Help the Church

Gift Aid your giving and make the Tax Man pay today!

Each year the parishioners and friends of St Thomas the Apostle make a massive donation to the Inland revenue through PAYE, pensions and interest on investments. Nobody really likes the idea of paying tax so when the Government provides a way of claiming some of it back for the benefit of a cause close to your heart, surely it should be grasped with both hands.

By completing and signing a Gift Aid form your weekly donations to the Parish, the Inland Revenue will automatically add 28p for every £1 you give in the offertory collections.

If you are paying income tax you can take advantage of this scheme and join the ranks of our Gift Aiders. Please contact the Parish Office for a form.

If you are still undecided and want more information please read on….

How does it work?
The way it works is simple…. the Inland Revenue will give back to the Parish the tax paid by the giver on the amount of their donation. This is money which you have already paid on your regular in your regular weekly offertory and will enable the Parish to claim 28p for every pound you donate.

Does it affect my tax status?
There is nothing to fear about taking out a Gift Aid. The Inland Revenue will not change your tax position in anyway. The only condition to bear in mind is that when you make the Gift Aid you must consider whether you do indeed pay any tax or not. This tax need not be simply on your regular weekly wage or monthly salary, but can be on your pension or any lump sum investment you hold, such as a building society account. Contact the Parish Office if you have any queries.

I already have a Gift Aid with another organisation so that rules me out doesn’t it?
No it doesn’t! As long as you have paid enough tax in the tax-year to cover the amount you claimed back from all organisation you wish to Gift Aid, you can Gift Aid to as many organisations as you wish.

What is a legacy?
A legacy is a means of leaving money or property in a will to a cherished cause.

Why should I make a legacy to St Thomas the Apostle?
If you and your family have been members of the community of St Thomas the Apostle for many years or indeed, have only recently discovered the special welcoming atmosphere that our parish generates, you may like to contribute to ensuring that is available for future generations. As a Parish we are entirely self-funded and rely totally on our parishioners for our continued existance. We rely on the ever constant generosity of the Parish and donations and legacies form an importance backbone in our planning for the future.

But I haven’t got a will?
Well, in a nutshell whatever your financial standing or family situation you should do something about it as soon as possible. It really does make a lot of sense to have a current will! If you do not have a will then whatever you leave will be divided according to the letter of the law and not necessarily how you would have liked it. In addition any funds you leave could be tied up for many months, even years, in probate before they are released.

How do I go about getting a will?
Simply contact your solicitor, your bank manager, or your financial adviser for help.

I’d like to make a legacy but I’m not sure what I want to or can afford to give to the Parish?
There are various types of legacies you can make, the two most common are….
a) Residual Bequest – The Parish receives whatever is left over when all other gifts have been made from your estate.
b) Pecuniary Bequest – The Parish received a stated cash sum you have written into your will.
Above all please note, you are perfectly entitled to change your legacy, or remove it, whenever you want. This flexibility means you can decide at any time how much you wish to give as a legacy as your personal circumstances change, for example the addition of children or grand-children to your family.

What will it be used for?
You can choose what you would like your legacy to be used for, or alternatively the Parish Team can advise on what they see as being a fitting use for your legacy and then leave it to you to decide. It could be put to the benefit of the church itself, it could be to employ a Parish Catechist or it could be put to the benefit of our schools. The choice is yours but whatever you choose you will be remembered through your gift.

I haven’t got any money only possessions and property.
In the past the Church has been left property and possessions, either to be kept for the benefit of the Parish or to be sold off.

I don’t want to leave it until I die, I want to give now.
In that case please contact the Parish Office and enquire about Gift Aid, the tax free way of making gifts to the Parish. You make the monetary gift and we boost by an extra third from the inland Revenue (see above section on Gift Aid) at absolutely no cost to yourself.

What do I do next?
Don’t leave it until tomorrow. If you are interested in making a legacy or would like some more information, or even just an informal and confidential chat about this subject please contact the Parish Office.

The Parish thanks you for reading about what we do realise is a sensitive subject.
Above all else please remember that your generosity in making a legacy will help to ensure that the community you value being a part of will be there for your children and their children.

God Bless You.