Fury as JustGiving skims £33k off PC’s fund-raising page
THE JustGiving charity website will take tens of thousands of pounds from money donated by members of the public to the family of murdered PC Keith Palmer.
Well-wishers had last night given more than £657,000 to the wife and daughter of the 48-year- old officer who lost his life guarding Parliament.
But the money has been raised through JustGiving, which takes a cut of at least 5 per cent from all donations.
As it stood last night, the site’s administration fee for PC Palmer’s fund was more than £33,000. But this was set to rise substantially as more money comes in.
JustGiving is refusing to waive its fee. It said it donated £10,000 to the fund when it started – however, that still gives it a profit of more than £21,000 so far.
The controversy comes after the Mail Investigations Unit revealed last month how JustGiving takes more than £20million a year from fundraisers.
While some of this is used to keep the site working and find new ways of raising money, more than £10million last year went on staff, who earn an average of more than £60,000, while their boss earned a pay package of £198,000.
The news led to criticism, with JustGiving accused of ‘greed’ and labelled ‘JustTaking’.
Last night, more than 30,000 donors had raised more than £657,000 for PC Palmer’s 34-yearold widow Michelle and the couple’s five-year-old daughter Amy.
The fundraising page was set up on Thursday morning and the money raised was still rising rapidly by the hour last night.
Hundreds of tributes were posted hailing PC Palmer, who was knifed to death in the grounds of Parliament by terrorist Khalid Masood on Wednesday afternoon.
A donor who gave £30 wrote: ‘You gave your life serving your country and its people. I am one person in a sea of grateful individuals.’
Tony Beecher said: ‘As a recently retired cop, you have given the ultimate sacrifice. RIP Keith, your memory will never be forgotten.’ The Metropolitan Police Federa- tion set up the page, writing on it: ‘Every day, all over London and the rest of the UK, Police Officers risk their lives to protect and defend us. In the wake of this tragedy our thoughts are with Keith’s family and all the people who are injured or have lost their lives.’
A spokesman said he was ‘not happy’ about the cash going to JustGiving. He said the firm may be asked for a ‘further contribution’ when the campaign ends, adding: ‘There is no other way of doing it other than asking people to go to a bank and pay the money in over the counter.’
Lord Paddick, a former Met Police officer, said: ‘Bearing in mind the bravery of the officer – an unarmed man tackling a violent knifeman leaving a distraught family behind – surely JustGiving can in these exceptional circumstances waive their fee?’
But JustGiving said it never broke its rule of not waiving fees because all causes on its website were worthy. A spokesman added: ‘We take a small charge, which enables us to provide the most robust and always- on platform that can handle high levels of traffic and meet the highest international security standards.’
JustGiving was launched in 2001 by former lawyer Zarine Kharas and charity director Anne-Marie Huby. Recent accounts showed the highest paid director received a salary of £152,000 in 2015 and pension contributions of £46,600.
Its fees appear far higher than those charged by competitors, such as BT’s MyDonate website and Virgin Money Giving.
Pages set up to raise funds for individuals, rather than charities, are not eligible for Gift Aid. JustGiving takes 5 per cent of all money raised on these pages.
But if £10 is donated to a charity on JustGiving, it is eligible for Gift Aid and the taxman tops it up to £12.50. The website then takes its 5 per cent from the total of £12.50 – which works out as 63p, or 6.3 per cent of the original £10 donation. It also charges a credit card fee.
Virgin Money Giving takes 2 per cent for administration, plus a credit card fee. BT’s MyDonate only charges a credit card fee.
In addition to the Police Federation’s donation drive for PC Palmer’s loved- ones, Muslims United for London, a group that came together after the attack, had last night raised more than £25,000 for the victims and their families.