Gift aid

Q: Do I have to be employed to be eligible to make a Gift Aid donation?

A: Not necessarily. To be eligible, the tax you pay can include some or all of the following:

  • Income Tax, whether it is deducted by your employer or if you fill in a self-assessment form
  • Tax on a savings account (in a Building Society, for example), or a private pension plan, or investment income
  • Any capital gains tax you have recently paid or expect to pay, for example, on the sale of a property or some shares

And the amount of these taxes you pay in any tax year must be at least equal to the amount we reclaim on your donations (currently 25p for every £1 you give)

Inheritance tax does not count as UK income tax.

Q: Do I have to indicate that I want you to claim Gift Aid every time I donate?

A: No. One Gift Aid Declaration is sufficient to cover all donations you have made to B.I.R.D. since 6th April 2000 and any future donations you make, if this is indicated on the declaration.

Q: What if I pay tax at the higher rate?

A: B.I.R.D. can only claim Gift Aid at 25p for each £1 you donate, regardless of the rate of tax you pay.

If you pay tax at the higher rate you can claim further tax relief on your Self Assessment tax return.

Q: Will you store personal information about me?

A: HMRC requires us to keep a record of your home address with postcode. No claim for Gift Aid is valid without this. We will not, however, share this information with anyone else.

Q: Can I cancel my Gift Aid declaration?

A: You can cancel you declaration at any time by notifying B.I.R.D. You must cancel your declaration if your circumstances change and you no longer pay tax on your income and capital gains equal to the tax that we reclaim. You should also notify B.I.R.D. if you change your name or address.

Q: Can you claim Gift Aid on donations made by companies?

A: No. Gift Aid only applies to private individuals. B.I.R.D. cannot claim tax relief on donations given by companies.

Q: What if I send my donations via CAF (the Charities Aid Foundation)?

A: If you make donations via CAF, tax will already have been reclaimed. No further Gift Aid can be claimed