Inland Revenue starts £4m agency trawl

The Inland Revenue is seeking an agency for a &£4m campaign to promote payroll charity donations. It is believed the IR is on the brink of appointing an agency.

The campaign will promote a package of measures introduced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown to boost donations to charity, particularly among 18- to 34-year-olds.

The campaign, which is thought to include TV, press and radio ads, will focus on payroll donations.

Under the scheme, the IR gives an additional ten per cent for every employee’s donation to charity.

The Government is to meet the Charitable Aid Foundation (CAF) and other interested parties in September to discuss its promotion plans.

Last year, the Government spent &£4m on an ad campaign featuring comedian Eddie Izzard to promote its Millennium Gift Aid scheme – designed to relieve third world poverty.

But the scheme, in which the IR gave an additional 30 per cent for every charitable donation worth more than &£100, was not as successful as some charities had hoped.

A CAF spokeswoman says: “There has been a delay in devising a publicity strategy because the last campaign was not seen as very successful.

“The IR wanted more time to consult the interested parties to try to devise a more effective campaign.” The IR was not available for comment.10