Gift Aid
What is Gift Aid?
Gift Aid allows charities to claim back the tax that has already been paid by sponsors as income or capital gains tax. This means that Seafarers UK gets an extra 28p for every pound donated. For example, if you raised £1,000 and got all your sponsors to “Gift Aid” their donations, Seafarers UK could claim an extra £280.
How does it work?
Any UK taxpayer can make a Gift Aid donation. Once Seafarers UK has received the donation we then claim the tax back from the Inland Revenue. This does not cost the donor anything at all.
How do I go about it?
All you have to do is take your sponsor form and photocopy it lots of times. Get your sponsors to complete their details. Home address and postcode is essential without these, we cannot claim Gift Aid. Telephone numbers are also extremely helpful, and the Donor must tick the Gift Aid Box indicating that they want to Gift Aid their donation. You must then send in your sponsor form(s) with your donation and donations enclosed form.
Can everyone’s donation be “Gift Aided”?
Most donations can be “gift aided” as long as
- it is a single donation (ie not the proceeds from a raffle or sale)
- the person making the donation is a UK taxpayer and has paid sufficient tax to cover the tax we can claim on the donation
- the sponsor agrees to notify Seafarers UK if their circumstances change and they do not qualify for Gift Aid or they no longer wish the charity to claim the tax back on future donations
Are there any exceptions?
Seafarers UK cannot claim tax back on company donations. Instead they should be given including tax (gross). The company can then claim back the tax when doing their annual accounts.
We know Gift Aid sounds complicated (although it really isn’t - honest!), but it really is worth it so if you do need more advice, give us a ring on 020 7932 5961
(Seafarers UK is the working name of King George’s Fund for Sailors reg. charity no: 226446)
Money Matters
When sending in any donations to Seafarers UK please make it clear who you are by using one of the paying in slips that can be downloaded from the forms area of this website. It helps us keep track of how much you’ve raised so we can thank you properly!
Cheques
Please have cheques made payable to ‘Seafarers UK’ and send them in with a Donations Enclosed Form detailing the total amount. If it’s a very large amount you may want to send it in by registered or recorded post.
Please don’t open a bank account with Seafarers UK in the name in order to keep all the cheques. We’d prefer you just to send in the cheques as you receive them. And it’s illegal too!
Credit Card Donations
We can accept donations from most major credit cards. A Donation Form with credit card facilities is available for download in the forms area of this website.
Maintaining your records
We cannot recommend strongly enough that you maintain accurate financial records of your fundraising activities. We suggest you use the supporter pack folder you should have received. If you have not got this folder please give us a call and we will send out a new one.
You should include details of who has sponsored you, how much they have sponsored you, whether they have paid the money to you, and whether they have been thanked. If you hold an event, it is vital that you record what the costs are, and keep any receipts that you have claimed back from your fundraising, as well as the amount raised. These records must be available to any of your sponsors, or Seafarers UK if necessary.
It is also advisable to keep copies of all donation forms that you send to us, and copies of any bank paying in slips. By keeping such records, you will find it much easier to keep track of what you have raised. Receipts for all payments will be sent automatically and summary statements of your fundraising are available upon request.
Essential Legalities
Charity statement
On all the printed materials you use, including letters, tickets, posters etc, you must state ‘Seafarers UK is a registered charity number 226446’. This is a legal requirement under the Charities Act 1992 and it is a criminal offence not to include it.
Collections in public
Anyone collecting for charity in a public place needs a Street Collection Licence from the local authority (the council or metropolitan borough). Only a limited number are issued and you will need to apply at least a month before the date of your collection – more if it is during a busy period like Christmas. A public place is any location where the public has unrestricted access at all times. Train stations and shopping centres are private property, not public places, because they are closed at night.
Collections on private property
To collect sponsorship or donations on private property, such as in a supermarket, a single pub or a train station, you only need the permission of the owner or store/station manager.
House to house collections
Collecting from one place to the next (this includes business premises like pubs as well as houses) needs a House to House Collection Licence. Again, these can be obtained from your local authority. All collectors must be over 16 years of age, must wear official Seafarers UK and use sealed Seafarers UK collecting cans. You must keep accurate records of your collecting team and all the proceeds. Please call the Events Team on 020 7 932 5961 for further information
Alcohol
If you want to sell alcoholic drinks at your event and the venue is not already licensed, you will need an Occasional Permission from the local police. However, it is legal to sell tickets, which can then be exchanged for drinks.
Lotteries and raffles
To hold most types of lottery or raffle you will need a Lotteries Licence from your local council or metropolitan borough. As the promoter of the lottery you will be personally liable for its organisation.
The exception to this rule is for raffles held at a one-off event like a dinner or dance. This is known as a Small Lottery. Tickets for Small Lotteries can only be sold during the event (you can use cloakroom tickets) and you must not have money prizes (although store vouchers are fine) or spend more than £250 on prizes (donated prizes do not count). You can publicise your event with flyers / posters beforehand, mentioning what the main prizes will be. The result of the raffle must be drawn at the event.