Gift Aid at We The Curious
What is Gift Aid?
Gift Aid is a government scheme which is open to all charity supporters and visitors to places like We The Curious who pay UK Income and Capital Gains tax. For every pound you earn, you pay 25p in basic tax (20% basic rate of tax).
By signing up to Gift Aid, every time you donate, your charity can reclaim the tax you have paid based on the value of the donation you have made. So, a £10 donation from you enables charities to reclaim £2.50 from HMRC. Charities are very dependent on Gift Aid.
We The Curious is an educational charity and so donations and Gift Aid make a massive difference to us.
Your support will transform lives. Now more than ever, local young people need support to overcome the challenges and inequalities they face. By adding a donation amd Gift Aiding, you are funding vital programmes like our training and careers schemes.
Why am I being asked to Gift Aid the donation I have added to my entry fee?
The Government has a special scheme for organisations like We The Curious. If you chose to add a voluntary 10% donation to your ticket price and you are a UK tax payer, we are allowed to claim Gift Aid on the whole amount you have paid. For the average visit of £48 adding a 10% donation increases this to £52.80 and then, as long as you agree to Gift Aid, we can claim £13.20 from the Government.
Am I eligible to sign up for Gift Aid?
You're eligible if you're a UK tax payer living anywhere in the world. However, you must have paid enough tax to cover the amount that all the charities you support or visit would claim in Gift Aid in a tax year (6th April – 5th April the following year). Even if you're not employed, you're still eligible for Gift Aid if you pay tax on any of the following:
- a personal or occupational pension
- bank or building society savings accounts
- rental income
- stocks and shares
- UK and overseas investment dividends
Other taxes such as VAT and council tax do not apply. As the tax payer, you're responsible for checking your eligibility for Gift Aid as any tax shortfall is the responsibility of the tax payer, so please speak to your accountant or HMRC if you are unclear on how much tax you have paid.
How much tax do I need to pay to be eligible for Gift Aid?
In one financial year you must have paid at least 25p in income or capital gains tax for every £1 you donate to charity. Every income tax payer has a tax-exempt threshold before they start paying tax. So please ensure you are paying enough tax to Gift Aid your donations
How do I sign up for Gift Aid?
Online ticket purchase: When you reserve your tickets online, you will be asked whether you wish to add a 10% donation to your general admission ticket(s) only. It is not added to any additional tickets you might purchase, such as a Planetarium visit. If you agree, you will be asked if you want to Gift Aid your donation. If you agree we will take you step by step through the simple process.
Membership sign up: When you sign up as a member or renew, you have the option to add Gift Aid to your membership as long as you pay enough tax. This doesn't cost you anything, but it means that We The Curious can claim 25% of the cost of your annual membership fee directly from the government.
Will I have to make a Gift Aid declaration again?
The additional donation and Gift Aid are applied on each visit. So yes, if you visit us more than once, we will ask you each time. Alternatively, if you take out an annual membership we will claim (with your agreement) Gift Aid once a year.
What if I donate to several charities and want to Gift Aid to all of them?
You can do this by signing a declaration for each charity. As long as each tax year you will have paid at least the equivalent amount of tax that all the charities combined will be claiming, Gift Aid can be applied. It's your responsibility to repay any difference.
How do I know if I pay UK income or capital gains tax?
If any of the following applies to you:
- income tax is deducted from your salary before you receive it
- you pay tax after submitting a self-assessment form each year
- you have a taxable pension plan, savings (eg with a building society) or investment income
- you have paid capital gains tax (eg on the sale of a property or share)
- If you're unsure of your eligibility for Gift Aid, please contact HMRC
What should I do if my tax status changes or I need/want to cancel my declaration?
Because this is based on only claiming Gift Aid once you have visited us, we are unable to refund any Gift Aid we will have claimed from HMRC, so please be aware of your UK Tax status before agreeing to Gift Aid your additional donation.
How would Gift Aid affect my tax?
Signing up to Gift Aid doesn’t affect the tax you pay. We make the claim to HMRC on the tax you have already paid on your income and any donation you agree to make.
I am a higher rate tax payer
As a higher rate tax payer, when you donate the charity will claim against your donation at the basic rate of tax (currently 20%) However, the good news is you can claim the difference between the rate you pay and basic rate on your donation. It’s the same if you live in Scotland. All you need to do is complete the charitable giving section on your self-assessment tax form, EG. You donate £100 to charity - they claim Gift Aid to make your donation £125. You pay 40% tax so you can personally claim back £25.00 (£125 x 20%). If you don’t have to send a tax return, contact HMRC and ask for a P810 form. You’ll need to submit it by 31 January after the end of the previous tax year.
Can I Gift Aid my donations if I live overseas?
Yes, if you still pay some form of UK income or capital gains tax.
What if I don't pay UK tax?
Unfortunately, the Gift Aid scheme is only open to UK Tax payers, so you're not eligible for Gift Aid. If you are / become a member of We The Curious it's worth letting us know so that we don’t ask you for this information again. If you're happy for us to make a note of this on your membership record, please let us know.
I don’t pay tax, but my partner does. Can I Gift Aid through them?
If your partner accompanies you on the visit to We The Curious, please ask them to pay, donate and claim Gift Aid in their name. Otherwise, we are unable to claim Gift Aid on your donation.
Who will be able to access my Gift Aid information?
Only HMRC and We The Curious. We do not share your information with anyone else, not even other family members without your permission.