Tax reliefs offered to charities urgently need an overhaul, according to the Charity Tax Commission.
The report, Reforming charity taxation: towards a stronger civil society, sets out several recommendations that the commission wants the government to consider, including:
- Reform gift aid – unless donors opt out, the value of additional and higher-rate tax reliefs should be directed to charities.
- Launch a universal gift aid declaration database to provide a single, enduring declaration which individuals can make covering all their subsequent gifts to charities.
- Insist that all employers offer payroll giving schemes.
- Simplify VAT and remove VAT from wills that include a charitable donation.
- Consult on extending business rates relief to wholly-owned trading subsidiaries.
