Charging charities VAT

[Stuzb]

From The Times 17 April 2004

'THE taxman is trying to claw back £10 million a year from charities that employ street fundraisers, The Times has learnt.'

'Although one high street fundraiser can cost as much as £100 a day, charities say they are good value for money. Now customs officers say that charities must pay VAT on monies paid to chuggers. This could cost major charities at least £1 million each.

The better news:

'Charities are planning to take their grievances to a VAT tribunal at the end of the month, with the Children’s Society leading the test case.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,175-1077413,00.html' target='_blank'>

Basically, the plan is to charge VAT (currently 17.5% in Britain) on any money one of these street fundraisers collects from members of the general public, all because the Inland Revenue are trying to claim it's a form of a sale - and it's the same reason they currently charge VAT on income raised from those who fundraise by running the London Marathon.

Can our [british] government be that desperately in need of income sources that they need the comparitively miniscule amount of money that this badly thought out plan will raise?

If they do, can I suggest that the Queen be paid less, or maybe the MP's could start paying their way, instead of eating at subsidised restaurants, drinking in subsidised bars, and avoiding paying tax themselves because they have exempted themselves from certain income-tax schemes. Maybe they could then leave the charities alone, particularly as some charities are only in existence because of the inadequacies of the Government to address certain social problems.

I don't know what the situation is in the US, or elsewhere in the World, but in Britain it fucking stinks, and now charities are being expected to cover the bar-bill of the allegedly socialist Government.

Heads on pointy sticks is quite an appealing idea at the moment.

[DudeAsInCool]

Little surcharges like this drive me crazy. The Universities have a similar scheme. If you donate say a million bucks, the university takes an admistrative fee; so instead of giving a million for shcolarships to needy student,s it actually works out to like 750gs. Stuzb, you are right to point out that this disgusting, and is depriving those of really in need.