The importance of Gift Aid

What is Gift Aid?

Gift Aid provides a great opportunity for for the Trust to increase the value of your membership and/or donations. Provided you are a UK taxpayer, we can reclaim from the Inland Revenue the basic rate tax paid on your membership or donations, boosting your donation by 25%. So a donation of £60 is worth £75 to the Trust.

All you need to make is a simple declaration when you make your payment. A declaration can cover one or more donations or membership subscriptions to the Trust, and it can be made online, in writing, by e-mail or by calling us on 01425 651024. It can also be backdated to cover all donations since 6 April 2003.

What do I have to do?

When you join or donate, you will be asked to sign a gift aid declaration if you are a UK taxpayer. Please note that tax can only be reclaimed on donations made by individuals who pay UK income or capital gains tax at least equal to the amount reclaimed on their donations in the current tax year.

Benefits to higher-rate taxpayers

If you pay tax at the higher rate, you can reclaim tax relief on your gross donation at 20% (e.g. the difference between the higher rate of tax at 40% and the basic rate at 20%).

For example, if you give £100, the Trust can reclaim £25 and you can reclaim another £25. As a result, a £100 gift is worth £125 to the Trust and only costs you £75.

What if I am not a UK taxpayer?

The Gift Aid scheme is unique to the UK. If you are not a UK taxpayer, you can still make a donation but your donation will not attract the 25% tax bonus.

Can I Gift-Aid?

Gift Aid can only be claimed on gifts of money received from individuals, sole traders or partnerships.

Existing Members and Donors

If you are already a member or donor of the Trust you can sign a gift-aid using one of the methods detailed above or by logging into your My Site and completing a declaration using the button below.

Changes to Gift Aid in 2010

From April 2010 charities will only be able to backdate claims four years, so from April 2010 we only be able to claim back to 6 April 2006. If you would like gift aid your membership and donations please do it now so we can backdate to 2003!