# Institute of Fundraising concerned Gift Aid legislation is too complex

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/08/30/institute-fundraising-concerned-gift-aid-legislation-too-complex/
- Published: 2012-08-30T10:35:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

The Institute of Fundraising is concerned that the Small Charitable Donations Bill,
which brings in the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme, is an “overly complex” piece
of legislation. It is urging ministers to amend it so that it is more likely to 
help small charities.

Peter Lewis, Chief Executive of the [Institute of Fundraising](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk),
said: “The Government’s heart is in the right place on this but I am afraid the 
policy has been lost in translation.” He described the Bill as “too complex, bureaucratic
and unfit for purpose.”

The Bill is scheduled to receive its Second Reading in the House of Commons on 4
September.

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The Bill will enable each registered charity to claim a top-up equivalent to Gift
Aid on up to £5,000 of small donations under £20. This would be £1,250 could be 
claimed without having Gift Aid declarations.

Peter Lewis is concerned that the eligibility criteria for the scheme, intended 
to combat fraud, is so strict that it will in practice help far fewer charities 
than those it was designed to help. For example, the requirement that charities 
must have been claiming Gift Aid for three years previously before they can benefit
from the scheme is “likely to be a massive barrier to participation”.

Lewis added: “It’s important to combat fraud but I think the Government is in danger
of throwing the baby out with the bath water here. There are other ways to combat
fraud. The Government should stop, think again and keep it simple.”

http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/smallcharitabledonations.html

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