Extra tax back if you give to charity and pay higher-rate tax

If you pay tax above the basic rate and you add Gift Aid to donations you make to charity, HMRC may owe you money.

When you tick the Gift Aid box, the charity gets extra money from HMRC. That part costs you nothing. If you pay tax at 40% or 45%, there may also be an amount that belongs to you, not the charity. HMRC will not send it unless you claim it.

How much you can claim back

The charity gets 25p extra for every £1 you give. Your £100 becomes £125 for them. That happens automatically, whatever rate of tax you pay.

Your own relief is separate:

• If you pay 40% tax, you can claim back £25 for every £100 you gave.
• If you pay 45% tax, you can claim back £31.25 for every £100 you gave.

Find out what you could claim

Check if you could claim tax relief . The checker estimates additional relief for the current tax year from three questions. It does not complete the claim. After the estimate, you choose what to do next: follow HMRC’s official guidance and deal with it yourself, or continue to Swiftaid, which can guide you through the information HMRC needs.

Please note: We do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This article is for informational purposes only. Tax rules can change, so always check gov.uk (opens in new tab) for the latest information, or ask an accountant about your own circumstances.