Gift Aid

English Legal System: Gift Aid

In the context of the English law, A Dictionary of Law provides the following legal concept of Gift Aid : A system for individuals and companies to donate money to charities and for the charities to recover the tax paid on these donations (thus increasing the value of the donation by 28% in 2001-02). The taxpayer must make a gift aid declaration to the charity, stating that the payment is to be treated as gift aid. This system was first introduced in 1990, but tax relief was subject to the donation being of a minimum value, most recently £250. From April 2000, the system was extended to gifts of any value, including regular and one-off payments. It replaces the *deed of covenant in favour of charities from that date, although existing covenants remain valid.