WIREDGOV

Charities urged to bid for share of £2m

HM REVENUE AND CUSTOMS News Release (Ref:NAT 49/08) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 10 October 2008

Charities and community organisations across the United Kingdom have until 12 November to bid for a share of a £2.33m funding pot to help vulnerable people reduce debt and get the right benefits and tax.

Voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises, mutuals and co-operatives can apply.

The HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) funding available for 2009/2010 is £1.05m, with another £1.28m available for 2010/2011.

The head of HMRC's third sector team, Derek Tilstone, said:

"Many vulnerable people don't claim benefits that they are entitled to. This money will assist the people who need it most.

"Our aim is to ensure also that people are made aware of how they can reduce their debts and pay the right tax."

Organisations will be told if their bids have been successful by 19 January 2009.

Notes for editors

1. Funding aims:

HMRC is in the third year of funding projects lasting for more than one year. In two years' time the department would expect that the Grant in Aid (GIA) funding programme will have contributed to:

* Helping to increase take-up of tax credits and other HMRC products;

* Helping more hard-to-reach and vulnerable customers to get the right entitlements and to pay the right amount of tax;

* Improving the experience of paying tax for hard-to-reach and vulnerable customers;

* Helping HMRC to gain a better understanding of customers who use the third sector. For the funding guidance check: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vcs/guidance0809.htm

2. HMRC announced the funding programme in November 2007 and invited third sector organisations to apply for a GIA award. A list of the successful organisations, details of their projects and amounts awarded can be found at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vcs/web-content-ws.htm

3. In the last bidding round, funding was also granted to:

* Charitable organisations that only work in England - HMRC gave one year's funding to: Faith Regen, Working Families and Life Academy and more than one year's funding to Age Concern. These organisations received £149,968 in total.

* Charitable organisations that work in England and Wales only - HMRC gave one year's funding to the Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations and more than one year's funding to the National Council for One Parent Families/ Gingerbread, Child Poverty Action Group and Citizens Advice. These organisations received £1,250,000 in total.

* Charitable organisations that have UK wide coverage - HMRC gave one year's funding to Daycare Trust, Disability Alliance, The Prince's Trust and Youthnet, and more than one year's funding to Contact a Family, TaxAid, TaxHelp for Older People and Royal National Institute of Blind People. The Disability Alliance received two year's funding. These organisations received £871,303 in total.

For further information, check HMRC's website: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk.
Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office
Press enquiries only please contact:
Tel: 0207 147 2320