Gift Aid FAQs

If you Gift Aid your donation, Ambassadors will receive an additional 25p for every pound you give. Ambassadors can claim Gift Aid tax relief of 25p on every pound you give.

How can I sign up for Gift Aid?
All you need to do is complete our Gift Aid form.

How does Gift Aid work?
Gift Aid is one of the easiest ways to make your donation tax effective. The charity you are supporting reclaims the basic rate tax from HMRC. There is no extra cost to you and the process is simple – all you have to do is make a Gift Aid declaration.

What does the Gift Aid declaration commit me to?
Absolutely nothing! It just ensures that if you choose to donate to Ambassadors Football, we can claim an extra 25 per cent back from HMRC.

For every £1 you donate to Ambassadors Football in a financial year (from 6 April to 5 April of the following year), you must have paid 25p in income or capital gains tax in the same financial year to qualify for Gift Aid.

What is a Gift Aid declaration?
It is simply a statement by an individual taxpayer that they want a charity to get back from HMRC the tax paid on their donation. This is a great way to add 25 per cent to the value of your gift to Ambassadors without it costing you a penny more!

Gift Aid – do I qualify?
For every £1 you donate to Ambassadors in a financial year (from 6 April to 5 April of the following year), you must have paid 25p in income or capital gains tax in the same financial year to qualify for Gift Aid.

How do I know if I pay UK income or capital gains tax?
You pay these taxes if:

  • income tax is taken from your wages or salary before you receive your pay
  • you pay tax after filling in a self-assessment form each year
  • you have any taxable savings (in a Building Society, for instance), or a pension plan, or investment income
  • you have paid any capital gains tax, on the sale of a property or some shares, for instance

If any of these applies to you, please complete and return your declaration so Ambassadors can reclaim the tax on your donations. NB Inheritance tax does not count as UK income or capital gains tax.

Why does it work out at 25 pence for every pound given?
Although basic rate tax is currently 20 per cent, the donation for £1 is treated as the net after tax from £1.25 (£1.25 minus 20 per cent is approximately £1). Ambassadors get back the 25 pence.

What if I don’t pay UK tax?
Then, unfortunately, you are not able to make a Gift Aid declaration. If you want us to make a note of this on your records, please let us know by contacting us in one of the following ways:

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 07761839976

Write to us at:
Head Office
17, Carnmoyne
Church Street, Ahoghill
Ballymena
Co. Antrim
BT42 2QJ

What if I’m a pensioner?
You may still pay tax on a private pension plan or a savings account, or pay capital gains tax if you sell property or shares. If so, please sign the Gift Aid declaration.”

What if I’m a higher rate taxpayer?
Ambassadors Football can only directly claim back at the basic rate but please complete and return the declaration anyway.

However, as a higher rate taxpayer, if you declare your donations on your tax return, you can claim a rebate based on the difference between the higher rate and the basic rate when you fill in your self-assessment form.

For example, if a higher rate taxpayer makes donations totaling £100 over a year, on top of the £25 that Ambassadors Football claims back directly, you can reclaim as much as £25 from the taxman.

The relevant code for Ambassadors is: XT12541

What if I’m a lower rate taxpayer?
If you pay a lower rate (10 per cent or 20 per cent), Ambassadors Football can still claim back 25p for each £1 you donate, provided you pay enough tax to cover the claim in the tax year you make the gift(s).

What if I make my donations via CAF (Charities Aid Foundation) or Stewardship?
If you normally make donations via CAF or Stewardship, tax has already been reclaimed. However, please fill in the declaration anyway so that any separate donations you might make are tax effective as well.

Can Gift Aid be applied to events sponsorship?
Yes, in most cases – please see sponsorship forms for more details. If you are being sponsored or sponsoring someone else, for example someone taking part in an Ambassadors MFAD or running the London Marathon, please indicate that your sponsorship is eligible for Gift Aid by ticking the box on the sponsorship form. Remember each sponsor needs to include their home address and postcode to enable Ambassadors to reclaim the tax.

How long does the declaration last for?
To simplify matters for both you and Ambassadors Football, the declaration wording normally covers present, future and past donations. We can back-claim four years and we will continue to claim until you tell us otherwise, as long as you are eligible.

Who will have access to this information about me?
Only Ambassadors Football and HMRC. We will not share it with anyone else.

What should I do if my tax status changes or I want to cancel my declaration?
Please let us know by contacting us in one of the following ways:

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 07761839976

Write to us at:
Head Office
17, Carnmoyne
Church Street, Ahoghill
Ballymena
Co. Antrim
BT42 2QJ