Gift Aid

Gift Aid is a Government scheme that allows charities to reclaim the tax that you have paid on contributions to the Church. 

If you are a taxpayer and give £10 to a charity you will have paid tax on that amount. Under the Gift Aid scheme, the parish can claim from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) the amount of tax paid on your donations. This means that for every pound you donate, the parish can recieve an extra 25p is paid to the parish at no extra cost to donors.

In just one year, donating £5 each week would give the parish £65 from HMRC..

How do I sign up for Gift Aid?

All you have to do is fill in a Gift Aid form that requires you to:

Give your name, address and date of birth
Sign the declaration saying you pay tax and that you pay more tax than the amount we will reclaim.

You can Gift Aid all donations to the Church providing the amount of tax you have paid (from wage, salary, pension or investments) is more than the amount claimed.

How does Gift Aid work?

Once you have signed the Gift Aid form, the parish will keep a record of how much you have given.

There are a number of ways in which you can make contributions which are suitable for Gift Aid:

Direct debit
Standing Order
Cheque
Numbered envelope

Money placed in the basket cannot be included for Gift Aid because there is no way of recording the amount you give.

What happens if I change my mind or stop paying tax or move house? 

You can increase the amount that you give or you can stop giving through gift aid at any time without informing us, however you must tell us if you stop paying tax or if you change your address.

Can both husband and wife make a donation with Gift Aid?

Yes.  If you both pay tax, you should both sign a Gift Aid form and make sure the parish knows who is giving what.  For example you may both want to have your own set of numbered envelopes or you can tell us how you want the donation split, if for example you pay by cheque or have a joint bank account.

What happens to higher rate taxpayers?

If you pay the higher rate of tax, you can also get back some of the tax that you have paid for yourself when you complete your tax return.   What this means if that if, for example, you give  £1000 in a year and Gift Aid it, the parish not only gets an extra £250, but you get back £250 as well,  so it costs you only £750 to give  £1250.

Is Gift Aid confidential?

The amount you give will always be completely confidential. You do not have to tell anyone how much you earn or any other personal details. We use numbered envelopes to help protect your anonymity - the amount in each envelope is recorded alongside its number and then our Gift Aid Administrator records details of your donations securely. Gift Aid is completely confidential - nobody other than yourself and our Gift Aid Administrator hold any information. We only hold information as required by the law.

Mgr McCaffrey or Deacon Charles Hendry can provide you with a Gift Aid form as well as a bank form for direct debit or a set of numbered envelopes.

Email the parish website or telephone 01382 826870 or speak to Mgr McCaffrey for further information.

Why should I bother to sign up for Gift Aid?

If you pay tax at all, you can increase your giving without any cost to yourself.  Each year the parish  receives approximately £8000 from the taxman.