Save the Children UK’s income for 2013 was £343m, up £59m on 2012, of which £31m relates to its merger with Merlin, according to its annual accounts.

The charity’s income in 2008 was £161m, meaning it has more than doubled in five years.

In 2013 the amount raised from donations and gifts was up by 21 per cent on 2012, from £91m to £110m. Income from corporate partners increased by one third, from £20m to £26m and income from governments and international institutions such as the EU rose from £151m to £187m.

The merger between Save the Children and Merlin was completed in July and a donation of Merlin’s net assets totalling £8m was made to Save the Children. Resources and acquired operations from Merlin resulted in income of £31m for Save the Children.

Save the Children’s total expenditure for 2013 was £309m, including £275m spent on charitable activities, £40m on generating funds and almost £2m on governance and other costs.

The 2013 accounts list the gross salary and emoluments of all the executive directors, unlike previous years, where salaries were given in bands.

Justin Forsyth, the chief executive, and  officer, Anabel Hoult chief operating officer, were both paid just under £140,000 in 2013. In the previous year, two employees were paid between £160,000 and £169,000.