Giving to charities

[Greybeard]

How would you feel about being nagged to donate to charities every time you withdraw cash from an ATM or pay by card at the till ?

 

It might seem a little far-fetched but this is the govt.'s latest scheme to extract a little more from our ever diminishing disposable income.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/8228620/Philanthropy-plan-donate-to-charity-every-time-you-pay-by-bank-card.html#dsq-content

[chimay]

I wonder what Sainsburys will make of it. They won't even ask if you want cashback when you pay by debit card.

 

Having brought up three kids I'm used to being nagged so I won't feel a thing.

[Fartown]

.. this is the govt.'s latest scheme to extract a little more from our ever diminishing disposable income.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/8228620/Philanthropy-plan-donate-to-charity-every-time-you-pay-by-bank-card.html#dsq-content

 

That's an interesting way of looking at it. How much are the government going to extract from your charitable donation? According to the article, the government are hoping to persuade people to give more to charities - hardly the same as hoping to 'extract a little more from our ever diminishing disposable income.'

 

I suppose how people respond to it will depend on whether the scheme places a begging bowl within easy reach of the potential donor or whether it's like one of those aggressive charity collectors who try to hound people into 'monthly payments'.

 

If it's the former, then I might be tempted to contribute. if it's the latter, then I will be strongly dissuaded from doing so.

 

I (like perhaps a number of people on the forum) have my favourite charities, but I do make some small gifts to others from time to time. Those gifts go to charities who are just 'there'. - They don't go to aggressive donation-hunters and indeed, I'm deterred from supporting charities which use 'in your face' donation-hunters.

[chimay]

I'm wondering if this isn't a way to try to offset some of the cutbacks and the prop up charities who the con-dems seem to think will fill some of the gaps left by the cutbacks to council services. Of course if the projected rise in unemployment caused by the same cut backs is realised there won't be as many people able to give to charity. It could be a downward spiral from here......................

[DaFoot]

Would the government be creaming off a tax from these donations?

 

I can't help wondering whether it actually a way to raise funds in the state coffers rather than actually any real effort to help charities.

[Fartown]

Would the government be creaming off a tax from these donations?

 

I can't help wondering whether it actually a way to raise funds in the state coffers rather than actually any real effort to help charities.

 

What makes you think that?

 

Do you have any examples of the government taxing donations to charities?

 

Why would the government want to tax those donations and yet allow gift aid on others?

[splodgeyAl]

I'll continue to give to individual charities of my choice an amount, at a time that I choose, thanks gubmint.

 

If these people want more available for various good causes, perhaps they could ask those previously-charitably-bailed-out banks to "donate" their fair share of tax?

[roger_pearse]

Would the government be creaming off a tax from these donations?

 

I can't help wondering whether it actually a way to raise funds in the state coffers rather than actually any real effort to help charities.

 

I'm sure it is.

 

The idea is to keep taking the tax to provide for services, but divert the money so raised for other purposes -- funding overseas tyrannies, creating new jobs for the boys, etc etc. But to keep up the illusion that services are being maintained, charities are being asked to actually do the providing. Since these will need more money, let's find a way to get people to pay again for the services, this time "for charidee".

 

Still, paying grants to Mugabe is much more important than keeping the post running, eh?

[DaFoot]

What makes you think that?

 

Do you have any examples of the government taxing donations to charities?

 

Why would the government want to tax those donations and yet allow gift aid on others?

 

You have to opt-in to gift aid a donation, by default the donation would be subject to tax I believe. I don't know for sure. But I do recall having to give name and postcode when asking to gift-aid a donation.

 

The suggestion to round-off a figure and donate the difference is good, but I can't see cash points/card machines in shops being able to take that input. Sure VISA/banks may already have that data, but are the systems linked and would the banks be able to share it legally (given the plethora of rules around data)?

[Greybeard]

The obvious cause for suspicion about the scheme is the involvement of the banks and major retailers. There will be costs in administering the scheme and who decides how much is raked off to pay for this and who decides which charities benefit ?

 

As it is there is a general dissatisfaction that some charity managements pay themselves far too much and the percentage of donations spent on intended beneficiaries is far too little.

 

Perhaps the most disturbing apsect is that the govt. will be keeping tabs on your donations....how else would they be able to implement this ? .... "Under the proposals, anyone making sizeable charitable donations would get letters from ministers. "