Question re self assessment and charity donations

[Youngatheart00]

I have to complete a tax return for the first time this year as due to a larger than average bonus, plus some rental income, my income was over £100k for the the year.

I have a question regarding charitable payments - is it the full value of the donations or just the gift aid I have paid? If so, is there an easy way to work it out? I have quite a few donations on monthly direct debit and I always gift aid. I want to be accurate but the guidance seems unclear. Can anyone help?

Many thanks

I don’t know the answer but hope someone comes along who does as I am in a slightly similar situation. I did think it was only those set up as businesses that could claim back charitable donations. (I’m a full time employee and pay tax monthly through Hmrc and an accidental landlord) happy if I am wrong

No it’s not only businesses. I give via Justgiving and they provide an annual total. I can’t recall what the form asks for but I think you provide the total you donated (not including the gift aid).

My self assessment online definitely has a field for charitable donations and as I make quite a lot of them (regular and adhoc) I’m conscious to get it right. I thought it might be the total sum and then they work out the gift aid on that based on my tax rate but the field is ‘gift aid payments’ which has puzzled me.

It's just the total amount of your personal donations that you have given out of your pocket. This figure is then used to extend the basic rate tax threshold, so you get the benefit of the tax relief.

It's nothing to do with Gift Aid, as long as your earnings have been high enough for you to have paid sufficient income tax overall to cover the GA payments.

Thanks @Sunseed

If it would all be just to extend the personal allowance for my advantage then would it be legitimate to just not declare charitable donations? Or is a legal requirement? Just looking for ways to not have to go through all my bank statements for a year :)

I wouldn't worry about understating the amount, it would only be to your benefit to overstate.

@bookgirl1982 - Not sure that how HMRC works. Take a guess and hope it is right, if it is wrong hey ho..

Definatley not fines for incorrect information, that would be silly!