I WANT to encourage all your readers who are planning to give to Comic Relief today to use the Gift Aid scheme - a great way of increasing the value of your donation, without it costing you a penny more.
If you pay tax in the UK, making a donation using Gift Aid enables the charity you are supporting to reclaim the tax paid on your donation from the Inland Revenue - turning a £10 donation into £12.80. Imagine what a difference that could make.
The process is simple: all you have to do is confirm you are a UK income tax payer which usually means just ticking the relevant box on a donation form. For Red Nose Day you can also make the declaration online or verbally over the phone.
Giving is a vital part of our national fabric. I believe the Government should support people who want to contribute to charities.
That is why I am so pleased this Labour Government has improved the Gift Aid scheme to make your donation go further, and I want to make sure everyone knows about the benefits. Last year alone, 56,000 charities claimed over half a billion pounds extra through the Gift Aid scheme. Find out more about giving to Comic Relief using Gift Aid online at: http://www.rednoseday.com/donate/gift-aid.shtml
Hugh Bayley MP,
Holgate Road, York.
Updated: 09:33 Friday, March 11, 2005
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