Monthly Standing Order to UK Charity | HMRC SA form help

bobsy31

Hi there

I have a monthly standing order set up to pay a UK charity and have had it set up for two years. Through my own oversight I forgot to claim this back for the previous tax year but am doing so for this tax year (presuming I can;t claim the previous years payments?)

I am filling out my SA for the last tax year and was wondering if someone can help me in where exactly on the s/a form I need to put these donations.

I presume it is on the charitable donations page, maybe i'm having a blonde moment but I can;t figure out in which of these questions should I be putting these payments in:

Gift Aid payments made in the year to 5 April 2012:
Total of any 'one-off' payments from above:
Gift Aid payments to non-UK charities in the first box above:

Gift Aid payments made in the year to 5 April 2012 but treated as if made in the year to 5 April 2011:
Gift Aid payments made after 5 April 2012 but to be treated as if made in the year to 5 April 2012:

Value of qualifying shares or securities gifted to charity:
Value of qualifying land and buildings gifted to charity:
Value of qualifying investments gifted to non-UK charities in the above two boxes:

Many thanks

heretolearn_2

Firstly, are you a higher-rate taxpayer?

If you pay basic 20% tax, then there is nothing for you to claim back.

It sounds as if you think you'll get a refund of your total donations to charity? That isn't how it works, even for higher rate tax payers.

If you are a basic rate taxpayer, don't even bother completing that part of the form.

pjclar02

....or to answer your question - the first one - Gift Aid payments made in the year to 5 April 2012:

grey_gym_sock

what does 'one-off' payments mean in this context?

pjclar02

A charity to which you will donate on a one-off basis (say giving to Comic relief off the cuff), as opposed to someone who makes regular donations to charity (for example someone who gifts weekly to their Church)

grey_gym_sock

ok, but if i've given to the same charity several times, different amounts, at approximately 1-year intervals, is that a series of 1-off donations?

jimmo

Yes!

In old fashioned terms and before Gift Aid, charities encouraged us to donate by deed of covenant which ensured them of a regular source of income and a regular source of tax repayments.

Nowadays they would still prefer us to commit to a regular donation but Gift Aid enables them to claim the tax back, not only on regular donations but also on any other donations.

If you haven’t committed yourself to make a regular donation to a charity anything else is a one-off payment.