Giving shares

Have you ever thought about donating shares to charity?

Do you own shares that are not worth keeping but are not worth selling?  Many people come into shares through inheritance or as a result of a privatisation or demutualisation.  Gifting your shares can make a big difference to arc and can also be tax effective for the person giving them.

How do I go about giving my shares to arc?

If you have a small amount of shares we recommend you donate them to arc through an organisation called ShareGift.  If you have a large number of shares it may be better to transfer them directly to arc.  In both instances please contact our Fundraising Team who will be able to guide you through the simple procedure and answer any questions, contact us on 01246 558033 or appeals@arc.org.uk.

ShareGift

arc is very proud to work with an organisation called ShareGift.  Set up in 1993 ShareGift accept small numbers of shares from people who wish to donate them to charity.  ShareGift exist to make it easy to give shares to charity. 

The donor transfers the shares into the name of The Orr Mackintosh Foundation, the registered charity that operates ShareGift.  When ShareGift have a substantial amount of shares they are sold and the proceeds donated to UK charities.  Forms for donating shares can be obtained from the Fundraising Department on 01246 558033.

Guidelines for Donating Larger Numbers of Shares

The following guidelines give you an idea of how simple the process is.

Contact the Registrar of the company in which you have shares and obtain a Stock Transfer Form. The company's registrar will be written at the bottom of your Share Certificate or can be found in the company's annual report or their website.

When you receive your stock transfer form please make sure you fill in the box to whom the stock is to be transferred with the following;

Arthritis Research Campaign
Copeman House, St Mary's Court
St Mary's Gate
Chesterfield
Derbyshire
S41 7TD.

Then complete, sign and date the form and return it to the Company's Registrar.

When you receive your new Share Certificate with the name of the Arthritis Research Campaign please forward it on to:

Fundraising Department
Arthritis Research Campaign
Copeman House, St Mary's Court
St Mary's Gate
Chesterfield
Derbyshire
S41 7TD

It is up to you as the donor to keep adequate records for your tax claim. Keep a copy of the Share Certificate along with your letter to us detailing the date you have made this gift of shares and the value of the shares at the date of transfer.

What are the tax benefits?

When you donate shares, you get the tax relief. This means that if you donate shares worth £1,000 you can claim tax relief of £200 or £400, depending on whether you are a basic rate (20%) or higher rate (40%) taxpayer. You will also not have to pay any capital gains tax on the disposal of these shares that you have donated.

Bear in mind that everybody's personal circumstances are different and tax benefits may vary. Take professional advice if you are unsure how this will affect you with regards to tax relief.

If you are thinking of donating shares to us please, in the first instance, contact our fundraising department.

If you would like further information about giving shares to charity we advise you to visit www.givingcampaign.org.uk and www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk. The inland revenue web site has a guidance document IR178 which refers to the giving of shares to charity.