Gold again: Making a difference through payroll giving
28 Aug 2026
We have received the Gold Payroll Giving Quality Mark for a second year, recognising the generosity of colleagues who've accepted the challenge of payroll giving to support our communities.
We're delighted to share that our university has been awarded the Gold Payroll Giving Quality Mark (PGQM) for the second consecutive year.
The PGQM is a government-backed accreditation that recognises employers that actively promote and support payroll giving, making it easier for colleagues to contribute to the charities and causes that matter most to them. For us, payroll giving is an important element of our Challenge accepted campaign, allowing colleagues to channel their collective power and have the biggest impact.
This award recognises the generosity of our colleagues and the success of Purple Pounds and Purple Pennies, which support charities and good causes. Thank you to everyone who contributes and has helped us achieve Gold status once again.
If you'd like to get involved, our payroll giving schemes make it simple to support a local community project or a cause that matters to you:
Purple Pennies
Purple Pennies lets you donate the pennies from your monthly pay to charities voted for by colleagues. Your salary is rounded down to the nearest pound, meaning you'll never donate more than 99p a month.
The current beneficiaries are:
- Manchester Women's Aid
- Supporting Manchester Students
It takes less than a minute to sign up, all you need is your staff ID and National Insurance number.
Purple Pounds
Purple Pounds allows you to make one-off or regular donations to any UK registered charity directly through your salary. Because donations are taken before tax, payroll giving is a tax-efficient way to support the causes that matter most to you. For example, a £5 donation costs a basic-rate taxpayer just £4 from their take-home pay.
Regular donations provide charities with a reliable source of income, helping them plan ahead and continue delivering vital support.