Gift aid relief

[oyster]

Quick tax question.

I know as a higher rate taxpayer I can claim gift-aid relief on cash dontations to charities. But can I claim them on other donations?

For example if I donated £100 worth of new books to a charity, can I claim against that?

[Eric Mc]

I wouldn't think so.

How do you know that the books are worth £100?

[LC23]

Hi Oyster - just to confirm on Eric Mc's point, gift aid donations must be in money form.

[Eric Mc]

There are two elements to the tax relief obtainable under Gift Aid (or Deeds of Covenant - for that matter).

The Basic Rate tax relief is paid directly to the Charity by the Government.

If the tax payer is a Higher Rate Tax Payer, the additional Higher Rate tax relief is given to the tax payer.

That is why the donation must be out of the already taxed income of the tax payer.

Donating goods (such as books or materials) could never be proved to have been obtained originally by the tax payer out of his/her taxed earnings (they could be unwanted presents, for instance).