The Brain Charity

At The Brain Charity, we believe that no one should face a neurological condition alone. That belief drives every service we offer — from practical advice to emotional support — and we’re proud to share that our commitment has been recognised once again through our success.

The Matrix Standard is the UK’s quality benchmark for organisations delivering Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) — and it’s not easy to achieve. It assesses how well we support people in making informed decisions about their lives, particularly when navigating complex issues like health, employment, and well-being. Following our latest assessment, we were praised for our ‘holistic, inclusive’, and ‘person-centred approach’ to supporting people living with neurological conditions.

A unique, life-changing service

We’re the only UK organisation supporting people affected by all 600+ neurological conditions — from stroke, dementia, and epilepsy to rarer diagnoses like Huntington’s disease. Thousands of individuals and their families turn to us each year for guidance on everything from welfare rights and housing to confidence coaching, creative therapy, and employment support.

Our services were specifically recognised for:

Empowerment through lived experience — More than half of our team of over 50 staff and 50 volunteers have personal experience of neurological conditions. This makes our support truly empathetic and tailored to the real challenges our clients face.

High-quality, personalised advice — From one-off questions to long-term support, our advice is never one-size-fits-all. We offer one-to-one and group support, counselling, physiotherapy, and confidence-building workshops, with each person’s unique goals and barriers guiding the support they receive.

Commitment to improvement — We use a secure CRM system to monitor progress, identify areas for improvement, and evaluate outcomes, from increased well-being to successful job placements.

Strong partnerships and trusted referrals — We work with hospitals, local services and national organisations to provide timely, expert support. Whether it’s a hospital drop-in, video appointment, or onsite class at our Liverpool centre, we make accessing the right help at the right time easy.

Real stories, real impact

We’re driven by the voices of our clients. One said:

“I had no real expectations when I went for a coffee with my friend. From there I have
done so much. The confidence coaching has changed my life. They built me up
again after being at rock bottom.”

While another said:

“I had a clear plan which helped me to take a step by step way forward. I have done
volunteering on the back of the confidence coaching and feel so much better about
myself and what I’m worth.”

It’s this kind of impact — tangible, measurable, life-enhancing — that keeps us going.

What’s next?

While we celebrate this recognition, we know there’s always more to do. The assessment offered constructive suggestions for even stronger service delivery, including improved volunteer training, clearer service descriptions, and even better use of our data systems. These recommendations are already helping to shape our future plans, including:

• Developing a quality calendar to streamline project reporting
• Reviewing our Statement of Service to make it even clearer for clients
• Exploring ways to expand our physical space and reach more people
• Supporting our team to gain further qualifications in Information, Advice and Guidance

Supporting the UK’s neurological community – together

We’re proud of this achievement, but more importantly, we’re proud of the people we support — and the incredible courage they show every day.

If you or someone you know is affected by a neurological condition, or if you’d like to support our work, please explore everything our website has to offer.