Charities news and updates
Welcome to the Charities news and updates page where we keep you updated on current issues affecting charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs.
This news is also available as an RSS newsfeed. If you subscribe, you'll be able to view the updates directly through your newsfeed without having to come to this page.
Subscribe
to the Charities RSS
9 June
Research
by universities and higher educational establishments(Opens new window)
The Charity Commission has published new guidance on university research which explains how the requirements of charity law apply to research carried out by Universities and other Higher Education Institutions - particularly research conducted in partnership with non-charitable organisations.
15 May
Revised time limits for making repayment
claims
From 1 April 2010 the general time limits for making repayment claims
will be 4 years and those limits will equally apply to charities.
13 May
HMRC launch updated Gift Aid
toolkit CD ROM
HMRC has produced a March 2009 update of the Gift Aid Toolkit for charities.
To obtain a copy - telephone 08453 02 02 03 and select Option 6.
2 April
Statutory References relating to Charities,
CASCs and Donors
The list of tax legislation relating to Charities, CASCs, Gift Aid, Payroll
Giving and other gifts to charities has been revised and updated.
1 April 2009
Gift Aid Declaration Form (A4 size) (PDF 89K)
The requirement that donors must pay sufficient amounts of Income Tax
and/or Capital Gains Tax has been amended.
Gift Aid Declaration Form (A5 size) (PDF 117K)
The requirement that donors must pay sufficient amounts of Income Tax
and/or Capital Gains Tax has been amended.
3 March
List of registered CASCs at 2 March 2009
(PDF 1.53MB)
Updated list of CASCs registered with HM Revenue & Customs.
23 January
List of registered CASC's at 22 January 2009
Updated list of CASC's registered with HM Revenue & Customs at 22 January
2009.
2 January
Consultation
on substantial donor rules - publication of summary of responses
A summary of the responses receieved during this consultation has now
been published.
16 December
Charities & CASCs telephone helpline
The opening times of our helpline over the Christmas & New Year holiday
period have been announced today.
22 October
HMRC launch Gift Aid toolkit CD_ROM
HMRC Charities has produced a 'Gift Aid Toolkit' on CD-ROM to help charities
& Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) to run an effective Gift
Aid scheme. The toolkit includes guides to help you make correct repayment
claims.
16 October
List of approved Payroll
Giving agencies
We have updated the details of the HMRC approved Payroll Giving agencies.
6 October
New
Gift Aid declaration forms for Charities & CASCs
The model Gift Aid declaration forms for Charities and CASCs have been
updated to reflect the change in the basic rate of tax from 6 April 2008.
13 August
Professional Fundraising
Organisations
Updated details of Professional Fundraising Organisations that Charities
can employ to promote their cause and recruit donors.
Gift Aid Transitional Relief
Outstanding Gift Aid top up payments will be paid shortly, following the
grant of Royal Assent to the Finance Bill and the Appropriation Bill.
7 August
Gift Aid Transitional Relief
Outstanding Gift Aid top up payments will be paid shortly, following the
grant of Royal Assent to the Finance Bill and the Appropriation Bill.
15 July
Consultation
on substantial donor rules
HMRC has launched a consultation today on the rules governing substantial
donations to charity.
2 July
Scam emails
We are aware of a scam that involves an email with a fake HMRC heading.
6 April
Budget 2008 anouncements
The Chancellor's announcements regarding charities.
22 February
The Office of the Scottish Charity
Regulator and HM Revenue & Customs joint statement (PDF 36K)
OSCR and HMRC have clarified the requirement for 'definition clauses'.
16 October
Registered Social Landlords (RSL) forms
The draft forms, published on 8 October have now been replaced by the finalised versions. These forms are accessible from the charities forms page
8 October
Registered Social Landlords (RSL)
HMRC Charities has introduced a new form, for completion by charitable
RSLs who want an opinion about whether certain transactions will be subject
to Corporation tax.
1 August
Claiming Gift Aid when
goods are sold by, and the proceeds gifted to, charities
Guidance for charities considering selling goods on behalf of donors in
the hope of proceeds being donated under Gift Aid has been updated and
expanded.
20 June
HM
Treasury's consultation on Gift Aid
At Budget 2007 the Chancellor announced a consultation to identify measures
to drive up charitable giving through Gift Aid.
6 June
Charities and bond-washing
An update is now available on the discussions that HMRC Charities has
been having with charities about bond-washing.
2 May
Non-charitable expenditure
The detailed guidance notes for charities about charitable expenditure
have been completely revised, updated and re-titled to reflect the provisions
introduced by FA06 concerning the treatment of non-charitable expenditure
and transactions with substantial donors.
2 April
Gift Aid on donations
that attract a right of admission to view charity property
The detailed guidance notes on Gift Aid have been revised and expanded
to assist charities to correctly apply relaxed benefit rules when accepting
donations for admissions to view charity property.
2 March
Trading and business activities
The old helpsheet IR2001 Trading by charities has been withdrawn. Charities
are instead directed to the customer guide on trading and business activities.
This customer guide links to the detailed guidance note on the same topic
where necessary.
Qualifying investments
and loans
The detailed guidance for notes charities about qualifying investments
and loans have been updated to include guidance about schedule 20 claims
and tax return entries.
Gift Aid for Companies
The detailed guidance notes for companies about gift Aid donations have
recently been updated.
28 February
Charities and 'Bond Washing'
HMRC has recently approached some charities about their potential liabilities
under the bond washing legislation. We are aware that these approaches
have caused some concern amongst charities and their representative bodies.
12 February
Scam e-mails
We are aware of a scam that involves an e-mail with a fake HMRC heading.
Time limits for making repayment
claims
If you want to make a repayment claim, for Gift Aid or any other taxed
income, you must make sure that your claim is made within specified time
limits. This is very important, because if you don't make your claims
in time your repayment will be lost.
