For every £1 we spend, 84p helps children and families
4 million
children in the UK live in poverty*.
That's 27%
of all children living in the UK
4 million children in the UK are living in poverty right now. Child poverty is rising and your donation helps children in crisis today.
Your donation could help our frontline service staff reach the children that need us the most, from putting food in the fridge to preventing neglect, abuse and homelessness.
- 84p of every £1 donated goes directly to children and families.
- We have helped 551,400 children, young people and families in the last year.
- We run 342 services across the UK including support services.
The children we support are surviving on the bare minimum of food, clothing, and warmth - all the things so many of us take for granted. They are literally starving. And you see that desperate look on the mums’ faces...you never get used to it. It’s utterly heartbreaking.
Helen, Action for Children Service Coordinator
551,400
Children & families helped last year
342
Services in communities across the UK
156 years
We've been helping children since 1869
- Our Crisis Fund has distributed over £3 million in emergency grants since 2020, reaching 24,684 families who had nowhere else to turn.
- We have 342 services across the UK, including 100+ children's centres and family support services and 25 dedicated mental health support services.
- We run 32 children’s homes across the UK, supporting children in care and disabled young people with safe environments. We support nearly 35,000 children in care. 91% of children and young people in our care had improved stability in their home lives.
- Our mental health services help children and young people across the UK, with 74% showing improvement and 83% saying they can now talk more openly about their mental health and wellbeing.
Learn why we are one of the best children’s charities to donate to in the UK
More about our children's charity
What is Action for Children
We are a leading UK Children's charity. We’ve been helping children for more than 150 years. Today, we run 342 services in local communities across the UK, in schools and online.
We protect and support children and young people. We do this by providing practical and emotional care and support. We make sure their voices are heard. And we campaign to bring lasting improvements to their lives.
We take action in three ways.
Intervention. Anyone can get trapped in poverty, abuse or violence. When we spot problems, we take action early. We step in to help children, young people and families before things get worse.
Prevention. We give young people the support they need to grow up safe and happy. Projects like The Blues Programme teach important life skills and help to build resilience. It’s simple and it works.
Advocacy. Children don’t have a say in many things that affect their lives. We listen to what they want. We take their concerns to the government. And we campaign for better support and resources.
What we’ve achieved
- 551,400: the number of children, young people and families we helped in 2024/25
- 342: the number of Action for Children services across the UK, in schools and online
- 50,869: the number of children reached with mental health support in 2024/25
- 484,650: the number of children, young people and families reached by our family support services, including Parent Talk, in 2024/25
- Over 2,000,000: the number of children and young people we've helped since 1869
All this is only possible thanks to the support of people like you.
Where your money goes
84p of every £1* we spend goes directly towards helping children, young people and their families.
We make sure that every penny you donate goes where it will have the greatest impact on children’s lives. Your donations help us to run these essential services, which give vulnerable children and families a vital lifeline.
Most of the donations we receive from our campaigns are unrestricted. This means they’re not spent on one project or one specific area of the UK, but where the need is greatest. We wouldn’t be able to operate as a charity without this type of income. Unrestricted funds help us reach the children and young people who need us most. Funds raised from this appeal will be unrestricted and used by Action for Children for its general charitable purposes.
* Figure based on audited 2024/25 charity accounts that exclude subsidiary companies like commercial nurseries
Would you consider joining us as a regular donor?
Donating a small amount every month by direct debit helps us give vulnerable children the stability they need. Our regular supporters help us carry out long-term work and keep vital projects running.
Your small monthly donation could make a very big difference to a child who needs our help, and we would make sure to keep you up to date on how you're donation is changing lives.
For every £1 we spend, 84p helps children and families
Other ways to donate
Other ways to help
