Scope’s overall income fell slightly to £102.6m, but voluntary income rose 12 per cent to £20.7m, according to its annual report and accounts filed last week.

And the disability charity also used its annual report to defend its decision to close almost a third of its care homes.

The charity said that voluntary income rose from £18.6m to £20.7m, and there were also increases in retail and sales income, but fee income fell from £58.5m to £54.9m.

“Fee income, which is primarily earned from statutory funders for our services, at £54.9 million was £3.7 million below last year,” the charity said in its annual report.

“As part of our ongoing services transformation process, in addition to those currently proposed for change, a number of services have been closed which has been partly offset by successes in developing new services.”

It also said that it was progressing a plan to close care homes, which has attracted criticism from some residents and their families.

“We are now proposing to radically change or close 11 of our care homes over the next three years,” the annual report said. “We are confident that this is the right thing for us to do as an organisation that believes in disabled people's independence.”

The charity said it would offer personal advocacy and transition plans for every resident.

“We know this is difficult for those disabled people who've lived in these homes for years, the staff, and the residents' families who have come to depend on them,” it said.

“We have not proposed these changes lightly and we have carefully prepared plans in place to support residents, their families and staff to understand what the proposals mean for them.”

Free reserves were £6.8m, equal to just over three weeks’ expenditure. Scope said this was just under the charity’s target.

The highest paid member of staff, believed to be chief executive Richard Hawkes, earned £130,000 to £140,000.