A number of Christian charities were among the largest new entrants and fastest risers in the Charity 250 Index – a list of the UK’s largest charities maintained by Charity Finance magazine.

The index is a partner to the Charity 100 Index – the list of the UK’s top charities – and tracks a three-year rolling average of the income of the next largest charities, down to the 350th largest in the UK.

This year, following an extensive review of the entry requirements, there are 55 new entrants in the index.

The minimum income needed to enter the index rose from £16.8m to £20.6m, as a result.

The largest new entrants include the Kennedy Trust for Rheumatology Research (in 12th place, with an income of £51.7m), the Royal Society of Chemistry (13 - £51.6m), and the International Medical Corps (15 - £51.1m).

The next largest entrants are the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (25 - £48.2m) – the British arm of the Mormons - and the Methodist Church in Great Britain (42 - £42.8m).

The faster riser is evangelical organisation Christian Vision, up from 207 to 122 (£27.9m), and the second largest riser is Christian care charity, the Nazareth Care Charitable Trust, up from 228 to 153.

The biggest faller is Groundwork UK, the umbrella body for Groundwork Trusts, down from 66 to 209. The charity saw its income fall by two thirds over two years, from £35.3m to £11.5m.

Subscribers can read the full report on this year's Charity 250 Index here