79% Of People Think That Charities Should Not Pay VAT

New research shows public are against Government policy

A MORI poll undertaken on behalf of the Charities' Tax Reform Group (CTRG) today showed that 79% of the general public disagree with Government policy and agree that registered charities should not pay VAT. This view is shared equally amongst supporters of all of the main political parties. These findings show that the recent decision by the Government not to alleviate the 163400 million burden suffered by charities in VAT they cannot recover is out of step with the public mood.

Fewer than 3 in 10 adults were aware of the fact that charities have to pay taxes which they cannot recover; and 4 in 10 incorrectly believed that charities do not have to pay tax at all.

Speaking at today's (12 January 2000) AGM the Chairman of CTRG, Nick Kavanagh of Save the Children said "These results show overwhelmingly that the public is behind the campaign to lift the burden of VAT from charities. Charities provide crucial support for some of the most vulnerable members of society, it seems unfair that this activity is taxed when the Government says it is supportive of the work of charities. Supporters of all of the major political parties clearly imply that they want a change in policy, CTRG urges this point to be recognised as we move towards the next General Election"

Notes

The Charities' Tax Reform Group (CTRG) is made up of over 350 charities concerned with ensuring that the tax system does not hinder their vital work.

The CTRG Annual General Meeting was held at The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, 12 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AD.

Technical details

The MORI poll was conducted by telephone between 19-21 November 1999. A quota sample of 999 adults aged 15+ was interviewed throughout Great Britain from a random sample of names in telephone directories, with quotas applied for demographic characteristics.