Gift aiding my membership

Gift Aid: Make your support go further

Gift Aid is a simple way to make your donation go even further at no extra cost to you.
If you’re a UK taxpayer, ZSL can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you donate through the government’s Gift Aid scheme.

Just tick the Gift Aid box - it’s that easy!

Do I need to make a Gift Aid declaration every year?

No. Once you’ve made a Gift Aid declaration, it remains valid. There’s no need to make a new declaration each year unless we contact you to do so.

Will Gift Aid cost me anything?

Not at all. Gift Aid simply allows ZSL to reclaim the tax you’ve already paid on your donations including memberships, meaning every £1 you give becomes £1.25 for wildlife.

Am I eligible for Gift Aid?

You can Gift Aid your membership if you pay enough UK Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax to cover the amount ZSL (and any other charities you support) will reclaim each tax year (6 April–5 April). If you pay less tax than the total amount reclaimed, you’ll need to repay the difference to HMRC.

Please note: Council Tax and VAT don’t qualify for Gift Aid.

I don’t pay tax, but my partner does. Can we still claim Gift Aid?

As long as your partner is a UK taxpayer and the payment for your joint or family membership comes from their account (or a joint account). The declaration must be made by the taxpayer. 

What if my tax situation changes?

If you stop paying enough UK Income or Capital Gains Tax, please contact us via this form, so we can update your record and stop claiming Gift Aid on your behalf.

I’ve already Gift Aided another charity - do I need to do it again?

Yes. Each charity needs its own Gift Aid declaration. If you support more than one cause, just tick the box for each one.

Can I Gift Aid donations to multiple charities?

Yes - as long as you pay enough UK tax to cover all the Gift Aid claims made by those charities. If your tax changes, you can cancel a declaration with any charity at any time.

I’ve already made a Gift Aid declaration with ZSL - do I need to tick the box again?

No need! Your previous declaration covers all your future membership payments, and donations including any made alongside ticket purchases, unless we ask you to renew it.

Let us know if you:
  • Want to cancel or change your declaration.
  • Move house or change your name.
  • Stop paying enough UK tax to qualify.
  • Want your declaration to apply to a single donation only.

Contact us anytime via this form.