​Oxfam posts record turnover in its latest annual accounts

Oxfam’s income rose to £400 million last year – making it one of the biggest charities of its kind in the world.

The aid organisation’s annual accounts show its income rose by £12m last year to £401.4m - despite its retail arm posting a £2.4m deficit on the previous year.

Natural disasters had stretched the organisation, the annual report said, but the “amazing generosity” of the British public helped it support over eight million people affected by disasters across the globe.

Mark Goldring, Oxfam GB chief executive, said the earthquake in Nepal and a surge in fighting in Yemen, added to increasing food prices and the impact of climate change, show that this year could be just as challenging.

“Oxfam campaigns for change and works on the ground, putting in place long-term, sustainable solutions to improve opportunities for the world's most vulnerable communities,” he said.

“Public support is vital to enable us to continue this work. We are still a long way from being able to respond to all the needs and demands we come across."

Income generated via fundraising rose by 4% - £11.9m – taking it to £299.9m. Regular giving and legacies slightly declined however.

We are still a long way from being able to respond to all the needs and demands we come across - Mark Goldring

Oxfam said the slight downturn in its retail network was largely blamed on a shortage of high quality donated goods and an “unseasonably warm autumn which ate into sales, especially of adult clothing.”

Andrew Horton, Oxfam’s trading director, said: "The pressure people have felt on their household incomes means people are buying fewer new clothes and other items, which has a knock-on effect on the quantity and quality of donations to our shops.

"We need people to donate any unwanted clothes, books and home wares to Oxfam.

“Although income from our shops fell slightly despite the great work from our 23,000 volunteers, we’ve reduced our trading costs over the last year so an even greater proportion of the money raised by the sale of donated items goes to support our work saving lives in emergencies and helping people to escape poverty.”

The accounts also reveal that the charity supported 8.1 million people across 39 humanitarian disasters over the year, and made 1,191 grants to 775 partner organisations. Around 405,000 people in the UK made a regular donation to Oxfam last year.

Goldring earned £122,638, the accounts show, while a total of 70 staff earned over £60,000, up from 60 the previous year.

The equivalent full-time number of employees was up by 12, to 865.

In total, the charity supported 8.1 million people across 39 humanitarian disasters over the year, and made 1,191 grants to 775 partner organisations.