A coalition of voluntary organisations has released new resources to help charities claim Gift Aid, amid warnings that the sector is being forced to do “much more with even less”.
The coalition, led by the Charity Finance Group, is also repeating its call for a temporary increase in Gift Aid, which it says could raise an additional £450m for charities.
The resources, made available to mark Gift Aid Awareness day, include a webinar for charities jointly hosted by experts from HMRC and the accountancy firm Buzzacott.
Buzzacott is also running a one-off telephone advice line on Gift Aid for members of the Association of Independent Museums.
Charities can download posters and social media material from CFG’s website to promote claiming the tax relief on donations. A new guide to Gift Aid has been published for CFG members, which offers a myth-busting guide to the tax relief as well as tips on maximising Gift Aid in fundraising and avoiding "common pitfalls" in its administration.
Charities participating in the campaign online today have included Cancer Research UK, RNLI and Bletchley Park.
Gift Aid is worth £1.3bn every year to charities, but £560m is still unclaimed.
Temporary Gift Aid increase
CFG is also renewing its Gift Aid Emergency Relief campaign, which was launched in June this year in response to the financial impact of the pandemic.
It calls on the government to temporarily increase Gift Aid, so that the value of donations reclaimable by charities rises from 20% to 25%. This would mean that a £100 donation, currently worth £125 if the charity claims Gift Aid, would be worth £133.
Campaigners are also calling for the Small Donations Scheme for smaller charities to be extended to more organisations.
'We must do all we can'
Caron Bradshaw, the chief executive of CFG, said: “CFG’s third Gift Aid Awareness Day is set against a backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and significantly reduced income for the sector.
“It is more important than ever that we raise awareness of Gift Aid and encourage donors to tick the box.
“Civil society is now under enormous pressure to do much more with even less. We must do all we can to maximise this important tax relief and urge government to temporarily increase the level of Gift Aid.
“This would go a long way towards ensuring our never more needed sector can continue to meet the needs of the millions of people who use our critical services and expertise.”
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