Gift Aid on Subscriptions

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Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby Wurzell » Sat Feb 20, 2016 2:17 pm

I'm a Craft Treasurer and a Brother has been in touch telling me that a Lions friend of his reckons that the subscriptions Lions pay annually are Gift Aided. Our Lodge does not claim Gift Aid on any tax paying Brothers subscription and I'm wondering if other Lodges do take advantage of this?

My Craft Lodge has separate charitable status with the Charity Commission (historically back in 1980 a brother bequeathed a sum of money and it was put in a separate account) the original trust deed is lost and requests to the Charity Commission for a copy draw blanks.

I wasn't sure where to best post this - moderators please feel to move if there is somewhere more appropriate.
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby Richard George » Sat Feb 20, 2016 3:24 pm

You'd need to check, but I doubt subscriptions are covered - that's what the Grand Charity thing was all about a year or so ago. The charitable status probably only applies to your charity deposits into that particular account.
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby admin » Sat Feb 20, 2016 8:25 pm

This is a warning to all Lodges who have Charitable status. As I understand things.

I could be wrong I am not a financial adverser or anything like it. Just a clever dick.

But make sure you make all your returns promptly.

If you loose Charitable status you will have a impossible task getting it back again.
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby Mike Martin » Mon Feb 22, 2016 1:55 pm

Wurzell wrote:I'm a Craft Treasurer and a Brother has been in touch telling me that a Lions friend of his reckons that the subscriptions Lions pay annually are Gift Aided. Our Lodge does not claim Gift Aid on any tax paying Brothers subscription and I'm wondering if other Lodges do take advantage of this?

My Craft Lodge has separate charitable status with the Charity Commission (historically back in 1980 a brother bequeathed a sum of money and it was put in a separate account) the original trust deed is lost and requests to the Charity Commission for a copy draw blanks.

I wasn't sure where to best post this - moderators please feel to move if there is somewhere more appropriate.


It doesn't scan. Gift Aid can be claimed back (by the recipient organisation) on donations made to a Registered Charity or to a Community Amateur Sport Club by a UK Taxpayer.

Membership subscriptions, no matter what the organisation is, are not charity donations.
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby The Uninitiated » Tue Feb 23, 2016 8:24 am

Mike Martin wrote:Membership subscriptions, no matter what the organisation is, are not charity donations.


Unless they are on HMRC's list as recognised Professional Bodies - eg the Engineering Institutions (etc)

But not Freemasonry Lodges, no!
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby eckywan2 » Tue Feb 23, 2016 10:43 am

Agree with Andrew
MY oldest son / brother used to work with HMRC and is now with our own Revenue Scotland
so I asked him and enjoyed the laugh
if only but c'est la vie

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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby Harmony » Tue Feb 23, 2016 11:03 am

If the subs are split between "subs" and "contribution to benevolent fund", then the BF contributions could be gift aid-able (provided the BF is a charity).

General subs - can't see it.
The Trades House of Glasgow Lodge, No1241SC,
Lodge The Kings Park, No1386SC, PM
Polnoon Castle Conclave No 372 (OSM) PSR
Rockmount Chapter No 367 SC
Camphill Chapter No 311 SC PZ
Glasgow & Auld West Guild Lodge
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby Richard George » Tue Feb 23, 2016 1:40 pm

Harmony wrote:If the subs are split between "subs" and "contribution to benevolent fund", then the BF contributions could be gift aid-able (provided the BF is a charity).


Er - no. That's precisely what the Grand Charity arguments and ruling was all about.
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby Harmony » Tue Feb 23, 2016 4:00 pm

I meant Lodge BF - and ours is registered with OSCR as a charity.
The Trades House of Glasgow Lodge, No1241SC,
Lodge The Kings Park, No1386SC, PM
Polnoon Castle Conclave No 372 (OSM) PSR
Rockmount Chapter No 367 SC
Camphill Chapter No 311 SC PZ
Glasgow & Auld West Guild Lodge
The Temple in Glasgow No 6 (KT)
Glasgow Sovereign Chapter No. 11
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby eric384 » Tue Feb 23, 2016 5:58 pm

Richard

This is another difference between GLoS and UGLE. In Scotland we do not have an annual mandatory donation to Grand Lodge Benevolent Funds (the equivalent of Grand Charity). If UGLE didn't have it as a mandatory payment lumped in with annual dues, maybe they would get it past HMRC, but on the other hand might not get the same level of income through voluntary donations.
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby Mike Martin » Wed Feb 24, 2016 12:52 am

Richard George wrote:Er - no. That's precisely what the Grand Charity arguments and ruling was all about.


Exemption from VAT is not the same as Gift Aid.
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby admin » Wed Feb 24, 2016 1:19 am

I do not have the annual forms to hand. But I seem to remember they did include a Chritable donation in the total fees the Lodge Pays for all its members.

Someone correct me if the modern returns do not include this.

There was an annul fee per member and a Charitable donation per member. Unless my old brain is failing more than usual.
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby admin » Wed Feb 24, 2016 1:23 am

Here we go, not as dumb as I thought I was have a look at

http://www.glosmasons.org.uk/sites/www. ... taries.pdf

Go down to page 23
Appendix Three Grand Lodge Annual return AR1

Grand Charity donation is shown at the bottom , da daaa.
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby Richard George » Wed Feb 24, 2016 9:13 am

Mike Martin wrote:
Richard George wrote:Er - no. That's precisely what the Grand Charity arguments and ruling was all about.


Exemption from VAT is not the same as Gift Aid.


Ah! good point - getting my facts mixed up.
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Craft: Granta 6179, Porta 9511, CIML 7429
RAC: Fidelity 441, Walden 1280, CIP 7429
Mark: York 334
KT: Arthur Dentith 434
A&AR: Octagon 1076, Iceni 1126, Cambs& Isle of Ely 1157
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby Wurzell » Thu Feb 25, 2016 11:50 pm

Dear responding Brethren.

Thanks for your very useful replies.

Seems it's very much a no go then.
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby Wurzell » Fri Feb 26, 2016 11:40 pm

Dear Richard - any chance you could post up a copy of the Grand Lodge ruling please?


Richard George wrote:
Mike Martin wrote:
Richard George wrote:Er - no. That's precisely what the Grand Charity arguments and ruling was all about.


Exemption from VAT is not the same as Gift Aid.


Ah! good point - getting my facts mixed up.
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Re: Gift Aid on Subscriptions

Postby Richard George » Sat Feb 27, 2016 8:43 am

https://www.grandcharity.org/news.php/1 ... a_coverage
http://www.ukvatadvice.com/wp-content/u ... NGLAND.pdf
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... judge.html

The first link is the clarification issued by The Grand Charity, the second is the actual ruling, and the last a report in the Telegraph. A simple Google search on 'Grand Charity vat" pulls these and more up.
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Craft: Granta 6179, Porta 9511, CIML 7429
RAC: Fidelity 441, Walden 1280, CIP 7429
Mark: York 334
KT: Arthur Dentith 434
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