What is gift aid?

If you are a UK taxpayer and have paid enough tax in the tax year to cover the amount of gift aid claimed on all of your donations, then you can provide a gift aid declaration. You can find more information from HMRC at: www.gov.uk/donating-to-charity/gift-aid 

We require: 

• Your full name (first name and surname)
• Your address and postcode 
• A ticked gift aid declaration 
• Date of declaration

If you are a UK taxpayer, have provided a gift aid declaration to us, and have made a donation of your own money, then it is eligible for gift aid. 

Under UK law, certain donations are not eligible for Gift Aid. 

If your donation falls into any of the following categories, Gift Aid shouldn’t be claimed:

• Donations made by anyone who is not a UK taxpayer.
• Donations made on behalf of someone else or a group of people – for example, you collect money from your friends and family and then made a bulk donation. Even if they are UK taxpayers, the donation is not eligible. HMRC needs a Gift Aid declaration from each of the donors contributing to the collection. 
• Donations made in return for something. For example, you are making a donation in return for a ticket to attend an event, most purchases of goods at an auction, a cake sale donation, or buying a raffle ticket. 
• Donations made on behalf of a company (however, the company can claim tax relief on the donation when donating directly to the charity).

You may still be paying tax on a private pension plan or a savings account, or capital gains tax if you sell either some property or shares. You are still eligible if you have paid enough tax during the year to cover the amount we are reclaiming on your donations.

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.

No. You just need fill out a Gift Aid declaration and date it – then it will cover donations you have already made to Save the Children in the past four years and any donations you make in the future. 

If you do not want the declaration to be applied to previous donations, then please contact our Supporter Care team and provide your gift aid declaration to them.

If you’re a higher rate taxpayer, we’re still only able to claim the basic rate of tax on your donation. However, you can claim tax relief on the difference between the 20% we claim and the tax you pay.

Please contact our Supporter Care team if you: 

• Want to cancel this declaration 
• No longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains 
• Change your name or home address 

It is your responsibility to tell us if you are no longer a UK taxpayer and are therefore no longer eligible for gift aid. 

We will cancel your declaration from the date you inform us of this.

Yes. You can ask to fill in a Gift Aid declaration form in any of our shops for your in store donations. Please read our Retail Gift Aid terms and conditions for more information.

If you have any further questions about Gift Aid – or if your circumstances change – please call our friendly Supporter Care team on 020 7012 6400, or email us at [email protected].