SPINK CALLS ON LOCAL BUSINESSES TO SHOW THEIR USUAL FESTIVE SPIRIT BY SIGNING UP TO CHARITABLE PAYROLL GIVING

“…and get up to a £500 cash payout at the same time.”

Dr. Bob Spink MP is getting into the Christmas festive excitement already.  Bob is asking Castle Point businesses to support local and other charities by signing up to Payroll Giving, a scheme that enables employees to give to charity through the payroll and get tax relief their gift.  Businesses with less than 500 staff that sign up to Payroll Giving before 31st December 2006 will receive a cash payment of up to £500.  

Bob said today:

“Now Bonfire Night is over, there is a real Christmas tingle in the air about Castle Point, a sense of fun, but also of giving.   So lets help the whole community raise its spirit by getting businesses to take up the fantastic Payroll Giving scheme and provide that vital income stream for a good cause, local or national. Not only is it a worthwhile connection to a charity but people can gain some really big benefits for themselves”

Payroll Giving enables employees to donate to any UK charity straight from their gross salary, giving immediate tax relief of up to 40%.  As well as the cash payment to small businesses, the Payroll Giving Grants programme matches the first £10 donated by each employee up till March 2007. 

As an additional incentive for businesses to get involved, January 2006 saw the launch of the Payroll Giving Quality Mark. Available to businesses of all sizes, the scheme provides all employers that sign up to Payroll Giving with a certificate, use of a logo and rewards those that achieve minimum level participation rates with Bronze, Silver or Gold Awards.

Key benefits of Payroll Giving are that it:

·         Generates sustained, regular, reliable income for good causes

·         Doubles the value of employees’ donations (up to £10) until March 2007

·         Gives employees immediate tax relief on donations 

·         Rewards SME employers with a grant of up to £500.

Each year, Payroll Giving raises £84 million for charities across the UK.  The Payroll Giving Grants programme is administered and promoted by the Institute of Fundraising, funded by the Cabinet Office and supported by Business in the Community.

 For free guidance materials and further information, call 0845 602 6786 or visit www.payrollgivingcentre.org.uk