Giving tax effectively to the Tsunami appeals

Did you know that by taking some simple steps when giving money to charity you could make your donation go much further?

Use Gift Aid for individuals

If you're a UK taxpayer give the charity a simple Gift Aid declaration. This will enable the charity to reclaim an amount equivalent to the basic rate tax paid on the amount donated. This means that for every £1 you give to charity, the charity will be able to claim an additional 28p from the Inland Revenue. If the charity to which you are giving does not mention Gift Aid, ask.

Donate through your Payroll

If your employer operates a payroll giving scheme, you can give a regular amount to help the appeal and get tax relief for doing so. Giving £10 via this method will cost a basic rate taxpayer £7.80 and for a higher rate taxpayer it will cost only £6 meaning that you can give more money to charity. Many employers' schemes can accept one-off donations too.

Companies can give too

If you are a company then you can deduct any money you give to charity directly from you taxable profits. There is no need to complete a Gift Aid declaration as all of the tax relief is given to the company.

The Inland Revenue produce a series of leaflets giving more details on these and other ways to give to charity.

Make your donation count more - give tax effectively.