Boost your donation with Gift Aid
Gift Aid is a simple way to make your support for St Luke’s go further. By opting into Gift Aid, we can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you donate or raise through donated items, at no extra cost to you. Sign up online or visit our shops.
What is Gift Aid?
Gift Aid is a government scheme that allows St Luke’s to claim 25p in every £1 of eligible donations that you have made in the last four financial years, at no extra cost to you.*
You qualify for Gift Aid if:
You pay any tax on your income, including your salary, your pension, and interest on savings, rental income or dividends from company shares OR on Capital Gains Tax.
You’ve donated to St Luke’s in the last four years by cheque, credit/debit card, direct debit, standing order, postal order or in cash.
Your donation doesn’t exceed the amount of tax you’ve paid in the last 12 months.
If all three statements above apply to you, then you can tick the ‘YES’ box on our Gift Aid declaration. If you’re not eligible for Gift Aid, then please also let us know by ticking the ‘NO’ box so that we can update our records and know not to ask you again. If your circumstances do change in the future, please contact us.
You can say YES to Gift Aid if:
You’re donating your own money.
You have paid UK Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax during the tax year.
The amount of tax you’ve paid is at least equal to the Gift Aid we will claim on your donations.
You should say NO to Gift Aid if:
You’re receiving something in return for your donation, such as raffle tickets, event entry, or physical items.
You’re donating on behalf of someone else or a group, for example, a funeral collection where money has come from multiple people.
You’re donating on behalf of another charity or organisation.
The total Gift Aid claimed on your donations would be more than four times the tax you’ve paid that year.
Example: If you paid £100 in tax, you could donate up to £400 and choose Gift Aid. St Luke’s could then claim an extra £100 from the government, meaning your £400 donation becomes £500 at no extra cost to you.
Myth: Gift Aid costs me money.
Truth: Gift Aid is paid by the government. As long as you’ve paid enough UK tax to cover the amount claimed, it won’t cost you anything extra.
Myth: Gift Aid doesn’t make much difference.
Truth: Gift Aid adds 25p for every £1 donated, helping St Luke’s raise more funds to support our work at no extra cost to you. Over the last 4 years, it has raised nearly £500k in additional income.
Myth: Gift Aid is complicated or takes a lot of effort.
Truth: It’s as simple as ticking a box, whether you donate online, in person or by post.
Myth: Gift Aid only applies to monetary donations.
Truth: You can also sign up for Gift Aid in person when you donate items to a St Luke’s charity shop. We can then claim Gift Aid on the amount your goods sell for.
Opt into Gift Aid now and make your support for St Luke’s go further.
Other things to know about Gift Aid
If you pay higher-rate tax, you may be able to claim additional tax relief. This is the difference between the basic rate of tax we claim and the higher rate you pay. You can do this through your Self-Assessment tax return or by asking HMRC to adjust your tax code.
Example: You donate £100 to St Luke’s. We claim Gift Aid, making your donation worth £125. If you pay 40% tax, you can personally claim back £25 (£125 x 20%).
Please notify us if you:
Want to cancel your Gift Aid declaration
Change your name or home address
No longer pay enough tax to cover the Gift Aid we claim
You can read more about how we manage your personal information in our privacy policy.
Please note: To claim Gift Aid, St Luke’s will share your details with HMRC. We reserve the right to terminate your Gift Aid agreement at any time.
Sign up to Gift Aid online today
It’s quick and easy, and you only need to do it once. Simply fill out the form below, or download a copy to return to us.
If you wish to donate your pre-loved items to our retail chain, please sign up for Retail Gift Aid in one of our shops.
FAQs about charity Gift Aid
Gift Aid is a UK government scheme that helps charities like St Luke’s get more from donations. If you’re a UK taxpayer, it allows us to claim back some of the tax you’ve already paid. This means we can receive an extra 25p for every £1 donated or raised through the sale of donated items, at no extra cost to you!
Once you complete a Gift Aid form, you permit us to claim Gift Aid on your eligible donations. We keep a record of your donations and submit a claim to HM Revenue and Customs to reclaim the tax on your behalf. As long as you’re a UK taxpayer and have paid enough Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax to cover the claim, we can add Gift Aid to your donations automatically.
No. Gift Aid doesn’t cost you anything, as long as you pay enough Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax to cover the amount we claim. If you don’t pay enough tax, you may need to pay the difference to HMRC. If your circumstances change, you can update or cancel your Gift Aid declaration at any time.
Monetary Gift Aid applies to money donations, such as donations made online, in person or by direct debit. If you’re eligible, St Luke’s can claim 25p for every £1 donated from the government. You can sign up for this type of Gift Aid online today.
Retail Gift Aid applies to items donated to our charity shops. To take part, you’ll need to sign up in person in one of our shops, allowing St Luke’s to act as your agent when selling your donated goods.
When your items sell, we’ll contact you to let you know how much they raised. You can then choose to donate the proceeds to St Luke’s so we can claim Gift Aid, or keep the money. If you wish to keep the proceeds, you must let us know within 21 days of our notification.
Aside from this process, the same Gift Aid rules apply. You must be a UK taxpayer, have paid enough Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax to cover the claim, and provide your address so we can submit the claim to HM Revenue and Customs.