ABF The Soldiers' Charity

What ABF The Soldiers' Charity does

ABF The Soldiers' Charity (legally the Army Benevolent Fund, founded 1944) is the official national charity of the British Army, delivering lifelong support to serving soldiers, veterans, and their immediate families. Registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (1146420) and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (SC039189), the organisation operates across the UK with 101–250 employees and local offices supporting regional work in England, Wales, and Scotland. Its mission is delivered through an Individual Grants Programme providing direct financial support to eligible beneficiaries, and a Charity Grants Programme that channels funding to partner organisations such as Combat Stress (£280,000 in May 2026) and Erskine (part of £324,500 Scotland funding in June 2026).Beneficiary segments span serving Army personnel, veterans (including those requiring transition, mental health, and rehabilitation support), families (including bereavement and welfare needs), Army Cadets, and partner charities. Beyond grantmaking, ABF runs an extensive fundraising operation spanning individual one-off and recurring donations (with suggested amounts of £25/£50/£100 or custom amounts), a weekly lottery and the annual Great British Spring Raffle (both licensed by the UK Gambling Commission under account 5040), a portfolio of challenge and community events (Cateran Yomp, Great North Run, East Midlands Skydive, Cadet Challenge, Inter-Unit Fundraising Challenge), Payroll Giving, Gifts in Wills, In Memory donations, and corporate partnerships and philanthropy. Marketing channels include the armybenevolentfund.org website, email, social media, podcasts and vodcasts, owned events, and a media centre; supporter-led fundraising is enabled through a Fundraising Army volunteer network. The charity holds Cyber Essentials Plus, DMA, Fundraising Regulator, COBSEO, Veterans Scotland, ACO, and Defence Employer Recognition Scheme accreditations, embedding it firmly within the UK armed-forces charity and regulatory ecosystem.

Name

ABF The Soldiers' Charity

Legal name

Army Benevolent Fund

Website

https://soldierscharity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ABF The Soldiers' Charity (Army Benevolent Fund, founded 1944) is the British Army's official national charity, providing lifelong financial, welfare, mental-health and rehabilitation support to serving soldiers, veterans, and their families across England, Wales and Scotland through direct grants and partner-charity funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Military Veterans Charity Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterans & Military Family Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Veterans & Military-to-Civilian Transition Programs (EDAAAOAH)

Keywords

• Military charity support
• Veterans welfare services
• Armed forces fundraising
• Soldier grants programme
• Military family assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-off and recurring donations from individual supporters, including direct website donations with preset amounts (£25, £50, £100) or custom amounts. Monthly giving through Payroll Giving.
2. ABF Lottery: Weekly lottery programme allowing supporters to enter for chances to win prizes while supporting the charity. Licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission under account number 5040.
3. The Great British Spring Raffle: Seasonal raffle programme generating revenue through ticket sales while offering prizes to participants.
4. Events Fundraising: Revenue from participation fees and sponsored fundraising through events including The Great North Run, East Midlands Skydive, Cateran Yomp, and other challenge events.
5. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships and philanthropy from corporate entities, including corporate partnership opportunities, trusts & foundations, and philanthropic donations.
6. Gifts in Wills: Legacy donations from supporters leaving bequests to the charity in their wills.
7. In Memory Donations: Donations made in memory of deceased individuals, often in lieu of floral tributes or as memorial contributions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ABF The Soldiers' Charity is the national charity of the British Army, providing lifelong financial, welfare, mental health, and rehabilitation support to soldiers (past and present) and their families. It delivers this through direct Individual Grants to beneficiaries, Charity Grants to partner organizations across the UK, and a portfolio of fundraising mechanisms including the ABF Weekly Lottery, the Great British Spring Raffle, and mass-participation events such as the Cateran Yomp.

Product overview

ABF The Soldiers' Charity (Army Benevolent Fund) is a charitable organization offering a portfolio of support services and fundraising products. Core services include an Individual Grants Programme for soldiers (past and present) and their families, and a Charity Grants Programme providing funding to partner organizations. The charity operates fundraising products including the ABF Lottery, The Great British Spring Raffle, and manages event programmes such as the Cateran Yomp, Cadet Challenge, and Inter-Unit Fundraising Challenge. Additional offerings include Podcasts & Vodcasts content, a Fundraising Army volunteer network, and legacy giving through Gifts in Wills and Payroll Giving.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ABF Lottery: Weekly lottery operated by the Army Benevolent Fund for fundraising purposes.
• The Great British Spring Raffle
• Cateran Yomp
• Cadet Challenge
• Fundraising Army

Products and services

• Individual Grants Programme Financial support programme providing grants directly to British Army soldiers (past and present) and their families to address financial hardship and welfare needs. Applicants apply online through an eligibility and application process.
• Charity Grants Programme Grant funding programme for partner charities and non-profits delivering support services such as mental health, rehabilitation, and welfare to the British Army family across the UK.
• ABF Weekly Lottery Weekly lottery allowing supporters to enter online for a chance to win prizes, with proceeds supporting ABF The Soldiers' Charity. Operated via a dedicated lottery website and licensed by the UK Gambling Commission.
• The Great British Spring Raffle Annual raffle programme in which supporters purchase tickets for the chance to win prizes, with proceeds directed to ABF's charitable work supporting the Army family.
• Cateran Yomp Multi-day sponsored endurance hiking event across the Scottish Highlands serving as one of ABF's flagship mass-participation fundraising challenges.
• Cadet Challenge Fundraising challenge event designed for Army Cadets to raise money in support of ABF The Soldiers' Charity.
• Inter-Unit Fundraising Challenge Competitive fundraising programme in which British Army units participate against each other to raise funds for ABF The Soldiers' Charity.
• Fundraising Army Volunteer-led community fundraising network enabling supporters to organise and run their own fundraising activities for ABF.
• Gifts in Wills Legacy and planned giving programme enabling supporters to leave bequests to ABF in their wills to support soldiers, veterans, and their families.
• Payroll Giving Workplace giving programme that enables employees to make regular donations to ABF directly from their gross salary through their employer.

Quantifiable outcome

• £324,500 of funding to partner charities delivering support in Scotland
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RBVE Learning AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2026ABF supports the RBVE Learning Academy to transform veteran futures through education and skills development programmes.
• ErskinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026ABF provided £324,500 of funding to partner charities delivering support in Scotland, including Erskine.
• Combat StresscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026ABF provided £280,000 funding to Combat Stress to help veterans rebuild their lives through mental health services.
• Fundraising RegulatorminorOthersMember of the Fundraising Regulator, adhering to fundraising standards and regulations.
• COBSEO (Confederation of Service Charities)minorOthersMember of COBSEO, the umbrella organization for Service charities in the UK.
• Veterans ScotlandminorOthersMember of Veterans Scotland, the coordinating body for veterans' charities in Scotland.
• Association of Charitable Organisations (ACO)minorOthersMember of the ACO, the membership body for charitable organisations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SSAFA – the Armed Forces charity: Long-established UK military charity providing lifelong support to serving personnel, veterans, and families across all branches. Comparable in mission, beneficiary scope, and community-led fundraising model to ABF.
• Help for Heroes: UK military charity providing recovery and welfare support to wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans across all branches. Directly competes for the same UK donor pool and beneficiary segments as ABF.
• Royal British Legion: The UK's largest military charity, supporting the entire Armed Forces community (including Army). Directly competes with ABF for Army-specific donors and beneficiaries, and offers the analogous financial, welfare, and grants programmes that ABF provides.
• Walking with the Wounded: UK military charity supporting veteran employment, mental health, and family welfare. Comparable in mission scope and event-driven fundraising model (high-profile challenges), competing for similar donor and beneficiary segments.
• BLESMA – The Limbless Veterans: UK military charity supporting limbless veterans with welfare, rehabilitation, and family support. Comparable in mission and beneficiary base, though narrower in scope than ABF.
• Combat Stress: UK's leading charity for veterans' mental health, providing specialist PTSD treatment. Directly comparable in beneficiary focus; also receives ABF grant funding (£280k), illustrating the kinship between organisation.
• Royal Air Forces Benevolent Fund (RAF Benevolent Fund): Service-specific national charity for the Royal Air Force, parallel in structure and mission to ABF but for a different Armed Forces branch. Highly comparable in lifetime-support model, grantmaking programmes, and event-driven fundraising.
• Erskine (Erskine Veterans Charity): Scotland's leading veterans' charity providing nursing care, supported housing, and respite for veterans. Directly comparable in beneficiary focus; ABF has provided £324,500 of partnership funding to Erskine and other Scottish delivery partners.

Emerging players

• Forces in Mind Trust: UK grantmaking charity funding research and programmes for the Armed Forces community. Comparable in grantmaking model and beneficiary scope, though focused on funding third-party research and pilots rather than direct individual grants.

Others

• COBSEO (Confederation of Service Charities): Umbrella body for UK Service charities of which ABF is a member. Indirect peer — coordinates the sector rather than delivering services, but is materially relevant to ABF's positioning within the UK military charity ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/soldierscharity
• Facebookfacebook.com/soldierscharity

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about ABF The Soldiers' Charity