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Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation

London Charity No: 211775 (Charity Commission) Sign up to see website
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76
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
76/100 · methodology

About Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation

Presentation of opera and ballet performances at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and tours in the United Kingdom and overseas

Founded
Headquarters
London
Foundation type
Charitable Company
Size
major

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

Fundraising Regulator since 2026

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
Cause tags
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar arts & culture in United Kingdom
Program spending This charity: 87%
Peer average: 76%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 76
Peer average: 86

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for Charity Commission removal, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every £1 goes

· FY2024 · Charity Commission (UK) (FY2024)
£0.87
£0.13
Program£0.87
Fundraising£0.13
87% to programs beats the peer average (76%) and beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation has a substantially complete profile, cross-referenced across 5 independent sources including the Charity Commission.

  • GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 5 independent sources, led by the Charity Commission - among the most thoroughly sourced profiles in its cohort. See the sources
  • Established in 1962, it is among the oldest arts & culture charities in the United Kingdom GiveRadar tracks. View this cohort
  • GiveRadar's profile for Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation draws on its financial disclosures and its registration, in line with the typical arts & culture charities in the United Kingdom it tracks. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a contact email
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • a donation page
  • third-party accreditation
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation is a registered arts & culture nonprofit based in London, United Kingdom. It is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It was founded in 1962 and has been operating for 64 years. 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 76/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports £182M in annual revenue. 18 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected. The charity has 49 community reviews with an average rating of 2.8/5. On Trustpilot, it has a rating of 2.3/5 based on 49 reviews.

Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation's registered charity number is 211775. You can use it to look up the organization on the Charity Commission register.

Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76/100. 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 76 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 87% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for arts & culture charities in United Kingdom is 86/100.

Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation is located in London, United Kingdom. The organization was established in 1962 and has been active for 64 years.

Based on official tax filings, Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation has £182M in annual revenue. It allocates 87% of expenses to programs and services. This is above the average of 76% for arts & culture charities in United Kingdom. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of £629K. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation is classified as an Arts & Culture organization, registered in United Kingdom. It operates as a Charitable Company. By size, it is categorized as a major organization. It has £182M in annual revenue. The organization has 18 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation. 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, Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation 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 87% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 76%). Note: the organization has a low Trustpilot rating of 2.3/5, which may reflect donor dissatisfaction. 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.

Presentation of opera and ballet performances at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and tours in the United Kingdom and overseas Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation is classified as an arts & culture organization registered in United Kingdom. The organization was founded in 1962.

Among arts & culture charities registered in United Kingdom: It allocates 87% of expenses to programs, above the peer average of 76%. Its annual revenue of £182M is well above the peer average of £629K.

Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation 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.

You can verify Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation 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.

Contact Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation directly for current donation methods. 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, Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation 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 Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation 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.

Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation 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.

Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation was first registered in 1962, making it approximately 64 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.

Annual revenue
£100M-£1B
87% to programs
Source: Charity Commission (UK) (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from Charity Commission (UK) (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

UK donations qualify for Gift Aid. ROYAL OPERA HOUSE COVENT GARDEN FOUNDATION is registered with the Charity Commission. Eligible UK taxpayers can boost their gift by 25% at no extra cost.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Leadership

From FY2024 filing

AL
Alan S••••••
Trustee

Officers & trustees (18)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

18 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

10 articles found

From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Event listing: So Are We: León and Lightfoot | Royal Opera House, Covent Garden | Jun 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20 - Bachtrack
Jun 2026
bachtrack.com
McVicar’s Figaro celebrates its 20th Royal Opera anniversary - Bachtrack
Jun 2026
bachtrack.com
Music Director Jakub Hrůša Leads “World-class” Peter Grimes at The Royal Opera - IMG Artists
Jun 2026
imgartists.com
King Charles thrilled by grand unveiling of Royal Opera House curtains - London Evening Standard
May 2026
www.standard.co.uk
Charles raises curtain on new era at the Royal Opera House - lbc.co.uk
May 2026
www.lbc.co.uk
Praying for better: Richard Jones’ clunky Samson et Dalila returns to Covent Garden - Bachtrack
May 2026
bachtrack.com
No harbour shelters peace: Peter Grimes drops anchor again at The Royal Opera - Bachtrack
May 2026
bachtrack.com
Covent Garden’s indestructible The Magic Flute powers on - Seen and Heard International
Apr 2026
seenandheard-international.com
Verdi’s Don Carlos – 1867 five-Act, in-French score*. Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; directed by Luc Bondy, conducted
Apr 2026
www.colinscolumn.com
Event listing: Mayerling – The Royal Ballet | Royal Opera House, Covent Garden | May 16 mat, eve, 18 - Bachtrack
Mar 2026
bachtrack.com
Form filed
£181.9M revenue
FY2024
Charity Commission (UK)
Form filed
£170.7M revenue
FY2023
Charity Commission (UK)
Form filed
£132.7M revenue
FY2022
Charity Commission (UK)
Form filed
£84.3M revenue
FY2021
Charity Commission (UK)
Form filed
£118.0M revenue
FY2020
Charity Commission (UK)

Donor reviews (49)

2.8 / 5 average · includes imported Trustpilot

2.8
49 reviews
5
17
4
2
3
5
2
3
1
22
Tickets is not clear !

Tickets is not clear !It does not show what time the door is open and what time event is starting .If you are not on right time you will wait 45min in restoran .

Aurea Bellatrix Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
Rip off

You have to pay to be able to book on a particular day - then their website is down and you can't book. They clearly think that anyone who goes to the opera house must be so wealthy they either don't work or pay staff to buy their tickets. Complete rip off.

Richard Clarke Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
★★★★★ Great

Great, lovely venue.

Maximilien Letek Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
COVID Refund Debacle

I fully understand shows being cancelled due to COVID regulations but waiting over 6 weeks for a refund is not acceptable.

Daniel Murray Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
★★ ROH. Booking system not helpful and confined to online.

I attempted to buy tickets for Royal Opera House. Apparently you can only book on line, so it appears you cannot actually buy a ticket any other way. We the customer must now to the economic desires of ROH. It seems what the customer wants does not matter. Nowhere could I find the prices of any tickets specifically, only a blurb. About from 7 to 135 pounds. That does not help me at all. Seems you are only allowed to know these things after you have paid. I want to know before entering the booking queue. All in all a most disappointing experience with a seemingly greedy organisation that sees customers as a nusiance. Perhaps they get too many subsidies to care about the audience.

Customer Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
★★★★★ Manager and stewards supported my…

Manager and stewards supported my mobility needs as I suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis. Wonderful staff. Very attentive. Enhanced an already wonderful experience tonight. Thank you

Beverley Crook Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
★★★★★ Hendel's Theodora

Last wee I saw a wonderful performance of Hendel's Theodora oratorio. This is ROH at its best - amazing music, wonderfully staged performnce, amazing voices and decorations.I can't say that it was immediately easy to accept a very modern interpretation, with guns and pole dancers on stage. Perhaps not necessarily what Hendel may have envisioned, but performed with gusto and at superb technical level.Bravo!

Frankenstein Jr Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
★★★★★ A great way to spend a Saturday afternoon Todays performance of la traviata was…

Todays performance of la traviata was the best I have ever encountered. The production, drama and set were stunning. This coupled to the operatic eleqence of the singing was submime. This is the best traviata I have ever seen.Well done ROH - Ian

Ian Bagshaw Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
★★★★★ I've always wanted to go to Royal Opera…

I've always wanted to go to Royal Opera House ever since I watched Diana Damrau's Queen of the Night aria performance on Youtube. It was magical and The Magic Flute was one of my favourite operas.Years later, I have seen Il barbiere di Siviglia there. It was a funny opera, unlike the others :)The tickets were cheaper than we expected. It was a birthday gift from my bf and an unforgettable experience. I would love to see another opera here soon. Very good atmosphere!

Janet Ainsworth Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
Star singers and junk 'creatives'

I wish there was a possibility to write reviews of actual performances on the ROH website but there isn't. Yesterday, I saw there a remarkably horrid staging of Samson et Dalila. I had the misfortune to go to this performance without having read the reviews or seen the horrid pictures first. I only went because of Garanca but I wish I had not. No singing can compensate for what I had to endure. The staging was ghastly and disgusting. Ugly set, ugly costumes, pathetic director (Richard Jones) who is unlikely to ever achieve mediocrity. I felt as if I had been transported to some horrid German site of Regietheater. Why does ROH insists on staging such garbage? What's the point in inviting star singers if you have junk 'creatives' with no talent, taste, or respect for classical masterpieces?

Zazi Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot

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Cause areas in United Kingdom

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Education 87,646
Health 28,382
Religion 22,146
Arts & Culture this charity 21,802
Community Development 10,738
Environment 5,683
Social Services 4,899
Youth Development 4,637
See all cause areas in United Kingdom

Most common causes in United Kingdom

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Education 54,780
Arts & Culture 17,729
Disability 17,106
Religion 16,671
Health 15,045
Poverty 14,062
Community Development 11,486
Cultural Heritage 8,526

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Charity Commission for England and Wales - Register of Charities
Financial filings
Charity Commission annual returns - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Charity Commission for England and Wales - Register of Charities - 18 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Donor reviews (external)
Trustpilot consumer reviews
Community reviews (verified email)
GiveRadar Community Reviews - 49 verified review(s) on file.
Supplementary verification
Wikidata structured data

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 17, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 17, 2026
Profile completeness
85%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 8
  • Financial data · FY2024 on record
  • Named leadership · 18 officers on file
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 1962
Not available · 3
  • Executive pay
    Top-officer pay not disclosed
  • Mission statement
    No self-published statement of purpose
  • Programs & activities
    No 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.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation

What is Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation?
Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation is a arts & culture charitable company based in London, United Kingdom. Presentation of opera and ballet performances at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and tours in the United Kingdom and overseas
When was Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation founded?
Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation was founded in 1962.
Where is Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation located?
Headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
What is Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately £100M-£1B. 87% of expenses go to program services.
Is Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation trustworthy?
Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76 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 Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation's website?
https://www.roh.org.uk
Are donations to Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation 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.