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Refuge provides specialist support to women and children escaping domestic violence, modern slavery, human trafficking, forced prostitution, rape, forced marriage and 'honour' based violence. Services include: 24-hr national helpline, women's refuges, outreach and floating support, independent domestic and sexual violence advocates. We raise awareness and influence policy and legislative change.
Verified certifications
Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.
Focus areas & reach
· What they work on and whereHow it stacks up against peers
· vs. 4 similar social services in United KingdomConcerns
· None foundWhere every £1 goes
· FY2025 · Charity Commission (UK) (FY2025)GiveRadar Analysis
Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations
GiveRadar's verified records show Refuge with a substantially complete profile, cross-referenced across 3 independent sources including the Charity Commission.
- By reported annual revenue, it is larger than 99% of the 4,162 social services charities in the United Kingdom with financial records on GiveRadar. See the filings
- GiveRadar holds 5 years of financial filings for this organization, the most recent for fiscal year 2025. See the filings
- Its integrity score of 86 places it in the top 1% of the 4,896 social services charities in the United Kingdom GiveRadar tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its registration. View this cohort
- government registration
- financial records (5 filed years)
- disclosed leadership
- a website
- a contact email
- a donation page
- third-party accreditation
- an owner-submitted profile claim
Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-27. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.
Common questions
· Auto-generated from filings + methodologyRefuge is a registered social services nonprofit based in London, United Kingdom. It is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It was founded in 1979 and has been operating for 47 years. Its registration number is 277424. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds registration with the UK Fundraising Regulator, which means it has committed to the Code of Fundraising Practice and accountable fundraising standards. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 86/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports £32M in annual revenue. 8 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.
Refuge's registered charity number is 277424. You can use it to look up the organization on the Charity Commission register.
Refuge has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 86/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 86 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 92% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for social services charities in United Kingdom is 86/100.
Refuge is located in London, United Kingdom. The organization was established in 1979 and has been active for 47 years.
Based on official tax filings, Refuge has £32M in annual revenue. It allocates 92% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 94% for social services charities in United Kingdom. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of £662K. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.
Refuge is classified as a Social Services organization, registered in United Kingdom. It operates as a Charitable Company. By size, it is categorized as a large organization. It has £32M in annual revenue. The organization has 8 disclosed officers and directors.
No red flags have been detected for Refuge. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.
According to GiveRadar's records, Refuge holds registration with the UK Fundraising Regulator, which means it has committed to the Code of Fundraising Practice and accountable fundraising standards. It is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It reports that 92% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 94%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.
Refuge provides specialist support to women and children escaping domestic violence, modern slavery, human trafficking, forced prostitution, rape, forced marriage and 'honour' based violence. Services include: 24-hr national helpline, women's refuges, outreach and floating support, independent domestic and sexual violence advocates. We raise awareness and influence policy and legislative change. Refuge is classified as a social services organization registered in United Kingdom. The organization was founded in 1979.
Among social services charities registered in United Kingdom: It allocates 92% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 94%. Its annual revenue of £32M is well above the peer average of £662K.
Refuge is a charitable company limited by guarantee, the most common incorporated form for UK charities. It is registered with both Companies House and the Charity Commission, and must file annual accounts with both regulators. Directors (who are also charity trustees) have limited liability. Its Charity Commission registration number is 277424.
You can verify Refuge in several ways. First, search the Charity Commission Register at https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/ - every charity registered in England and Wales appears here with its registration number, trustees, governing document, and filed accounts. Because this is a charitable company, you can also check its filings on Companies House (https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/). Second, check whether the charity's annual return and accounts are up to date - the Commission flags charities with overdue filings. Third, look for the Fundraising Regulator badge on the charity's website, which signals voluntary compliance with the Code of Fundraising Practice.
You can donate to Refuge directly through its donation page (https://refuge.org.uk/i-want-to-support-refuge/donate/). UK charities typically accept online card payments, direct debit, and bank transfer. Many also use platforms such as JustGiving or Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). If you are a UK taxpayer, make sure to tick the Gift Aid box: it lets the charity reclaim 25p from HMRC for every pound you give at no extra cost to you. Higher-rate taxpayers can claim back the difference between basic-rate and their marginal rate through Self Assessment. Payroll Giving (Give As You Earn) lets you donate pre-tax through your employer.
Yes, Refuge is registered with the Fundraising Regulator (FR), the independent regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Registration means the charity has committed to following the Code of Fundraising Practice and the Fundraising Promise, which set standards for honest, respectful, and transparent fundraising. Donors can complain to the FR if they believe a charity has breached the Code.
Donations to Refuge are eligible for Gift Aid if you are a UK income-tax or capital-gains-tax payer. Gift Aid adds 25% to your donation at no cost to you (the charity reclaims basic-rate tax from HMRC). Higher-rate and additional-rate taxpayers can also claim back the difference through Self Assessment or by adjusting their PAYE tax code. Gifts of shares, property, or land to charity are free of Capital Gains Tax and can be deducted from your income for Income Tax purposes. Legacy gifts (in your will) reduce the value of your estate for Inheritance Tax and can lower the IHT rate from 40% to 36% if you leave at least 10% to charity.
Refuge is based in London. The Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW) is the primary regulator. Scotland has its own regulator (OSCR), and Northern Ireland has the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI). A charity registered with the CCEW may operate across the whole of the UK or internationally.
Refuge was first registered in 1979, making it approximately 47 years old. UK charities must file an annual return with the Charity Commission to remain on the register. A long registration history generally indicates sustained operations and continuous regulatory compliance.
Filing history
5 years on file from Charity Commission (UK) (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.
See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.
Sign up to viewTaxes
Tax-deductibility for donors
UK donations qualify for Gift Aid. REFUGE is registered with the Charity Commission. Eligible UK taxpayers can boost their gift by 25% at no extra cost.
REFUGE is in United Kingdom, a TGE (Transnational Giving Europe) member country. Dutch donors can route gifts via Stichting Transnational Giving Europe to receive Dutch ANBI-equivalent deductibility, subject to TGE's 5% pass-through fee.
REFUGE is registered in United Kingdom. US donors generally cannot deduct gifts to non-US charities directly. To claim a deduction, route the gift through a US 'Friends of' fiscal sponsor or a donor-advised fund that performs equivalency determination (IRS Rev. Proc. 92-94).
Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.
Leadership
From FY2025 filing
Officers & trustees (8)
Source: Public filings
8 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.
Latest news
From global news sources
10 articles found
From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.
New Wildlife Refuge in Brazil Protects Critical Forest Habitat for the São Paulo Marsh Antwren - Rainforest Trust
Canadians not excited about becoming a refuge for Americans - Windsor Star
Land preparations started for border wall at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge - BorderReport
Six horses rescued in animal cruelty case recovering at Alaqua Animal Refuge - mypanhandle.com
Six horses rescued in animal cruelty case recovering at Alaqua Animal Refuge - mypanhandle.com
Wild Gardening: Creating a beautiful refuge for wildlife - SussexWorld
Refuge and Women’s Aid welcome longer sentences for domestic homicide - Family Law publishers
‘It can happen to absolutely anyone’: A day in the life of a Pet Refuge caseworker - The Spinoff
Gaza's Children Seek Refuge Among Ruins to Escape Hell of Tented Camps - iranpress.com
No vacancies at Mallorca's refuges this summer - Majorca Daily Bulletin
Activity timeline
Filings and press mentions, merged
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Sign up to write a reviewCause areas in United Kingdom
How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.
Most common causes in United Kingdom
Causes charities work on most.
Sources and verification
- Registration and legal identity
- Charity Commission for England and Wales - Register of Charities
- Financial filings
- Charity Commission annual returns - Fiscal year 2025 most recent on file.
- Officers and trustees
- Charity Commission for England and Wales - Register of Charities - 8 disclosed in the public registry.
- News and media coverage
- GDELT Project + Google News
Data freshness
What we know and don't know
Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.
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Financial data · FY2025 on record
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Named leadership · 8 officers on file
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Government registration · Registered with an official registry
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Official website · On record
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Headquarters address · On file
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Direct contact · Email or phone published
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Tax-deductibility · Verified
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Founding date · 1979
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Executive payTop-officer pay not disclosed
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Mission statementNo self-published statement of purpose
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Programs & activitiesNo named programs listed by the charity
Methodology
GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.
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Quick facts about Refuge
- What is Refuge?
- Refuge is a social services charitable company based in London, United Kingdom. Refuge provides specialist support to women and children escaping domestic violence, modern slavery, human trafficking, forced prostitution, rape, forced marriage and 'honour' based violence. Services include: 24-hr national helpline, women's refuges, outreach and floating support, independent domestic and sexual violence advocates. We raise awareness and influence policy and legislative change.
- When was Refuge founded?
- Refuge was founded in 1979.
- Where is Refuge located?
- Headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
- What is Refuge's annual budget?
- Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately £10M-£100M. 92% of expenses go to program services.
- Is Refuge trustworthy?
- Refuge has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 86 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
- What is Refuge's registration number?
- Registration: 277424 (United Kingdom).
- What is Refuge's website?
- https://www.refuge.org.uk
- Are donations to Refuge tax-deductible?
- Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United Kingdom under local rules. US donors should check whether the charity has an equivalency-determination letter or a US-based fiscal sponsor before claiming a deduction.