Charity Tax Reliefs Reach £6.7 Billion: Are Grassroots Clubs Missing Out?

HMRC estimates that around £560m of eligible Gift Aid was not claimed because donors didn’t tick the box.

The UK Government’s latest Charity Tax Relief Statistics show that in 2024/25, charities and clubs received a total of £6.7bn in tax reliefs. This included:

• £1.7bn in Gift Aid (a 7% increase on the previous year)

• £2.75bn in business rates relief

• Additional reliefs on VAT, inheritance tax and other areas

  
  

But crucially, HMRC estimates that around £560m of eligible Gift Aid was not claimed because donors didn’t tick the box.

For grassroots sports clubs, this matters. Reliefs like Gift Aid and business rates relief can be the difference between surviving and thriving. They are consistent, reliable streams of support, yet many clubs are missing out.

What clubs should do now:

1. Audit your Gift Aid processes: make sure donor declarations are in place and up to date.

2. Check your business rates position: confirm you’re receiving 80% mandatory relief if you’re a CASC or charity, and explore discretionary top-ups from your council.

3. Embed reliefs into strategy: treat these not as extras, but as core parts of your income planning.

At Club Development Solutions, we help clubs maximise the reliefs they’re entitled to and align governance so nothing slips through the cracks. If your club could use a health check on Gift Aid or rates relief, get in touch, it’s money worth claiming.