Charity Tax
Make the most of the reliefs you’re entitled to.
As a charitable organisation, there are a wide range of exemptions you can make the most of for taxes, including corporation tax, income tax, stamp duty and business rates. You can also benefit from tax reliefs such as Gift Aid and Social Investment Tax Relief, which provide further opportunities for charities to thrive. Our team help to ensure your charity is fully tax-compliant and structured optimally.
Dedicated in-house tax specialists with vast charity and not-for-profit experience.
Having chosen to specialise in the sector, most of our team have trained as charity experts from day one. Providing personalised advice and support to our clients, our experience spans:
Academies and schools
Arts and culture
Further and higher education
Housing associations
International NGOs
Religious orders
Social businesses
We also support various other sectors, including research organisations, membership organisations, city livery companies, hospital charities, and welfare, health, and care organisations.
Our services
Our services range from preparation and submission of Gift Aid claims and Gift Aid training, through to reviews and advice on all forms of tax efficient giving, ensuring you make the most of the donations you receive.
If not planned correctly, trading and other activities carried out by your charity can come with a risk of an unexpected tax liability. We’ll review your activities to comb for risks and opportunities and help you structure them efficiently.
The tax risks quickly add up when carrying out transactions involving land and buildings for your charity. Careful planning and structuring are essential to ensure your available tax reliefs aren’t compromised. Our experienced team have dealt with a number of different charity property transactions and can advise you on how to manage compliance.
Employment tax issues are common for not-for-profit organisations due to the different obligations and requirements for volunteers, consultants, and employed staff. We advise on all areas of employment tax, staff benefits, and IR35.
We have extensive experience with the preparation of tax returns for charities and the necessary supplementary charity disclosures. We’re also well-versed in the preparation of tax returns for membership associations, which are often complex because of mutual trading status and a variety of sources of income.
Our dedicated team of VAT experts who are on-hand to ensure you’re maximising any reliefs and exemptions available as well as keeping you up to date with the VAT changes you need to be aware of.
Our approach
Our service is designed to ensure full compliance with all relevant tax regulations while identifying opportunities to optimise your tax position in line with your charitable objectives.
1. In-depth documentation review
This includes reviewing recent annual reports, corporation tax computations and returns and any tax policy documents to assess your current tax implications.
2. Data analysis
We will analyse trial balances and general ledger data to identify any unusual items or inconsistencies. This quantitative approach helps ensure no significant transactions are missed.
3. Expert judgement
Throughout, we maintain a collaborative approach, engaging with your team for clarifications, sharing interim observations and ensuring our recommendations are practical to implement.
Why work with us?
Staying compliant with HMRC’s changing rules can be tough. We’re here to make it easier-with advice that’s clear, personal and aligned with your mission.
We’re built different
As a specialist charity tax team, we offer a joined-up approach with our VAT colleagues. We offer all clients continued updates on tax changes through seminars and general updates.
We understand your world
We’ve worked with over 500 charities and not-for-profits across many sectors including education, housing and INGOs. From this deep expertise comes a deep understanding of your issues and challenges, to which we provide tailored advice and solutions.
Trusted across the sector
Leading charities, trusts and foundations turn to us because we help them achieve what matters most: efficient processes, transparency for stakeholders, and confidence in compliance.
We are on a mission too
We truly believe the work you do is important, and we do what we can to play a part. Last year, 251 of our Buzzacott staff volunteered, supporting 32 different charities.
Hear from our clients
We are most grateful to Luke Savvas and his colleagues for their expert advice on substantial property transactions. Their guidance was instrumental in helping our company, a charity-owned trading subsidiary, navigate complex tax implications with clarity and confidence. It enabled us to eliminate any corporation tax liability through the effective use of the Gift Aid scheme. Their professionalism, meticulous attention to detail, and strategic guidance were invaluable throughout the process.
We are most grateful to Luke Savvas and his colleagues for their expert advice on substantial property transactions. Their guidance was instrumental in helping our company, a charity-owned trading subsidiary, navigate complex tax implications with clarity and confidence. It enabled us to eliminate any corporation tax liability through the effective use of the Gift Aid scheme. Their professionalism, meticulous attention to detail, and strategic guidance were invaluable throughout the process.