Give a regular gift now

For every £1 we spend, 84p helps children and families

There's no way we can survive like this, it's just impossible. We have a food bank near us, but it's on a Friday at 10am and I'm in work. A lot of people think that foodbanks are just for people who don't work, but people who do work need them now.
Leanne, Action for Children supported mum of two

Make a difference to the UK's most vulnerable children

Child poverty isn’t something that happens elsewhere. It’s right outside your door.

4 million children in the UK are growing up in families without enough money to make ends meet.

Your kind donation could put food in the fridge, pay for essential bills and help to protect children's mental health from the devastating impact of poverty on innocent childhoods.

Help protect childhoods

Why are regular donations so important?

More about Action for Children

Who are Action for Children?

We are a leading UK Children's charity. We’ve been helping children for more than 150 years. Today, we run 303 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.

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

We’ve been helping children for more than 150 years. In 2025/26 we helped 544,297 children, young people and families. This was only possible with your support.

Since 1869 we’ve helped more than two million children and young people.
13,071: the number of people reached with disabilities in 2025/26.
525,120: the number of people reached by our family support services in 2025/26.

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 2025/26 charity accounts that exclude subsidiary companies like commercial nurseries

For every £1 we spend, 84p helps children and families