About Gift Aid
Gift Aid is a government initiative that allows donations given to charity to be tax-effective. As soon as you give your permission, by completing our Gift Aid declaration form, we can claim the tax back on your donation.
You qualify for Gift Aid if you meet the following criteria:
- You are a UK taxpayer
- You pay enough tax*
*You pay Income Tax and/or Capital Gains tax at a rate at least equal to the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all all your donations in that tax year, otherwise it is your responsibility to pay the difference.
Sign up to Gift Aid today
Do I qualify for Gift Aid?
You qualify for Gift Aid if you meet the following criteria:
- You are a UK taxpayer
- You pay enough tax
I pay Income Tax and/or Capital Gains tax at a rate at least equal to the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year, otherwise it is my responsibility to pay the difference.
Does my donation qualify for Gift Aid?
Gift Aid can be claimed on both individual and sponsorship donations provided they are gifts.
Certain donations are not eligible for Gift Aid. If your donations fall into any of the following categories, Gift Aid should not be claimed:
- You have been charged an entry fee (eg, an event)
- You have made a purchase (so you got something in exchange for the money you gave)
- You have entered a competition such as a raffle or sweepstake
- Your donation is on behalf of someone else or a group of people, such as paying in sponsorship money.
Higher-rate tax payers
If you pay tax at a rate of 40% or above, you can claim the difference between the higher and basic rate on the total value of your donation. If you want to receive the additional tax relief you must:
- Include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self-Assessment Tax Return
- Ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code
Do I have to declare my status every time?
No - your declaration covers donations made in the past four years and any future donations. You do need to let us know if your circumstances change though, such as if you've changed your name, moved house, or your tax circumstances have changed and you no longer qualify. You can call our SupporterLine on 020 4526 8051 and we'll update you in a flash.