Payroll giving is by far the easiest way to donate to Barnabus. It gives us the security of receiving a regular payment which helps us to offer long term planned support to help people out of homelessness. And, because your donation is taken from your pay at source before you get taxed, it actually costs you less to give – whilst we get more.

If you ever wondered how your regular donation supports us this is just one woman’s journey from rough sleeping and addiction into a home of her own.

So what exactly is payroll giving, how does it work and how easy is it to set up?

How does payroll giving work?

Payroll giving is a way of giving money to a charity like Barnabus without paying tax on it. That’s because it’s paid through PAYE from an individual’s wages. Employees simply need to ask their employer to set up and run the scheme through a payroll giving agency, and then the amount of tax relief they get depends on the rate of tax they pay (i.e. basic rate, higher rate or additional rate in England, Wales and Northern Ireland).

Say, for example, that an employee asks their employer to set up a payment of £10 per month to come to us directly from their payslip. Barnabus will receive £10 but it will only cost the employee £8 per month if they pay the basic tax rate, or just £6 per month if they pay the higher rate. Many employers also offer a matched giving scheme, so the amount donated could be worth double, or even triple, the initial amount.

Why offer payroll giving?

A payroll giving scheme is a great way of showing your and your company's commitment to the wider community and causes close to your hearts. It’s a simple way to maximise your company’s charitable giving and it can boost job satisfaction, and improve morale and teamwork, all whilst giving the public a positive view of your organisation.

Employers will also be eligible for the Payroll Giving Quality Mark, a government-supported accreditation that recognises and rewards companies of all sizes for making payroll giving available to staff. What’s more, it doesn't cost anything to set up. In fact, the only cost involved is the time taken to administer it – and you can claim tax relief for this as an allowable business expense.

How to start a payroll giving scheme

It’s simple – if you’re an employee, ask your employer if they run a payroll giving or ‘give as you earn’ scheme. If they don't, please encourage them to take a look at the information on our website. They can also find out more on the Charity Aid Foundation and Payroll Giving UK websites.

If you’re an employer, all you need to do is sign up with a payroll giving agency approved by HM Revenue & Customs. They’ll take on the responsibility of giving your employees' donations to their nominated charities. Some agencies even offer a free service to raise awareness of your payroll giving scheme among your employees and will also help your payroll team manage the process. A matched giving scheme can further encourage your employees to give, whilst reinforcing your company’s commitment to and support for its local community.

Bring hope to the homeless and vulnerable with Barnabus

Once you've set up payroll giving, don't forget to get in touch. We’ll send you some information about our work to share with your employees or colleagues. In the meantime, you can check out our case studies and videos or subscribe to our newsletter to get an idea of the impact your donations will make.

And if you’d like to find out a bit more about payroll giving, please contact our fundraising team. You can reach either Alex or Carol on [email protected] or [email protected].