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Important Gift-Aid information
The Inland Revenue has confirmed that,
under the current arrangements in place
for the Annual Contribution to the Grand
Charity, the annual payment is not eligible
for relief under the Gift Aid scheme.
This decision only relates to the Annual
Contribution paid for each member by his
Lodge and follows discussions over three
years between the Grand Charity and the
Charities Technical Advice Unit of the
Inland Revenue
In 2002, the Inland Revenue approved
the Grand Charity’s initial application for
relief. However, this decision was reversed in
2003, as part of a wider review by the Inland
Revenue of the Gift Aid scheme. At that
time, the eligibility of a number of charities
to receive Gift Aid relief on membershiprelated
payments was questioned and a more
restrictive interpretation of the legislation
was introduced.
The Grand Charity will continue to
review, with the United Grand Lodge of
England and the Metropolitan and Provincial
Grand Lodges, the possibility of changing the
current arrangements for the collection of the
Annual Contribution, to enable it to become
eligible under the Gift Aid scheme.
However, the Revenue have emphasised
that, to be eligible, any payment must be
voluntarily given and it is unlikely that
such a scheme could be introduced for
the central charitable contribution of all
Freemasons required to make the existing
Annual Contribution to the Grand Charity.
Furthermore, the Council of the Grand
Charity consider that the prior and full
approval of the Inland Revenue would be
necessary before implementing any scheme.
Individual donations to the Grand
Charity continue to qualify and members
are urged to sign Gift Aid Declarations to
enable the Charity to claim the tax relief.
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Copyright 2002-2007
MQ Magazine
Web site created by Mark Griffin
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