Gift Aid We ask all parents to make their subscription payments to the Scout Group under the Gift Aid scheme. We have set out some information below to explain the operation of the scheme. If you would like any additional information please contact us. How does the 167th Scout Group benefit from Gift Aid donations?How does the 167th Scout Group benefit from Gift Aid donations? The Scout Group is able to claim back basic rate tax (currently 20%) on all Gift Aid donations. This allows us to significantly increase our income for very little effort. Do I qualify to make a Gift Aid declaration? In order for us to reclaim the tax on your donations, you must pay an amount of UK Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax at least equal to the tax that the Group reclaims in each tax year. Is Gift Aid declaration complicated? No, it is very simple and only requires you to make a declaration that you want your subscriptions to be treated as Gift Aid payments. 10 seconds in OSM! Do I have to complete a separate declaration for each of my children in the Group? If you complete the paper form, one form will cover all children. We are encouraging more and more admin to be done by OSM, where you will (I think) need to make a Gift Aid declaration for each child. Will I have to reveal any personal tax information? No, all that is needed is very basic information including your name, address and confirmation that you want your subscriptions to be treated as Gift Aid payments. Will it cost me anything extra? No, the Group will simply claim back tax that would otherwise have gone to HMRC. We can then use this tax to keep subscriptions lower than they would otherwise need to be and / or improve our programme. What will I have to do in the future? Nothing, once you complete the declaration this covers your child(ren) until they leave the Group. You need only notify the Group if you change your name or address or are no longer able to confirm the details on the declaration. What happens if my child changes section? For the paper form – Nothing, the Gift Aid declaration is not in respect of a specific section or in respect of a specific sum but merely relates to the subscription, however much that will be.Using OSM – I’m not yet sure. We will update the guidance as and when we find out!When your child/young person joins Explorers a new declaration should be completed with the District’s details on. The Scout District will claim Gift Aid in respect of their Explorer Section. What happens if I stop paying tax? If you stop paying tax or have paid insufficient tax to cover the amount the Group will be claiming back, you should inform the Scout Group and they will not make a claim for your payments. What happens if my child leaves the Group? The declaration is not a commitment to make future donations. The Group will only claim back the tax on the payments you made before the child left the Group. If I am a higher rate tax payer can I claim back the extra tax? Although the Group can only claim back tax at the standard tax rate, higher rate taxpayers can claim the difference back as tax relief on their self-assessment form. What if I want to leave the Gift Aid scheme although my child remains in the Scout Group? You can notify the Group at any time that your Gift Aid declaration no longer applies. This notification cannot be retrospective but will apply to all future payments. What should I do now? Request a paper form or head to OSM and look for the Gift Aid page for each of your children.