Brentwood Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustee Registered Charity Number 234092
The Gift Aid scheme replaced the former Covenant scheme on 6 April 2000. It is a simpler and more flexible scheme.
If you are a taxpayer, the Church can reclaim tax on all your donations - increasing the Church's income by almost a third again on top of what you give. It can cover all giving, whether regular or not, for the offertory, second or special collections, or single one-off donations. Your tax is repaid to charities at the basic rate equivalent but as long as you have paid enough tax, whatever the rate, then your giving is eligible.
Overall, for every £1 you give, the Church will get an extra 25p. So if you give £5 per week, that's and extra £65 a year for the Church at no extra cost.
You must pay an amount of income tax and/or capital gains tax equal to the amount of tax reclaimed by the Church on your donations. Details of the total of your donations and the tax reclaimed will be advised to you at the end of each tax year.
You make a "Gift Aid Declaration" to the Church - a link is included to the Gift Aid Declaration Form. Please print this and hand the completed form to Fr. Frank. The Church can then reclaim the tax you have paid. There has to be a record of what you give, so we ask you either to use envelopes for cash, give by cheque, or give by bankers order. The declaration will cover everything you give.
You can claim further tax relief on the difference between the basic and higher tax rates in your annual Self-Assessment tax return, or by writing to your tax office.
You may cancel your declaration at any time, for whatever reason. You simply notify your Parish Gift Aid Organiser in writing.
Please ask Fr Frank or the Gift Aid Organiser (Dee Davey) if you have any questions.
More information can be found at the Inland Revenue Gift Aid Page