Don’t forget if you are a UK tax payer you could add 25% to the value of your donation by filling out a GiftAid form online. Alternatively, you can download a printable Gift Aid declaration form or find out more about Gift Aid here.
Not just for employees
You don’t necessarily have to be working to be paying tax. Apart from tax on income from a job or self-employment, the tax you’ve paid could include:
- tax deducted at source from savings interest
- tax on State Pension and/or other pensions
- tax on investment or rental income (including tax credits on UK dividends)
- Capital Gains Tax on gains
Other taxes such as VAT and Council tax do not qualify, and nor does any non-UK tax.
If you pay higher rate tax…
If you pay tax at the “higher” or “additional” rate, you can claim relief through your own tax return, equal to the difference between this rate and the basic rate on the total value of the donation – a total of 20% and/or 25%.
So if you give £1 and are liable at the 40% tax rate, you could claim relief of 25 pence (20 per cent of the total gift, including Gift Aid, of £1.25).
Find out more from HMRC or from your professional adviser. We provide this information to help, but it does not count as official financial advice.
