Live discussion: getting ahead in Payroll Giving

Although the number of people donating using Payroll Giving has fallen in recent years, the amount donated to charity through the scheme trebled in the four years to 2012, according to research conducted by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).

As a result, CAF and Workplace Giving UK Ltd say it remains an untapped potential source of regular income for the voluntary sector: "There is still huge potential in the scheme," says Peter O'Hara, managing director of Workplace Giving.

In light of the recent government consultation into payroll giving, there is the potential to encourage more employers to use the scheme and to make it a stronger source of ongoing revenue for charities.

With that in mind our Q&A will cover:

encouraging employees to donate through payroll giving.

encouraging employers to use payroll giving.

potential pitfalls and downfalls of the scheme.

If you'd like to be on the expert panel, please contact Abby Young-Powell, and if you'd like to leave a question, please email or write in the comments section below.

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Our expert panel so far

Stephen Noble, Barnardo's

Stephen is head of workplace giving and corporate support at Barnardo's.
He has been immersed in the world of payroll giving since 2007. He leads the workplace giving fundraising operation at Barnardo's and is also responsible for key support functions for wider corporate partnerships. Previously he helped the RSPB unlock support from individuals and influenced their brand development. Stephen is currently the vice chair of the Institute of Fundraising Payroll Giving Special Interest Group, having served three years as chair.

Peter O'Hara, Workplace Giving UK

Peter O'Hara is managing director of Workplace Giving UK which he set up in 2004. The organisation now raises over £2.8 million per year for UK registered charities through employee workplace giving and payroll giving schemes. Peter additionally set up and funded the Geared for Giving Campaign in 2008 as he felt the scheme was under performing through apathy and lack of effective promotion. Peter has been fundraising on a personal level since childhood and passionately believes that all of us can make a difference.
Twitter: @WorkplaceGiving

Heather Vasco, Charities Trust

Heather is deputy chief executive of Charities Trust, a Payroll Giving Agency. She has prime responsibility for compliance, governance and risk. She is also a member of the Association of Payroll Giving Organisations (APGO). Prior to joining Charities Trust, Heather had a successful career in advertising, publishing and web development.
Twitter: @Charities_Trust

Mervi Slade, Save the Children

Mervi is payroll giving manager at Save the Children. She has 12 years experience in payroll giving, having worked for a Professional Fundraising Organisation, Payroll Giving Agency and now a charity. She is a member of the Institute of Fundraising's Special Interest Group's committee and Save the Children won Best Civil Society Employer award for their internal payroll giving campaign in 2012.

Jeremy Colwill, Payroll Giving in Action Ltd

Jeremy is managing director of Payroll Giving in Action, the UK's leading Payroll Giving Fundraising Organisation. PGA provides a free service to UK employers to help them develop award-winning payroll giving schemes. Jeremy has advised employers and charities on payroll giving for over 16 years and also developed Giving Online, the only fully integrated online Payroll Giving system, for UK employees to sign up securely online including personalised employer websites.
Twitter: @PayrollGiving

Arti Rughani, Marie Curie Cancer Care

Arti is a workplace giving fundraiser at Marie Curie Cancer Care. Arti has a background specialising in Payroll Giving from both a Corporate and Individual Giving perspective. She has worked on the development of award winning schemes at both Marie Curie Cancer Care and British Heart Foundation and led Marie Curie to their first National Payroll Giving Excellence Award last year.
Twitter: @mariecurieuk

Jeremy Bliss, Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)

Jeremy is head of company relations at the Charities Aid Foundation. Jeremy joined CAF in Feb 2009 and heads up the company client relationships team to lead the strategic growth and development of our corporate relationships and help deliver a greater impact. Prior to this Jeremy held senior business development and client management positions for more than ten years and in varying sectors.

Penny Tapping, Hands On Helping

Penny is campaigns director of Hands On Helping, the UK's oldest professional fundraising organisation promoting Payroll Giving in the workplace. Hands On Helping strive to build sustainable, valuable schemes for a range businesses nationwide. Penny has worked as a fundraiser for over ten years and focuses on creating engaging campaigns and maximising employee involvement.
Twitter: @handsonhelping