Chiene + Tait charity tax specialist appointed to UK Gift Aid group

Catriona Finnie, a key member of the Charities and Education Group at Edinburgh accountancy firm Chiene + Tait (C+T), has joined HMRC’s newly-formed working group, set up to consider increasing the effectiveness of UK Gift Aid relief.

The assistant tax manager becomes one of the first Scottish-based members to join the group, while C+T is the sole accountancy firm to be represented on it.

The new working group will meet in London every two months to consider and review the effectiveness of Gift Aid, a form of income tax relief introduced in 1990 to benefit charities and community sports clubs.

The group will also look at potential areas for improvement with a view to increasing the take-up by eligible donors and reducing the number of those which are currently ineligible to claim it.

Ms Finnie’s appointment to the group comes off the back her charity sector work within C+T.

The firm is closely involved with the Scottish Grant Making Trusts Group and also advises a large number of clients in the charitable sector as well as individuals who make frequent Gift Aid donations.

Euan Morrison, the head of C+T’s Charity and Education Sector Group, said: “Catriona has both the experience and energy to make a huge contribution to the Gift Aid Working Group. In her to day to day role within the firm she is actively involved in updating our clients on changes to charity tax legislation, managing their corporation tax affairs and advising them on Gift Aid-related issues. She is therefore ideally placed to bring real value to this new body which will look to benefit our clients and all other organisations within the charity sector.”