REWARD
How can you get involved this payroll giving month?
Caroline Gaskin, development manager, Together for Animals, provides top tips for getting involved and encouraging payroll giving this February
T his February marks the first year of payroll giving month. This was previously a weeklong campaign, but in 2023, the campaign will run for an extended period of a month. This will give employers and charities more time to promote payroll giving and to discuss the benefits of this tax-free form of charitable support. Payroll giving allows employees to donate tax-fee directly from their salary to their favourite causes. Payroll giving offers those who can help the best route to support any one of thousands of UK registered charities. Charities are still in desperate need of support, and payroll giving, as a tax-free method, offers employees a way to see the value of their donation increase at no extra cost to them. As a donation which comes out before tax, what comes out of your pocket is less than what goes to the charity, so if you give £5 to your favourite cause, it will only cost you between £2.75 and £4 (dependent on your tax bracket). What this campaign wants to achieve is to raise awareness of the scheme, reaching out to companies far and wide, but also to encourage everyone who can to sign up and support their favourite
causes. Currently, charities are facing huge challenges, so every extra pound counts now more than ever. It is, of course, voluntary to take part, but often, employees might not be aware they can support charity in this tax-effective way. If you’re wondering how to use this month, then the first step could be to set up a payroll giving scheme if you don’t already have one in place. Set up is easy and you don’t need any new software to run it either. Then, it’s about promoting to your employees, so make it fun, maybe run a competition to see who’s the most charitable team or region. Have a theme – something that’s relatable to most employees. The first step could be to set up a payroll giving scheme if you don’t
Payroll giving case study Payroll giving donations make a real difference to causes and the work they do. One charity supported in this way is Together for Animals, a consortium of four charities working together to raise vital funds through payroll giving. This is to help pets and working animals in need; like this litter of kittens (see image to the right) who found themselves abandoned in the cold. Thankfully, Apple, Clementine, Apricot, Pomegranate and Fig had their doting Mum, Honeydew, there to care for them, until a kind passer-by picked the abandoned family up and took them to a nearby vet practice. The vet contacted Together for to remind employees of the benefits of giving through your pay. Try to make joining as easy as possible and, as we’re now getting back to normality, having an event in the workplace. This could be a great opportunity to engage with your employees on a personal level. Maybe there’s a possibility of matching employee gifts given via payroll giving?
already have one in place
If you already have the scheme in place, payroll giving month is a great time
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | February 2023 | Issue 87 44
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