The salaries of the chief executives at Britain’s 50 best-known charities has increased at nearly the same pace as the increase in income at those charities, according to a new report.

A study of the 50 most recognised charity brands in the UK over the years between 2007 and 2012 found that income at those charities had increased by a combined total of 17.7 per cent, while top executive pay had increased by 18 per cent. Voluntary income over this time increased by 11.6 per cent, and overall salary bills grew by 24.2 per cent.

The report, by nfpSynergy, follows a summer of discontent in sections of the media over charity executive pay, buoyed by The Daily Telegraph which kicked off the coverage with an ‘expose’ of salaries at the 14 Disasters Emergency Committee member charities. 

Commenting on the research findings nfpSynergy’s Joe Saxton said: "Back in the summer, it was easy to get the impression that the pay of some of the CEOs at Britain’s best-known charities was out of control. What our research shows is that CEO pay is highly correlated to the total income of the charity and to the staff costs.

“The task now is to persuade the British public that charity CEOs are worth what they earn, and that an effective CEO is critical to donations being professionally raised and professionally spent."

This may be a difficult task, as another nfpSynergy report - published in August - found that just 3 per cent of the public felt chief executive salaries were a good way to spend charity money. 

The new report, titled A chief concern, also found that the CEO salaries which increased by the largest proportion were the lowest ones, and that there has been a general trend towards more uniform salaries at these 50 charities.