What Should Your Fleet Services Policy Cover?

A robust fleet management policy outlines the standards and expectations for anyone driving or managing charity vehicles. Here’s what your document should include:

1. Driver Responsibilities
   • Driver eligibility and checks (licence validation, age limits).
   • Rules for using charity vehicles (personal use, shared usage, etc.).
   • Alcohol, drugs, and mobile phone usage policies.
2. Vehicle Maintenance and Safety
   • Regular maintenance schedules and MOT checks.
   • Reporting and addressing vehicle defects.
   • Emergency procedures for breakdowns or accidents.
3. Operational Procedures
   • Scheduling vehicle usage for collections, deliveries, or donation pickups.
   • Gift Aid processes for collecting goods with donor declarations.
   • Efficient fuel management to save costs and reduce emissions.
4. Insurance and Legal Compliance
   • Details of charity fleet insurance policies.
   • Adhering to UK regulations for roadworthiness, tax, and parking.
5. Sustainability Goals
   • Transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) to reduce your carbon footprint.
   • Strategies for fuel efficiency and eco-friendly driving.

Download Your Free Fleet Services Policies and Procedures Pack Here

We understand that managing a fleet can be challenging, especially when your focus is on delivering your charity’s mission. That’s why we’ve created a ready-to-use Fleet Services Policies and Procedures Pack, tailored specifically for charities in the UK.

Our policies pack covers everything you need to:

• Stay legally compliant.
• Protect your team and the public.
• Optimise operations for collections, donations, and Gift Aid activities.
• Align your fleet with your charity’s sustainability goals

It helps you stay compliant with UK road safety laws and includes key sections such as:

• Grey Fleet Management Policy
• Driver Risk Assessment and Training Policy
• Net-Zero Emissions Policy
• Insurance and Legal Compliance Policy 
• Data Privacy and GDPR Policy

Managing a charity’s fleet is more than just a task – it’s a multifaceted challenge that demands precision, time, and a strategic approach.

The list of responsibilities for fleet managers seems endless: from tracking every mile to handling accidents and ensuring that vehicles are always ready to go. Each of these tasks adds layers of stress, detracting from the time and energy that could be better spent on the charity’s core mission.

So what options should charities consider to get rid of these burdens?

Outsourcing fleet management.

The Challenging and Demanding Responsibilities of Charity Fleet Managers Include:

Keeping Up with Maintenance

For charities, keeping every vehicle in top condition isn’t just about ticking off a checklist; it’s about ensuring that your essential services reach those in need without interruption. Meticulous scheduling and constant coordination with service providers are crucial. Missing a maintenance check doesn’t just mean a vehicle breakdown – it could mean missed collections from donors, delayed outreach, or even legal complications that put your charity’s reputation at risk.

The Legalities of Licence Checks

Regular driver’s licence checks are vital for ensuring that your charity remains compliant with legal requirements. Gathering and verifying driver information, tracking renewal dates, and resolving discrepancies add to the administrative burden on already stretched resources. Skipping these checks isn’t just risky; it could lead to serious legal issues that divert your focus from your charity’s mission.

Choosing the Right Vehicles and Leasing Options

Selecting the right vehicles for your charity’s fleet and negotiating leasing terms can be challenging. Especially with increasing discussions around transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs), fleet managers must carefully balance the charity’s values, budget, and operational needs. The wrong choice could result in higher costs, increased vehicle downtime, and a fleet that doesn’t effectively support your charity’s goals. The shift to EVs raises important questions about feasibility, environmental impact, and the implementation process.

Optimising Routes and Maximising Fleet Efficiency

For charities, every decision in fleet management directly impacts your ability to serve the community. Optimising routes to save fuel, avoid traffic, and ensure timely collections and deliveries is crucial. Inefficient route management can lead to missed opportunities to help those in need, resulting in dissatisfied beneficiaries, decrease in revenue, and potential harm to your charity’s reputation.

Navigating Accidents and Insurance

Accidents can happen, but managing them efficiently is key to minimising disruption. From the initial response to detailed reporting, insurance claims, and coordinating repairs, the process can drain valuable time and resources. For charities, every moment and penny saved in this process means more can be directed toward your mission.

Mastering The Challenges of Driver Training

Ensuring that your drivers are well-trained is essential for maintaining a safe and efficient fleet. However, training drivers with varying skill levels can be complex. At Charity Fleetcare, we offer tailored driver assessment and profiling, along with over 20 e-modules, allowing fleet managers to customise training to each driver’s needs. This ensures that all drivers are equipped with the skills necessary to safely and effectively support your charity’s operations.

Running After Missing Mileage

Accurate mileage tracking is essential for budgeting, regulatory compliance, and fleet efficiency within a charity. When discrepancies arise – whether due to incomplete logs or faulty odometers – fleet managers face the challenge of reconciling data. This can be a frustrating and time-consuming task that diverts attention from your charity’s core activities, potentially leading to cost overruns and inefficiencies.

The Tedious Task of Damage Processing

Handling vehicle damage within a charity’s fleet can feel overwhelming, especially when juggling multiple cases. The process involves navigating complex documentation, managing claims, and coordinating with repair services and insurance companies. Delays and errors in this process can lead to increased insurance premiums and prolonged vehicle downtime, adding pressure to already limited resources and affecting your charity’s ability to deliver on its mission.

The Good News

There’s a silver lining for charities overwhelmed by these demands

Outsourcing fleet management.

With our extensive experience in both fleet management and the charity sector, we offer comprehensive solutions that free up your time and reduce the stress of managing your fleet. We provide detailed assessments, optimise your operations, and handle everything from licence checks to maintenance scheduling with everything in digital records.

One of our clients shared that outsourcing their fleet management allowed them to make three extra collections per day! Imagine the impact that could have on your charity’s ability to serve.

At the end of the day, your focus should be on your mission, not the details of fleet management. Let us take the stress off your shoulders so you can concentrate on making a difference. You won’t need to worry about staff holidays, recruitment, or operational productivity; instead, enjoy peace of mind knowing that your fleet is in expert hands. 

And as you consider the greener future of your fleet, perhaps it’s time to explore the benefits of electric vehicles – at Charity Fleetcare, we also offer preferential leasing packages to charities, including EV options. Talk to us to explore different fleet options.

 

 

Many charities rely on their vehicle fleet and driver team to deliver essential services.

There’s non-emergency medical transportation taking people who can’t drive themselves or use public transportation to appointments, clinics, and hospitals.

And collections of donated clothing, furniture, and household goods.

Food bank deliveries and collections.

Mobile outreach services and disability services that offer people access to essential workplace education and social activities.

However you use your fleet to serve, of course you’ll want a safe and reliable road safety culture.

And at the heart of a safe and reliable road safety culture within any charity?

Driver Training

Training does more than just protect drivers themselves, it:

• Safeguards other road users
• Extends the life of your vehicles
• Cuts fuel costs
• Helps you run a more efficient and cost-effective service
• Helps ensure legal compliance
• Motivates and retains staff
• Protects and enhances your charity brand within the community

And while the benefits might all seem common sense enough, it’s also worth bearing in mind the hidden costs of not training your drivers.

‘Less than ideal’ driving that ends up harming your charity with:

Failing to fulfil your Duty of Care

By law, all employers have a responsibility to ensure their employees’ safety, including those who drive for work. This is called the “Duty of Care” under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Investing in fleet driver training and a management system like Charity Fleet Pro clearly demonstrates your commitment to your employees’ well-being and can significantly reduce risks and create a safer working environment for your drivers.

Increased offroad time and expense

Untrained drivers run the risk of suffering more accidents and breakdowns. The longer your vehicles are off the road, the more delays, disruptions and frustration you and those who rely on you will experience. Bad for morale, bad for your reputation and bad for your bank balance. According to Direct Line Group, the average cost of even a minor accident is nearly £17,000.

Increased running costs

AA fleet and DriveTech report that poor drivers spend 67% more on fuel than the best drivers and 73% extra on tyres.

Fines and Legal Costs

Fewer accidents mean fewer potential legal repercussions. The more aware your drivers are of ‘the rules of the road’ and risky driving behaviours, like speeding or distracted driving, the fewer fines will rack up over time.

A damaged reputation

Poor driving habits, such as speeding or risky manoeuvring, don’t go unnoticed. A negative or dangerous driving experience can leave a lasting impression on donors, volunteers, and the community you serve. The last thing you want is a van with your logo plastered all over social media and being called out for a dodgy three-point turn.

Productivity problems

Delayed deliveries, too many “scenic routes”, collection confusion and mishaps will all disrupt the smooth running of your fleet, leading to increased staff time managing issues and potentially lost donations. In short – untrained drivers are less efficient.

Skyrocketing insurance premiums

There’s only one thing insurance companies hate more than a young driver, and that’s a driver with a history of accidents and claims. It’s a natural rule of vehicle insurance, the more claims you have, the higher your insurance premiums. And the more you’re shelling out every year in premiums the less you have to spend on your core mission. Vehicle insurance is costly enough these days, the last thing you need is to give the insurance companies an excuse to make it even more expensive.

Expensive recruitment and induction costs

Did you know it’s 73% less expensive to invest in current employee training than it is to hire new employees? In fact, recruiting new staff can cost up to a third of a driver’s salary. In addition, disengaged workers have an 81% increase in absenteeism, 64% more safety incidents, and a 59% higher turnover, according to data from Gallup.

With a lack of driver training leading to so many frustrating, expensive and ultimately avoidable problems, how can you make sure your drivers have the skills they need to work safely and efficiently?

The Importance of Ongoing Training

Driver training is anything but a one and done box-ticking exercise – it’s far too important for that and if the figures are anything to go by it’s desperately needed:

• 70% of drivers are below the acceptable professional standard
• 57% are Medium or High Risk for Concentration & Observations
• 60% are Medium or High Risk when it comes to Hazard Perception

Make your training relevant, relatable and enjoyable. But most of all, make it ongoing.

It’s easy, when you partner with the right trainers.

Expert Driver Training Designed with Charity in Mind

Our new online driver training courses provide a crystal clear understanding of your drivers’ on-the-road behaviour. The more you understand their strengths and weaknesses, the faster you can address any knowledge gaps or performance issues and the safer and more efficient they’ll be.

Accessible from any device, each 20-minute module allows your drivers to learn at their own pace.

At just £36 per driver for a full 12 months including assessment, profiling, and access to all modules, we’re making driver training affordable for all.

Find out more about Driver Training For Charities

Treat your training as continuous professional development that helps drivers refine their skills throughout their careers.

With new EV vehicles, updated highway codes, and an ever-evolving road network it’s more important than ever that your drivers keep up-to-speed.

Don’t Skimp on Safety

Why let untrained drivers become a hidden financial burden or a reputational risk? Especially when you can use Charity Fleetcare’s driver training to empower them to become safe, efficient, on-the-road ambassadors for your charity and the great work you do.

Don’t skimp on safety.

Get in touch.

In 2016, Charity Fleetcare’s founder Tony Hilton went to Arnold Clark Vehicle Management (ACVM), leading vehicle leasing company and part of the UK’s largest car retailer, Arnold Clark Automobiles the UK’s largest car retailer with a vision. A vision to create an all-in-one vehicle leasing and telematics package – a modern charity fleet management solution to solve modern charity-specific fleet challenges.

Eight years later, what started with a single Renault Master Low Loader for the Cheshire charity Changing Lives Together, has now grown to become the go-to fleet management choice for charities all across the UK.

The way things were

Historically, much of the charity sector would purchase their fleet vehicles, run them into the ground, and then go to market for a replacement. A purchase/exhaust/repeat model that came with all kinds of operational and financial challenges when compared to leasing. For example:

• Higher upfront costs – buying a vehicle requires a large upfront investment or an expensive loan
• Depreciation – vehicles will usually depreciate significantly over time
• Maintenance – with charities responsible for upkeep and repairs
• Resale hassle – it takes time and effort to resell a van. It can be stressful too
• Long-term commitment – when you own, you own, however old and inefficient your vehicle becomes. However much you want to upgrade it.

With the old purchase model relatively inflexible, expensive and old-fashioned, the charity sector was crying out for a new, more efficient way to run their fleets. And that’s exactly what we’ve created.

The way things are now

Offering more than just the typical cost and flexibility benefits of leasing, ACVM have tailored their contracts to help meet the specific needs of the charity sector and make leasing even more affordable and accessible with:

• A charity-friendly approach to rental profiles and credit applications that takes into account even the smallest charities
• Lower costs and commitment  – replacing the standard six-month B2B down payment with a one-month deposit
• Manufacturer discounts
• Free collection and delivery
• Maintenance fully including no quibble tyre replacement
• Relief vehicle within 24 hours
• No admin fees on parking tickets
• Mileage rebates
• 24/7 UK dedicated driver assistance helpline

Add to that the benefits of Charity Fleet Pro:

• Real-time telematics to optimise routes, improve driver performance, and handle all your important pickup and collection information.
• Collect customer signatures for Gift Aid from the convenience of your tablet and increase Gift Aid penetration by up to 70%
• Safety-first driver dash cams and 360-degree cameras
• Protection from questionable insurance claims
• Realtime stock and vehicle insights that radically reduce the chances of stock going walkabouts, strangely thirsty vehicles, or complaints about someone’s driving
• Legal compliance that protects charities and trustees

Suddenly, it’s easy to see why so many charities value our partnership so highly – especially when it comes to… 

The transition to electric

Though most vans we supply are still diesel, the charity sector’s commitment to EV transition is clear.

What’s often not so clear for many charities is the best way to go about making that transition – the simplest, most cost-effective way to run a more sustainable, environmentally friendly fleet.

Not only are you faced with all your typical vehicle options like model, capacity and performance, but there are plenty of new EV-specific issues to take on board too. Do you go hybrid? Plug-in hybrid? Fully electric? And what about vehicle range, charging infrastructure or specialist EV maintenance and support?

Expert and experienced in sustainable vehicle leasing ACVM is perfectly placed to help our charity customers always make the perfect EV choice. After a multi-million pound investment from the company, Arnold Clark opened their Innovation Centres in Glasgow and Stafford, offering interactive vehicle guides and tailored test drives, so you can always make the right fleet decisions.

Add Charity Fleet Pro technology to that ACVM leased EV insight and what would have been a confusing, time-consuming and potentially expensive shift to a sustainable fleet is suddenly made easy.

How it all works

Whether you choose petrol, diesel or electric, specifying, ordering and equipping your new connected vehicle is a simple step-by-step process.

You tell us what you want to achieve, we’ll recommend your ideal vehicle and then contact AVCM to work out the lease details.

They’ll come back with a great deal, we’ll bundle the tech and any other add-ons then give you your costs.

Once you give us the go-ahead, we’ll firm up the order with ACVM, they’ll place it with the manufacturer and update us on lead times.

When your new vehicle arrives we’ll fit your Charity Fleet Pro tech and get it straight to you.

It’s exactly the kind of simple, common-sense solution that recently saw Royal Trinity Hospice pick up a fully electric Transit. Wrapped in charity branding by Arnold Clark’s digital print team, the van has been such a hit that RTH have already ordered another.

Find out for yourself

Looking at leasing? Exploring electric? Intent on staying ICE (internal combustion engine)? Talk to us!

Introduction

With more than 168,000 charities, turning over £60 billion and employing 925,000 staff and volunteers, the UK charity sector plays a vital role in supporting vulnerable communities, addressing important social issues, and providing essential services.

However, the current ‘state of the nation’ poses significant challenges for all – a perfect storm of rising demand for services due to the cost of living crisis, declining donations, staff and volunteer shortages, the ‘Covid hangover’, and inflation-wrecked budgets.

This guide doesn’t just address these challenges. It also offers actionable solutions to help charities better navigate these turbulent times.

Challenge 1: High Demand on Charity Resources

The cost of living crisis has made an already tough job tougher. As social and economic inequalities grow, so does the demand for charity services.

“Almost three-quarters (73%) of large charities and
four in five (81%) medium-sized charities said that demand
  had increased over the last three months.”
 – Pro Bono Economics June 2023

You don’t have to look too hard to find evidence of this increasing reliance on charities. For example, the number of people receiving emergency food parcels from Trussell Trust foodbanks now stands at nearly 3 million – Nearly double the figure from 2018/19.

8 out of 10 food banks responding to a recent UK Fundraising survey said that the reason for this increase in demand is people struggling with the cost of food (82%), with 7 out of 10 citing increasing energy bills. Half put the reason down to mental health issues.

UK Fundraising also reports that 90% of food bank charities are worried they can’t meet rising demand with some even referring their own staff to food banks.

And it looks like things are set to get worse, if not much worse, before they get better, “More than four in five (83%) large charities said they expect demand to grow over the next three months too”.

So what can you do to cope with the increasing demand for your services so that you don’t become overwhelmed?

Here are five areas that every charity should review to help them handle the ever increasing demand on resources.

Partnership and collaboration

Where do you see crossover or duplication? Of resources? Of talent? Of specialisms? Rather than competing with other charities in your sector are there opportunities for collaboration? And what about local organisations or government agencies? Are there opportunities to pool resources, share expertise, and expand service delivery? Or by narrowing your offering down? Would you be better off directing your abilities at a more niche audience and range of services instead of trying to spread yourself too thin – to drill down, specialise and partner with specialists?

Performance

Whether you’re looking internally at your processes, people, services and systems, or externally at your user base, it’s important to understand what’s working and what isn’t. You’ll save a tonne of time, money and hassle by tweaking a challenge before it turns into a problem. Are you being as efficient with your time and resources as you could be? Is there a better way to do something? Can you eliminate wasted time or effort? Is there a quicker, easier, cheaper way to do something that will get better results?

Empower and educate

If people don’t understand you – what you stand for, what you stand against and the change you’re trying to create in the world, how can they help you? How can they donate or volunteer? And why should the people you exist to serve reach out to you if they don’t recognise the value of what you do? Your branding, your value propositions and your messaging need to be crystal clear. Make it easy for people to see the importance of the work you do and the positive impacts you make.

Renegotiate contracts and service agreements

Is it time to take a fresh look at your supplier contracts? Too often they can just trundle along in the background, quickly bleeding resources – all for the sake of a quick review and refresh. Where do you have opportunities to negotiate better terms on rents, phones, utilities and the rest?

Explore cost-savings

How energy efficient is your charity? Your retail outlets? Your offices? Do you even need offices in this new hybrid working world? And what about your fleet? Are you throwing money away on dirty, expensive, old-fashioned vehicles and unnecessary or inefficient travel?

Talk to us today about how Charity Fleetcare Charity Fleet Pro and Driver Training will radically improve the performance of your vehicles and your drivers too – saving you a fortune in the process.

Challenge 2: Donation Fatigue

It’s a slightly mixed picture here. According to the Charities Aid Foundation UK Giving Report 2023, people in Britain donated £12.7 billion to charities in 2022, up from £10.7 billion in 2021. As positive as that sounds, the figures show that this increase is from fewer donors giving more, rather than an increase in the number of people donating.

The report also indicates that almost a quarter either have already changed or are considering changing their charitable behaviours. 5% report reducing or cancelling a regular charity donation, and 10% have quit one-off donations entirely.

The increased value in donations also doesn’t properly reflect the impact of inflation. Based on the OBR (Office for Budget Responsibility) figures, it’s estimated that the charity sector will experience a real-term income drop of £800m between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

It’s a downward donation trend borne out by figures from Statistica

“Two thirds of people in England said that they gave
to charity in 2021/22, compared with 82 per cent in
2013/14.”

With the volume of donations down and heading lower, what can you do to make sure people keep on giving and encourage them to give more?

Diversify fundraising strategies

First things first, it’s time to make an audit of your existing funding channels. By clearly understanding your income sources, donor types, and funding cycles you’ll be able to identify gaps in your funding profile and set realistic goals to fill them.

For example, what proportion of donations are earned through grants? How about individual donations? Or earned income from services, sales, memberships or property rental? And think about bequests too.

With 140,000 bequests estimated to have left £4bn to charities in 2022/23 — an annual income growth of 6.5% – legacy donations play an increasingly crucial fundraising role.

Map out where your funding is already coming from to identify where it can be strengthened and how you can expand your donor base.

Now consider how you engage with your donor base – the fundraising methods and methods you use. For example, online campaigns, live events, auctions, crowdfunding, email marketing, social media, or mobile giving. And what about partnering with other nonprofits to access fresh networks as well as new resources, and skill sets?

Strengthen donor relationships

Building your visibility and credibility in the local economy – and with donors through strategic partnerships, collaborations and alliances – is also an incredibly powerful way of raising profile and funds.

Nurture a passionate and committed donor base with great communications. Demonstrate impact, share regular campaign updates, and get people involved in your activities on a personal level. Make it fun.

Share stories and case studies, share experiences and use the life and love in your organisation to shine a clear light on the great work you do. Turn the rational into the emotional, your mission into an adventure, and invite everyone along for the ride. The more creative and engaging you are, and the more people can ‘feel’ part of what you’re doing, the more generous they become.

Embrace technology

There’s all sorts of great tech these days to help you fundraise. From online donation platforms to donor management software, to social media tools that will streamline and supercharge your fundraising efforts.

But that doesn’t mean that all charities use technology:

“34% invest in technology as a priority and 27%
get the most out of the solutions they use, despite
66% of charities saying that technology helps them
improve relationships with their supporters.”
– 2023 Status of UK Fundraising Report

And it doesn’t mean that if they do commit to new technology, they will use it well:

“A vast majority of respondents have a fundraising CRM in place (82%), only 25% say they get the most out of it.”

Here’s a simple and incredibly effective way to power up your Gift Aid donations using the latest donor-friendly tech. Charity Fleetcare Connected Technology – a smart new app that with a quick signature and simple tick of a box easily adds Gift Aid every time one of your drivers collects a donation.

In fact, it’s so easy that we’ve seen many of our charity clients more than double their Gift Aid donations.

Talk to us today about how Charity Fleetcare Charity Fleet Pro can drive up to 70% more in Gift Aid donations for your charity.

Challenge 3: Staff Shortages That Impact Your Ability to Deliver Services

If decreasing donations and increasing demand weren’t challenging enough, recruiting and retaining the talent to ‘do more with less’ has become increasingly difficult over recent years. A combination of factors such as Brexit, the pandemic, and an ageing population have conspired to limit charities’ ability to get enough hands on deck necessary to properly deliver services.

In their Breaching The Dam report, Probonoeconomics revealed that 36% of charities and community groups struggle to recruit the staff they need and are subsequently failing to meet demand – with 41% forced to cut services. Figures that translate into nearly half of large and medium-sized charities and a third of small charities expecting to not meet demand over the next three months.

As well as difficulties bringing on paid staff, there are also challenges when it comes to volunteer recruitment, retention and wellbeing.

40% of organisations have failed to meet their objectives over the last 12 months through insufficient volunteers. Concern about volunteer recruitment continues to grow, especially among small charities.

This trend reflects a wider decline in volunteering across the country over the past decade.

What can you do to attract (and retain) the right people to help your charity deliver?

Perhaps the most important thing any organisation can do to help recruit and retain quality staff is to build a supportive and inclusive workplace culture.

Here are just a few of the initiatives that top performing charities already put in place to encourage their teams.

Promote clear, open and honest communication

It’s important that everyone in your organisation feels heard. With the mechanisms in place to share feedback, raise concerns, and suggest improvements you’ll create a culture of contribution that leaves everyone feeling valued.

Encourage ownership and responsibility

Give your teams ownership over their decision-making. By encouraging them to take the initiative, problem solve, and genuinely contribute to your organisation’s success they’ll feel recognised and invested. Make sure too that success is celebrated. We all love to have our hard work and accomplishments appreciated.

Invest in personal and professional growth

Continuous learning is a powerful motivator and a great way to build value in any organisation. Share training programs, workshops, and mentorship opportunities to help people lean on the job. Support your people to become the best version of themselves with new skills, certification, and the ability to really fulfil their potential.

Promote Work-Life Balance and Well-being

A healthy work-life balance is essential, with well-being a crucial cornerstone of any successful organisation. From flexible work including hybrid options, to regular breaks, and a culture of care based around respecting people’s lives in and out of work, it’s a modern business essential to prioritise people’s mental and physical wellness. Life’s stressful enough as it is – what can you do for your teams to help lighten the load?

Empower with empathy

However empathetic we might be naturally, the right training and support will work wonders in helping hone those softer communication and conflict resolution skills. It’s always a positive move to positively support people with their people skills.

A clear, shared mission

There’s no underestimating the power of a single, clear, shared mission. A single voice that inspires even the smallest of behaviours and binds them into a powerful and meaningful mission. After all – “There’s nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come”. What’s your big idea? How do you share it? Could you share it more clearly?

The more supported and appreciated people feel, the more likely they are to choose to work with you and continue making a positive contribution.

More than grand gestures or sweeping strategic shifts, it’s often the little things that add up to make a charity an attractive employment option.

Things like:

• New technology to make sure your staff feel safe when they’re out on the road. For example, dash cam and 360-degree cameras that protect drivers from bogus/no-fault insurance claims.
• An app that means they don’t get stuck in traffic or get home from work late
• Stress-busting live pick up information that makes collecting every donation a breeze
• Performance insights and rewards so everyone’s hard work and initiative are properly recognised
• The smartest, greenest vehicles that are a credit to your community and people are proud to drive
• New driving skills certification that keeps your drivers up to date with the latest legalities protects them from inadvertently breaking the law.

The kinds of positive, proactive and long lasting contributions that you can make for your staff with Charity Fleetcare Charity Fleet Pro and Driver Training.

The way forward in 2024

The challenges facing UK charities in 2024 are real. Very real. But they can be overcome. Using creative strategies, new technology, and by developing strong partnerships, you won’t just be able to battle through the difficulties that the year ahead is sure to present – you can beat them.

The answer, as always, lies within – your ability to adapt to the needs of those you serve. Diversify your revenue streams, make the most of every resource at your disposal and bring your teams with you on your journey by showing them the support and empathy they deserve and expect.

Talk to us about how our specialist Charity Fleet services can help you do all of this – and more – with new Connected Technology and Driver Training created especially for charities.

The challenges facing UK charities in 2024 are real. Very real. But they can be overcome. Using creative strategies, new technology, and by developing strong partnerships, you won’t just be able to battle through the difficulties that the year ahead is sure to present – you can beat them.

The answer, as always, lies within – your ability to adapt to the needs of those you serve. Diversify your revenue streams, make the most of every resource at your disposal and bring your teams with you on your journey by showing them the support and empathy they deserve and expect. 

Talk to us about how our specialist Charity Fleet services can help you do all of this – and more – with new Connected Technology and Driver Training created especially for charities.

Contact us now on 0800 014 9797

Or arrange a callback here

The background

Almost 30 years old and with a fleet consisting of ten vehicles, Toogoodtowaste (TGTW) has grown to become the leading reuse charity in South Wales, collecting more than 100,000 donations of furniture, office equipment, electrical and household items every year.

100,000 items a year – that takes a lot of pickups. A lot of deliveries. A lot of organisation, route planning and logistics. And an awful lot of fuel costs, wages and vehicle maintenance to make it all happen.

The brief

Like every charity out there CEO Shaun England and his team were constantly battling to keep their fleet efficiency as high and their running costs as low as they possibly could. 

Who wouldn’t want to run quicker, more direct routes, improve fuel efficiency, offer better customer service and keep their drivers safe – all at the same time?

And it’s because TGTW were so focused on fleet improvement that they were so impressed when they were introduced to Charity Fleetcare at the Reuse Network Conference.

Our new Charity Fleet Pro quickly and easily solves many fleet management problems in one go, so they invested in Charity Fleet Pro for all their vehicles.

Or whatever you feel reads better as long as it replaces Webfleet and tom tom and gets our new name for our software in.

The outcome

In a word – outstanding!

• Fuel savings – each van saves 5 litres of fuel a week.  That’s 50 litres at almost £2 per litre (and rising) = £100 every week.
• Time savings  – 1 hour per day, per van, x5 days a week = 50 hours every week.
• Increased productivity – 1 extra call a day, x10 vans, x5 days = 50 extra calls every week.

Not to mention the insurance premium savings, automatic maintenance and repair scheduling that saves on wear and tear, the extra Giftaid donations and the carbon offset scheme that the technology entitles Toogoodtowaste to contribute towards.

No wonder Shaun is so complimentary:

“Webfleet through Charity Fleet Pro is at the heart of our logistical operations, during the time we have had their system in place we have seen increased productivity, and reduced fuel costs and downtime.”

And little wonder that he’s so keen for Toogoodtowaste to work with Charity Fleetcare on two additional services.

End-to-end EPOS integration that automatically links pick-ups and deliveries to accounts for added time savings, improved accuracy and de-duplication.

Driver training – a new telematics-enabled training and accreditation scheme to make sure that every driver is as safe as they can possibly be every mile they’re on the road. 

Would Shaun recommend Charity Fleetcare to other charities? 

It’s a bit of a silly question really, “we would recommend this system to anyone who has a fleet that needs to be professionally managed.”

Arrange a callback today.

Don’t find yourself haunted by the spectre of scarily expensive waste disposal the next time you do a house clearance

When it comes to house clearances, with stubborn inflation and increasing regulation haunting the charity sector, there’s a very real chance that unless you’re very careful, the cost of organising the clearance, managing it, and disposing of any unwanted items will outweigh anything you make from proceeds. 

For example, did you know that in Bristol it now costs £125 to dispose of a fridge freezer? 

Or that many waste companies won’t take TVs? 

Now that’s a scary thought.

And with charities taking money for clearances, items are no longer considered donations and are treated as ‘commercial’ waste at £190 per tonne!

Here’s a quick look at some of the considerations you should take on board before committing to a house clearance.

Site visit

It’s no good arriving at the job only to find that anything and everything of worth has disappeared. When you visit the home be sure to take an inventory and agree exactly what will and won’t be there for your charity when you return to clear the premises.

A site visit will also give you an opportunity to identify what’s useful, what needs to be disposed of, and to categorise donations so you can plan for their resale/recycling and start to put together a proper cost-benefit analysis for the project.

Specifying the job

As part of your cost/benefit thinking you’ll need to carefully consider logistics. When you’re clear about the scope of the job you’ll know how many people you’ll need to run it, how long it will take them, the type of vehicle they’ll require and the mileage they’ll cover. Here you can refer to your telematics system to help you accurately plan and price the best value logistics.

And what else will you need? Things like packing, bags, ties and the rest. It all matters, and it all adds up.

Clearance – PPE

Another important consideration is the cost of equipping your team with the right protective equipment. For example PPE for staff and volunteers in terms of clothing such as masks to protect volunteers from inhaling mould and other ‘nasties’ and gloves to protect them from needles or other sharp objects. Again, these are all important considerations and they all have a cost.

Talking of H&S did you know about the new rules on disposing of any item of upholstered furniture which cannot be resold? New POPs (persistent organic pollutant) regulation means you’re now legally obliged to, in the words of the Government, ‘send your waste to a suitably authorised treatment plant that can separate the items, components, or materials containing POPs from the other waste or materials.’

Some waste contractors are looking at imposing increases of up to 200% or imposing minimum fees or a surcharge per item!

Waste disposal

At the outset, it’s important to identify items that can be reused and recycled. Inevitably though, some will go to landfill.

Here are some examples of how much logistics companies are charging charities for disposal:

2-Seater Leather Sofa £120                     Dining Table and chairs £45
3-Seater Leather Sofa £140                     6 X fabric dining chairs £80
Leather Armchair £50                              Double Wardrobe £40
2-Seater Fabric Sofa £100                       Cooker* £25
3-Seater Fabric Sofa £120                       Washing Machine* £25
Fabric Armchair £45                                Tumble Dryer* £25
Mattress £65                                              Fridge Freezer £150

*The relatively low cost for cookers, washing machines and tumble dryers disposal is because of their scrap metal value.

Ouch!

While you may get better rates than these, the point remains – disposing of unwanted items is expensive. Eye-wateringly expensive.

And so is every other part of the house clearance process these days.

You put your heart and soul into your work, and so do your volunteers – with the lightest of touches and the most considerate and professional of approaches you do everything in your power to make home clearances simple and stress-free for everyone.

When you go through all this time and trouble, the last thing you deserve is to be left with a bill for simply trying to do the right thing.

Talk to us about how our Fleet Services and Charity Fleet Pro can play an essential role in helping you keep your house clearance costs as low as possible.

Electric vehicles (EVs) have become hugely popular in recent years as more people seek to reduce their carbon footprint and decrease their reliance on fossil fuels. 

Despite the rapid transition, there are still many myths and misconceptions surrounding this new technology. Myths that can lead to confusion and prevent people from making informed decisions about whether or not to purchase or lease an EV. 

In our role helping charities to run safe, efficient and environmentally friendly vehicle fleets, we often come across the same types of questions and concerns surrounding EVs.

Here’s what we’re asked time after time:

Aren’t EVs more expensive?

Not when you factor in all the running costs (and some great leasing deals). While EVs may have a higher upfront cost than petrol or diesel vans, fuel and maintenance costs are lower. Over time this saves you money.

Don’t EVs have a limited range?

All vehicles have a limited range. The issue for EVs has traditionally been the lack of charging options. The combination of vehicle ranges with some now exceeding 200 miles on a single charge and the expansion of public charging networks has removed the range question from the purchasing decision.

I’ve heard charging is too slow?

These days public charging stations offer fast charging options. You can now rapid recharge a van up to 80% capacity in just 45 minutes.

Don’t EVs struggle in cold temperatures?

Modern EVs are equipped with technology to operate perfectly in even the coldest weather. You will notice a reduction in range though.

My friend told me EVs have limited model options?

Another week – another model. There’s no shortage of great EV vehicles now available as manufacturers rapidly update their EV offerings.

Where can I even charge an electric vehicle?

Anywhere you’d like. Seriously – if there’s a plug socket, you can charge your EV. But you can also install dedicated EV chargers at your home or business, and there are more and more public charging stations every day. The UK government has made a £1.6 billion commitment to expanding the UK charging network – with around 300,000 public chargers to be available by 2030.

But I read EVs aren’t practical for long trips?

EVs are completely suitable for longer trips (as well as being ideal for short urban trips) – especially now that the charging network is growing so quickly.

Is it true that EVs are less safe than ICE vehicles?

All EVs must meet the same stringent safety regulations as traditional vehicles. In many cases, they have received the highest safety ratings.

Everyone knows EVs are not reliable, right?

With fewer moving parts to fail, EVs are often more reliable than traditional ICE vehicles. Many EVs come with ‘above and beyond’ comprehensive warranties.

Surely leasing an EV is much too complicated?

Leasing an EV is no different to leasing a traditional vehicle except they are exempt from vehicle excise duty (until 2025), van benefit charge, fuel benefit charge and fuel duty. A charity can claim 50% of the VAT on the finance element of the lease cost and 100% of the vat on the service (maintenance) element of the lease cost.

There are other financial incentives too with the plug-in van grant offering 35% off the price of a van less than 2.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight up to a maximum of £2,500 and also 35% off the price of a van between 2.5 and 3.5 tonne gross vehicle weight up to a maximum of £5000. Heavier 4.25-tonne rating vehicles and thise with ‘N2’ categorisation qualify for the ‘small truck’ grant. An incentive of up to £16,000 (capped at 20% of the purchase price).

More questions?

Arrange a callback today and we’ll get straight back to you with everything you need to know.

What has an EV fleet ever done for us?

Nothing, according to Paul Tate, Interim Director of Retail and Trading at ​The Children’s Society in his brilliant presentation at the 2023 Charity Retail Association conference. 

That’s nothing apart from the income tax, NIC and VAT savings in applying Salary Sacrifice. The not-so-small matter of lower whole-life costs, increased employee satisfaction, low-stress admin and maintenance and of course the huge reduction in CO2 emissions.

The reasons to lease electric are many and compelling

Clearly there’s no shortage of great reasons for your next vehicle lease to be an EV and with chip shortages and supply chain issues fast fading in the rearview mirror, now is the perfect time to go electric.

With the purchase costs of electric and hybrid vehicles higher than petrol or diesel equivalents, what better way to go green than by leasing your new EVs? A simple, affordable way to enjoy all the advances in electric and instantly plug into all the cost savings and convenience of set monthly payments.

• Drive the latest, smartest, most efficient vehicles
• Affordable upfront and monthly costs
• Regular monthly payments
• Lower on-the-road running costs
• Lower fuel bills
• No depreciation
• A managed, hassle-free motoring experience

 

Time to take a closer look? Looking for advice on the best performing, best value cars and vans? Whether you’re responsible for 1 or 101 vehicles, talk to us about the best charity fleet deals on the market.

Deals that get even better when you use new cost-saving ‘Connected Van’ technology, specially designed for charities like yours.

The Drive For Cleaner, Greener Charity Fleet Vehicles

As if lower emissions and a greener, cleaner carbon footprint weren’t reasons enough, here are just a few more of the EV dividends on offer to charities looking to lease electric.

1. Cost Savings

Leasing an electric vehicle (EV) is not only good for the planet, it’s also good for your finances too. Though energy costs have risen over recent months, EV vans still go much further per pound spent than petrol or diesel-powered vans. Add to that lower maintenance costs compared to traditional vehicles, and you get cost savings that compound over time. Especially if your vehicles operate in the new Clean Air Zones (CAZ) that many UK cities have adopted or are planning to put in place in the near future.

Lower Fuel Costs

The amount you pay depends on how you charge your vehicle. Typically you will pay more for a quick, convenient charge – around £9.50 for a 30-minute rapid charge at Lidl. Enough to take you nearly 100 miles. The same charge at a motorway service station would typically be around £22

If you’re using workplace EV chargers or your team is charging at home then it’s likely that costs will be noticeably lower at about £17 for a full charge to cover a 200-mile range. Significantly better value than fossil fuel prices.

Lower Maintenance Costs

EV maintenance cost savings of between 30% and 50% come in three forms:

Fewer moving parts means fewer opportunities for failure and parts replacement.

Regenerative braking with lower wear and tear on discs and pads uses the car’s electric motor to slow and at the same time recharge the battery.

Servicing costs also tend to be lower with no emissions tests, expensive timing belts, spark plugs or oil changes. 

Lower Insurance Costs

Data shows that EV vehicles are less likely to be targeted by thieves and also that EV owners tend to be more responsible than owners of petrol or diesel cars. 

Add Charity Fleetcare’s Connected Van technology to your vehicles and insurance costs will quickly start to tumble as insurers like nothing more than safe, well-monitored vehicles and drivers.

Add our quick, convenient, low-cost driver assessment and certification to the mix and watch premiums fall even further.

2. Government Support

As well as capital allowances on vehicles and charging points, zero road tax and the Government’s £1.6 billion commitment to expanding the public chargepoint network, other useful initiative are the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) and the EV infrastructure grant (which also helps towards the cost of EV infrastructure).

The Workplace Charging Scheme

Covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (inclusive of VAT), capped at a maximum of:

£350 per socket

40 sockets across all sites per applicant  (For instance, if you would like to install them in 40 sites, you will have 1 socket available per site)

The EV infrastructure Grant

Also covers up to 75% of the cost of installing the infrastructure needed for chargepoints to operate, future chargepoints, and the cost of any future installations. There is a limit of £15,000 per grant.

£350 per socket 

£500 per parking space enabled with supporting infrastructure

For guidance on your application and recommendations on government approved installers, just get in touch.

3. Reputation

As a charity, you work hard to make the world a better place. And what better way to make even more of a positive contribution than by leasing EVs? An ideal opportunity to reduce your carbon footprint, and improve environmental impact.

Using EVs is a great way to ‘lead from the front’, and to make clear your commitment to the greater good. In a world where the climate crisis is front and centre of many people’s minds, showcasing your commitment to environmental responsibility and being seen to do the right thing in public, has got to be a good thing.

Export EV Leasing Guidance

At Charity Fleetcare we’re experts in helping our charity clients get the very most from their vehicle fleets. Whether that’s with new Charity Fleet Pro, charity van leasing or driver training – often it’s a blend of all three to cut costs, improve safety and drive greener, more efficient fleets.

Whether you’re responsible for 1 or 101 vehicles, talk to us about the greatest, greenest EV leasing deals on the market.

Arrange a callback

Looking at the benefits of leasing EVs for your charity, but concerned by all the headline challenges? Questions about lead times? Cost? Range? Charging infrastructure? Tax and financial implications? Driver satisfaction? Safety even?

Then how about finding out everything you need to know from someone who’s already been there, done it and got the EV T-shirt?

Someone who’s already faced the early adopter complexities and worked through them to come out the other side wiser (and greener, and more operationally and financially efficient) for the experience. Valuable, real-world experience that you and your team can now benefit from too.

Meet Paul Tate, Interim Director of Retail and Trading at ​The Children’s Society.

The background

Five years ago The Children’s Society sold off their old ICE fleet and appointed a leasing company.

TCS then organised the supply and installation of home chargers for their drivers at a cost of about £1k per unit as a non-taxable benefit.

Drivers integrated their home charger with their energy supplier using Mina Homecharge to calculate costs. While they’re out on the road drivers also use Mina Chargepass to pay for public charging with locations efficiently identified and booked through Zap Map.

Every month Mina pays the home electricity provider and TCS pays the total supplier bill plus the Charge pass usage. The employee simply settles the private mileage balance with TCS through payroll.

Easy for the employee and super efficient for TCS.

The outcome

TCS now enjoys access to the latest models and latest green technology. But that’s not all.

Leasing their new EV fleet helps them easily deliver on their Corporate Social Responsibility targets. That’s as well as delighting their drivers, cutting costs, saving tax and making the whole of their fleet operation admin a whole lot simpler

Here’s a quick run through of just some of Paul’s headlines from his brilliant presentation at the 2023 Charity Retail Association Conference.

The many benefits of leasing an EV fleet

Employee Benefits

• Tax savings
  With employees sacrificing part of their gross salary in return for an EV,​ they pay less income tax and NIC on that sacrificed part of their salary as tax. Even better, the NI saved on reduced salary vastly outweighs Benefits in Kind on the car
• Convenience
  Hassle-free​, fixed cost, insurance and maintenance included, tax savings, manufacturer discounts… Leased EV fleets are a low-risk, low-stress lease solution that keeps employees on the road, focused on their jobs and not distracted by ‘car trouble’.
• Clean and green
  EVs on standard finance or purchase aren’t cheap – but leasing offers a viable way of giving your employees access to zero emission vehicles through a much more tax efficient route.

Employer Benefits

• Cost savings​
  As the salary sacrificed is from gross income, there is less NI or income tax to be paid – which means less Class 1A NIC.
• Less VAT to pay
  TCS can recover 50% of the VAT on the leasing costs of vehicles available for private use unlike company cars which are ineligible for VAT recovery
• Flexible benefits​
  New employee benefits at no extra cost to the company means a higher uptake rate, happy driving in smart modern, maintained vehicles, and improved employee satisfaction. That means you’ll also find it easier to attract good people to your organisation
• Green, green, green​
  Quickly and easily crush your carbon footprint and deliver on your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) targets

Expert EV Leasing Support

Whether you’re responsible for 1 or 101 vehicles, talk to us about the greatest, greenest EV leasing deals on the market.

At Charity Fleetcare we’re experts in helping our charity clients get the very most from their leased EV fleets to cut costs, improve safety and drive greener, more efficient fleets.

Time you leased green too?

Arrange a callback