About 100,000 charities claim Gift Aid worth approximately £1bn every year. That is a large number of charities and a substantial sum of money. It is likely that many readers will act for a charity, be a trustee or have friends or contacts who work with charities. Charities Online, the new way that charities claim tax back from HMRC, could be a very relevant issue for you.

So why is Charities Online important, what do accountants need to know about it and what opportunities does it bring for professional advice?