I was delighted to learn that yesterday’s budget includes much needed reforms of Gift Aid which will reduce red tape and bureaucracy and give a much needed boost to the third sector. It means that charities will be able to claim Gift Aid on up to £5,000 of small donations a year without the need for form filling and declarations. The Chancellor is also increasing the Gift Aid benefit limit from £500 to £2,500 from next month to allow charities to give “thank you” gifts to significant donors.
This will certainly help the charity I support, Headway Cambridgeshire, and charities will also benefit more from legacies as individuals will also be encouraged to leave 10% of their money through their wills to charity in exchange for a equal reduction in inheritance tax “as the new norm”.
It wasn’t so long ago that David Cameron met representatives from the third sector to hear about the challenges they face, including Headway. It’s great to see a government meeting with organisations like this and not only listening, but making fiscal reforms which ultimately help the vulnerable who benefit most from the third sector.
*Headway provides rehabilitation for adults with an acquired brain injury, people like Olympic rowing gold medallist James Cracknell who one day was a strapping fit and healthy man in the prime of his life, but who now cannot be left alone with his kids in case they are harmed following a devastating cycling accident where he was brain injured. It’s the kind of terrible accident you never think will happen to you.
We are indebted to James for his support of Headway. Do watch this video of James speaking on the BBC Breakfast Show this week where he discusses what impact a brain injury has had on his life, and for his family too.
Good to read something positive about this budget!
Unless Mr Cameron stands firm on Portugal – as he should because their mistake, and their refusal to accept austerity measures to correct them, is nothing to do with us – I will be unable to continue to give money to charity. They are saying that this will cost £400 per family. That’s an enormous amount when the government is already cutting billions from services and QE lead inflation is erroding our spending power. 1p off a litre of petrol is nothing but a token gesture
What’s the point of Gift Aid if no-one can afford to give ?
Mr Cameron. Please stop tinkering and giving us such gimmicks and get on with the serious matter of rescuing our country both politically and economically.
And give us the referendum on the EU you promised us.