Subscriptions PDF Print E-mail

The Scout Group has a number of financial commitments with relation to running the Scout Hut and Group such as rent, rates, insurance, heat, power, alarm, badges, equipment, as well as maintenance etc. Additionally a levy is required to be sent to Scout National Headquarters and District Headquarters for the actual running of the Scout Movement. Each member contributes towards these costs by means of subscriptions (Subs).

Subscription Fee and Due Date

Subs for each Scout in all sections will be £15 per month. Subs fall due on the first day of each month throughout the year, spreading costs monthly. Paid in advance. Each child has a separate subscription and the payment in OSM is set up separately for each child.

Paying Your Subscription

We use a web based system called Online Scout Manager (OSM) to run the group finances as efficiently as possible. The OSM MyScout parent portal automatically logs your subscriptions by Direct Debit via GoCardless a secure 3rd party payment provider. Your Scout Group is run entirely by volunteers. Your Scout Leaders would much prefer to spend as much time as possible in providing an exciting programme of meetings, camps and events rather than being tied up in administration. OSM is a system widely used throughout the UK not only by Scouts but also Guides and other youth organisations. Developed by active Scout Leaders, it greatly simplifies many of the administrative tasks required to run a Scout Group and has already been very successfully used by 5th Billericay in secure and GDPR compliant storage of membership and emergency contact details and in prompt delivery of earned badges.

OSM has the advantage that the process is automatic, has a clear audit trial and our treasurer can easily form accounts and importantly Gift Aid applications at the end of the financial year. Parents can easily see (via MyScout) all their past and pending payments and can easily cancel if that becomes necessary.

All Direct Debit payments are covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee which means you are entitled to a full and immediate refund If there are any errors in a payment. Payments are not actually handled by OSM but securely by GoCardless which is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland. Your bank details are held only by GoCardless and are never shared with OSM or the Scout Group or leaders. GoCardless uses very high grade encryption for all sensitive online communication.

Gift Aid

This is the government scheme by which charities such as Scouts can reclaim tax at the basic rate of 25% on subscriptions. This is at no extra cost to you!  As you can imagine this represents significant revenue that can be used within the Scout Group to support the delivery of Scouting to the Young People. Basically for every pound you give us, we get one pound twenty five to spend.

OSM automatically tracks Gift Aid eligible payments. When you setup to make your first Subs payment via OSM you will receive an invitation to complete a very simple online form to opt in/out of this Gift Aid scheme. Please support the group by completing the form.

Making payments via OSM

When joining you will receive an email asking you to set up a Direct Debit in MyScout. (Tip: check Spam folder if no MyScout email seems to have arrived). Click on the link and this will take you straight to your payment page in MyScout.

Alternatively, you can simply login to MyScout and click on the Payments tab at the top.

If you have forgotten your MyScout login details please email your section leader who will send you a new login invitation.

Canceling Payments

You will receive an email notification before any payments are taken from your bank account and can cancel payments by clicking on the link in this notification. You can also cancel by logging into MyScout and canceling from your payments page.

Moving Between Sections/Groups

When a scout moves up to the next section or moves from one Scout Group to another, any Direct Debits will automatically cancel and thus will need newly setting up in the new Group/Section. This is an aspect of OSM that we cannot change. You will receive the MyScout email to set up the new Direct Debit as described above.

If you feel you cannot afford to pay subscriptions

It is the policy of 5th Billericay Scout Group that no scout should be disadvantaged by financial restraints as far as possible. In genuine need we may be able to apply for a bursary. If you have difficulty please confidentially contact the leader of your section or Group Scout Leader.

Last Updated on Monday, 26 November 2018 08:19