What The Migraine Trust does

The Migraine Trust is a UK registered charity (founded 1965, registered in England and Wales as 1081300 and in Scotland as SC042911) operating as the country's only organization simultaneously providing migraine information and support, campaigning for awareness and policy change, and funding migraine research. It is headquartered in London with 1-10 employees and is led by Chief Executive Rob Music. The charity serves an addressable population of approximately 10 million people in the UK affected by migraine (roughly 1 in 7 adults), with primary beneficiaries being adults living with migraine, children and young people with migraine, healthcare professionals, and employers seeking to support staff with the condition.

The organization's core product is a free, confidential helpline (0808 802 0066) operating Monday-Friday 10am-4pm, supported by email, online contact form, live chat via LiveChat, and a 24/7 AI-powered chatbot built on the ChatBot platform. The technology stack is built on third-party SaaS tools (LiveChat, ChatBot, Mailchimp, Reason Digital for the website). The product portfolio also includes downloadable toolkits and factsheets, workplace pledge and training programmes, an information events programme (including the Migraine Trust International Symposium), a research funding programme, and a policy/campaigns function. Revenue is generated through individual donations (£10/£25/£50 suggested tiers), a weekly lottery (via Unity Lottery, £1 per entry, 50% to the charity), corporate paid workplace training, and challenge/running events (Team Migraine).

The business model is a diversified non-profit funding mix rather than a commercial revenue model. Geographic focus is explicitly UK-domestic, with limited international query handling. Strategic priorities evidenced in 2026 include the chatbot launch (won the Helplines NI Brendan Bonner Award for Innovation), publication of a 1,534-respondent survey on migraine treatment wait times (funded by Pfizer and Dr Reddy's Laboratories), and expansion of workplace training and corporate partnerships as a revenue diversification lever.

Name

The Migraine Trust

Legal name

The Migraine Trust

Website

https://migrainetrust.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Migraine Trust is a UK charity (founded 1965) that provides free information, support, and research funding for the 10 million people in the UK affected by migraine, offering a helpline, AI chatbot, resources, workplace training, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health Charity Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Social Assistance (624), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Headache & Migraine Medicine (HLAKAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)

Keywords

• Migraine health charity
• Patient support services
• Medical research funding
• Workplace wellness training
• Health information resources

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and regular monthly donations from individuals supporting migraine research and services. Donation amounts suggested include £10, £25, and £50.
2. Lottery: The Migraine Trust Lottery operates as a weekly draw (Fridays) with entries costing £1 each. A minimum of 50% of proceeds go to supporting The Migraine Trust's work. Players can win prizes including £25,000 for matching 6 digits.
3. Workplace Training and Corporate Partnerships: The charity offers paid migraine awareness training sessions for businesses, including on-site and remote delivery. Bespoke training packages are available for organisations seeking to become migraine-confident employers.
4. Running and Challenge Events: Fundraising through participation in running events including half marathons and marathons across the UK. Participants raise funds while representing Team Migraine.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Migraine Trust provides free, confidential, evidence-based information and support services to people affected by migraine through a multi-channel helpline (phone, email, online form, LiveChat, and AI chatbot), supplemented by downloadable resources, workplace training, policy campaigns, and research funding. Core revenue-generating activities include individual donations, a weekly lottery, corporate workplace training, and fundraising running events that support its charitable mission.

Product overview

The Migraine Trust operates as a unified support ecosystem for people affected by migraine, centered on its Helpline service (0808 802 0066) providing free, confidential, evidence-based information and support via phone, email, online form, and LiveChat. This core service is complemented by a 24/7 AI-powered Chatbot for after-hours support, alongside a comprehensive library of downloadable resources including toolkits for schools, workplaces, and welfare benefits, plus factsheets on treatments and migraine management. The organization runs policy and campaigns initiatives, provides workplace pledge and training programs, organizes fundraising activities (lottery, running events), offers age-specific services for children and young people, hosts information events, and funds migraine research. The portfolio functions as an integrated support network rather than a modular software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Migraine Trust Helpline A free, confidential helpline providing evidence-based information and support on all aspects of migraine — types, triggers, treatments, access to healthcare, employment and education rights, research, managing migraine, and emotional impact — delivered via phone (0808 802 0066, Mon-Fri 10am-4pm), email, online contact form, and LiveChat. For adults, children and young people, families, carers, and healthcare professionals affected by migraine in the UK.
• AI-Powered Chatbot Service An AI-powered chatbot providing 24/7 access to evidence-based migraine information outside helpline operating hours and during high-volume periods. Supports users in multiple languages and provides immediate guidance and reassurance during active migraine attacks. Awarded The Helplines NI Brendan Bonner Award for Innovation.
• Information Resources (Toolkits and Factsheets) Free downloadable PDF resources including toolkits for schools, further and higher education, workplace management, and welfare benefits; factsheets on migraine types, triggers, stages, acute and preventive medicines, CGRP medication, Botox treatment, and support services. PIF TICK certified and reviewed by health professionals and people affected by migraine.
• Workplace Pledge and Corporate Training A workplace pledge programme for employers to support staff with migraine, paired with paid migraine awareness training (on-site or remote), bespoke line manager training, co-branded resources, and the Migraine at Work toolkit. Targets HR, wellbeing, and line management teams.
• Policy and Campaigns Programme Advocacy and policy work including campaigns for better migraine care, contacting MPs to improve healthcare access, speaking up for people with migraine, and coordinating Migraine Awareness Week in September.
• Donation Services Single and regular monthly donation options enabling supporters to contribute to migraine research, support services, and awareness campaigns. Suggested tiers: £10 one-time, £25, £50, or monthly donations from £5 per month.
• The Migraine Trust Lottery Weekly lottery operated through Unity Lottery with entries at £1 each, drawn every Friday. A minimum of 50p per £1 entry supports the charity. Prizes include £25,000 for matching 6 digits, £1,000 for 5 digits, £25 for 4 digits, and 5 entries into the next draw for 3 digits.
• Team Migraine Running and Challenge Events Fundraising participation through Team Migraine in running events across the UK including half marathons (Manchester, Newcastle, Royal Parks, Great North Run, Great South Run, Edinburgh, Oxford, Birmingham, Hackney, Chester, Bournemouth, Surrey, Hertfordshire, Shoreditch, Bath, Cardiff), full marathons (Edinburgh), and the London Landmarks Half Marathon.
• Children and Young People's Services Age-specific information and support for children and young people aged 0-11, 12-15, and 16-18 with migraine, including dedicated resources for parents, carers, teachers, and healthcare professionals.
• Migraine Information Events Online and offline Managing Your Migraine information events, the annual Migraine Trust International Symposium Patient Day, and educational content hosted on the Migraine Trust YouTube channel.
• Research Funding Programme Migraine research funding programme operating since 1965, supporting clinical trials, research studies recruiting volunteers, and grants for researchers in the migraine field.
• NHS Headache and Migraine Care Improvement Tool A dedicated improvement tool designed for NHS professionals and providers to enhance the delivery of headache and migraine care across healthcare settings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Awarded The Helplines NI Brendan Bonner Award for Innovation for chatbot development
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Unity LotterycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Migraine Trust lottery is operated through Unity Lottery, a licensed and regulated lottery platform. The promoter is The Migraine Trust, licensed and regulated in Great Britain by City of London Council. A minimum of 50% of proceeds support the charity.
• Fundraising RegulatorcoreOthersIndependent regulator of fundraising in the UK. The Migraine Trust is registered with the Fundraising Regulator and displays their badge, demonstrating commitment to ethical fundraising standards.
• Helplines PartnershipminorOthersThe Migraine Trust is a member of the Helplines Partnership, which provides recognition and support for helpline services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Headache Foundation: US-based nonprofit dedicated to headache and migraine education, research, and advocacy. Directly comparable as a national patient-support charity focused exclusively on headache disorders, with similar information, helpline, and research funding programs.
• American Migraine Foundation: US nonprofit focused on migraine research, education, and patient support. Directly comparable as a migraine-specialist charity providing evidence-based information, advocacy, and community resources in a national market.
• OUCH UK (Organisation for the Understanding of Cluster Headaches): UK charity dedicated to cluster headache, a primary headache disorder closely related to migraine. Comparable as a UK-based specialist headache patient charity providing information and support services to a related patient population.

Regional players

• Migraine Association of Ireland: Ireland's national migraine patient organization offering support, information, and advocacy. Comparable as a regional migraine charity with similar patient-support mission and information-services model, but operating in a different national market.
• National Migraine & Headache-Australia: Australian nonprofit providing information and support for people with migraine and headache disorders. Comparable regional peer with similar patient-information and advocacy focus, serving a distinct geographic market.

Emerging players

• Migraine World Summit: Annual global online summit featuring expert interviews on migraine treatment and research. Comparable as an information-driven patient resource for the migraine community, overlapping in event-driven educational content.

Broad incumbents

• World Federation of Neurology: Global neurological professional organization covering headache disorders among broader neurological conditions. Comparable as a larger incumbent in the neurology space that includes migraine within its wider portfolio of activities.
• The Neurological Alliance: UK umbrella coalition of more than 80 neurological charities including headache-focused organizations. Comparable as a broader UK patient advocacy organization that The Migraine Trust engages with on collective neurological policy issues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/migrainetrust
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/migrainetrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/themigrainetrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/migraine-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/migrainetrust

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 The Migraine Trust