Report summary

Wellcome Annual Report 2020

Each year, usually in December, Wellcome publishes an Annual Report. It includes reports from the Chair and Director, commentary on strategies and activities during the year, and reviews of our finances and investments.

What's inside?

  • Reports and financial statements relating to the year from 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2020  

Who this is for?

  • Anyone interested in how Wellcome makes money, how we spend it, and what impact our activities have in our mission of improving health

Highlights 

  • Wellcome has been a strong advocate for public and private sector support for Covid-19 research across the world. We have spent £51 million this year on our response to Covid-19 across our charitable activities. Our role co-founding and funding CEPI has supported rapid development of successful vaccines against Covid-19

  • In October 2020 we launched a new vision and strategy to guide Wellcome’s charitable activities. We’re supporting discovery research into life, health and wellbeing, and we’re taking on three worldwide health challenges: mental health, global heating and infectious diseases. 

  • In 2019/20 Wellcome spent £1.1 billion on charitable activities, supporting researchers, taking on big health challenges, campaigning for better science, and helping everyone get involved with science and health research.

  • Wellcome’s investments generated a 12.3% return, taking the total value of our investment portfolio to £29.1 billion, up £2.3 billion from 2019. 

The speed and rigour with which scientists around the world responded to Covid-19 this year has been incredible.

Jeremy Farrar, Director 

Downloads 

Contact us 

If you have any questions, contact the media office on +44 (0)20 7611 8866 or email mediaoffice@wellcome.org