Charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) stand to benefit from planned changes to the arrangements for Gift Aid announced in the Autumn Statement, but sports clubs will need to study the small print to make sure they qualify, according to the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT).

From April 2014 cash donations by companies to CASCs will be eligible for corporate Gift Aid. As well as encouraging donations from supportive businesses, this will make it easier for CASCs to operate through subsidiaries, which will be able to reduce or eliminate their tax bill by donating their profits to the CASC under Gift Aid.

ATT President Yvette Nunn said: 'Sports clubs will need to study very carefully the draft regulations (which are expected shortly) in order to check whether they will remain eligible for CASC status. If a lot of clubs are excluded by the new regulations, the availability of corporate Gift Aid to those that remain eligible will be of little consolation.'

However Nunn said the announcement in the Autumn Statement that HMRC will consult further on how to introduce a 'simple and common sense' administrative system for Gift Aid in order to attract as many eligible donations as possible was to be welcomed.