Gift Aid
GIFT AID
Some years ago, at the national level, an important change took place with regard to the way those who pay income tax can donate on a regular basis to charities of their choice. The Catholic Church in England and Wales together with most of the various Christian denominations, took up this new opportunity. The change in question was the change from giving by 'Covenant' to giving by 'Gift Aid Declaration'.
Giving by 'Covenant' required you to sign up to quite a formal set of documents; and, most notably, it meant that you had to commit yourself to giving a fixed sum annually (even though this could be paid in weekly or monthly instalments). Giving by 'Covenant' meant that the charity receiving your donation received a substantial sum back from the Inland Revenue (as it then was) - around 25% over and above the donation you committed yourself to giving.
A few years ago, as I have said, giving by 'Covenant' was replaced by giving by 'Gift Aid Declaration'. Donation by 'Gift Aid Declaration' has the same great advantage as giving by 'Covenant': that is, the charity in question (in our case the Parish) gets back a substantial sum from H.M. Revenue and Customs (as it now is). But the process of signing up to a 'Gift Aid Declaration' is now vastly simpler than was the old process of signing up to a 'Covenant'. And, most important of all, you do not now have to commit yourself to any annual fixed sum.
All that is required when you sign up to a 'Gift Aid Declaration' is for you to put your signature to a 'Gift Aid Declaration' form (which the Parish supplies). No witness is needed (as it was in the days of giving by 'Covenant'). Once you have signed up like this, any money you give, which can be identified as coming from you, will be counted as 'gift aided'. And the charity (in our case the Parish) can then claim back from H.M. Revenue and Customs about 22% over and above your donation.
Usually the means of giving is by way of a weekly envelope. Or you can place a Standing Order with your Bank (on a form provided by the Parish). Or you can make payment by cheque annually or at any time you wish.
The 'Gift Aid Declaration' form is provided by the Parish Gift Aid Administrator. He alone is party to the amount you give via 'Gift Aid'. Neither the Parish Priest nor the Parish Treasurer is party to this confidential information. The 'Gift Aid' weekly offering envelope has a number on it, and not your name; new numbers will be issued to all participants with effect from April 2009 .So your offering remains absolutely confidential. From April 2009 there will be one Gift Aid Administrator (Mr. Sean White) covering both Our Lady of Refuge and St Joseph's. The existing methods of collecting the 'Gift Aid' envelopes will continue. By donating to the Parish by 'Gift Aid Declaration' you ensure that, at absolutely no cost to yourself, the Parish receives about 22% more than you actually give - provided, that is, you pay Income Tax.
At all Masses over the weekend February 22nd/23rd an Appeal will be made by the Parish Gift Aid Administrator to ask those of you who pay Income Tax to consider using this 'Gift Aid Declaration' scheme for your donations (both regular and 'one off') to the Parish.
I hope you will give this Appeal your sympathetic consideration.
Father Denys Lloyd