- NCVO, the Institute of Fundraising and the Charity Finance Group have responded to a HMRC consultation on the Gift Aid Small Donation Scheme, saying that it has not lived up to expectations. The scheme has raised £27m against projections of £135m and the three organisations have argued that the scheme needs to be “clearer, simpler and broader”.
- The proposed new system to register charities jointly with the Charity Commission and HMRC has been delayed. It is now likely to be in force from April 2017.
- New gift aid declaration forms were published by HMRC late last year. These forms needed to be in place by 6 April 2016, however HMRC is allowing charities to use up stocks of the old paper forms if they were ordered and printed before 21 October 2015. The revised wording mentions that if the donor has paid insufficient income tax to cover the gift aid reclaimed by the charity, then the donor should make good this tax personally.
- From 6 April 2016 the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) limit increased from £5,000 to £8,000, the maximum top up gift aid claimable will increase from £1,250 to £2,000 as a result. HMRC has detailed guidance on the GASDS on its website.