Churches can claim tax back from donations made by UK taxpayers and thereby increase their income, but only with permission from the taxpayer.

As a Diocese there is more we can we do to maximise our Gift Aid receipts.

• To claim Gift Aid an individual must be a UK taxpayer and have paid sufficient tax to cover the claim. The tax may have been paid at the basic rate or lower rates or it may have been paid in the form of Capital Gains Tax. Other taxes such as Council Tax and VAT do not qualify.
• Donations left to a charity in a Will cannot be Gift Aided. However any interest (with tax deducted) which may accrue to the Estate before the donation is paid can be claimed back.
• Volunteer's expenses can be paid and then given back as Gift Aid, provided they are treated as two separate transactions and not simply a double entry bookkeeping exercise.
• For audit purposes the Gift Aid declaration must be kept for 6 years and must contain the name of the charity and donor, the donor's address, description of payment, a declaration that payments are Gift Aided. There should also be a note explaining that the individual must have paid sufficient UK income or capital gains tax to cover the claim.
• For regular givers with Gift Aid declarations on file, churches need only keep a 1 month sample of Gift Aid envelopes for each tax year.