Payroll Giving (UK) or GAYE

Payroll Giving (sometimes referred to as Give As You Earn (GAYE)) is a way of giving money to charity through your employer pre-tax.tax (but after National Insurance). The amount of tax relief you get depends on the rate of tax you pay but it is particularly cost effective for higher rate taxpayers.

  • Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) 
    • Most used provider in the UK
    • Charges 4% administration fees on donations (this can be covered by the employer and is a tax deductible cost)
    • Can't set up a monthly % of salary (have to work out the amount to donate)
    • No impact reporting 
  • Tyve is an effective giving non-profit that aims to promote workplace giving to effective charities 

UK Income Tax - Rate & Donation MultiplierUK Income Tax - Rate & Donation Multiplier

Payroll Giving (sometimes referred to as Give As You Earn (GAYE)) is a way of giving money to charity through your employer pre pre-tax. The amount of tax relief you get depends on the rate of tax you pay but it is particularly cost effective for higher rate taxpayers.

UK Income Tax - Rate & Donation MultiplierUK Income Tax - Rate & Donation Multiplier

Payroll Giving (sometimes referred to as Give As You Earn (GAYE)) is a way of giving money to charity without paying tax on it. It must be paid through PAYE from someone’s wages or pension.your employer pre tax. The amount of tax relief you get depends on the rate of tax you pay but it is particularly cost effective for higher rate taxpayers.

UK Income Tax - Rate & Donation MultiplierUK Income Tax - Rate & Donation Multiplier

DependingThe tax relief you get depends on how much moneythe rate of tax you make, your effective marginalpay. To donate £1, you pay:

  • 80p if you’re a basic rate taxpayer
  • 60p if you’re a higher rate taxpayer
  • 55p if you’re an additional rate taxpayer

The tax relief you get is different if you live in Scotland. To donate £1, you pay:

  • 81p if you’re a starter rate will vary and there may betaxpayer
  • 80p if you’re a benefit of donating more to reduce your taxable income. 

    UK Income Tax - Rate & Donation MultiplierUK Income Tax - Rate & Donation Multiplier

    Interactive version of this chart

    Payroll giving vs Gift Aid

    Payroll

    You earn £60,000 per year (making your marginal tax band 40%). You donate £1,500 through payroll giving. Your take-home pay only reduces by £900. (From £43,849.40 to £42,949.40, assuming no other deductions).

    Gift Aid

    You earn £60,000 per year (making your marginal tax band 40%). You donate £1,200 to a charity after you've been paid. The charity can claim 25% from the government, giving them £1,500. And you can claim a tax rebate of £300 (1500 * 0.2), meaning you are only out-of-pocket £900.

    Comparison

    • Both benefit you and the charity the same
    • Both reduce your 'income' for the purposes of tax 
    • With Gift Aid, the charity needs to take the step of actually making the claim from the government for the 25% top up.
    • With Gift Aid, you need to go through the step of claiming your tax rebate, including keeping track of how much you have donated throughout the year.

    Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/KsgmLHwqRj7fZ9szo/uk-personal-finance-tips-and-info#Payroll_giving

Applied to UK Income Tax & Donations ago

UK Income Tax - Rate & Donation MultiplierUK Income Tax - Rate & Donation Multiplier

  • Both benefit you and the charity the same
  • Both reduce your 'income' for the purposes of tax traps
  • With Gift Aid, the charity needs to take the step of actually making the claim from the government for the 25% top up.
  • With Gift Aid, you need to go through the step of claiming your tax rebate, including keeping track of how much you have donated throughout the year.

Sources 

Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/KsgmLHwqRj7fZ9szo/uk-personal-finance-tips-and-info#Payroll_giving

Tax relief

 Depending on how much money you make, your effective marginal tax rate will vary and there may be a benefit of donating more to reduce your taxable income. 

UK Income Tax - Rate & Donation Multiplier

Interactive version of this chart

 

Payroll Giving (sometimes referred to as Give As You Earn (GAYE)) is a way of giving money to charity without paying tax on it. It must be paid through PAYE from someone’s wages or pension. The amount of tax relief you get depends on the rate of tax you pay but it is particularly cost effective for higher rate taxpayers.

Your employer needs to set up and run the scheme which involves making deductions each time they run payroll. The donation will be taken from employees’ pay before tax but after National Insurance.

The donations are then sent to a Payroll Giving agency who then pass them on to the chosen charities.

  • Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) 
    • Most used provider in the UK
    • Charges 4% administration fees on donations (this can be covered by the employer and is a tax deductible cost)
    • Can't set up a monthly % of salary (have to work out the amount to donate)
    • No impact reporting 
  • Tyve is an effective giving non-profit that aims to promote workplace giving to effective charities 

 

Payroll giving vs Gift Aid

Payroll

You earn £60,000 per year (making your marginal tax band 40%). You donate £1,500 through payroll giving. Your take-home pay only reduces by £900. (From £43,849.40 to £42,949.40, assuming no other deductions).

Gift Aid

You earn £60,000 per year (making your marginal tax band 40%). You donate £1,200 to a charity after you've been paid. The charity can claim 25% from the government, giving them £1,500. And you can claim a tax rebate of £300 (1500 * 0.2), meaning you are only out-of-pocket £900.

Comparison

  • Both benefit you and the charity the same
  • Both reduce your 'income' for the purposes of tax traps
  • With Gift Aid, the charity needs to take the step of actually making the claim from the government for the 25% top up.
  • With Gift Aid, you need to go through the step of claiming your tax rebate, including keeping track of how much you have donated throughout the year.

 

Sources 

https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/KsgmLHwqRj7fZ9szo/uk-personal-finance-tips-and-info#Payroll_giving

Created by Gemma Paterson at