Letters to the Editor: 6 July 2025 The benefits Bill debacle offered a valuable lesson for politicians
SIR – With the Giving and Impact Summit returning to the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday, we write to highlight the vital role of philanthropy in British society, and the importance of unlocking the full potential of high-net-worth giving.
The UK is a generous nation. Last year, the public donated over £15 billion to charity, maintaining our position as the fourth most generous country internationally. Successful entrepreneurs and wealth creators can leverage their full range of assets – financial resources, strategic skills, time and leadership experience – to tackle society’s most urgent problems.
With the greatest wealth transfer in history underway, as fortunes pass to younger generations, we have a unique opportunity to embed a culture of significant giving among emerging philanthropists.
The Government should make more use of matched funding schemes, and simplify the gift aid process. The wealth management sector should better equip advisers to discuss philanthropy with clients, and we should explore other innovative solutions, such as introducing optional donations from lottery winners. Philanthropy built Britain’s great universities, museums and cultural institutions. As we face unprecedented global challenges, we need today’s successful wealth creators and wealth holders to step forward with the same boldness and vision. The opportunity for change has never been greater.
Dame Vivien Duffield
Chair, Clore Duffield Foundation
Gary Lubner
Founder, This Day Charitable Foundation
John Studzinski
Founder and Chair, Genesis Foundation
Lord Verjee (Lib Dem)
Founder, The Rumi Foundation
Lord Browne of Madingley (Crossbench)
Founder, John Browne Charitable Trust
Baroness Rebuck (Lab)
Chair, Somerset House
Lord Stevens of Birmingham (Crossbench) Chair, Cancer Research UK
Sir Peter Bazalgette
Council Chair, Royal College of Art
Professor Geeta Nargund
Co-founder and Director, Social Impact Enterprises Ltd Vice Chair, British Red Cross
Ajaz Ahmed
Founder, Studio.One and ajaz.org Trustee, Mission 44 and Virgin Unite
Alex Chesterman
Amar Shah
Andrew Dixon
Founder of ARC InterCapital, Woodhaven Trust and Fairer Share
Andrew Harrison
Chair of Trustees, Mental Health Innovations
Andrew Law
Chair and CEO, Caxton Associates Founding Trustee, Law Family Charitable Foundation and Law Family Educational Trust
Andy Wates
Chair, Wates Family Enterprise Trust Batia Ofer Chair, Royal Academy of Arts Trust Co-Founder, Idan and Batia Ofer Family Foundation Founder and Chair, Art of Wishes
Bill Holroyd
Founder, OnSide YouthZones
Bob Wigley
Chair, UK Finance Brent Hoberman Chair and Co-Founder, Founders Forum Group, Founders Factory and firstminute capital
Bruce Carnegie-Brown
Carol Shanahan Chair, Port Vale Football Club Trustee, The Port Vale Foundation Trust and EFL in the Community Founder, The Hubb Foundation
Charles Gurassa
Chair, Oxfam GB Chair, Migration Museum
Chris Oglesby
CEO, Bruntwood Trustee, Oglesby Charitable Trust
Jane Oglesby
Chair, Oglesby Charitable Trust Dame
Elizabeth Corley
Chair Emerita, Impact Investing Institute Chair, Schroders plc
Dame Marit Mohn
Co-Founder, The Mohn Westlake Foundation
Dame Martina Milburn
DMC Philanthropy
Daniel Levy
Co-Chair, The Grove Hotel President, Jewish Volunteering Network Chair, Immanuel College
David Dangoor
Chair, The Exilarch’s Foundation and Dangoor Education
David Forbes-Nixon
Chair and Founder, DFN Foundation
David Gregson
Chair and Co-Founder, #BeeWell Chair, Gregson Family Foundation
David Pearl
Chair and Chief Executive, Pearl & Coutts Founder and Chair, David Pearlman Charitable Foundation
Dinesh Dhamija
Chair, Copper Beech Group Founder, ebookers.com
Dr Nik Kotecha
Founder, Morningside Pharmaceuticals Ltd Founder and Chair, Randalsun Capital Ltd and The Randal Charitable Foundation
Dr Robert D Kilgour
Dr Vijay C Patel
CEO, Waymade plc Chair, Waymade Capital
Dr Vikas Shah
Duke of Richmond and Gordon Chair, The Goodwood Estate Company Ltd Trustee, Goodwood Education Trust, Lennox Trust and Goodwood Art Foundation
Earl Cadogan
Cadogan Charitable Trust Edmund Lazarus Founder and Managing Partner, EMK Capital
Emma Kane Deputy Chair,
Elton John AIDS Foundation
Gavin Patterson
Chair, Alzheimer’s Research UK
Graham Baker
Founder, Butchers Pet Care
Graham Edwards
Chair, Edwards Family Foundation Trustee, The Pennies Foundation
Grant Gordon
Chair, Ethos Foundation Harry Hyman Founder, International Opera Awards
Ian Marcus
Chair, Shurgard Self Storage Deputy Chair, Saracens Multi Academy Trust
Ian Rosenblatt
Founder, Rosenblatt Law
James Lambert
Founder investor and Deputy Chair, The Bicester Collection Trustee, The National Gallery
James Reed
Chair and CEO, Reed Chair, Big Give Trustee, The Reed Foundation
Jamie Ritblat
Founder and Executive Chairman, Delancey Trustee, Heritage of London Trust Trustee, The Ritblat Family Foundation Trustee, Blenheim Palace
Joanna Barnett
Chair, Fields in Trust Joe Garner Chair, Tennis First
John Booth
Chair, The National Gallery Vice- President, The King’s Trust
John Caudwell
Founder, Caudwell Children and Caudwell Youth
John Hartz
Co-Founder, Inflexion Private Equity Trustee, Inflexion Foundation Founder, Hartz Family Foundation
Jonathan Straight
Chair, WasteAid
Judy Dewinter
Chair, Royal Free Charity President, Myeloma UK
Justin Byam Shaw
Founder, The Felix Project Keith Black CEO and Chair, Regatta Chair, Regatta Foundation Trustee, Family Foundation Chair, Jewish Leadership Council
Keith Breslauer
Vice Patron, The Royal Marines Charity Chair, PTI, formerly The Prince’s Teaching Institute
Koolesh Shah
Founder, London Town Group
Lady Jill Shaw Ruddock
Founder and Chair, The Second Half Foundation
Laurence Geller
Chair, Loveday & Co Chancellor, University of West London Founder, Geller Commission on Dementia Care
Laurence Kirschel
Founder, Outernet London; Founder, Adot charity
Leo Noé
Founding Trustee, Rachel Charitable Trust Chair, Centre for Social Justice Foundation Trustee, Project Seed
Lord Gadhia (Non-affiliated)
Chair, British Asian Trust
Lord Lupton (Non-affiliated)
Chair, The Ashmolean Museum Founder Chair, The Lovington Foundation
Lord Kestenbaum (Lab)
Chancellor, University of Plymouth Trustee, Teach First Chair, Chief Rabbinate Charitable Trust
Lord Davies of Abersoch (Non-affiliated)
Chair, Letter One Chair, Glyndebourne Opera House
Lord Levy (Lab)
Life President, Jewish Care, Sense, Barnet and Southgate College, JFS School and JLGB Lord Wei (Con) Co-founder and Director, The Shaftesbury Partnership Co-founder, Teach First
Lord Fink (Con)
Lord Stuart Marks
Malik Karim
Founder and CEO, Fenchurch Advisory Partners
Mark Adlestone
Chair, Beaverbrooks Charitable Trust
Martin Port
Matthew Westerman
Chair, Clocktower Foundation
Meheen Rangoonwala
Global Programme Manager, Rangoonwala Foundation
Michael Samuel
Chair, Anna Freud Chair, Full Fact Chair, Somerset Community Foundation Chair, Family Foundations
Michelle Pinggera
Deputy Chair, The King’s Trust International
Mike Still
Mike Welch Founder, Blackcircles.com Founder, The Welch Trust Trustee, King’s Trust USA
Neil Blair
Founder and Chair, The Jigsaw Network
Nick Wheeler
Founder and Chair, Charles Tyrwhitt Shirt
Nicola Loftus
Senior Vice President, Jewish Care
Oliver Gregson
CEO, Wealth Management, Schroders plc
Oliver Pawle
Chair, Korn Ferry Board
Paul Drechsler
Trustee, The Felix Project
Peter Samuelson
Chair, First Star Scholars UK
Philip Marsden
Chair, MCC Foundation Chair, Marsden Family Trust Trustee, Royal Academy
Ric Lewis
Founder and Chair, The Black Heart Foundation
Richard Huntingford
Vice-President, The King’s Trust
Richard Oldfield
Chair, The Christopher and Henry Oldfield Trust
Richard Reed
Partner, JamJar
Richard Ross
Chair, Rosetrees
Rick Sopher
Roland Rudd
Chair, Tate Chair, Millfield School Trustee, Speakers for Schools Ambassador, Alzheimer’s Society Trustee, Royal Hospital Chelsea
Shabir Randeree
Randeree Charitable Foundation Chair, King’s Trust International
Shahzad Malik
General Partner, Advent Life Sciences Chair, MQ Shalni Arora Savannah Wisdom
Sherry Coutu
Chair, Founders4Schools
Shobi Khan
CEO, Canary Whary Group Trustee, British Library
Simon Collins
Chair, Global Leadership Board, University of Manchester
Simon Turner
Co-Founder, Inflexion Private Equity Trustee, Inflexion Foundation Chair, The Roundhouse
Sir Damon Buffini
Chair, National Theatre and Royal Anniversary Trust Co-Founder, Buffini Chao Foundation
Sir Douglas Flint
Chair, The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
Sir Jeremy Isaacs
Chair, The J Isaacs Charitable Trust Honorary Life Chair, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice
Sir John and Lady Sorrell
Co-Founders and Trustees, The Sorrell Foundation and The National Saturday Club
Sir Keith Mills
Patron, Sported
Sir Kenneth Olisa
Founder and Chair, Aleto Foundation Chair, BusinessLDN
Sir Lloyd Dorfman
Chair, Royal Opera House Deputy Chair, Community Security Trust
Sir Martin Sorrell
Executive Chair, Founder, S4 Capital Founder, WPP Chair, JMCMRJ Sorrell Foundation
Sir Mick Davis
Sir Nicholas Coleridge
Chair, Historic Royal Palaces Sir Paul Marshall Chair and CIO, Marshall Wace Founder, the Marshall Institute for Philanthropy and Social Entrepreneurship
Sir Ron Kalifa
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou
Founder and President, Stelios Philanthropic Foundation
Sir Victor Blank
Sonal Sachdev Patel
CEO, GMSP Foundation Philanthropist in Residence, LSE Stephen Brenninkmeijer Founder, Willows Investments
Stephen Grabiner
Founder and Chair, The Blue Thread Foundation Steve Morgan Founder and Chair of The Steve Morgan Foundation
Steve Rigby
Chair, The Rigby Foundation
Steven Kaye
Director, The Aimwell Charitable Trust
Steven Lewis
Founder, Lewis and Partners President, Jewish Care Stuart Gulliver Chair, Maggie’s Cancer Charity
Stuart Roden
Founder and Chair, Roden Family Foundation Co-Founder and Chair, Unlocking Potential Chair, the Design Museum
Sunita Arora
Founder, Arora Charitable Foundation
Surinder Arora
Founder and Chair, The Arora Group
Tania Slowe and Paddy Walker
Chair, J Leon Philanthropy Council
Hon Charles Wigoder
Founder and Chair, The Wigoder Family Foundation
William Sieghart
Chair, Henry Smith Foundation
Yan Huo
Founder, Huo Family Foundation