Make every penny count!
You've probably heard of Gift Aid? The Gift Aid scheme simply means if you pay UK tax, even if it’s just on your pension or part-time job, whenever you make a donation to The Vegan Society, we can claim back some of the tax you’ve already paid. More importantly, it means you can ensure some of the tax you pay is helping to support our work – a cause you really believe in.
How does it work?
- For every £1 you give The Vegan Society, we can claim back 25p in tax.
- It doesn’t cost you anything – all you have to do is fill in a short, simple form giving us permission to reclaim this tax.
- It can apply to any gifts you have made to The Vegan Society in this tax year, the four years prior to this tax year and those you make in the future.
How do I sign up for Gift Aid?
Complete our short Gift Aid Declaration form and either post it back to us or email it (an actual signature is not required, only your name).
Gift Aid FAQs
What is Gift Aid?
Gift Aid is a government scheme that allows charities to reclaim the tax that you have already paid on your donations through income tax or capital gains tax. Most donations from individuals made in the last four years are eligible for the scheme, unless made using an alternative tax effective scheme such as Payroll Giving, or via the Charities Aid Foundation or a similar agency. Regular donations such as standing orders and direct debits can be included in Gift Aid claims made by charities.
Why do I need to make a declaration?
The declaration gives The Vegan Society authority to reclaim tax from Inland Revenue on your donation. By making the declaration, you are confirming you understand this.
How do I know if I am a UK taxpayer?
You are a UK income tax payer if:
- Tax is taken from your wages or pension before you receive them.
- You have to fill in a self-assessment form.
- You have any taxable savings (in a building society, for instance), or a pension plan, or investment income.
- You have recently paid any capital gains tax, or expect to pay it in the near future. This could be on the sale of a property or some shares, for example.
If any of these apply to you, please complete and submit your declaration today.
What if I was a taxpayer last year, but am not this year (or vice-versa)?
Please email or call our Finance team on 0121 523 1730, who will happily record details of this change.
How can The Vegan Society reclaim 25% when the basic rate of tax is currently 20%?
This is because the basic rate of tax is calculated on the gross amount of the donation. This means we can reclaim 20% of the amount you earned before tax was deducted, which works out to be 25% of the amount that we receive. To find out the exact amount of tax The Vegan Society can reclaim, multiply the amount of your donation by 20 and then divide it by 80. Alternatively, you can use an online Gift Aid calculator to find out.
What if I pay tax at a higher rate?
Charities can only claim back tax at the basic rate, but that is still worth 25% to us, so please complete and return the declaration anyway.
As a higher-rate taxpayer you have the right to reclaim tax on your donations. All you have to do is remember to include details of your charitable gifts on your self-assessment tax form to claim your additional personal tax relief of 20%. Furthermore, since April 2003, higher-rate taxpayers have been able to reclaim tax relief from donations paid to charity both during the previous tax year and during the current tax year, which means that the relief is paid that much more quickly.
If you would like a receipt for eligible donations that you have made, then please email or call our Finance team on 0121 523 1732.
An example of the calculation:
Mr Watson has made a donation of £100 and The Vegan Society reclaims the tax on his donation - £25. However, Mr Watson is a higher-rate taxpayer of 40%, so he is able to claim tax relief on this donation too. He is eligible to claim the difference between the higher rate of tax (40%) he has paid on his salary, and the basic rate of tax (20%) reclaimed by The Vegan Society (40% - 20% = 20%).
So a donation of £125 (gross, minus the top-up) will generate £25 tax relief (20% of £125).
To put it simply, the donation has cost Mr Watson £75, but The Vegan Society has received £125 towards its vital work.
What if I am a pensioner?
You may still be paying tax on a private pension plan or a savings account, or pay capital gains tax if you sell either a property or shares. You are still eligible if you have paid enough tax during the year to cover your donations (e.g. 25% of the value of your donations).
I am not a taxpayer but my partner is, and our donations are made jointly. Are our gifts still eligible?
Yes, your donations are still eligible for Gift Aid, but we need to keep your personal details separate for our records. Please email or call our Finance team on 0121 523 1732. They will either confirm these details with you or send you a form to complete.
What about money paid under my existing deed of covenant?
If you had a covenant in existence on 05 April 2000, you can continue to make the payments due under that deed of covenant until it expires without having to complete a Gift Aid declaration. But if you make additional donations or change the value of your donation, you must complete a declaration to cover those donations if you want us to be able to recover the tax on them.
Can I use Charities Aid Foundation vouchers to make Gift Aid donations?
The Vegan Society cannot reclaim tax on donations made through Charities Aid Foundation as the tax has already been reclaimed for you. However, we would be grateful if you could complete and return the declaration form anyway so that any donations you have not made from your Charities Aid Foundation account or might make directly to us can be tax-effective as well.
What if I have agreed to Gift Aid to another charity?
You can support as many UK charities as you like through Gift Aid. All you need to do is to return a declaration to each charity that you support and ensure that you are paying enough tax during the year to cover your total annual donations.
What’s the catch?
There’s no catch. It really is that easy. Just tick the declaration and return it to The Vegan Society to enable us to make your donation worth more without costing you a penny.
Do I have to make a declaration with every donation?
No. You just need to tick the box on the declaration once and it will cover donations you have already made to The Vegan Society in the last four years and donations you make in the future.
Can I withdraw a declaration on a particular donation?
If, for any reason, you decide that your donation should not be included in Gift Aid – for example, if you think that you will not be paying enough tax to cover the tax reclaimed by us – then simply email or call our Finance team on 0121 523 1732 and ask for the declaration to be withdrawn.
Can I stop giving?
Completing a Gift Aid declaration does not put you under any obligation to give again – it merely ensures that we can reclaim tax on the donations that you have already made and any you may make in the future, so that your gifts go further at no extra cost to you.
If you have any further questions about Gift Aid or think you might be eligible, please email or call our Finance team on 0121 523 1732
