Payroll Giving - a reminder

Help Charities continue their invaluable work in these challenging economic times by enabling your staff to donate (tax efficiently) via Payroll Giving – at no cost to you, the employer.

Payroll giving is a unique way for your employees to regularly donate money to charity, tax free. What this means in practice is that employees have their charitable donation deducted from their 'gross' pay, before income tax is applied. This means that it costs the donor less and charities get more. The scheme is actively marketed by Professional Fundraising Organisations (PFOs) and administered by Payroll Giving Agencies (PGAs) in order to reduce the burden on you, the employer.

First launched in 1987, Payroll Giving enables employees to donate to UK charities straight from their gross salary, giving immediate tax relief. Latest figures show that from April 2007 to March 2008, Payroll Giving has distributed £109 million to good causes – a 23 per cent increase on the previous year.

Recognition for your efforts: Payroll Giving excellence showcased

Since 2007 HM Government have funded the National Payroll Giving Excellence Awards, introduced in the twentieth year of Payroll Giving to recognise and reward employers with successful schemes and demonstrate best practice in their promotion to employees.

The winners of the second National Payroll Giving Excellence Awards were celebrated on Wednesday 8 October 2008 at HM Treasury. The seven winners were presented with their awards by Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Campbell Robb, Director General, Office of the Third Sector, at a prestigious event hosted by the Institute of Fundraising.

A range of employers, sector and media representatives as well as Government officials attended the event, introduced and compered by the Institute’s Chief Executive, Lindsay Boswell.

Overall winners of The Most Successful Payroll Giving Promotion were Delice de France, who also picked up the award for Best Launch of a New Scheme and a Highly
Commended certificate in the Best Promotional Partnership category.

Other winners on the evening were Mace Ltd, Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank, Henderson Group, Donor Strategy and Barclays.

Lindsay Boswell, Chief Executive at the Institute of Fundraising, comments:
'Many congratulations to the winners of the second National Payroll Giving Excellence Awards. This year’s entrants displayed an extremely high level of creativity and showed dedication in promoting Payroll Giving in the workplace.

Payroll Giving is extremely important to our sector, and the support of all those employers contributing to schemes is hugely beneficial to the work of many charities.'

More details about the scheme can be found on the Charities pages.

For additional guidance about Payroll Giving, promotional materials and useful links visit the Payroll Giving Centre website (opens new window) operated by the Institute of Fundraising.