8,417,000 from performance related grants (2024 £10,119,000), of which £8,112,000 are government grants (2024 £9,804,000). There were no unfulfilled conditions or other contingencies relating to government grant income recognised in the year. Other forms of government assistance include income from statutory contracts and fees of £1,255,000 (2024 £1,365,000). None of the income received from government grants has been used to fund political campaigning.

Statutory contracts and fees include donated services and facilities under service level agreements (SLAs) of £10,000 (2024 £10,000) in respect of premises and other facilities which have been recognised as gifts in kind.

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5. Analysis of total expenditure

		Direct	Support	Total	Total
		Costs	Costs	2025	2024
	Notes	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Expenditure on raising funds:
Expenditure on raising donations and
legacies:
Individual giving including regular		7,946	264	8,210	8,808
donations
Legacies		2,278	69	2,347	2,268
Regional and community fundraising		5,460	263	5,723	5,646
Corporates, trusts and major donors		9,364	240	9,604	7,639
Schools fundraising		853	44	897	609
Other donations and gifts		241	12	253	170
Total		26,142	892	27,034	25,140
Expenditure on other trading
activities:
Fundraising events		3,776	127	3,903	3,546
Sale ofgoods and otheractivities		2,131	48	2,179	1,808
Total		5,907	175	6,082	5,354
Investment management costs		522	-	522	460
Total expenditure on raising funds	6	32,571	1,067	33,638	30,954
Expenditure on charitable activities:
Services for children and families		24,133	1,340	25,473	25,081
Childline and the schools service		24,235	1,547	25,782	24,313
Child protection advice and awareness	6	26,469	1,325	27,794	29,894
Child protection consultancy		5,916	313	6,229	6,260
Total expenditure on charitable
activities		80,753	4,525	85,278	85,548
Other expenditure:
Dilapidations		289	-	289	86
Restructuring		796	-	796	100
Defined benefit pension costs (see note		2,178	-	2,178	1,542
19)
Total other expenditure		3,263	-	3,263	1,728
Total expenditure		116,587	5,592	122,179	118,230

Included in total expenditure is irrecoverable Value Added Tax of £4,655,000 (2024: £4,653,000). The partially recoverable percentage has stayed at 3% (2024 3%). Wholly irrecoverable VAT has increased by £744,000 from £1,899,000 to £2,643,000).

Included in total expenditure are grant payments of £2,732,000 (2024 £3,292,000) which are grants to Blackpool council for delivery of services for the Big Lottery funded ‘Better Start’ programme.

The Society undertakes annual property impairment reviews, comparing the properties' net book value to value in use. Properties identified with a net book value in excess of value in use are written down to the higher of market value or value in use.

During the year, the Society completed a full review of the potential liability to dilapidations at the end of the leases on occupied buildings. The provision is calculated based on average historic landlord claims received. The movement on the provision reflects both changes in the average landlord claims and changes in properties occupied by the Society.

The restructuring costs relate primarily to the cost of redundancies (see note 8).

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The activities underlying the costs above under each heading are:

Services for children and

families — Work with children, young people, families, and communities throughout Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands to provide preventive, therapeutic, and assessment services across the United Kingdom. The services work in partnership with local authorities and Local Safeguarding Children Boards, health services, and other statutory and voluntary agencies; and children and young people's participation activities.

Childline and the Schools

Service — Work to provide accessible support and advice to ensure that every child is listened to and protected. Childline includes: a free 24-hour helpline (telephone, online and automated text services) for children and young people to access advice and support from trained counsellors; and work with schools to educate children about how to protect themselves.

Child protection advice

and awareness — Work in partnership with adults across the UK, empowering them to take action on behalf of children. This includes: the NSPCC Helpline (telephone and online services) providing advice and support to adults; the Child Trafficking Advice Centre (CTAC); the provision of comprehensive and expert information services; public campaigning and government lobbying; and activities to raise awareness and influence behaviour within adult audiences.

Child protection

consultancy — Work with organisations, networks, and professionals that come into contact with children, challenging them to ensure that children are protected from harm. This includes: the provision of training and consultancy services; use of the NSPCC's authorised person status; work in partnership with other bodies; and representation on boards and committees where the NSPCC can influence change.

Expenditure on raising donations and legacies promoting the awareness of the NSPCC and its work to create the income flow needed to support our activities.

Expenditure on other trading activities —

investing in products and organising events to create the income flow needed to support our activities.

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Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25
	2025	2024
Total expenditure is stated after charging:	£'000	£'000
Operating lease rentals:
Land and buildings	958	935
Other	171	152
Fees payable to the Charity's auditor for:
Statutory audit of the Charity and Group accounts	104	100
Statutory audit of the Charity's subsidiaries'accounts	9	8
Total audit fees	113	108
Other assurance services	4	4
Total non-audit fees	4	4
Charges on owned assets:
Depreciation and amortisation	1,958	1,964
Impairment	-	-
Trustees' expenses:
Trustees’ travel,subsistence and other expenses	6	4

Our Trustees are based all over the United Kingdom and give their time on a voluntary basis; the trustees are not entitled to and did not receive any remuneration or other benefits during the year (2024 £nil).

Total trustee expenses of £6,000 (2024 £4,000) were incurred in the year, in respect of ten trustees (2024 ten). In addition, the Society paid indemnity insurance in respect of the trustees of £16,000 (2024 £16,000).

The trustee expenses disclosed above were incurred solely in furtherance of their duties. Trustee expenses include travel, subsistence and other incidental expenses reclaimed or paid directly by the Charity.

Maria Neophytou, a member of the ELT of the NSPCC, is also a Trustee and Director of Warren House Group at Dartington (trading as Dartington Design Lab). During the year, the NSPCC paid a total of £57,352 to this company for Consultancy work on the Early Years and Baby Steps projects. This work was awarded through an open tender process to select and approve the contract, which Maria was not a part of.

6. Child protection advice and awareness

As part of its mission to end cruelty to children, and in accordance with its Royal Charter, the NSPCC undertakes a broad range of publicity and educational work aimed at influencing adults. It aims to work in partnership with adults across the UK, empowering them to take action on behalf of children. Expenditure of this nature:

makes the public aware of the incidence and effects of child abuse and everyone's shared responsibility to act to stop it;
provides comprehensive and expert advice and information on child protection to professionals and other relevant parties;
provides advice, guidance, and support to adults who are concerned about the welfare of a child or young person, enabling them to take appropriate action;
informs the public and fellow professionals about the NSPCC's own action to protect children and young people through its services for them and their families.

Communication with the public through child protection advice and awareness has a parallel purpose of encouraging potential donors to contribute funds to achieve the mission of the NSPCC.

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	2025 2024 Raising funds Child protection advice and awareness Raising funds Child protection advice and awareness £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Charged directly Allocated costs	17,499 14,920 14,765 17,195 15,072 11,549 15,225 11,471
Direct costs allocated	32,571 26,469 29,990 28,666
Support costs allocated	1,067 1,325 964 1,228
Total	33,638 27,794 30,954 29,894

Expenditure incurred each year is, where possible, charged directly to raising awareness or raising funds. Where there is more than one purpose, costs are shared between the activities in proportion to the work undertaken. For example, marketing materials are evaluated by content.

7. Allocation of support costs

	Raising	Charitable	Total	Total
	funds	activities	2025	2024
Type of cost	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Central management and administration	637	2,609	3,246	3,206
Premises, infrastructure and communications	335	1,526	1,861	1,519
Governance	95	390	485	514
Total support costs allocated	1,067	4,525	5,592	5,239

Central management and administration costs includes the relevant proportion of human resources, legal services, and risk management; and central finance including procurement and transaction processing.

Premises, infrastructure ,and communications are costs which enable the buildings and NSPCC facilities to operate effectively — this includes provision of information system services and internal and external communications.

Governance cost are costs associated with the governance arrangements of the NSPCC, including internal and external audit costs, legal advice for trustees, and costs associated with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Support costs are allocated on the basis of relevant full time equivalent staff numbers. Information Systems support costs are allocated on the basis of personal and laptop computers in use.

8. Employees

8. Employees
	2025	2024
Total staff costs recognised in the year	£'000	£'000
Wages and salaries	58,251	54,062
Social security costs	6,025	5,438
Pension costs	8,611	7,594
Other forms of employee benefits	311	346
Total	73,198	67,440

Redundancy costs of £779,000 have been paid (2024 £50,000). The amount expensed in the

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accounts, not included in the above table, is £810,000 (2024 £50,000), of which £31,000 is provided for (2024 £nil).

Included within pension costs of £8,611,000 (2024: £7,594,000) are costs relating to the defined contribution scheme of £6,433,000 (2024: £6,052,000) and costs relating to the defined benefit scheme of £2,178,000 (2024: £1,542,000). Pension costs in relation to the defined benefit pension scheme are detailed within note 19.

Other forms of employee benefits include life assurance and car allowances, where applicable.

The average number of employees on the payroll for the year was 1,636 (2024: 1,648). The average number of employees, calculated on a full-time equivalent basis for the year, was 1,484 (2024: 1,468). The NSPCC operates a family-friendly policy including part-time work and jobsharing. The above numbers include staff responsible for the management and support of the volunteers.

The average number of employees, calculated on a full-time equivalent basis, analysed by function was:

function was:
	2025	2024
	Number	Number
Activities to end cruelty to children	1,116	1,105
Raising funds	213	220
Support and governance	155	143
Total	1,484	1,468

The number of employees whose total employee benefits (excluding employer pension and national insurance costs) for the reporting period amounted to over £60,000 was as follows:

	2025	2024
	Number	Number
£180,001-£190,000	-	1
£150,001-£140,000	1	-
£140,001-£150,000	2	1
£130,001-£140,000	-	2
£120,001-£130,000	3	2
£110,001-£120,000	-	1
£100,001-£110,000	1	1
£90,001-£100,000	7	5
£80,001-£90,000	14	8
£70,001-£80,000	25	21
£60,001-£70,000	45	41
Total	98	83

The table above does not include termination benefits paid in the year. If these were included, two additional employees would be included in banding £60,000-£70,000, one in banding £70,000-£80,000, one less in banding £80,000-£90,000 and one in £120,000-£130,000. In 2024, there were no changes in bandings.

£120,000-£130,000. In 2024, there were no changes in bandings.
Key management personnel (Executive Leadership team) - Group and Charity	2025 £'000	2024 £'000
Total employee benefits*received by the ELT for their services during the year	1,185	1,288

*Employee benefits are all forms of consideration paid by a charity in exchange for the service rendered by employees and include all remuneration, salary, employer’s pension and national insurance contributions and any termination payments made.

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9. Contribution from volunteers

We are very grateful to our large and hugely supportive volunteer base. Some work tirelessly to raise funds for our work, whilst others work directly with children, young people and families through our services such as being a trained volunteer counsellor for our Childline service or delivering our Schools Service.

Our Childline service delivers 24/7 support to children throughout the year. Our Childline counselling service delivered almost 162,000 counselling sessions (2024: almost 188,000 sessions) with the help of 976 volunteer counsellors (2024: over 1,000 volunteer counsellors), providing over 106,000 hours (2024: over 123,000 hours).
Our Speak out Stay safe service delivers assemblies and workshops in primary schools to equip pupils with the knowledge and resilience to protect themselves from abuse, and the confidence to seek help. This year the assemblies continued to be completed virtually, and we delivered assemblies to over 6,300 schools (2024: delivered virtual assemblies to over 5,600 schools), reaching over 1,538,000 children across the UK (2024: reaching over 1,376,000 children).
Supporting our fundraising team, there are a number of Special Events Committees, Volunteer and Business Boards, each focusing on NSPCC activities they feel particularly passionate about, and where their skills and expertise can be best utilised. Our Board and Committee members use their expertise and contacts from their own fields of business, employing a range of fundraising techniques — from corporate introductions to charity event creation, securing major gifts and legacies, and raising awareness. In the year, the Boards and Committees supported our fundraising team in generating income of £8,515,000 (2024: £6,063,000).
We have 122 branches and 313 districts (2024 150 branches and over 474 districts) raising funds around the UK, with around 2,800 members (2024 around 2,800 members) who raised over £2,052,000 (2024 almost £1,500,000) in the year through organising local community fundraising events.
In addition, there are approximately 67 volunteers (2024 approximately 53 volunteers) working in our service centres across the country in a range of roles, primarily providing support through our young witness in Northern Ireland.

Given the absence of a reliable measurement basis, donated services from our volunteers are not included within the financial statements. This is in line with the requirements of the Charities SORP (FRS 102).

10. Subsidiary companies and their activities

The Charity has three wholly owned subsidiaries. Information and financial data on Childline and NSPCC Trading Company Limited are detailed below. The NSPCC Pension Scheme Limited acts solely as a corporate trustee of the NSPCC Pension Scheme, does not trade on its own behalf, and has no assets or liabilities.

NSPCC Trading Company Limited

NSPCC Trading Company Limited (NSPCC Trading) is incorporated in the UK (Company registration number 00890446). The main activities consist of corporate sponsorships, fundraising events, sale of goods — including Christmas cards, and income from promotional activities.

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A summary of the NSPCC Trading results are below. The information is taken from the audited accounts for the company and therefore includes transactions undertaken with the NSPCC.

	NSPCC		NSPCC
	Trading		Trading
	2025		2024
Profit and loss account	£'000		£'000
Revenue	1,116		649
Cost of sales	(66)		(83)
Gross profit	1,050		566
Net operating costs	(200)		(302)
Operating profit	850		264
Amountgift aided to NSPCC	(850)		(264)
Retainedprofit for theyear	-	-
Assets, liabilities and funds:
Assets	528		789
Liabilities	(498)		(759)
Total funds including 100ordinary sharesof £1 each	30		30

NSPCC Trading runs fundraising events that benefit the NSPCC. As such the NSPCC has been charged a management fee to cover these costs plus a commission totaling £1,306,000 (2024 £1,132,000). Revenue includes £38,000 in commission for fundraising events (2024 £33,000). In addition, NSPCC Trading pays the NSPCC £10,000 for the use of the NSPCC logo (2024 £10,000) and £576,000 in staff and building costs (2024 £576,000).

Profits from NSPCC Trading are gift aided to the NSPCC at the value of the taxable profits under a deed of covenant arrangement.

Childline

Childline is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales and incorporated in the UK (company registration number 2622689, charity registration number 1003758). Childline the entity exists to receive legacy income otherwise not receivable by the NSPCC. These funds are paid by way of a grant to the NSPCC.

A summary of the Childline results are below. The information is taken from the audited accounts for the charitable company and therefore includes transactions undertaken with the NSPCC.

	Childline	Childline
	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000
Total income	1,480	1,579
Total expenditure	(1,480)	(1,579)
Net expenditure	-	-
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward	-	-
Funds balance carried forward	-	-
Assets, liabilities and funds:
Assets	126	33
Liabilities	(126)	(33)
Total funds	-	-

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NSPCC results (excluding subsidiaries)

A summary of the results of the parent charity are below.

NSPCC results (excluding subsidiaries) A summary of the results of the parent charity are below.
	NSPCC	NSPCC
	excluding	excluding
	subsidiaries	subsidiaries
	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000
Total income	118,760	123,260
Total expenditure	(120,655)	(116,756)
Netgains/(losses) on investments	232	8,671
Net income	(1,663)	15,175
Actuarialgains/(losses) on defined benefit pension scheme	8,011	(1,012)
Net movement in funds	6,348	14,163
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward	119,572	105,409
Funds balance carried forward	125,920	119,572

Total income for the NSPCC excluding subsidiaries, includes the gift aid donation from the NSPCC Trading Company Limited of £850,000 (2024 £264,000) and the grant from Childline of £1,480,000 (2024 £1,579,000).

11. Tangible and intangible fixed assets

			Furniture,	Total	Total	Total
	Freehold	Leasehold	fittings, and	Tangible	Intangible	Fixed
	property	property	equipment	assets	assets	assets
Group and Charity	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Cost
1 April 2024	25,694	10,989	7,850	44,533	13,251	57,784
Additions	27	628	1,179	1,834	1,082	2,916
Disposals	-	(249)	(593)	(842)	(2,222)	(3,064)
31 March 2025	25,721	11,368	8,436	45,525	12,111	57,636
Depreciation and amortisation
1 April 2024	10,987	8,818	6,622	26,427	10,210	36,637
Depreciation and	381	194	512	1,087	871	1,958
amortisation
Disposals	-	(249)	(593)	(842)	(2,222)	(3,064)
31 March 2025	11,368	8,763	6,541	26,672	8,859	35,531
Net book value
31 March 2025	14,353	2,605	1,895	18,853	3,252	22,105
31 March 2024	14,707	2,171	1,228	18,106	3,041	21,147

Intangible assets represent the cost of software development and other computer software.

Depreciation and amortisation are recognised as an expense in the SOFA. The expense is charged or apportioned to the relevant SOFA headings reflecting the assets use.

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12. Capital commitments

There were capital commitments of £477,000 at 31 March 2025 (2024 £55,000).

13. Investments

13. Investments
			Bank	Investment	Total	Total
	Equities	Bonds	deposits	properties	2025	2024
Group and Charity	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Market value at 1 April	30,227	41,458	48,713	1,890	122,288	100,320
Received from Legacies	-	-	-	895	895	332
Purchases at cost	5,587	11,788	34,793	-	52,168	68,483
Disposals at carrying value	(5,513)	(10,768)	(40,502)	-	(56,783)	(55,518)
Realised (loss)/ gain on investments	(683)	(80)	89	-	(674)	788
Unrealised(loss)/gain on investments	(86)	199	793	-	906	7,883
Value at 31 March	29,532	42,597	43,886	2,785	118,800	122,288
Historical cost as at 31 March	23,121	45,963	41,788	2,198	113,070	117,142

The majority of fixed investments are held with and managed by Credit Suisse and JP Morgan. Bank deposits also include £39,762,000 of deposits held directly (2024 £45,260,000). Investments are accounted for as detailed within accounting policy 1.9.

With reference to FRS 102 properties that are held to generate rental income are included within investments properties. This year part of our Head Office has been let out in order to generate rental income ,and therefore this has been transferred from tangible fixed assets to investments properties. These properties are leased to not-for-profit organisations however, as their activities are not in line with NSPCC charitable objectives, these elements of the properties are classified as investment properties. These properties have been revalued based on an independent property valuations carried out as at 31 March 2024. The lease for the previous investment property was renewed in February 2024 on comparable terms.

Future minimum lease payments for rent receivable under non-cancellable operating leases on investment properties are:

investment properties are:
	Total	Total
	2025	2024
Group and Charity	£'000	£'000
Less than 1 year	193	193
Between 1 and 5years	173	245
Total	366	438

14. Debtors

14. Debtors
	Group		Charity
	2025	2024	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Trade debtors	582	943	533	895
Amounts owed by group undertakings	-	-	479	433
Prepayments	3,438	2,743	3,018	2,111
Accrued income	4,441	7,269	4,315	7,235
Other debtors	2,871	2,916	2,839	2,875
Total	11,332	13,871	11,184	13,549

Amounts owed to by group undertakings are non-interest bearing and repayable on demand.

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15. Current investments and cash at bank and in hand

hand
	Charity
	2025	2024	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Current investments	7,607	4,210	7,607	4,210
Cash at bank and in hand	494	375	469	308
Total	8,101	4,585	8,076	4,518

Current investments represent monies invested through the NSPCC's bankers in short-term money market instruments, and available for return on demand.

16. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

	Group	Group	Charity	Charity
	2025	2024	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Trade creditors	2,250	1,938	2,228	1,723
Accruals	4,820	4,930	4,793	4,886
Deferred income (see note 18)	1,711	1,863	1,617	1,763
Taxation and social security	1,533	1,469	1,533	1,469
Grants payable	2,068	2,509	2,068	2,509
Other creditors	829	805	829	805
Total	13,211	13,514	13,068	13,155

17. Provisions for liabilities

	Dilapidations on
	leasehold properties	Other	Total
Group and Charity	£'000	£'000	£'000
Carrying amount at 1 April 2024	3,482	49	3,531
Additions and remeasurement	538	171	709
Amounts utilised against theprovision	(249)	-	(249)
Carrying amount at 31 March 2025	3,771	220	3,991
Commitments are likely to be met:
Within one year	1,177	220	1,397
After one year and less than five years	1,596	-	1,596
After five years	998	-	998
Total	3,771	220	3,991

The provision for dilapidations on leasehold properties relates to the estimated future cost of landlord claims at the end of the lease. The provision is calculated based on average historic landlord claims received. The movement on the provision reflects both changes in the average landlord claims and changes in properties occupied by the Society.

No discounting has been applied to any of the provisions as the effect of this would be immaterial.

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18. Deferred income

18. Deferred income
	1 April			31 March
	2024	Deferred	Released	2025
	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Statutory sources	35	104	(35)	104
Other non-statutory sources	396	441	(396)	441
Income from fundraisingactivities	1,332	1,072	(1,332)	1,072
Total for the Charity	1,763	1,617	(1,763)	1,617
Income from fundraisingactivities	100	94	(100)	94
Total for the Group	1,863	1,711	(1,863)	1,711

The main reasons for deferrals are as follows:
	Group		Charity
	2025	2024	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Performance related grant conditions not met	217	-	217	-
Potentially refundable income received for future
events	1,166	1,432	1,072	1,332
Other deferrals	328	431	328	431
Total	1,711	1,863	1,617	1,763

19. NSPCC pension schemes

The NSPCC operates both a defined contribution and a defined benefit pension scheme which require contributions to be made to separately administered funds for the benefit of the employees. Further details of these schemes are provided below.

NSPCC defined contribution pension scheme

The pension costs for the year in relation to the defined contribution pension scheme were £6,433,000 (2024 £6,052,000). As at 31 March 2025, £553,000 was outstanding and included in creditors (2024 £523,000). Expenditure is allocated to the appropriate heading in the accounts on the basis of full-time equivalent staff numbers.

NSPCC defined benefit pension scheme

The Society operates a defined benefit scheme in the UK. This is a separate trustee administered fund holding the pension scheme assets to meet long term pension liabilities. A full actuarial valuation was carried out at 31 March 2021 and this has been updated to 31 March 2025 by a qualified actuary, independent of the scheme's sponsoring employer. The present value of the defined benefit obligation, the related current service cost and past service cost were measured using the projected unit credit method. The major assumptions used by the actuary are shown below.

This most recent triennial actuarial valuation showed a deficit of £23,300,000. Based on this valuation, the Society has agreed with the trustees that it will aim to eliminate the deficit over a period of five years and six months from 31 March 2021 by the payment of annual contributions (payable monthly) of £1,800,000. In addition to the annual contributions, it was agreed that a lump sum of £11,400,000 would be paid by 31 December 2021. In addition and in accordance with the actuarial valuation, the Society has agreed with the trustees that it will pay £425,000 per annum (payable monthly) to meet expenses of the scheme and levies to the Pensions Protection Fund (previously £475,000 per annum).

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Present values of defined benefit obligation, fair value of assets and defined benefit asset:

	31 March	31 March
	2025	2024
Group and Charity	£'000	£'000
Fair value of plan assets	102,100	113,328
Present value of defined benefit obligation	(119,286)	(138,572)
Defined benefit liability to be recognised	(17,186)	(25,244)

Reconciliation of opening and closing balances of the defined benefit obligation:

	31 March	31 March
	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000
Defined benefit obligation at start of period	138,572	141,089
Interest expense	6,498	6,622
Actuarial gains	(19,311)	(2,803)
Benefitspaid	(6,473)	(6,336)
Defined benefitobligation at endof period	119,286	138,572

Reconciliation of opening and closing balances of the fair value of plan assets:

	31 March	31 March
	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000
Fair value of plan assets at start of period	113,328	116,174
Interest income	5,316	5,469
Actuarial losses	(11,300)	(3,815)
Contributions by the Society	2,225	2,225
Administrative Costs	(996)	(389)
Benefitspaid	(6,473)	(6,336)
Fair value ofplan assets at end ofperiod	102,100	113,328

The actual return on the plan assets over the period ended 31 March 2025 was a loss of £5,894,000 (2024 gain of £1,654,000).

Defined benefit costs recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities

Defined benefit costs recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities
	31 March	31 March
	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000
Expenses	996	389
Net interest cost	1,182	1,153
Defined benefit costs recognised in expenditure	2,178	1,542
Actuarial losses on assets	(11,300)	(3,815)
Actuarialgains on liabilities	19,311	2,803
Actuarialgains/(losses) on defined benefitpension scheme	8,011	(1,012)

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Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Assets:	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000
Equity instruments	-	10,873
Cash and cash equivalents	8,889	8,350
Other	93,211	94,105
Total assets	102,100	113,328

None of the fair values of the assets shown above include any direct investments in the Society’s own financial instruments or any property occupied by, or other assets used by, the Society.

Expenses include £21,000 Pension Protection Fund levy (2024 £43,000) and £15,000 pension regulator fee (2024 £15,000).

Assumptions:	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000
Discount rate	5.70% pa	4.80% pa
Inflation (pre and post 2030)	3.20% pa	3.30% pa
Inflation (CPI Pre 2030)	2.30% pa	2.30% pa
Inflation (CPI Post 2030)	3.10% pa	3.20% pa

The mortality assumptions adopted at 31 March 2025 imply the following	Life expectancy at age
life expectancies:	65 (Years)
Male retiring in 2025	20.4
Female retiring in 2025	23.6
Male retiring in 2045	21.4
Female retiring in 2045	24.7

20. Operating lease commitments

Total of future minimum lease payments for the Group and Charity under non-cancellable operating leases for each of the following periods:

operating leases for each of the following periods:
	Land and		Land and
	buildings	Other	buildings	Other
	2025	2025	2024	2024
Group and Charity	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000
Not later than one year	904	-	779	3
Later than one year and not later than five years	590	-	712	-
Total	1,494	-	1,491	3

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Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

21. Endowment, restricted, and designated funds

	Balance					Balance						Balance
						31						31
	1 April			Gains /		March			Gains /			March
Permanent endowment funds	2023	Income Expenditure		(losses)	Transfers	2024 Income Expenditure			(losses)	Transfers		2025
Charity	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000	£'000		£'000
Permanent endowment fund	1,437	-	(4)	101	-	1,534	-	(3)	4	-		1,535
N Knatchbull endowment fund	10	-	-	-	-	10	-	-	-	-		10
M Glaister fund	10	-	-	-	-	10	-	-	-	-		10
A Sykes fund	9	-	-	-	-	9	-	-	-	-		9
Total permanent endowment	1,466	-	(4)	101	-	1,563	-	(3)	4	-		1,564
funds
Restricted funds
Charity
Childline restricted funds received	167	11,716	(11,569)	-	(14)	300	9,168	(9,406)	-	-		62
by NSPCC including funding received
from the Child's Voice Appeal for the
Helpline Development Project
Activities to end cruelty to children	1,405	5,652	(6,070)	-	15	1,002	5,528	(5,115)	-	(13)		1,402
funded by other restricted donations
Capital Projects, including	80	267	-	-	(97)	250	34	-	-	(34)		250
Acquisition of Buildings
Details are given below in respect	of restricted funds where separate disclosure is required by the funder:
Childline and NSPCC Helpline funded	-	2,000	(2,000)	-	-	-	2,000	(2,000)	-		-	-
by the Department for Education
Childline Foyle Helpline in	-	159	(159)	-	-	-	159	(159)	-		-	-
Londonderry funded by the
Department of Education Northern
Ireland
Childline counselling staff salaries in	-	23	(23)	-	-	-	23	(23)	-		-	-
Northern Ireland funded by the
Department of Health, Social
Services & Public Safety (DSSHPS)
of Northern Ireland
"A Better Start" project in Blackpool	-	4,952	(4,952)	-	-	-	4,359	(4,359)	-		-	-
funded by the Big Lottery Fund
Building public awareness about	-	1,447	(1,447)	-	-	-	241	(241)	-		-	-
child sexual abuse set out in the
Tackling Child Sexual Abuse
Strategy 2021 funded by the Home
Office.
Childline in Wales funded by the	-	90	(90)	-	-	-	90	(90)	-		-	-
Welsh Government 'Children and
Families Organisation' (CFOG)
Northern Ireland Young Witness	-	467	(467)	-	-	-	467	(467)	-		-	-
Support Service funded by the
Department of Justice Northern
Ireland
Community Potential in Plymouth	128	55	(81)	-	-	102	52	(95)	-	(52)		7
funded by the National Lottery
Community Fund
Practitioner Salaries delivering ‘Pregnancy in Mind’ in Northern	-	7	(7)	-	-	-	-	-	-		-	-
Ireland funded by Community
Foundation Northern Ireland
Delivery of ‘Letting the Future In’	-	359	(359)	-	-	-	365	(365)	-		-	-
and scale-up in England and Wales
funded by the Home Office
Delivery of 'Letting the Future In'	-	48	(48)	-	-	-	30	(30)	-		-	-
Project in South Wales funded by
the South Wales Police and Crime
Commissioner
Grant from the Welsh government	-	-	-	-	-	-	23	(7)	-		-	16
towards the Safeguarding campaign
Katherine Martin Charitable Trust	-	-	-	-	-	-	1,500	(1,500)	-		-	-
For the delivery of Childline Service
Katherine Martin Charitable Trust for	-	-	-	-	-	-	501	(74)	-		-	427
the delivery of Talk PANTS for the next fve years.

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Katherine Martin Charitable Trust for	-	-	-	-	-	-	502	-	-	-	502
the delivery of core NSPCC Services in Grimsby during the fnancial year
of 25/26
Katherine Martin Charitable Trust to	-	-	-	-	-	-	201	-	-	-	201
enable the NSPCC to deliver a
national campaign on tackling the
rise in online sexual abuse arising
from self-generated images
Delivery of 'Domestic Abuse,	-	12	(12)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Recovering Together' Project in
South Wales Funded by the South
Wales Police and Crime
Commissioner
Provide bilingual ‘Pantosaurus’	-	20	(20)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
books to all primary schools and
libraries in Wales funded by the
Welsh Government.
Total restricted funds	1,780	27,274	(27,304)	-	(96)	1,654	25,243	(23,931)	-	(99)	2,867

Total restricted and endowment	3,246	27,274	(27,308)	101	(96)	3,217	25,243	(23,934)	4	(99)	4,431
funds
Designated funds
Charity
Freehold and leasehold properties	21,684	-	(597)	658	504	22,249	-	(575)	-	944	22,618
Strategic spend	15,960	6,000	(1,789)	-	(889)	19,282	-	(1,418)	-	(488)	17,376
Total designated funds	37,644	6,000	(2,386)	658	(385)	41,531	-	(1,993)	-	456	39,994
Other unrestricted funds
Charity
General funds	89,434	89,232	(84,766)	7,912	(1,744)	100,068	92,445	(91,478)	228	(2,582)	98,681
Total general funds for the	89,434	89,232	(84,766)	7,912	(1,744)	100,068	92,445	(91,478)	228	(2,582)	98,681
Charity
Subsidiary companies
NSPCC Trading Company Limited	30	649	(649)	-	-	30	1,116	(1,116)	-	-	30
Childline	-	1,579	(1,579)	-	-	-	1,480	(1,480)	-	-	-
Total general funds for the	89,464	91,460	(86,994)	7,912	(1,744)	100,098	95,041	(94,074)	228	(2,582)	98,711
Group
Pension reserve	(24,915)	-	(1,542)	(1,012)	2,225	(25,244)	-	(2,178)	8,011	2,225	(17,186)
Total funds for the Group	105,439	124,734	(118,230)	7,659	-	119,602	120,284	(122,179)	8,243	-	125,950

Income within general funds for the Charity excludes the gift aid donation of £850,000 (2024 £264,000) from NSPCC Trading Company Limited and the grant of £1,480,000 from Childline (2024 £1,579,000).

Transfers include £2,225,000 transferred from general funds for payments in relation to pensions (2024 £2,225,000), and £944,000 to designated funds in relation to property additions. In 2024, £504,000 was transferred from designated funds in relation to property disposals.

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22. Analysis of group net assets between funds

Fund balances are represented by:

Fund balances are represented by:
Unrestricted General DesignatedRestricted Endowment £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000	2025 Unrestricted 2024 Total funds General Designated Restricted Endowment Total funds £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Tangible and intangible fixed assets 5,148 16,957 - - Investments 97,970 19,266 - 1,564 Current assets and liabilities (416) 3,771 2,867 - Provisions (3,991) - - -	22,105 4,270 16,877 - - 21,147 118,800 99,553 21,172 - 1,563 122,288 6,222 (194) 3,482 1,654 - 4,942 (3,991) (3,531) - - - (3,531)
Total net assets excluding pension reserve 98,711 39,994 2,867 1,564	143,136 100,098 41,531 1,654 1,563 144,846
Pension reserve (17,186) - - -	(17,186) (25,244) - - - (25,244)
Total net assets 81,525 39,994 2,867 1,564	125,950 74,854 41,531 1,654 1,563 119,602

23. Legacies

The NSPCC has been notified of 787 legacies (2024: 822 legacies) which have not been included within the financial statements as they do not yet meet the income recognition criteria. This includes seven pecuniary legacies which have an average value of £12,175 (2024: 37 cases with an average value of £4,400). Pecuniary legacies are only recognised once notification of probate is received. The remaining 674 are residuary legacies, which have an average value of £57,904 (2024: 785 cases with an average value of £46,779). Residuary legacies are normally recognised once draft accounts are received or other information which allow them to be measured with reasonable accuracy. Included within the above figures are seven pecuniary legacies (2024: 7) and 124 residuary legacies (2024: 135) which are not recognised because they are subject to a life interest.

The NSPCC waived the rights to two legacy entitlements totalling £7,505 (2023: two totalling £600) related to claims made by the family of the deceased on the basis that the claim reflected the deceased's wishes.

24. Related party transactions

Related party transactions with and between wholly owned subsidiaries are detailed as follows. Further details on subsidiaries and their activities are provided in note 10.

Further details on subsidiaries and their activities are provided in note 10.
	2025	2024
	£'000	£'000
Management charge (payable by NSPCC to NSPCC Trading)	1,306	1,132
Logo licence fee (payable by NSPCC Trading to NSPCC)	10	10
Staff and building costs (payable by NSPCC Trading to NSPCC)	576	576
Profits distributable under Gift Aid (payable by NSPCC Trading to NSPCC)	850	264
Profits distributable under Gift Aid (payable by Childline to NSPCC)	1,480	1,579

Related party transactions with NSPCC Pension Scheme are disclosed in note 19. Related party transactions with the Trustees are detailed within in notes three and five. There were no transactions with other related parties in the year.

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25. Post balance sheet events

In June 2025, the trustees of The Katherine Martin Trust approved donations to the NSPCC totaling £15 million. This income is split between a £5 million Permanent Endowment fund in support of our work in Grimsby and Northeast Lincolnshire, and a £10 million restricted gift towards our work in schools. The NSPCC received these funds in June.

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NSPCC ofces

Headquarters and registered office address

Weston House, 42 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH Tel: 020 7825 2500

North East, Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Hub

Suite 1-3 5[th] Floor, St Johns Offices, Albion Street, Leeds, LS2 8LQ Tel: 01274 381 440

North West Regional Hub

National and regional hubs

Cymru/Wales National Office and Hub

Diane Engelhardt House, Treglown Court, Dowlais Road, Cardiff CF24 5LQ Tel: 02920 108 081

Northern Ireland National Office and Hub

Unit 7, The Lanyon Building, Jennymount Business Park, North Derby Street, Belfast BT15 3HN Tel: 028 2044 1524

Hargreaves Centre

112 Great Homer Street, Liverpool, L5 3LQ Tel: 0151 556 1000

Midlands Regional Hub

Jenny Farr House, 1 Cranmer Street, Nottingham, NG3 4GH Tel: 0115 960 5481

South West and Channel Islands Regional Hub

5 Little London Court, Albert Street, Swindon, SN1 3HY

01793 683 100

Scotland National Office

3rd Floor, Templeton House, 62 Templeton Street, Glasgow, G40 1DA Tel: 0141 212 3844

London and South East Regional Hub

Alexandra Ciardi House, 7-8 Greenland Place, Camden, London NW1 0AP Tel: 020 3772 9905

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Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

Together, we can stop child abuse and neglect — by working with people and communities across the UK and Channel Islands to prevent it, transforming the online world to make it safer for children, and making sure every child has a place to turn for support when they need it.

We campaign for change. We work with schools to help children understand what abuse is and support them to speak out and feel safe. Childline is there for young people when they need us. And the NSPCC Helpline is ready to respond to adults with any worry about a child. We develop services in local communities to stop abuse before it starts and help children recover, so it doesn’t shape their future.

And, above all, we work together — because we can’t stop child abuse alone. Everyone has a part to play in keeping children safe. By building a bigger team, we can give more children the safety and support they need. Every pound you raise, every petition you sign, every minute of your time, will make a difference. Together, we can change children’s lives.

nspcc.org.uk

133

©NSPCC 2025. Registered charity England and Wales 216401. Scotland SC037717 and Jersey 384. Photography by Tom Hull, Patch Dolan, Casey Gutteridge, Andrew Parish, Benjamin Fleming, Abbie Trayler-Smith, Madeleine Penfold, Adrian James White, Sibling and Rival & Adobe Stock. The adults pictured are models and volunteers. Illustrations by Alice Chang & Harriet Nobel. J20240001.

2025-03-31-accounts

Contents

Welcome from our Chair

Welcome from our Chief Executive

Hello from our Young People’s Board for Change.

Member of YPBC 2023-2025

Objectives and achievements

Our impact goals

Goal 1 — Everyone plays their part to prevent child abuse

NSPCC Helpline

National campaigns

Movement for change

Look, Say, Sing, Play

Talk PANTS

Campaigns we delivered locally

Our local campaigns engaged with professionals, adults, and children 82,559 times.

In Safe Hands — Merseyside

London Talk PANTS campaign

Together for Childhood

Supporting professionals to keep children safe

Child Protection in Sport Unit

Child Protection in Sport Unit Case study — Olympics & Paralympics

A focus on our influencing work

NSPCC’s Six-Point Plan

Children’s Charities Coalition and Children at the Table

Goal 2: Every child is safe online

Impact goal two focuses on ensuring that:

Report Remove

Amplify the voices and experiences of children and young people

Techosaurus

Child Safety Online (CSO) Taskforce

Goal 3: Children feel safe, listened to, and supported

Childline

Our work through schools

Our work directly with children, young people, and families

Our participation work with children and young people

Strengthening our ability to deliver the strategy

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Embedding trauma-informed approaches

Volunteer Valuing

Staff engagement

Partnerships: National corporate partnerships

Lidl GB

Matalan

Major giving: Philanthropy — individuals

Ellerdale Trust

Jasper Conran OBE

The Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation

Partnerships: Volunteer partnerships and special events

London-based volunteer boards:

London event committees:

Newsquest

Community supporters

London Marathon 2024

Childhood Day

The Enniskillen District Committee

Elonex

Dyane

Lidl GB

Matalan

Childline Board

Walk for Children

Emma Hampton and sons Evan and Luca

Pranav Mehta

Gaming

Steam sale

Fanatical bundle

Schools

Number Day — launch with HRH Duchess of Edinburgh

Kindness Challenge

Community fundraising

Southwest

Bluebird Ball

Bristol comes together to support the NSPCC

Midlands

Football teams supporting the NSPCC — Birmingham City FC and Derby County FC

Big C and Little C

Give a little, change a lot

Northeast

NSPCC North East Network