Why have I received this letter/email?
According to our records you have previously signed a Gift Aid form for Samaritans. We are required by HMRC to keep a valid copy of your declaration and to keep an accurate record of your details; sending this letter/email to you helps us ensure the details we hold for you are still valid. If you are happy that the contact details and the Gift Aid declaration (which is an HMRC Gift Aid Statement) contained in your letter/email are still valid, you don’t need to do anything – we will update our records to confirm you have received it. However, if any details in the letter/email are incorrect, please let us know via email at giftaid@samaritans.org.
What is Gift Aid?
Gift Aid is a government tax scheme, administered by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which enables charities to reclaim the basic rate of tax you the donor have paid as a taxpayer – an extra 25p for every £1 of the total paid. That is why anyone signing up for Gift Aid must have paid enough tax to cover the donations they make to ALL their charities.
Who is eligible for Gift Aid?
We greatly appreciate every donation we receive, from individual donations to grants and. However, only individual UK taxpayers can complete the Gift Aid declaration form, allowing us to claim the tax you have paid to the Government.
What is a Gift Aid declaration form?
This is a document, from you the UK taxpayer, confirming that you permit us to reclaim the tax you have paid through Income Tax or Capital Gains tax. Providing Samaritans with a Gift Aid declaration allows us to claim £0.25p for every £1 you donate. You must have paid in each tax year (which runs from 6 April to the 5 April) enough tax for Samaritans, and every other charity claiming Gift Aid on your behalf, to be able to claim Gift Aid.
If you pay tax at the higher rate, you can claim further tax relief on your self-assessment tax form. Further information is available on the HMRC website ‘Giving to charities for individuals’ or from your local tax office.
I am no longer a taxpayer
That's no problem, we know that circumstances can change. Please email us at giftaid@samaritans.org to let us know your change in circumstances. Please include your full name and either a supporter number (this will have been included in your letter/email) or postcode to identify you on our records. Please also include confirmation that you were a taxpayer on the date shown in your letter/email in your message to us.
You have sent this to my partner who has now died
Please accept our sincerest condolences and our apologies for any upset caused by our letter/email. Please email giftaid@samaritans.org so that we can update our records appropriately. Please include the full name of your partner, as well as their postcode. If you would like to continue to hear from Samaritans, please do let us know, and if you want to Gift Aid your own donations, we would be happy to send you a Gift Aid declaration form.
My Partner is the Taxpayer
Thank you, it is really important to let us know who the UK taxpayer is, as they must also be the donor for Samaritans to be able to claim back tax. Please email us at giftaid@samaritans.org to let us know so we can amend our records.
I want to stop giving Gift Aid
Please contact giftaid@samaritans.org if you wish to close your Gift Aid declaration. To close your declaration we will need your full name and either a supporter number (this will have been included in your letter/email) or postcode to identify you on our records.
Please also include confirmation that you were a taxpayer on the date shown in your letter/email in your message. Thank you for previously Gift Aiding, we appreciate that circumstances change and if you find yourself able to Gift Aid again in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us.
I have moved from the address on your files
Thank you for letting us know that your address has changed, we’ll be happy to update this on our records. If you could confirm that the address shown in the letter/email was a previous residence and that you were a taxpayer on the dates shown in the email we would be really grateful. Please email giftaid@samaritans.org, providing your full name, new address, and either a supporter number (this will have been included in your letter/email) or your previous postcode to identify you on our records.
The email said I only had 30 days to respond but it's now longer than that
That’s no problem. HMRC set the time limit, but we can amend your Gift Aid status at any time. Please see above for instructions on how to cancel your declaration/update your details if you need to.
How do I contact you regarding my letter/email?
The quickest way to let us know your query is by emailing giftaid@samaritans.org. You can also call our Supporter Care team on 03709 00 0032, or write to us at:
Samaritans Supporter Care Team
The Upper Mill
Kingston Road
Ewell
KT17 2AF
Do I need to tell HMRC
No, it is our responsibility to keep the information on your Gift Aid declaration up to date. However, if you have asked us to claim Gift Aid when you weren’t eligible, we would be very grateful if you would let us know this so that we can stop claiming. If possible please let HMRC know too.
I didn't give you permission to contact me by letter/email
We do apologise for any inconvenience or distress caused by our letter/email. We are required by HMRC to keep a valid copy of your declaration and to keep an accurate record of your details; sending this letter/email to you helps us ensure the details we hold for you are still valid and ensures you also have a copy of your Gift Aid declaration for your records. None of your existing contact preferences have been changed; if you'd like to check the preferences we have for you please contact our Supporter Care team by telephone on 03709 00 0032 or email supportercare@samaritans.org, and quote your full name and postcode.