Gift Aid is one of the simplest and most effective ways of giving to charity and allows Imdadul Muslimeen to claim almost a third more on top of your donation if you are a UK taxpayer. For every pound you give, we will receive an extra 28 pence from the Inland Revenue. For higher rate taxpayers there is an added advantage in that you can reclaim the marginal rate of tax for yourself by entering details of your Gift Aid donations on your Self Assessment form.
Gift Aid is applicable to cash donations of any amount. The scheme is not for use with sponsorships, gifts of assets or gifts in kind.
The gift aid scheme is open to all UK based individuals who pay an amount of income tax and/or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax that the charity reclaims on the donation (currently 28p for each £1 given for basic rate tax payers). These individuals must be:
Basic rate taxpayers, which includes people with dividend income or bank interest from which tax has been deducted at source. These people are eligible to use the gift aid scheme providing that their gift aid giving does not exceed the availability of taxed income. | |
Higher rate tax payers are eligible to use gift aid. They will also be able to claim higher rate tax relief which will reduce the cost of the donation to them by 20%. |
Individuals who do not pay tax in the UK are not eligible to use the gift aid scheme. If an individual accidentally signs a gift aid declaration, which is required if the tax is to be reclaimed by Imdadul Muslimeen, they may find themselves liable to pay the Inland Revenue the tax that Imdadul Muslimeen has been able to reclaim. The best methods of giving for non-taxpayers are cash/cheque donations or regular support by standing order.
Individuals who pay tax at less than the basic rate i.e. individuals paying tax at the starting rate of 10% are also ineligible for the scheme. They may, in theory, find themselves liable to make up the difference between the lower rate of tax they have actually paid and the basic rate that Imdadul Muslimeen has reclaimed. In practice this amount is likely to be too small to be reclaimed.
To enable Imdadul Muslimeen to claim back Gift Aid on your donation all you have to do is make a simple Gift Aid Declaration. This can be made verbally over the telephone or by completing the Gift Aid form. Please also sign and date the form.
The form can be downloaded or printed by clicking on the following links:
Model of Gift Aid Form recommended by the Charity Commission
By doing so you are stating that you wish Imdadul Muslimeen to treat your donation as a gift aid donation and that you pay an amount of income tax or capital gains tax equal to the tax deducted from your donation.
You need only do this once. Having made us aware that you would like to gift aid your donations, all donations made for an indefinite period will be treated as a gift aid donation unless your circumstances change and you are no longer eligible to use gift aid. You may, if you wish, cancel your declaration at any time.
For more information on Gift Aid, please visit these links:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/chapter_3.htm
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/claim_tax_back.htm