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Kids Company's Camila Batmanghelidjh Paid Greater Proportion Of Income Than Britain's Top Charities

One Awkward Fact That Shows Kids Company's Boss Was Not 'Exceptional' Value
George Bowden
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Kids Company directed a greater proportion of its income towards paying its chief executive than Britain's biggest charities, arguably undermining claims it provided "exceptional" value.

Camila Batmanghelidjh, the colourful, self-styled champion of young Londoners, is said to have lobbied David Cameron personally to ensure her charity received vital cash injections, despite concerns over its financial mismanagement.

Many were left aggrieved at Batmanghelidjh's reported £90,000 salary as details of the charity's profligate spending emerged after its closure this summer.

Allegations that young clients were handed bundles of cash to pay off drug peddlers and that a chauffeur had his daughter's private school fees paid for by the charity have been levelled against the group's founder.

Batmanghelidjh claimed today that Kids Company provided "exceptional clinical and financial value as well as its rigorous accountability".

But an analysis of Britain's biggest charities by income show Kids Company appears to have been paying its top earner more, in proportion to the money it raised.

Kids Company awarded its top-paid staff member, believed to be Batmanghelidjh, a £90,000 salary - or a 0.389% of its £23,104,012 income.

This compares to 0.110% of income spent on the salary of Britain's highest paid charity boss at healthcare provider Nuffield Health. Cancer Research UK awards 0.036%, Oxfam 0.0326%, and The National Trust 0.0367% of income towards their highest-paid employee.

Some 36,000 young people were left without support after Kids Company's closure, with Batmanghelidjh later telling Parliament that just 1,036 clients had since been referred on to other providers.

The charity was a favourite of government ministers during previous Labour administrations and under the Coalition. It received millions in ad-hoc emergency payments, and a report from the National Audit Office found "a consistent pattern of behaviour each time Kids Company approached the end of a grant term".

The most recent emergency payments, totaling £7.3m, were made in March and June of this year.

This is the proportion of top executives' pay at Britain's biggest charities

Pay As Proportion Of Income: UK Charities
Nuffield Health: 0.110%(01 of10)
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Nuffield Health owns hospitals, spas, health clubs and check-up services across the UK - championed by government ministers like Andrew Rawnsley, above.

At between £780,000 and £789,000, David Mobbs is the highest paid chief executive of any British charity - paid 0.110% of its income of £711m.

 (credit:Fabio De Paola/PA Archive)
Cardiff University: 0.052%(02 of10)
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Cardiff University awarded its vice-chancellor £238,000 - 0.052% of its income.

Its research was ranked 4th in the UK last year, and it has over 30,000 students and 90% student satisfaction.

The charity's income comes mainly from its research activity, with grants totaling £500m last year. (credit:Chris Hepburn via Getty Images)
Save The Children: 0.0367%(03 of10)
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Save The Children International works to improve the lives of children in over 120 countries across the world.

Its highest-paid employee, CEO Jasmine Whitbread, received $368,260 (£241,455) in 2014, according to its accounts - 0.036% of its £656m income.

Save The Children says it is committed to raising transparency around executive pay. (credit:Luca Bruno/AP)
National Trust: 0.0367%(04 of10)
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The National Trust is known for its conservation and heritage promotion work across the UK.

Its highest-paid employee made £160,000 to £169,000 last year, according to its accounts - 0.0367% of its £460m income.

It's portfolio includes historic houses, gardens, mills, coastline, forests, farmland, moorland, islands, castles, nature reserves, villages and pubs. (credit:David Strydom via Getty Images)
Charities Aid Foundation: 0.0364%(05 of10)
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The Charities Aid Foundation had one employee paid between £160,000-170,000 in 2014 - 0.036% of its £466m income.

It helps people and businesses support good causes and works with charities to provide fundraising services.

The charity would not comment on the identity of its highest-paid employee. (credit:Monkey Business Images via Getty Images)
Cancer Research UK: 0.036%(06 of10)
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Cancer Research UK is Britain's biggest cancer charity.

Its chief executive Harpal Kumar received £230,000-240,000 in 2014 - 0.036% of its £665m income.

It funds research into more than 200 types of cancer, focussing on solutions that bring real change to those diagnosed with the disease - and ultimately to pursue a cure. (credit:VisitBritain/Pawel Libera via Getty Images)
Oxfam: 0.0326%(07 of10)
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Three employees at global humanitarian charity Oxfam are paid between £120-127,000 - individually accounting for 0.0326% of its income.

Its work relates to the eradication of poverty and the provision of aid to those countries suffering the effects of displacement, war and the effects of climate change.

The charity has an annual income of £389m according to the Charity Commission.

Oxfam said it's "very aware of not allowing senior pay to escalate by more than necessary". (credit:allispossible.org.uk/Flickr)
Arts Council England: 0.021%(08 of10)
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The Arts Council of England pays its chief executive £156,000 - 0.021% of its £724m income.

The Council supports the arts across England in communities and regions, championing both small projects and big investments, and derives income primarily from government and the National Lottery.

"Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better," its website says. (credit:Wylius via Getty Images)
The British Council: 0.020%(09 of10)
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The chief executive of the British Council is paid between £170,000 to £179,000 - 0.020% of its £864m income.

The British Council exports British culture, innovations, and technology through its network in over 100 countries worldwide.

Each year the Council reaches over 20 million people face to face and through our events, and more than 500 million online and via broadcasts and publications. (credit:Tim Rooke/PA Archive)
Lloyd's Register: 0.008%(10 of10)
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The Managing Director of Britain's biggest charity by income receives between £80,000 and £90,000 - 0.008% of its £1bn.

Lloyd's is the worlds leading specialist in the insurance market according to the company, operates through a parent charity - Lloyd's Register - with the aim of funding education in the sciences.

Trading provides the charity's income, with surplus funds re-invested into its mission.

The MD is responsible for the management of the LR Foundation, defining and implementing the grant-giving strategy and reporting to the board. The charity said their salary was benchmarked against its peers. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

READ MORE:

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