Gift Aid, donations and gifts
1. Am I eligible for Gift Aid?
To be eligible you have to be a UK taxpayer, paying tax on your salary, savings, investments, pensions or capital gains. All of these qualify as long as the total tax you pay is at least equal to the amount we can reclaim on your donations.
If you pay less income tax and/or capital gains tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all your donations in that tax year, it is your responsibility to pay any difference.
2. How much more will my donation be worth?
For every donation you give, we get an extra 25% from the government. If you give £4, we can get an additional £1. A £20 gift will be worth £25, with the extra £5 coming from the government. It also counts for donations you’ve made up to four years ago.
3. Are there any hidden charges?
Gift Aid is taken from tax you’ve already paid, so there’s no charge to you. It doesn’t affect your tax status either.
4. If I pay income tax at the higher or additional rate, am I eligible for additional tax relief?
If you pay income tax at the higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your self-assessment tax return or ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code.
5. How do I allow the Retail Trust to claim Gift Aid on my donation?
You will be required to complete a declaration form which gives the retail Trust the authority to reclaim tax from HM Revenue and Customs on your gift. By making the declaration, you are confirming that you understand this.
6. Do I have to make a declaration for every donation?
Once you’ve completed and returned your form, it will cover you for any future donations and any you have made up to four years ago. You should, however, let us know if your tax status or home address changes by emailing fundraising@retailtrust.org.uk
You are also required to notify us at fundraising@retailtrust.org.uk if you:
- Want to cancel this declaration
- Change your name or home address
- No longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains.
7. I am participating in an event and my sponsors would like to gift aid their donations.
Please email us at fundraising@retailtrust.org.uk with details of the challenge you are completing. We will let you know how you can allow us to claim Gift Aid on any funds raised, and we will also provide fundraising materials including sponsorship forms to support your event.
8. Can Gift Aid be claimed on collections?
You cannot Gift Aid a collection of money from other people under your own name. Each donor would need to complete a declaration for the collection to be eligible. The easiest way to do this would be to use our sponsorship form. However, if this is not appropriate please contact us at fundraising@retailtrust.org.uk and we will be able to send you individual forms to hand out.
If you are unsure of anything or have any further queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
