Funding the charity
The reason for the introduction of membership fees
Following the thorough consultation and subsequent ballot of Coeliac UK Members on the introduction of an annual subscription fee in 2007, a majority vote of 74 per cent opted for the proposal with 26 per cent voting against.
The result is a clear one and the Board would like to respect the views of the majority of the Members.
Q: Why was there a need to consider moving towards the membership fee?
A: Each month on average 960 people join the Charity as a new member - we are growing fast and now servicing more than 80,000 members. However, the proportion of members donating has shrunk radically from 70% in 2000 to around 32% in 2007.
Looking forward, if this trend continued it would become harder to maintain and develop our current service let alone invest in the campaigning and research that Members want. We believe that by moving to fees we will be able to provide a more secure and sustainable funding base for the Charity.
Q: Aren't there other ways to raise the money?
A: We have developed new fundraising approaches such as increasing our commercial revenue by around 42% in four years and gaining grants from the Food Standards Agency, the Health Foundation and most recently the European Union. However, we don't believe it will be enough.
Q: Do other coeliac societies around the world charge for membership?
A: Yes. We are not aware of any society offering free membership. What's more, we were one of a small minority of patient charities who weren't charging fees in the UK.
Q: Instead of a membership fee, why can't funds be raised by charging for the Food and Drink Directory?
A: Most of the cost of products, such as the Food and Drink Directory lie in the staff time taken to gather, sift and create the information for such publications. This part of the cost will remain the same however many people buy the publication. What's more the fewer people who buy the publication, the more expensive it will become per item sold as a lower print run drives the printing price up.
Q: But you have lots of money in the bank - why do we need to introduce fees now?
A: Around two thirds of our reserves are already committed to research we have agreed to fund, money that is held in group bank accounts and other projects on behalf of the Charity.
Q: Is the membership fee an annual subscription?
A: Yes. The fees would cover the cost of Membership for a year.
Q: Have other Membership options been considered such as Lifetime Membership?
A: Yes. We have looked at a range of other options. Lifetime Membership is currently being considered, although we have decided that we will keep the options as simple as possible for the first year of membership fees to aid the smooth introduction of the system.
Q: What about people who can't afford to pay?
A: Our full rate costs less than 40p a week. We have a concessionary rate for people on a reduced income of £10 a year or less than 20p a week. We also have a family/household fee where more than one person has coeliac disease and face additional burdens as a result. We will of course always talk to people about their individual circumstances so that the fee should never be a barrier to joining the Charity.
Q: Shouldn't it be clearer about who is entitled to the concessionary rate?
A: The concessionary rate is aimed at those on a reduced income who may struggle to pay the full membership rate. We decided to list examples of who may be eligible for a concessionary rate, rather than a prescriptive list which would necessarily be very long and could not cover every circumstance. Our main concern is not to exclude anyone who may find paying the fee difficult. It is for this reason that we also state: "We will always be happy to discuss individual circumstances that make paying a membership fee difficult."
Q: Who will have voting rights when a family/household membership is paid for?
A: Those in the family or household who have diagnosed coeliac disease will have voting rights.
Q: Will the Charity lose most of its Members?
A: Nobody can answer for certain how many Members will not pay a fee, although the overwhelming 'Yes' vote is very encouranging. We do expect, therefore, some Members to leave, but we do not expect a catastrophic drop in numbers. Nevertheless, despite our financial analysis assuming a very conservative estimate of people joining and the potential impact on other fundraising such as raffle, we believe the introduction of a fee will provide a more secure basis of funding for the Charity.
Q: How will the introduction of a fee impact on Group finances?
A: We see Groups as playing a continuing and essential role in the life of the Charity and we are committed to ensuring they have a vibrant future. It is difficult to predict at this stage exactly how the introduction of a fee might impact on Group finances and therefore proposing solutions at this stage is premature. We plan to monitor Group income very carefully over the coming months to assess any change. We are committed to providing financial support from the Charity's main funds if it is necessary to support Groups continued existence.
Q: How will Groups know who has paid the fee?
A: The introduction of the Group extranet will give Groups access to lists of Members in their area. But there will be no need to do so until January 2009. We are giving Members every opportunity in 2008 to join.
Q: Can people who are no longer Members still attend Group meetings?
A: That is a decision for the local Group to take. Some Groups already include people in their Group who are not Members and the Charity feels it is important to give Groups local autonomy in this area. However, only Members should be allowed to vote at local AGMs.
If you have any further questions regarding the membership fee, then please contact us by clicking here, or by post at: Coeliac UK, Suites A-D, Octagon Court, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP11 2HS.
We welcome your views and comments on this subject.
