Opt-In to Gift Aid Opt-Out Campaign

• Gift Aid

A number of voluntary sector representative organisations are calling on the Government to introduce an opt-out declaration for claiming gift aid - rather than the current process of charities having to get individuals to declare into the scheme.

NICVA responded to the HM Treasury consultation in 2007 advocating that the opt-out system would be the next best reform to the gift aid scheme if a flat rate scheme was not acceptable.

The opt-out scheme would mean people would have to declare they don't want their donation to be gift aided rather than the current process of having to declare they do.

The opt-out Gift Aid system proposal currently has support from all the major umbrella bodies and lobbying groups in the sector: Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, Charities Aid Foundation, Charity Finance Directors' Group, Charity Tax Group, Institute of Fundraising and National Council for Voluntary Organisations.

A survey is available online for people wishing to support or comment on the proposal.

www.zoomerang.com/Survey/survey-intro.zgi?p=WEB22947ZZU5DA