New campaign from Workplace Giving UK aims to boost payroll giving

Howard Lake | 1 April 2007 | News

Workplace Giving UK is launching a campaign on the 20th anniversary of the introduction of payroll giving to get 20% of PAYE employees in the UK giving through this tax-efficient method.

Payroll Giving has raised more than £700 million for charities in the UK since it was introduced in April 1987.

Payroll giving agency Workplace Giving UK is using the 20th anniversary of the scheme to encourage employers to promote the method of giving more effectively with the aim of getting 20% of PAYE employers giving this way.

Managing director of Workplace Giving UK Peter O’Hara said: “If 20% of PAYE employees in the UK gave £5 a month to charity through Payroll Giving the scheme would raise more than £400 million a year.”

Workplace Giving UK is suggesting ways for employers to achieve this. As well as promoting payroll giving to employees, they could add 20% to their employees’ donations for the coming year, offer a one-off donation of £20 for all employees joining the scheme in the coming 12 months, invite all staff born in 1987 to take part in the scheme, or write to 20 of their competitors/suppliers to encourage them to introduce the scheme in the coming year.

A number of Workplace Giving UK clients of all different sizes, have already involved at least 20% of their workforce in their Payroll Giving schemes. These include Atari, Green & Black’s, Sports Interactive, Taylor Wessing, Thames Valley Housing Association, Publicis, Guardian News & Media and Grainger Trust.

“Payroll Giving is the single most tax-efficient way of giving,” said O’Hara, “and we need to make sure that it raises more than £700 million in its second 20 years.”

About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.