简体中文
After the terror came goodwill and compassion. As communities in Manchester and London struggled to come to terms with the recent terrorist attacks, there has been an upsurge in donations to help those affected.
The official We Love Manchester fund, set up by the lord mayor and the British Red Cross, has raised more than £10m for the victims of the Manchester attack, while a second pool, the UK Solidarity Fund, was established to support those affected in both London and Manchester, as well as victims of any future incidents across the UK.
Giving does not come without hurdles, however. Police have warned that fraudulent pages are being set up to exploit the goodwill of donors, and several appeals launched on fundraising websites GoFundMe and JustGiving have been suspended.
So how can you best ensure your money reaches the desired causes?
Give to the right fund
The Charity Commission has taken the unusual step of directing donations for the Manchester victims specifically to the official We Love Manchester fund to ensure all the money pledged reaches the people it was intended to help. It aims to directly alleviate the suffering of those who have been injured or bereaved, and to ensure victims and their families do not face short-term financial difficulties.
Know the commissions
JustGiving, a for-profit organisation, takes 5% of all donations which it says pay for admin costs and improving its service to “help people raise money more efficiently”. About £4m has been donated via the website for Manchester, and nearly £200,000 for London – putting its fee at around £205,000.
To avoid paying fees charged by fundraising websites and ensure 100% of money raised goes to the victims of the attacks, online donors can instead donate directly to the fund of their choice via the British Red Cross website. “None of the money raised will be used for British Red Cross administrative costs,” it says. “All of it will go to victims.”
Don’t tax it
Another easy way to ensure as much of your money as possible reaches its intended recipients is to make a Gift Aid declaration on your charitable donation form. If you are a UK taxpayer, regardless of the rate of tax you pay, charities can then claim an extra 25p for every £1 given. Your donations will qualify as long as you donate less than four times your entire income tax or capital gains tax bill. If you pay at the higher or additional rate you can claim back the difference between the rate you pay and the basic rate by declaring a charitable donation on your self-assessment tax return.
It’s also worth finding out whether your employer offers Payroll Giving. This enables you to make donations to charity through PAYE before tax, so that each £1 you give will only cost 80p as a basic rate taxpayer, 60p at the higher rate or 55p if you’re in the highest rate. Unlike Gift Aid, charities do not have to go to the hassle and expense of claiming back the tax on your donation. Employers can deduct any costs of running the scheme from their business profits before tax.
Homeless help
Christine Archibald, a 30-year-old Canadian social worker and homeless shelter volunteer, was killed during the London Bridge attack. Her family asked people to honour her by “making your community a better place”. “Volunteer your time and labour or donate to a homeless shelter. Tell them Chrissy sent you,” they said.
Donations have poured into homeless charities all over the world, with donors using the hashtag #ChrissySentMe on Twitter to make it clear the money is given in her memory. Homelessness charities Shelter and St Mungo’s, which works across London and the south of England, are among those that have seen an upsurge in donations in Chrissy’s name.
Spear, a small charity working in south-west London, says it has received enquiries about how to donate in Chrissy’s memory. In a message to the family it vowed to honour Chrissy’s legacy. “Our hearts go out to you,” staff wrote. “You have our word Spear will continue to help people make the journey from homelessness to independence.”
Pay homage to the police
The Police Dependants’ Trust supports officers and their families in the event of them being killed or seriously injured while on duty. The trust has supported a number affected by the attacks in recent months. Funds are used for financial and welfare support to those who have suffered a physical or psychological injury while on duty during a terrorist attack, and to help with the costs that arise following a death as a result of their duty.
(YAHOO)
