The Brain Tumour Charity

What The Brain Tumour Charity does

The Brain Tumour Charity is a UK-registered non-profit (charity number 1150054 in England and Wales, SC045081 in Scotland; company number 08266522) founded in 1996 and headquartered in Fleet, Hampshire. It is the largest dedicated brain tumour charity in the UK, operating on a triple mandate of research funding, direct support to patients and families, and policy/public-awareness campaigning on a disease described as the largest cancer killer of children and adults under 40 yet receiving less than 2% of cancer research funding. Service delivery spans free information packs, a Support and Info Line, professional counselling, a benefits and money clinic, online support groups, and dedicated Children and Families and Young Adult services, alongside awareness campaigns such as Better Safe Than Tumour and the NHS-aligned HeadSmart GP toolkit.

The charity's product portfolio combines traditional charity services with technology-enabled offerings, including the BRIAN web and mobile app, the ACT-BT clinical trial matching platform, and the Let's Talk About Brain Tumours podcast (70+ episodes, hosted on Buzzsprout). Research activity is supported by AMRC accreditation, which enables government top-up funding of up to 26p per £1 granted and member match-funding of up to £2.26 per £1 invested. Distribution channels include a direct-to-consumer digital storefront (thebraintumourcharity.org), healthcare-professional distribution via NHS and GP networks, event-based community fundraising (TCS London Marathon, Twilight Walk, Ultra Challenge, Everest in the Alps, Lake Geneva Relay Swim, The Big Bake, Conquer the Steps), and JustGiving-style third-party fundraising pages.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across individual donations, the Win Big Weekly Lottery (£1 per entry, jackpots up to £25,000 weekly, operated under Gambling Commission licence by Sterling Management Centre), corporate partnerships (e.g., Wickes), Gift Aid claims (£920,000 reclaimed in the 2023/24 tax year), legacy gifts, and share donations. The beneficiary base includes newly diagnosed patients, families and caregivers, paediatric and young adult patients, and healthcare professionals; donor segments span individuals, corporate partners, and charitable trusts/foundations co-funding research. Sub-brands (BRIAN, HeadSmart, Better Safe Than Tumour, Brightminds, Win Big Weekly Lottery) are operated under the parent charity entity, and coalition partnerships extend operational reach via the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission, Less Survivable Cancer Taskforce, and Strategic Genomics Consortium.

Name

The Brain Tumour Charity

Legal name

The Brain Tumour Charity

Website

https://thebraintumourcharity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Brain Tumour Charity is the largest dedicated UK charity focused exclusively on brain tumours, funding research, providing free patient and family support services, and campaigning for improved diagnosis and care. It operates from Fleet, Hampshire, serving newly diagnosed patients, families, children and young adults, and healthcare professionals across the United Kingdom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Cancer Support Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

Keywords

• Brain tumour research
• Cancer support services
• Patient information resources
• Charitable fundraising
• Healthcare awareness campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

Fleet

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Others, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations through website, events, and fundraising activities including marathon runs, walks, challenges, and community fundraising.
2. Lottery: Win Big Weekly Lottery offering prizes up to £25,000 weekly, priced at £1 per entry, regulated by the Gambling Commission.
3. Gift Aid: Tax reclaim scheme allowing 25p additional value per £1 donated by UK taxpayers. Received £920,000 in Gift Aid in 2023/24 tax year.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with businesses including corporate fundraising, employee giving, and cause marketing programs.
5. Legacies and Wills: Gifts left in supporters' Wills, described as a significant source of long-term funding.
6. Share Donations: Donations of shares qualify for tax relief and are a vehicle for substantial charitable gifts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Brain Tumour Charity is a UK-registered charity that funds peer-reviewed brain tumour research and provides free information, direct support services, and awareness campaigns for people affected by brain tumours. Its core offerings include free information packs, a Support and Info Line, free counselling, benefits and money advice, online and in-person support groups, and specialised services for children, families, and young adults, plus digital tools such as the BRIAN app and a clinical trial matching platform. Funding comes from individual donations, community fundraising events, corporate partnerships, Gift Aid, legacies, share donations, and a regulated weekly lottery.

Product overview

The Brain Tumour Charity offers a portfolio of information, support, and awareness services for those affected by brain tumours. The core offerings include free information packs (Brain Tumour Information Pack, Paediatric Brain Tumour Information Pack), direct support services (Support and Info Line, free counselling, benefits advice), and specialized services for children, families, and young adults. The charity runs awareness campaigns (Better Safe Than Tumour, HeadSmart) and a weekly lottery fundraising product (Win Big Weekly Lottery). Digital offerings include the BRIAN app for patient support and the Let's Talk About Brain Tumours podcast. The portfolio functions as a unified support ecosystem rather than a single product, providing resources across the entire patient journey from diagnosis through treatment, living with a brain tumour, and end-of-life care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Win Big Weekly Lottery: A weekly lottery operated by The Brain Tumour Charity where players can win up to £25,000 every Friday.
• HeadSmart
• Better Safe Than Tumour
• BRIAN

Products and services

• Brain Tumour Information Pack

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Co-funding charitable partnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funding partnerships with independent charities to fund specific projects, research, and clinical trials. Partners benefit from AMRC-accredited process and potential for government top-up funding and institutional match-funding up to £2.26 per £1 invested.
• Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership honoring the legacy of Baroness Tessa Jowell to improve brain tumour research and care through coordinated national efforts.
• Less Survivable Cancer TaskforcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of charities campaigning to improve survival rates for less survivable cancers including brain tumours.
• WickesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate partner relationship involving fundraising support and employee engagement.
• Corporate PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVarious corporate partners supporting through employee giving, cause marketing, fundraising events, and donations.
• Sterling Management Centre LimitedminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExternal Lottery Manager providing lottery platform infrastructure and operations. Licensed and regulated by Gambling Commission under account number 3137.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Brain Tumour Research: UK charity focused exclusively on funding brain tumour research and campaigning for increased national research investment. Direct peer operating in the same disease-specific fundraising and research-grant niche as The Brain Tumour Charity.
• National Brain Tumor Society: US-based nonprofit focused on brain tumour research, policy, and patient advocacy. Closest international equivalent in mission and operating model, comparable in donor base, research grants portfolio, and patient support programmes.
• Young Lives vs Cancer (formerly CLIC Sargent): UK charity supporting children and young people with cancer, including brain tumours. Comparable paediatric support services, family-focused programmes, and event-driven community fundraising model targeting similar audiences.
• Children with Cancer UK: UK charity funding research into childhood cancers including paediatric brain tumours. Overlaps directly on children's brain tumour research funding, family-facing services, and event-led fundraising.

Broad incumbents

• Cancer Research UK: Largest UK cancer charity funding research across all cancer types including brain tumours. Overlapping research and awareness agenda; competes for general cancer donors and corporate partnerships while also acting as a potential co-funder of brain tumour research.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: Major UK cancer charity providing information, support, and financial aid to cancer patients including those with brain tumours. Comparable patient-support service model and large-scale UK fundraising operations competing for the same donor pool.
• Wellcome Trust: Large UK-based biomedical research charity and grantmaking foundation funding wide-ranging health research. Comparable grantmaking model for health/medical research with significantly larger scale; potential co-funder and similar funder profile.

Regional players

• Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada: Canadian brain tumour charity funding research and delivering patient support. Geographic peer running comparable information, support line, and research-grant programmes outside the UK market.

Others

• Less Survivable Cancer Taskforce member charities: Coalition of UK charities (pancreatic, lung, liver, brain, oesophageal, stomach cancers) campaigning together for less survivable cancers. Coalition partners and allies in joint policy and awareness work, with overlapping operational and fundraising models.
• Sue Ryder: UK health charity providing palliative and bereavement support, including for brain tumour patients. Comparable hospice-style services, family bereavement resources, and lottery/corporate fundraising mechanisms in the UK nonprofit sector.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/braintumourorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/braintumourcharity
• Facebookfacebook.com/thebraintumourcharity
• Instagraminstagram.com/thebraintumourcharity
• Pinterestpinterest.com/braintumourorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-brain-tumour-charity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Brain Tumour Charity