As a sahp what do you do if someone asks for your details for gift aid?

[Purplturpl]

I assume I can’t give gift aid, if I am not working/paying tax? But I don’t want to explain to people there and then my financial situation. But I sense people don’t like it if I decline. They get a bit grumpy with me. I suppose I could give my details anyway? But I do kind of begrudge having to that

I just always said sorry I'm not registered /I'm not currently earning enough to pay tax. Maybe too much information but stopped people pestering me for it. Now I'm earning more again I'm happy to say yes sure to gift aid. It seemed embarrassing sometimes but also easier to be honest

‘I don’t earn enough to pay tax’.

I say something along the lines of “I’m sorry, I can’t do that at the moment”

That was pretty much exactly what I said today and I sensed a shift in the person’s attitude to me like he wasn’t impressed. I guess I shouldn’t. Are too much but it is annoying. There must be absolutely lots of people going through life in this position. Time before today I said “I am not working just now” and I got a really o er enthusiastic “oh lucky you that’s lovely” which made me feel awkward too 😐

You just say I don’t have taxed income. That can mean you’re totally economically inactive or that you just don’t earn enough to pay income tax. If your partner pays tax and you would like to gift aid get them to sign up and you can give your donations under their details.

When I was a SAHM we just made our donations under my DH's name. I'm sure they don't mean to be pushy or make you feel bad, but the gift aid is a huge bonus for most charities.

This sounds good. Will try this next time

What happens if you do sign up for gift aid? I’m sure I did even when I wasn’t working.

“I’m not a tax payer”. Job done.

If you're making your donation from the family you could give DH's details (assuming he exists/pays enough tax/consents)
But you really don't have to, by ticking the gift aid box you're saying "this charity matters more to me than local services paid for by taxes eg schools, fire service, roads, MP expenses..."

Gift aid?

Good God no. I:don’t want the tax man catching up with me 😉

That's exactly what I say.
No one asks for details.

"I'm not a tax payer"

Always make any gift-aid able donations via my husband who does pay tax

Do you think people might hear “I am a tax dodger”?

Who cares if that's what they think they hear?
It's none of their business.

You are right. Just annoys me I feel like I am being interrogated and judged at the till, when I just want to take my kids to a local museum ! I am overthinking this I know, it’s not that big a deal. Like pp said though. Gift aid really should be entirely optional, it should be ok to say no, I might prefer my money went to government in taxes.

I’m self employed and I just say ‘I can’t gift aid because it complicates my tax return’ which is true.

@Purplturpl why do you feel like you're being interrogated though?.I've never had more than an "ok" from anyone who asks me.

No.

I suspect most people will hear what you say - that you currently aren't paying tax. If they don't hear you, it's likely they'd ask you to repeat what you said.

I have always wondered how or if the tax office ever check these things, l pay tax so normally tick the box, but surely they can't check who does or who dosent ?

They usually ask if you are a taxpayer first don't they? Then you just say no. You don't have to give an explanation. If they 'change attitude' then so what? You are unlikely to ever see them again.

I just say no thank you to whatever the Gift Aid question is, and don't elaborate further.

I've never found the need to justify myself to anyone about why.

They can judge me all they like.

They do random checks, so it's unlikely your form would come up, but not impossible.

Charity shop manager here
No, we don't hear that when you say you aren't paying tax.
When you said "I'm sorry I can't do that at the moment" they probably heard that you couldn't be bothered with the form, nothing about those words says you aren't able to gift aid.
You can't just give your details if you don't pay tax, you're literally signing to say you pay tax equivalent to your donations so if you don't pay tax that's fraud.
You can't sign up your partner, they have to do it. You can then take donations in that are from your joint home and gift aid using their number once they're signed up though.
Most people we encounter are very pleased to sign up, but we definitely don't pressure anyone into it and it is absolutely entirely optional, but many people have never heard of it so if we don't ask them they don't know it's an option!