It’s not even that time of year, again, and charities have already started flooding letterboxes with leaflets and “urgent appeal” letters to encourage people to donate money or goods over the Christmas period. Who can blame them? ‘Tis the season of goodwill, after all, right? 

A study that looked into how emotions influence charitable giving found that only half of us would donate money to an appeal that uses happy imagery whereas 77% of us would give to an appeal that uses negative imagery, such as a sad child or an abused animal.

It’s understandable that charities will want to maximise donations by playing to our emotions in this way, but we shouldn’t necessarily let our hearts rule our heads when it comes to giving. How often have you stopped and thought: “How much of the money I’m giving is actually going to help the advertised cause?”

Would you still give as freely if you knew that your money was being used to pay generous salaries for those at the top, with many earning more than the Prime Minister?

Here are 10 charities you may receive campaign material from this year who have staff earning more than the Prime Minister’s £142,500 salary.

Our interactive piece can be accessed here (We were unable to embed it here properly)

10. The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army’s top employee earns between £140’000-£150’000.
They have a further 22 employees who earn more than £60’000 per year.
They have an annual turnover of £181,516,000.
For every £1 spent: 67.6p goes on charitable activities|32p is spent on raising income|0.4p is spent on running the charity.

You can read their full accounts here.

9. Barnardo’s

Barnado’s top employee earns between £150,000-£159,999.
They have a further 35 employees who earn more than £60,000.
They have an annual turnover of £258,112,000.
For every £1 spent: 78.3p goes on charitable activities|19.3p is spent on raising income|2.4p is spent on running the charity.

You can read their full accounts here.

8.NSPCC

The NSPCC’s top employee earns between £160,001-£170,000.
They have a further 51 employees who earn more than £60,000.
They have an annual turnover of £125,877,000.
For every £1 spent: 79.2p goes on charitable activities|20.6p is spent on raising income|0.2p is spent on running the charity.
You can read their full accounts here.

7.Marie Curie Cancer Care

Marie Curie’s top employee earns between £160,001-£170,000.
They have a further 24 employees who earn more than £60,000.
They have an annual turnover of £148,952,000.
For every £1 spent: 64p goes on charitable activities|35.6p is spent on raising income|0.4p is spent on running the charity.
You can read their full accounts here.

6.Macmillan Cancer Support

Macmillan’s top employee earns between £170,001 – £180,000.
They have a further 43 employees who earn more than £60,000.
They have an annual turnover of £189,709,000.
For every £1 spent: 67.2p goes on charitable activities|32.3p is spent on raising income|0.5p is spent on running the charity.
You can read their full accounts here.

5.British Heart Foundation

The British Heart foundation has 3 employees who earn between £150,000-£180,000.
They have a further 33 employees who earn more than £60,000.
They have an annual turnover of £263,607,000.
For every £1 spent: 43.2p goes on charitable activities|56.5p is spent on raising income|0.3p is spent on running the charity.
You can read their full accounts here.

4.British Red Cross

The British Red Cross’ top employee earns £200,001 – £210,000.
They have a further 34 employees who earn more than £60,000.
They have an annual turnover of £228,400,000.
For every £1 spent: 67p goes on charitable activities|31.7p is spent on raising income|1.3p is spent on running the charity.
You can read their full accounts here.

3.Age UK

Age UK have 2 employees earning between £160,000-190,000.
They have a further 36 employees who earn more than £60,000.
They have an annual turnover of  £158,897,000.
For every £1 spent: 48.8p goes on charitable activities|50.7p is spent on raising income|0.5p is spent on running the charity.
You can read their full accounts here.

2. Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK  have 11 employees earning between £140,000-230,000.
They have a further 178 employees who earn more than £60,000.
They have an annual turnover of  £536,557,309.
For every £1 spent: 70.2p goes on charitable activities|29.6p is spent on raising income|0.2p is spent on running the charity.
You can read their full accounts here.

1.Save the Children

Save the children have 9 employees earning between £145,000-£249,000.
They have a further  108 employees who earn more than £60,000.
They have an annual turnover of   £559,141,304.
For every £1 spent: 93.7p goes on charitable activities|6.3p is spent on running the charity.
You can read their full accounts here.

The idea of using the Prime Ministers’ salary as a benchmark comes from the idea that he has the most important job in the country, and that nobody being paid from the public purse should earn more than him- despite hundreds (or in some sectors thousands) of them still doing so. The latest available figures show that Charities cost the taxpayer £1.075bn in gift aid alone so there is an argument for them being just as accountable as other public bodies.

Picture: Howard Lake