How you can make a difference with Payroll Giving

Payroll Giving, sometimes referred to as ‘Give as you Earn’ (GAYE), is a way in which company employees can give regularly to charity, directly, via payroll.

With Payroll Giving, a charity donation is deducted from gross pay before tax, giving the donor immediate tax relief and the opportunity to give at a higher rate to the charity of their choice. The GAYE scheme is eligible to anyone who pays UK tax through PAYE.  

As well as the obvious benefits to Young Roots of the increased and regular income to support young refugees in London, there are also a wide range of benefits for employers and employees. 

What is Payroll Giving?

How Payroll Giving can benefit…

…Young Roots and the young people we support

✓ Payroll Giving is tax effective

✓ Regular donations = more support for young people

✓ Regular and long-term income

✓ Alleviate costs of claiming Gift Aid

…You as an individual

✓ Give regularly and easily

✓ Support the causes that you care about most

✓ Give more than you pledge due to tax relief

✓ Can recommend the scheme to others and influence wider change

…Your organisation

✓ Engage and empower your employees

✓ Boost your benefits package

✓ Align with your CSR activity

✓ Boost morale and staff retention

“Working with Young Roots has helped me feel happier and calmer in many ways. Being able to interact with other young people in similar situations to myself made me feel less alone.”

You could transform the lives of young refugees like Cawo - read Cawo’s story.

How much should I donate with Payroll Giving?

The great thing about Payroll Giving is that you can give as much or as little as you please depending on your personal circumstance. You can also choose to split the amount you wish to spend between different causes.  Tax relief on Payroll Giving means that the charity will receive more than you pledge.

See below for a guide on how much Young Roots would receive, which is dependent on your current tax band.  

If you pay 20% tax (standard rate)

A £5 donation would cost you £4 per month

A £10 donation would cost you £8 per month

A £30 donation would cost you £24 per month

If you pay 40% tax

A £10 donation would cost you £6 per month

A £25 donation would cost you £15 per month

A £50 donation would cost you £30 per month

If you pay 45% tax

A £25 donation would cost you £13.75 per month

A £50 donation would cost you £27.50 per month

A £100 donation would cost you £55 per month

If you’re an HR professional looking to set up Payroll Giving within your organisation, you can do this via one of HMRC’s approved agencies for Payroll Giving.  We are more than happy to support with this – please feel free to email us at fundraising@youngroots.org.uk for guidance on a quick and easy set-up.  

Payroll Giving for HR Professionals 

In the first instance, it’s best to check if your employer offers Payroll Giving. If they do, they can arrange your regular GAYE donation to Young Roots. If they don’t yet offer this, you can ask them to set one up. It’s best for your employer to register with an HMRC-approved Payroll Giving agency.

Payroll Giving for individuals

How Young Roots would use your Payroll Giving donations 

When you ‘Give as you Earn’, your donation would be used with great care and consideration to support young refugees in London to improve their wellbeing and fulfil their potential.

We support asylum seekers from many different countries including Syria, Afghanistan and Eritrea, aged 11-25. In 2022, we supported 874 young people through one-to-one casework, access to legal and therapeutic support via our specialist partners, youth & sporting activities, English-language mentoring and youth leadership.

Your Payroll Giving will directly support young people to access these activities and services, and to adapt, cope and thrive. By giving regularly, you will help to inform planning as well as catering to immediate needs.

FAQ on Payroll Giving 

  • There is no minimum amount, and you can give as much or as little as you want.

  • A monthly Payroll Giving contribution of £5 could fund an interpreter to support a young person through the complexity of asylum interviews.

    £10 per month could pay for data for a young person so they can stay connected with their peers and access educational support

    £40 per month could fund one-to-one intensive Casework support for young people to positively address the challenges they face in their daily lives.

  • Donating through Payroll Giving is easy to manage, and your donation has a greater impact - over a year, paying the standard tax rate, a £10 per month donation will cost you £96, and YR will receive £120.

    As your monthly donation is deducted from your gross pay before tax, Young Roots will not have to claim any tax back through Gift Aid which saves us on resource and admin costs.

  • Yes, this is very quick to do – you just need to notify your HR team.

  • If you move jobs, your monthly Payroll Giving donation will stop automatically. We would be so pleased if you set this up again in your new role - do speak to your new employer about having the scheme in house, and feel free to contact us for any support.

  • Do let your employer know that Payroll Giving is very quick and easy to set up. If they’d like any support at all, please feel free to direct them to Ryshel, our Fundraising Manager, who will share guidance on set-up. You can contact her using fundraising@youngroots.org.uk.

    Alternatively, your employer can set Payroll Giving up directly via HMRC’s list of approved Payroll Giving agencies.

  • We would be really happy to answer your questions on this. Please email fundraising@youngroots.org.uk.