Guide Dogs has reported an 18% rise in staff costs as its overall expenditure increased by £12.3m in 2022 to £128m.
The sight loss charity’s recently filed accounts show its average number of full-time equivalent workers rose by 9.2% last year to 1,590 while employee remuneration increased by over £10m to £69.9m.
“During 2020 pay was held for the year and our increases remained reserved because of the pandemic in 2021,” a spokesperson for the charity said.
“In 2022 we awarded pay increases in line with market rates being mindful of external cost-of-living pressures for staff.”
Income at Guide Dogs fell by £11m in 2022, largely due to the charity receiving an “exceptional” £16m legacy donation the year before, but remained higher than its expenditure at £142m.
Fundraising
Income from legacies at Guide Dogs fell by £11.4m on the year to £66.3m, while donor-based fundraising dipped by £700,000 to £53.7m
The charity spent £32.6m on raising funds, which is a drop of £1.8m from last year.
It received 158 fundraising complaints in 2022, up from 123 the year before, which it put down to “a full return to face-to-face events”.
The charity reported £10.3m of investment losses, compared to £7m gains the year before.
Costs
The charity spent £63.8m on its guide dog service in 2022, up from £53.2m the year before.
It reported that direct costs increased by £9m due to the charity’s investment in its academy and invested “additional resourced to support our puppies and dogs in training”.
Tom Wright, the charity’s outgoing chief executive, was paid a basic salary of £179,696.
Business leader Andrew Lennox will take over as chief executive next month.
Last December, the charity left a five-year office-share with the Royal National Institute of Blind People after the latter ended the lease on its building.
