Gift Aid FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Gift Aid

If you’d like to start Gift Aiding your donations, download a Gift Aid Declaration form to print out and send back or fill out our online Gift Aid Declaration.

  1. What is Gift Aid and how can it mean more money for Smile Train?

    Gift Aid is a UK government initiative that allows donations given to charity to be tax-effective. As soon as you give your permission, by completing our Gift Aid Declaration, we can claim the tax back on your donation. This means that a £10 donation will be worth £12.50 and for every £50 gift, we will actually receive £62.50.

  1. Why is Gift Aid important?

    Gift Aid is a way of increasing your donation without you paying a penny more. Every donation received which can be Gift Aided adds 25p for every pound donated, at no extra cost to the donor. That means Smile Train can support even more free cleft care for children in need.

    • On a £20 donation, an extra £5 Gift Aid can help provide specialist feeding equipment for a baby with a cleft.
    • On a £50 donation, an extra £12.50 Gift Aid can cover the cost of a speech therapy session for one patient in need.
    • On a £160 donation, an extra £40 Gift Aid can cover the cost of an overnight hotel stay for a family who could not stay with their child in the hospital without it.

    All you need to do is complete a Gift Aid Declaration.

  1. What is a Gift Aid Declaration?

    A Gift Aid Declaration allows us to claim Gift Aid from your donation. You can sign up for Gift Aid by:

    • Ticking the Gift Aid box if you donate online or through the post
    • Saying ‘yes' to the Gift Aid question if you donate on the phone
    • Asking your sponsors to tick the Gift Aid box on your sponsorship form if you’re taking part in a fundraising event
    • Downloading and filling in this form then sending it back to the address detailed, or filling in our online Gift Aid Declaration

    You only need to sign up once. We will claim Gift Aid on all future donations until you tell us otherwise.

    We will also claim Gift Aid on all donations you have made over the past four years.

  1. How do I know if I am eligible to Gift Aid?

    You qualify for Gift Aid if you meet the following criteria:

    • You choose to add Gift Aid (it’s voluntary – we will never require you to agree to it);
    • You are a UK taxpayer;
    • You pay enough tax (see below).
  1. How do I know if I have paid enough tax to Gift Aid?

    As a UK taxpayer, it is assumed that any donation you make is your own income. As you have paid tax on that income, we can reclaim that tax, so long as you have paid enough. To work this out, you need to think about your annual donations to all your charities.

    So, for example, if you make total donations of £100 to all your charities in one year, you will need to have paid at least £25 in tax in that tax year. (6 April to 5 April).

    If you need help, you can contact HMRC on 0300 200 3319. Make sure you have your National Insurance number or Self-Assessment Unique Taxpayer Reference. You could also consult an accountant.

  1. What donations can have Gift Aid added to them?

    Gift Aid can be claimed on both individual and sponsorship donations, provided they are gifts.

    Certain donations are not eligible for Gift Aid. If your donations fall into any of the following categories, do let us know and we will make sure Gift Aid is not claimed:

    • You have been charged an entry fee, e.g., a ticket for performance or a sports event
    • You have bought something from us
    • You have entered a competition, e.g., a raffle or sweepstake
    • Your donation is on behalf of someone else or a group of people, e.g., collection from work colleagues or proceeds of a coffee morning
  1. Why do you need my personal details?

    HMRC need to know who is signing up to the scheme and can only do this by knowing your full name and your usual home address, which they already hold on their records. Our record must match their records.

  1. Do I need to notify you if I change my address?

    Yes, please. If you can let us know your new address once you have moved, using the contact details below, we’ll be very grateful.

  1. How do I cancel Gift Aid?

    You can cancel your Gift Aid at any time – and if you stop paying tax, you must cancel it. Simply contact us by emailing us at ukinfo@smiletrain.org by telephone on 0300 124 5205, or by writing to us at Smile Train UK, 126 Fairlie Road, Slough, SL1 4PY and we will cancel your declaration.

  1. Can I Gift Aid my donations from overseas?

    If you have UK tax status, you can still make Gift Aid donations to our charity, even if you have moved overseas. We will still need notification of your usual home address even if overseas, so please do keep us updated. If there are any changes to the scheme which could affect your Gift Aid, we will contact you and let you know.

  1. I live in Guernsey, Jersey, or the Isle of Man.

    Whilst all three are part of the British Isles, each has its own tax system which is separate from that of the UK, so it is very unlikely you pay UK tax. Unfortunately, that means you are not eligible to join the UK Gift Aid Scheme.

  1. What if I have opted out of receiving correspondence from you?

    Gift Aid is a little different. Because the scheme is owned by the UK Government, we have a responsibility to make sure our Gift Aid donors are eligible to be in the scheme. So, every so often, we may need to contact you to make sure we have your correct contact details and you are still eligible for Gift Aid.

  1. Why have I received a letter about Gift Aid from you?

    We send out letters to our donors who verbally consent to Gift Aid over the telephone. These confirm that you did agree, explain the rules of the Gift Aid scheme, and ask you to contact us within 30 days of the date of the letter if you’ve changed your mind or didn’t agree to Gift Aid.

    Because you originally made a verbal declaration, we don’t need you to tell us if the details we give are correct. But if you notice any details are wrong, or don’t want to agree to Gift Aid, please do contact us using the contact details below. To give you time to contact us if you need to, we won’t start claiming Gift Aid for 30 days from the date of the letter.

  1. How do I claim a tax rebate on my part of the donation as a higher rate taxpayer?

    If you pay tax at a rate of 40% or above, you can claim the difference between the higher and basic rate on the total value of your donation. If you want to receive the additional tax relief, you must:

    • Include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self-Assessment Tax Return;
    • Ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code.

    For more information, please contact HMRC – or check their website Here

  1. Can I receive an Annual Gift Aid Tax Statement?

    Yes! Please contact us if you require a list of all the donations on which we have claimed Gift Aid from the previous tax year.

  1. How to contact us.

    You can contact us for any queries or requests relating to Gift Aid by emailing us at ukinfo@smiletrain.org, by telephone on 0300 124 5205 or by writing to us at Smile Train UK, 126 Fairlie Road, Slough, SL1 4PY.

Download a Gift Aid Declaration form to print out and send back or fill out our online Gift Aid Declaration.