Who we are | The Robin Hood Tax

The Robin Hood Tax campaign is a movement bringing together dozens of organisations that work to reduce poverty in the UK and overseas, and campaign to tackle climate change. They have come together during the economic crisis to campaign for a new deal between banks and society.

If your organisation would like to join the campaign, please email membership@robinhoodtax.org.uk and we will send you details.

	ActionAid: We campaign for tax justice – so that poor people in developing countries don’t pay for the global financial crisis.
	Action for Global Health: We believe a tiny tax on financial transactions can radically improve the health of people in developing countries.
	Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA): This tiny tax could go a long way to improve millions of people’s lives in southern Africa as they tackle poverty, climate change and HIV, and strive for a better future.
	Africa Europe Faith Justice Network – UK
	African Initiatives
	Article 12 in Scotland: Eradicating poverty is key to creating a society where all can participate as equal citizens. This campaign can help achieve this.
	Aspect: We support the Robin Hood Tax to constrain risky and speculative financial transactions and raise funds for social and economic advance.
	Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL): The proceeds from this tax amount to no more than small change for the financial companies yet can make a real difference to the lives of our children.
	ATD Fourth World: Resources need to reach people in poverty who have been left behind by progress with their voices unheard and contributions unrecognised.
	Barnardo’s: Vulnerable children should not have to pay the price of recession; this would provide the money urgently needed to child poverty in the UK.
	BECTU
	Bond
	The British Dietetic Association
	Cafod: A means to help poor countries fight poverty and climate change and as the first step towards a fairer financial system.
	Cardinal Hume Centre: We recognise that the root cause of the problems facing most if not all of our clients is poverty and subsequent lack of opportunity
	Centre for Alternative Technology: we aim to inspire practical solutions for a low carbon future. A tiny tax on bankers would provide much needed resources in the fight against climate change.
	Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: We back the Robin Hood Tax because it will see banks contribute more to protecting public services, tackling climate change and reducing poverty.
	Chigwell Justice and Peace Centre
	Christian Aid: Fighting global poverty plus climate change is urgent but costly. This will help plug the financial gap and get banks working for the poor.
	Christian Medical Fellowship: this tax will release finances to support health services for the poorest & most vulnerable people here in the UK & in the developing world.
	Christian Socialist Movement: This tax isn’t robbing from the rich – it’s just asking everyone to play their part as a citizen of the planet.
	Church Action on Poverty: We believe in all its fullness for all people: This tiny tax could help millions struggling with poverty here and abroad achieve this dream.
	Church of Scotland Church & Society Council: Like the widows mite, a little can go a long way. We are not asking much from those who have plenty to give to those who have little.
	Church Urban Fund believes the campaign provides an opportunity to confront the scandal of poverty in our rich nation.
	Comic Relief: We have a long term commitment to helping people at home and abroad. We should all get behind this tiny tax to make a real difference!
	Commonwealth HIV and AIDS Action Group
	Communication Workers Union
	Community: Bankers caused a crisis, but our members’ communities felt it most. A tiny tax could help repair the damage, tackling poverty at home and abroad.
	Compass: We campaign for a more democratic, equal & sustainable world, we enable people to take action & make change. This tiny tax can do just that.
	Compass Youth: Just a tiny tax on banks could have huge impacts on the poorest people in society both here and abroad. You should support too!
	Concern Universal: This tax would generate vital resources for tacking the two most urgent challenges of our time – poverty and climate change.
	Crisis: We support the Robin Hood Tax campaign because this idea could offer a fantastic opportunity to end one of the most extreme manifestations of poverty in the UK – homelessness.
	Crossroads Care
	Disability Alliance: We believe the tax could help in our aim to end the link between poverty and disability. A third of disabled people in the UK live in poverty.
	Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility: We believe that the tax will help bring about economic justice and environmental sustainability.
	Economic Governence for Health: The Millennium Development Goals will never be met without support for bold ideas like these.
	EIS: We are currently engaged in a major campaign against education cuts called “Why Must Our Children Pay?” We believe passionately that our children, our teachers and other public servants should not have to pay for the greed of the few.
	Ekklesia: We work for economic and financial systems worth believing in: ones that put people and planet first. Tax justice is key part to this.
	Every Child: The Robin Hood Tax is a great idea. A modest tax on bankers’ profits that could bring huge benefits to the vulnerable and poor, both here in the UK and in developing countries.
	Faith2Share
	Family Action: We support families in their homes and see the realities of UK poverty every day. This tax could help poor families everywhere.
	Forum for Stable Currencies: The Robin Hood Tax is an obvious solution to a problem that is deeply systemic.
	Friends of the Earth
	General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches: Present trading damages the under-privileged and poor; we must act in all possible ways to create a fairer world.
	GMB: High roller casino capitalists in banks and finance caused the crisis, but we are left suffering the pain. A Robin Hood Tax will begin to right some disgraceful wrongs.
	Greenpeace UK: Reckless speculation by banks didn’t just ruin the global economy. Had that money been invested in clean energy, we might already be tackling the climate crisis.
	Health Poverty Action: For the communities we work with – some of the poorest and most marginalised in the world – a Robin Hood Tax could transform lives.
	Hope for Children: This simple and imaginative idea has the potential to have a huge impact on the levels of poverty, bringing support to the most vulnerable of people.
	Housing Justice: There are more than two million people in need of decent accommodation in the UK.
	Interact Worldwide: A tiny tax on financial transactions can have a huge impact on supporting universal access to sexual and reproductive health worldwide.
	International Harm Reduction Association (IHRA): Current levels of funding are in no way sufficient to halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS. The Robin Hood Tax is a simple idea, rooted in social justice, that would make a huge difference in scaling up the response.
	International HIV/AIDS Alliance: Half of people in need of HIV treatment are still unable to access it. The campaign will raise funds to stop people dying needlessly.
	International Refugee Trust: This is a crucial opportunity for the UK to fearlessly lead the way for the international community towards corporate responsibilty on a global scale.
	Jubilee Scotland: We support the tax because it will curb speculation, and because we agree with JM Keynes: ‘When the capital development of a country becomes the by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done’.
	Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF): this simple idea could raise billions to tackle global poverty and climate change, and would be be a step towards a more just financial system.
	Musicians’ Union: We believe this would bring more fairness during a period of austerity where ordinary people are struggling and where all sectors including the cultural sector are seeing cuts in funding.
	Napo, the Trade Union and Professional Association for Family Court and Probation Staff: We represent staff in the Justice sector. We care passionately about fairness and equality and that is what the Robin Hood Tax is all about. It has our full support.
	NASUWT
	National Justice and Peace Network
	National Union of Students (NUS)
	National Union of Teachers: We fully support this campaign. If financiers profit from speculation, it is right that society should benefit from some of those profits.
	Nationwide Group Staff Union: Such a small tax, such a massive impact. This tiny tax would bring benefits both here in the UK and across the world – please join us and support our call for this tax.
	National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA)
	National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO): We believe in the good society, which promotes fairness and social justice. This tax will help achieve our aim.
	nef (the new economics foundation)
	NUJ: A tiny tax – the least our financial institutions owe for the mess they’ve made without affecting tax payers who’ve paid the bankers’ bills.
	Oxfam GB: a tiny tax on bankers can make a huge difference for people living in poverty in UK and around the world.
	ONE: Bailouts shouldn’t just be for banks – the world’s poorest people have suffered too. That’s why we support the FTT.
	Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)
	People and Planet
	Plan UK: This will help the poorest and most vulnerable children and young people, who have had their opportunities limited by the global financial crisis.
	The Poverty Alliance: Money seems to be tight for everyone at the moment – except for the financiers! This tiny tax could help make a real impact on poverty in Scotland and the UK.
	Practical Action: A tiny tax on the fruits of innovation in the financial system could allow poor people to use innovations to challenge their poverty and adapt to climate change.
	(POA) The Professional Trade Union for Prison, Correctional and Secure Pychiatric Workers
	Prospect: We support equality, fairness, respect and international solidarity. All these aims can be achieved with a simple effective tax process. We say yes to the Robin Hood Tax!
	Pump Aid: there are nearly one million people in the developing world who are living without access to clean water. A small amount of tax from bankers can make such a massive impact on development and help change this.
	Results UK: We are committed to building a world free of poverty by supporting innovative financing that will save people’s lives.
	RSPB: Innovative sources of finance are urgently required to help people and wildlife adapt to climate change in developing countries.
	Salvation Army: This is a tax on the causes and symptoms of inequality.
	Save The Children UK: This offers real hope of ending the scandal of child poverty in the UK while saving the lives of children in poor countries.
	SCIAF: We are Scotland’s leading aid agency, working to tackle global poverty and the challenges presented by climate change. This tiny tax is a wee step that could make a big difference to the lives of millions.
	Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations: We work to advance the values and shared interests of the voluntary sector and this tiny tax could bring much needed funds for our sector.
	Scottish Education and Action for Development (SEAD)
	Share the World’s Resources: We support this concrete proposal to raise billions to fight global poverty and promote sustainable development.
	Speak: We are a network connecting together students and young adults to pray and campaign for social justice. The Robin Hood Tax is just, so we’re campaigning for it!
	Stamp Out Poverty: We have worked towards this for many years – it is only fair that the financial world pay more to tackle poverty and climate change.
	Stop AIDS Campaign: World leaders promised universal HIV prevention, treatment, care & support by 2010. We’re less than halfway. Keep the promise – back the tax.
	Students Partnership Worldwide: We strongly support the Robin Hood Tax, believing that it has the potential to help save millions of the most vulnerable lives worldwide.
	TB Alert: We support the Robin Hood Tax – it’s a small price to pay for such a big return.
	Tearfund: This tax can raise billions urgently needed to fight poverty and protect poor people from the impacts of climate change.
	Together for Peace
	TRAID (Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development)
	Trades Union Congress: The banks fed the crash – a Robin Hood Tax pays back for the damage they caused and makes a fair contribution to jobs,justice and climate.
	TSSA
	UNA-UK (United Nations Association of the UK): Innovative financing is urgently needed if the UN Millennium Development Goals are to be met by 2015.
	Unicef UK: Millions of children around the world are denied their rights. This is wrong. A financial transaction tax could put it right for children.
	UNISON
	Unite: The financial crisis has brought insecurity to staff and damaged the reputation of this sector. We now see an opportunity to change the way the sector conducts itself.
	United Reformed Church: The aims of the RHT – to fight poverty and climate change and to move towards a fairer financial system – sit well with established aims of the United Reformed Church.
	University and College Union: Speculators and gamblers of international banking have taken us for a ride, low paid public sector workers bear the pain. We must fight back.
	Urban Forum: We have a chance to establish a more responsible and socially useful system – bank reform is too important to be left to the bankers.
	Usdaw: The time is right for a Robin Hood Tax that would bring much needed regulation and curb the reckless speculation that has damaged the country’s financial markets.
	v, The National Young Volunteers’ Service: We support the Robin Hood Tax as an innovative source of finance. Through volunteering, v helps disadvantaged and marginalised young people to stay engaged and acquire skills at this time of high youth unemployment.
	War on Want: We support the Robin Hood tax as a practical way for the banks to repay their debt to society. An idea whose time has come!
	WaterAid: A financial transaction tax will raise funds that could transform lives in the poorest communities through improved access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene.
	The Web of Hope
	World Development Movement: The financial sector has become self-serving and destabilising. The Robin Hood Tax could help control reckelss speculation and provide billions for poverty eradication and low-carbon development.
	World Wide Robin Hood Society
	YCI: Young people should not have to pay the price for the greed of the big banks. We support the Robin Hood Tax Campaign and call on governments to make global finance fairer.
	YWCA: The Robin Hood Tax would make a huge difference to the girls and women we work with who face poverty and disadvantage.
	Z2K: Justice demands immediate help for those on the lowest incomes who did not benefit from the economic boom and suffer even more in the bust.
	38 Degrees: It’s time that banks paid their fair share towards protecting the world’s poorest people and fighting climate change.

Church of Scotland Church & Society Council: Like the widows mite, a little can go a long way. We are not asking much from those who have plenty to give to those who have little.

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modern kitchen cabinets

Love the name, steal from the rich and give to the poor. Thats the way i like it!

Bill

Climate change is a scam!

Richard

I think this idea is good, however it smacks of cultural capitalism. The banking sector is the problem. Levying a small tax on them a great idea, however the true need is reform of the system.

You can't solve the problems of capitalism with capitalism. What we save with the left hand, we destroy with the right.

The banks want to own everything. This would enable them to do that by giving us 0.05% of every transaction. hmmmm!

Selling Antique Rings

Thank you very much for the list! Great!

Static

Do you think a bank is really going to pay a new tax? The cost will be passed on to the consumer just like any other tax on corporations or bank. Retards.

Robin Hood

So, as corporations do always pass on increases to the consumer - a much better way would be to abolish personal taxation for every person earning less than say, £50,000 (£100,000 for couples) and to much more heavily tax corporations (not individual traders) and increase VAT (except on essentials like food, as now). Consumers could then choose what to buy (at much increased prices as the corporations passed on their new high taxation costs) so they would be more discerning, whilst the free market of the corporations would force them to compete with each other to provide lower prices. People would pay much more for goods, but would pay no tax to government (or councils) so would have much more money in their pockets to choose how to spend. Basically, switch the burden of taxation (except for the rich) from the person to corporations.

Tgenza111

So apparently this group has no understanding of economics or history for that matter. Robinhood the outlaw protested taxation not banks.
And in his early form, something rather lost in later years, Robin Hood was also an enemy of the Church, an organisation that was viewed by the highly-taxed peasantry as being both unbearably sanctimonious and a drain on their income. The political-media-welfare complex is the 21st century equivalent of the Church, a monster that encompasses the taxpayer-funded Left-wing media, taxpayer-funded charities, quangos and our enormous and bloated local government and welfare system.
And, behold, look who is supporting the Robin Hood tax (most figures are from 2008, the latest year for accounts):

Action Aid – which received 16.5 per cent of its £67,727,000 income in 2008 from taxpayers, including £5,967,000 from the British government and £4,939,000 from the EU.

Barnados – in 2007/08 it received £10,507,364 from taxpayers.

Christian Aid – Another 18m from taxpayers, some 20.8 per cent of all its income.

RSPB – which receives an incredible £19,731,000 a year from Johnny Taxpayer.

Unicef ­– another £5,454,000 from the pot

Theprequel

Sometimes it is entirely unhelpful to keep 'harking back' to so-called real history etc. The point is this is an attempt to do SOMETHING to redress an obvious imbalance. Your comment sounds remarkably as if you are in favour of inequality - and certainly 'anti' any government / taxpayer support for social need.

Robin Hood

How patronising! You ignore the fact that these organisations don't get this money from the taxpayer as subsidy as you imply. They simply recoup the tax as gift aid - money which you have already paid in tax to the government. Yes the money could be kept by government to be wasted on defence or such like or supporting a corrupt economic system, but this way at least this tax raised revenue is diverted to these causes directly. Do you really think that the government would reduce taxation if gift aid were abolished? You're the one who's naive.

Spaceweaver

Given that this will be really successful, who is going to manage this huge fund. What person/organization can be trusted to put such amounts of resources to the beneficial ends it is raised for. Who is going to decide on priorities and distribution?

Jamescoogan

Hey. I love and have given support to this idea.
Can it be implemented in Ireland/ Irish banking system?
Who administers the funds raised?

Gimme some cholo

Hi James - as the Irish banking system has effectively been nationalised then the government would simply be taxing itself - so it wouldn't work...

Guy

Keep up your good work. You have my full support!

Dog House

Wow! I'm impressed by the number and quality of organizations that you have managed to get behind this idea.

Infrared Sauna

Not sure I think this would work.

Jordi

C'mon Peter Pan, 0.005% (that's 500,000ths) of EVERY transaction made thru a bank. OK it will hit some personal banking but also more importantly it would hit those that use the markets an ordinary Joe Soap like you and me does not operate within. The ones where the richest people and corporations operate, futures, shares etc, exactly where the crisis was created in the first place. So the reclamation of money injected into banking by us the tax paying citizen would be reclaimed in the main from those that generated the crisis in the first instance.

Peter Pan

I think this is a dumb idea. If we tax the banks, they are just going to pass the additional cost onto the consumer through higher fees. This is not the solution. Rethink.

BigBadHoodie

even if it does, it comes back at such a tiny amount that it's barely noticable. you transaction would have to be at least over what £500 to get a penny to come out? it's nothing to people like us!

Peter Altmann

I am with you on your side

mike

Why stop at taxing the banks?
Big business has continued to announce huge profits throughout the economic down turn. Why are they not contributing? Why were they not asked to bail out banks? It is their country society too.

ny escorts

wow. this is amazing. but do you think it will work?

DJ

Loves the hard work and effort being out in to get us our Robin Hood Tax but is a little disappointed that the SNP (ruling party in Scotland) are not being questioned as the other leaders are. Whilst Scotland may not have tax powers they do have considerable influence (way more than the Green Party) but are not being questioned. Like I say just a little pointer

websitedevelopmentcompany

Robin Hood Tax is the best, most creative approach marketing campaign I've seen a charity take. Keep up the great work and well done for thinking outside the box and I hope it achieves the result you are after.

David Palmer

I think this is a worthy campaign and that members might also be interested in the The Sack Your MP! (SYMP!) Campaign which starts with the 2010 election and will fight on to reform MPs and how our political system is run. We don’t claim to have all the answers (we need your help on that), but JOIN US and force the reform of MPs.

Visit the www.SackYourMP.ORG/scandal site to find out more, look at the evidence www.SackYourMP.ORG/evidence where we have video, radio and online articles.

If you have questions about our campaign visit www.SackYourMP.ORG/faqs

Visit the www.SackYourMP.ORG/invite to invite your own friends and use our secure widget to select friends easily from your email address book.

Visit the link below to register with the Sack Your MP! site and be kept informed about the progress of the campaign.

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Please visit our site and see how you can make your vote count.

The Sack Your MP! Team

PS Please Follow us on Twitter http://bit.ly/twitmp and be a fan on Facebook http://bit.ly/fbsack

tracia

http://storyofstuff.org/

how about linking up with these guys very interesting

ipod to computer transfer

An incredible news. In that way you are not only looking forward in helping yourself but you are also reaching out to others that are in need of help..

Silver

I love the idea of the RHT... but how would the banks react to this? They would put mortguage premiums up, overdraft chargers through the roof. The money the government took from them, they would take from us.
Assholes :(

joshuanelson

Okay, I'd pay money for one of those green robin hood hoodies in the recent video. Seriously, good way to raise funds for the campaign and get free advertising!

manhattan pressurized walls

So nice to know that there are organisations that work together to reduce poverty in the UK and overseas, and campaign to tackle climate change.

David J. Parker

Robin Hood Tax sounds so much more appealing than Tobin Tax.
However, it doesn't change the need for it as the world economies attempt to get back to "normal" and the next meltdown.
The definition of insanity is doing them same things as caused the problem and expecting a different outcome.

wookiehare

How lovely that we have the support of all these organisations. Keep up the good work

res evil

I live on Thamesmead and saw the robin hood poster stuck on our walls this is bad we dont want posters on our walls it makes our streets look dirty so keep out

Ali G

very naive. good thinking though. but ultimately the customers are going to feel the pinch, banks will decrease interest for example, but they will find a way of taking our money so their profit margins don't budge, unless they go up...

Theprequel

Surely the point is that RHT is a tax on PROFIT? So no matter what they do to us, the profit will still be taxed? So they can't get out of it, no matter how much they try to by increasing costs to us and decreasing interest paid to us. Those tactics increase profit - thus increasing RHT liability ...

JRP

19-3-2010.
Hi ALL can I share some good news with you about TAX, and that is our Greenwich Council in SE10 is telling us all that there's Going to be NO INCREASE IN COUNCIL TAX again this year, which is explained in their Council Tax booklet covering 2010-2011, which just happens to have a photo of me along with some of the children and helpers on the front cover, taken at the opening of our Neighbourhood Pride Community Garden in Abbey Wood SE2 last year, which I'm pleased to say is still up and running.
To find out more about my many Community Garden Projects please visit my website www.recycling.moonfruit.com Thank YOU.
May you and yours and what you grow live long and happy. John.

Al Gore

Take out the climate change nonsense and I might be persuaded that it's a good idea. So, probably, would a lot of other sensible people.

In my very humble opinion of course.

catherine cosgrove

robin hood tax is a wonderful opportunity to turn concern into action. By calling on some of the richest institutions in the world to help those at the other end of the economic spectrum it puts people before profit. i hope you get loads and loads of support for this campaign. cathy cosgrove

John Newton

When I donate to charity, I expect my money to be spent directly on helping people whom the charity purports to support, not to part-fund a tax-increasing lobby!

Theprequel

Such a horrid and superficial (and predictably right-wing) sentiment. The naive belief that all donated monies can be spent "directly on helping people" in the sense you imply annoys me like crazy. Charities need staff to carry out their work - so sometimes it's nice middle-class people like you who are earning their daily bread - so some of your donation will be spent on their wages. Or do you believe everyone involved should be doing everything for nothing - as in the old-style paternalistic 19th Century charity. Only wealthy folks have that luxury - and they're usually too busy at other less-laudible activities. This sort of 'viral' lobbying is a great way to raise profile, get more money for the charities you say you support and to do a bit of solid work to prevent the escalation of problems.
Or are you one of those who gives a pittance of their generous salary and believes that absolves them of any further responsibility or guilt?!

123

then you're naive...

Sidson

But this tax could be a good tax. First of all, it would be feel by very few people - the mega-rich.

However, I'd like to suggest that this tax falls on the rich's heritage or income, not on the banking transactions.

eugenebutcher

When I donate to charity, I'd love to think that the money might be spent in a way that might actually create real change. Robin Hood Tax is the best, most creative approach marketing campaign I've seen a charity take. Keep up the great work and well done for thinking outside the box and I hope it achieves the result you are after.

Ken Wimbor

I work for a teachers' trade union and wonder if you could let me know how my organisation can become a supporter of/affiliate to your campaign.

Thanks.

Ken Wimbor

Maid Marian

If your organisation would like to join the campaign, please email membership@robinhoodtax.org.uk and we will send you details.

Thanks!

Chris

Oh well I suppose charities first gave us chuggers now it's natural progression that their into steath taxes!

Robin Hood

Thanks @Chris. So stealthy we've been making films, creating facebook pages and discussing it openly on this very website.

Chris

I'm not saying your not publicising your tax scheme, I'm saying your hiding the fact that it will be taxing the general public! You say your taxing the bankers, but your actually taxing the money they handle. Money into pensions doesn't just go under someone's mattress, it goes into the system and would be taxed as well as any other money in the system.

Had you planned to actually tax the bonuses bankers receive perhaps then I could support that idea.

Robin Hood

Thanks Chris. Probably the most detailed piece on this site about the incidence of this tax (ie. 'who pays?') is here: http://robinhoodtax.org.uk/debate/the-robin-hood-tax-who-pays-in-the-end-a-former-investment-banker-and-derivatives-trader-investigates/

wil

You really have no idea what you are talking about.

I am cancelling my standing orders i have to two charities listed above.

wookiehare

This just shows how committed you REALLY were to those people who benefit from the charities you were supporting. I'm very sad about this - it seems so petty somehow and perhaps spiteful?

Maid Marian

I'm very sorry to hear that, Wil. We're pretty convinc

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