Charities reminded of Gift Aid online deadline

Charities are being reminded that from 1 October they must make Gift Aid repayment claims using the Charities Online service.

More than 33,492 charities have registered to claim Gift Aid online since the service was launched by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) five months ago. Charities Online makes claiming Gift Aid repayments faster for charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs).

HMRC has sent126,000 letters to charities and CASCs who have made a Gift Aid claim in the last three years, reminding them that they won’t be able to use the old R68i claim form after the deadline.

Andrew Edwards, HMRC’s Head of Charities, said:

“Using Charities Online to make a Gift Aid repayment claim is quicker and typically takes only three days, rather than the 26 days that it took using the R68(i) paper claim form. We worked with charities and developed the online service in response to their feedback.”

Charities can get information on how to use the system from the HMRC website at http://hmrc.gov.uk/charities/online/index.htm.

Any that do not have access to the internet will have to make claims on a new ChR1 paper form, available from the HMRC Charities Helpline on 0845 302 0203.

Notes for editors

1. HMRC receives about 150,000 paper claims a year from approximately 87,000 separate charities, representing some 23 million individual Gift Aid donations.

2. More information about Charities Online and the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme - http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/charitiesonline.

3. How to sign up and use Charities Online - hmrc.gov.uk/charities/online/sign-up.htm

4. Follow HMRC on Twitter @HMRCgovuk

5. HMRC’s flickr channel http://www.flickr.com/hmrcgovuk