Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire><br /> <h1 class=Information for Lodge Officers


Regular Payment Promise/Gift Aid

Donations should always be made under Gift Aid when the donor is a taxpayer. The East Lancashire Masonic Charity is able to reclaim tax on Gift Aid payments, thus increasing its value by almost 30%.

It should be noted that this applies to individual contributions only. Lodges and Chapters are not permitted to use Gift Aid payments.

Regular Payment Promise

A Regular Promise is an undertaking to pay a declared amount regularly. The agreed Regular Payment Promise amount may be paid either annually, half yearly or by quarterly or monthly instalments. All payments should be payable to the East Lancashire Masonic Charity using the “making a donation” form. It is important that the Charity Steward arranges for all members to make their payments by a Bankers Standing Order Mandate, thus ensuring that all payments are received on time and relieving the Charity Steward of the responsibility of collecting each payment.

 

Single Payment

Tax paying donors can make single payments, either in addition to their regular payments or in their stead. Cheques should be made payable to the East Lancashire Masonic Charity and a “making a donation” form completed. Both should be sent to the East Lancashire Masonic Charity for processing.

 

Non-Tax Payers

Non tax payers should make their donations in the same way as above for both regular payment promises and single payments. They will no be able to complete the Gift Aid declaration part of the “making a donation” form and so tax is not reclaimable.

 

Re-claimed Tax

The reclaimed tax on the above methods of payment is credited to the donating member in addition to the actual payment.. Thus, at the present Standard Rate of Income Tax of 22%, a £60.00 annual payment becomes a gross payment of £76.92.

 

The benefits of Regular Payment Promise and Gift Aid giving are seen as:

  • If the contributor is a tax-payer it enables the East Lancashire Masonic Charity to maximise the amount it receives by claiming back the standard rate of tax.. Higher rate tax-payers can reclaim the higher rate.
  • The system allows the tax-paying contributor to be credited with the increased amount i.e. including the reclaimed tax.
  • Since the Regular Payment Promise runs for several years, cash flow forecasts are more accurate and allows the East Lancashire Masonic Charity to determine more precisely those funds which will be available for use at particular times in the future.

 

Other benefits listed below can also help the contributor considerably:

  • Monies can be donated annually, quarterly or monthly. (Ideally standing orders – later direct debits, should be on an annual basis in order to minimise banking charges.
  • Payment monthly or quarterly enables the contributor to spread the amount he wishes to give over the year.
  • If the donation is made by a Standing Order Mandate, it assists the Charity Steward in that he is not collecting cheques at irregular intervals.


Charity Member's Expenses

The Charity Steward is entitled to be paid his expenses (i.e. postage, stationery, photocopying) as are the other officers of the Lodge/Chapter. These must be paid out of the Lodge or Chapter general account through the Treasurer as there is no provision for these costs to be reimbursed from the charity funds.

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