Gift Aid is a UK government scheme that allows registered charities to claim an extra 25p for every £1 you donate — at no extra cost to you.
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Formula confirmed against gov.uk as of 2026-09-05. You must have paid at least as much UK Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax in the tax year as the total Gift Aid being claimed on your donations, or HMRC may ask you to pay the difference.
How it works
When you donate to a charity and tick the Gift Aid declaration, HMRC reclaims the basic rate tax (20%) you already paid on that income. For every £10 you donate, the charity receives £12.50.
Who qualifies
You must be a UK taxpayer who has paid at least as much income tax or capital gains tax as the charity will reclaim. If you're a higher-rate taxpayer (40%), you can also claim the extra 20% back via self-assessment.
Check eligibility and claim on the HMRC Gift Aid page.
Payroll Giving compares differently
Gift Aid isn't the only way to give tax-efficiently. Payroll Giving (donating straight from your gross salary before tax) works out slightly better value for a basic-rate taxpayer on the same headline donation, since it avoids you needing to separately reclaim anything — but it depends on your employer running a scheme, unlike Gift Aid which any UK taxpayer can use with any participating charity.
What doesn't qualify
Gift Aid applies to money donations only. It does not cover: donations of goods, admission fees, purchases from charity shops, raffle or lottery tickets, or membership/subscription fees where you receive a benefit in return.