Chief executives sign up to changes to Gift Aid

The chief executives at RNIB, NSPCC, WWF-UK, Save the Children and British Red Cross, and the UK director of fundraising at Barnardo's, have signed up in support of changes to Gift Aid proposed by the Institute of Fundraising.

They have put their names to a letter to the editor calling for reform to Gift Aid for higher rate taxpayers.

Support has also been gained from the chief executives of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations and National Council of Voluntary Organisations.

The letter details that at a time when fundraised income is under strain and local authority support is shrinking, the Institute's proposals are needed more than ever before.

It is outlined that the changes which have been put forward will motivate higher rate taxpayers to give - and the option for donors to reclaim tax on donations for themselves will be retained, as an additional incentive.

The Institute continues to urge members to sign an online petition to the Prime Minister, as well as to adapt and send a letter to their MPs, to bring about the changes to Gift Aid for higher rate taxpayers that it is currently campaigning for.

The petition and template letter are both available on the Institute's website.

Louise Richards, director of policy and campaigns at the Institute, comments: "We are delighted to have garnered such important support for our campaign, which has the potential to make a great deal of difference to the incomes of many charities, large and small.

"In order to push Government hard for change it's vital that we are able to demonstrate wide support from across the sector. As a result we'll continue to mobilise fundraisers and charities alike to back our campaign and lobby their MPs on this issue."

The Institute is also continuing to work with other sector organisations, including the National Council of Voluntary Organisations, Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, Charity Finance Directors Group, Charity Tax Group and Charities Aid Foundation, to press for the further simplification of Gift Aid through the introduction of an 'opt out' rather than an 'opt in' system.