Finance and Contributions
We are very grateful to all those who contribute so generously to the running and maintenance of our parish. We usually recommend as a guideline for giving a sum equivalent to an hour’s earnings.
Standing Order
Many find it easiest to make their contribution by bank standing order—it saves the hunt for cash on a Sunday morning, and is easier for the Parish to administer. At Christmas and Easter, however, it continues to go to the parish, so you may wish to make a separate contribution to your priest’s income in the basket as usual.
The easier way to set up a standing order is via Internet banking. The parish’s bank account details are:
Sort code: 40-05-20
Account number: 31076337
Account name: RCD A&B The Sacred Heart Caterham
You can download a Standing Order mandate form for your bank here:
Gift Aid
The Gift Aid scheme is important to the Parish as it yields over £14,000 each year to the Parish from the Government. This is a refund of the tax paid on donations by our regular donors, either through their weekly envelopes or directly by standing order. Each £1 donated turns into £1.25 as a result of Gift Aid. Currently over 180 of our parishioners are part of the scheme, but we are always looking for more.
Gift Aid is very easy to join for any tax-payer. Just complete one form (the Gift Aid Declaration) by downloading and completing the form from this website (hardcopy forms are available in the porch at the back of the church if you don’t have Internet access) and sending it to the Parish Office. On the form you indicate your choice either to donate by weekly envelopes, provided by us with your own personal number for the Sunday collection, or through a regular standing order from your bank (easier for you and for us). A Standing Order Mandate for completion and sending to the Parish Office can be downloaded from the website or, again, hardcopy forms are available in the church porch. Or, if you use Internet banking, details of the Parish bank account can be obtained from the Gift Aid Organiser (contact information below). Once completed your declaration remains in place and does not need to be renewed.
Gift Aid applies to all donations to the Parish and the Diocese, so this includes many second collections as well your Easter and Christmas donations for clergy support.
At the end of each tax year you get a statement of your donations and the tax reclaimed on them. If you are a higher rate tax-payer, you can reclaim further tax from HMRC.
If you have any queries on the Gift Aid scheme, please contact Peter Kelly, our Gift Aid Organiser, at peterfkelly67@gmail.com or telephone 01883 330684.
You can find the Gift Aid Declaration Form here.
How are priests paid?
You may find this short article helpful.
Peter Kelly
Gift-aid co-ordinator