The Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS)
As part of the Plymouth Diocesan Trust our three parishes are eligible to apply for a Gift Aid top-up on Loose Plate collections without requiring from individual donors a declaration that they are paying sufficient income tax to cover the amounts they donate each year. This means that for many of us who are not signed into the long-standing Gift Aid scheme, the money placed onto the offertory plate can now attract a 25% top-up from the Government through HMRC.
The Scheme, which is a Government initiative and can be withdrawn at some future date, applies to donations made at the weekly Saturday/Sunday Mass at each church, and to qualify:-
- Individual donations must be in cash not exceeding £20 (so no cheques or £50 notes, please!)
- Attendance at each Mass must be at least 10 and a written record of the approximate number must be kept and available to view on request.
- The amounts of the donations included in an annual claim for the top-up must be supported by details of the notes and coins received each week which are in fact recorded as standard procedure by our Collection Counting teams.
GASDS is already operating in our parishes and claims for the top-up on Loose Plate collections in the2015/16 tax year will be made shortly for each parish, subject to meeting the qualifying conditions. It complements but is entirely separate from the Gift- Aid Scheme which has been operating to the benefit of our parishes for many years. Those of us who are paying sufficient income tax to remain in or wish to start regular donating through the Gift-Aid Scheme, are encouraged make their donations by Standing Order in particular (rather than through envelopes), and if you would like to change the way you donate in this way please contact either Peter Porteous (01460 221325) or myself (01460 67909) for the necessary form to be completed.
Brian Williams Treasurer