Tax due on Gift Aid payments

I have been charged tax on gift aid payments @ 20% for the first time in my tax return - despite having income well over 4 times the amount of the gift aid payments. It seems to have added a substantial amount to my tax bill for the year which doesn't feel like it makes sense. Am I misunderstanding something?

Hi,

If you have submitted the return, contact us online by clicking 'Ask HMRC Online' and ask to speak to an adviser. You will be put in the Webchat queue and we can look into this.

Self Assessment: general enquiries

Thank you.

Can it be looked into before I submit the return? I'm concerned I may have completed the self assessment incorrectly as this has never happened in previous years.

Hi shmola,
No, you need to submit the return before we can see it.
Please make sure you have declare eall your income and tax deducted to show that you do pay tax so that the gift aid is correctly applied.
Thank you. 
 

Hi, I'm not HMRC Admin but it is correct you should get charged 20% on gift aid. Gift aid only reduces your tax bill if you are a higher rate payer. The charity claim the basic rate tax you paid and that is why you need to pay basic rate tax on it (else there would be no tax for the charity to claim).