Gift aid your donation
What is Gift Aid?
Gift Aid is one of the simplest and most effective ways of making your donations go further, as it allows Bright Hope to reclaim the basic rate tax you have already paid on your donations as a UK taxpayer.
It means that for every £1 you donate we can claim an extra 25p of tax, at no extra cost to you. All you need to do is to complete a Gift Aid form.
You just need to have paid enough tax to cover the Gift Aid donations you make in the tax year.
Gift Aid can cover all cash, cheque, postal order, Direct Debit, standing order and credit or debit card donations, large or small,
It will not be applied to donations received from tax efficient payment schemes. These include Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) payments or payroll gifts, as tax relief has already been claimed.
How to make a Gift Aid declaration
Please download the following form and either hand deliver or post to Bright Hope House, Talbot Lane, Swannington, LE67 8QT.
Alternatively, ring Jane on 07935 800 658 or email admin@brighthope-nwl.org.uk and a form can be popped in the post to you.
Frequently asked questions:
Do I qualify for Gift Aid?
To qualify for Gift Aid you need to:
- Be a UK taxpayer
- Have paid or expect to pay enough income or capital gains tax in the tax year your gift was received to cover all the Gift Aid donations you made to charity that year
- Make a Gift Aid declaration
- Ensure you paid enough tax to cover the donations you made in the previous four years if you are completing an enduring Gift Aid declaration (a declaration applied to future donations).
The basic rate of tax we claim is currently 20% on the gross value of your gift (that’s the same as 25% on the net).
You must remember to let us know if your tax status changes in the future, otherwise you could be liable for any shortfall.
Do I need to make a separate Gift Aid declaration to Bright Hope to cover each tax year?
No, you only need to make a declaration once. We’ll keep this declaration as your enduring permission to claim Gift Aid tax relief on all donations. It will cover the previous four years, the current year and any donations you might make to us in the future.
If you haven’t paid tax to cover your past donations or you stop paying tax in the future, please let us know as soon as possible, otherwise we’ll keep on claiming and this could result in us receiving tax relief we’re not entitled to, which could have implications for you.
What if I pay a higher rate of tax?
If you’re a higher rate taxpayer, we’re still only able to claim the basic rate of tax on your donation.
However, you can claim the difference between the 20% we claim and the tax you pay when you submit your annual tax return.
What if I stop paying tax? Can I withdraw the declaration?
You can cancel the declaration at any time by emailing your full name and address, including your postcode, to admin@brighthope-nwl.org.uk or by calling 07935 800658. Please do this as soon as possible
Is there any extra paperwork for me to complete?
No, but you may wish to keep a record of donations you make to charity in each tax year. This will help ensure that you continue to pay enough tax to cover the payments you make under Gift Aid.
Does my declaration cover all donations I’ve ever made to you?
We only have four years in which to claim the tax relief on your donations. If donations you’ve made go back further than four years, we’ll only apply the tax relief to donations within the allowed period.