Your donation could be worth almost 28% more – at no extra cost to you.
If you are a UK taxpayer, Gift Aid lets Christian Aid reclaim tax on donations you have made to us.
Taxpayers in the Republic of Ireland can ask for your donations to be made tax-efficient – click here for more information if you are an Irish taxpayer.
Gift Aid
The UK government's Gift Aid scheme means that, for every £10 you give, we can claim an extra £2.82, making your gifts worth more to the communities Christian Aid supports.
You can choose to giftaid your donations when you give online. And if you have a login for the Christian Aid website, you can opt for Christian Aid to giftaid all your donations by checking the box in the Your support section – to log in, click here.
Alternatively, you can download and print out a Gift Aid form and return it to us. We’ll take care of the rest.
Download Gift Aid form (41 kb PDF)
Gift Aid FAQs
How do I know if I can giftaid my donation?
You are a UK taxpayer if:
tax is taken from your wages at source (ie PAYE)
you fill out a self-assessment form
you have any taxable savings (in a building society, for instance), or a pension plan, or investment income
you have paid capital gains tax, or expect to pay it in the near future.
If any of these apply, you can apply for Gift Aid on your donations. If you live in the Republic of Ireland, click here.
How do I know if I pay enough tax to qualify?
As long as you pay enough tax in the year to match the tax that Christian Aid claims back, your donation will qualify. For example, if you donate £100 in the current tax year, Christian Aid could claim back £28.00.
What if I pay the higher rate of income tax?
If you are taxed at the higher rate of 40%, Christian Aid can still only reclaim tax at the basic rate of 20%. The benefit to Christian Aid works out at 28p for every £1 you give – you can ask for a refund of the remainder on your tax return. This would be worth £28 on a £100 donation. Find out more the Chancellor's transitional tax relief
I pay capital gains tax. Can I still gift aid my donations?
Yes. The Gift Aid rules for capital gains tax, which are applied to profits from sales of investments, are the same as they are for income tax.
What if I no longer want Christian Aid to claim back the tax on my donations?
Just let Christian Aid know and we will make sure that tax is only reclaimed on gifts up to the date you contact us. Call +44 (0) 20 7523 2225 or email info@christian-aid.org.
What if I move house?
Please let Christian Aid know if you move house or any of your details change. This will help us keep records up to date. Call +44 (0) 20 7523 2225 or email info@christian-aid.org.
What if the amount of tax I pay changes?
As long as the total amount of tax you pay each year is more than or equal to the tax that Christian Aid and other charities reclaim, your gift will still qualify for Gift Aid. If you stop paying tax, please let Christian Aid know and we will cease reclaiming tax on your donations from the day you contact us. If your tax status varies from year to year, Christian Aid can hold separate Gift Aid declarations for each period when you are a taxpayer, and these will enable us to reclaim the tax on eligible donations you have made during those periods. Call +44 (0) 20 7523 2225 or email info@christian-aid.org.
Can Gift Aid be claimed retrospectively?
Christian Aid can claim Gift Aid retrospectively for up to six years. This means that if you make a declaration today, we can reclaim tax on the eligible donations you have made in the past six years, so long as you have paid enough tax to cover the amount we are reclaiming. If you have any questions about this, please call +44 (0) 20 7523 2225 or email info@christian-aid.org.
Can I get gift aid if I give shares to Christian Aid?
Yes! If you are a tax payer you can claim gift aid for the full value of the shares you donate. This can be very tax efficient – especially as capital gains tax is waived when you give shares to a charity. This can be a complex area, so do take advice or contact us to find out more: info@christian-aid.org
How does the Chancellor’s transitional relief for Gift Aid change things?
The Chancellor has agreed to offset the reduced amounts of Gift Aid that charities can claim by granting ‘transitional relief’ for the 3 years from April 2008. This does not affect donors or their tax calculations at all – but it does mean that Christian Aid will be able to claim an extra £30 on every £1,000 that is gift aided – putting us just where we were before the reduction in tax rates.