Payroll Giving Month launches to celebrate an innovative way to help good causes

Payroll Giving Month in February 2023 will see a celebration of 35 years of Payroll Giving with four weeks dedicated to raising awareness of this impactful form of charitable giving.

As charities across the country find themselves still feeling the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis, Payroll Giving is quickly becoming a crucial way people can support a cause close to their heart.

Payroll Giving allows employees to donate to one or more causes with pre-tax donations. This simply means that a 20% taxpayer can donate £10 to charity, with just £8 being deducted from their net pay. For higher rate taxpayers this saving is even greater, meaning it costs people less to support the causes they care about. (Please note Scottish tax rates differ).

For employers, running a scheme has numerous benefits including enhancing a corporate social responsibility profile, increasing a company’s charitable giving, and aiding staff recruitment and retention.

With more than 70% of employees now demanding social responsibility from their employer, there is a huge need for organisations to place a stronger emphasis on their CSR and ESG practices. Payroll Giving Month provides the perfect opportunity for employers to engage in a scheme that both motivates employees and increases an organisations’ social impact. Gousto introduced their Payroll Giving scheme in October 2021 and decided to enhance it very generously by matching employee donations by up to £200 per month. Sean Hoskin, Payroll Manager at Gousto said:

We already had 30-40 people taking part in our Payroll Giving scheme but the participation shot to over 100 employees with our Payroll Giving week campaign. This included running a prize draw where the main prize was a meal with a loved one on Gousto. Payroll Giving is such an easy way to support charities and from a payroll point of view, is a very quick and easy scheme to administer. It might seem like yet another task amongst others, however the impact of these contributions will benefit many organisations in the UK and beyond.

Payroll Giving raises vital funds for good causes across the country. Caroline Gaskin, Development Manager, Together for Animals said:

Payroll Giving provides Together For Animals with a vital regular source of income, allowing us to provide lifesaving care for animals desperately in need. As a small charity, Payroll Giving is a key source of income. Payroll Giving helps us support so many animals in need each year.

Mervi Slade, Product & Programme Manager – Payroll Giving, Cancer Research UK added:

Payroll Giving is a great way to support a charity of your choice. During the pandemic it has provided a steady, regular source of income for Cancer Research UK as well as for many other charities. It has been great to see so many charities get involved in Payroll Giving week in 2022 and we hope to see many more charities and employers involved in 2023.

Payroll Giving Month is being supported from partners across the sector, including the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals, Professional Fundraising Organisations, the Association of Payroll Giving Organisations, Payroll Giving Agencies, and Charities both big and small. Its aim is to increase the awareness of this underutilised form of charitable giving and increase sign ups amongst employers and their employees. Payroll Giving Month has been developed by the Payroll Giving Forum – a group of charities who run successful Payroll Giving schemes. The Forum is keen to promote the strength of Payroll Giving, as well as thank existing donors and corporates who support their causes in this way.

To find out more about Payroll Giving Month, or if your organisation is interested in launching a Payroll Giving Scheme, a live webinar is taking place at 2pm on Thursday 24th November. To register, simply email: [email protected]