HM Revenue & Customs has refuted as "nonsense" allegations that it has changed its position on gift aid donations, after it was criticised over plans to make donors complete a "pre-donation questionnaire".

An HMRC spokeswoman told Civil Society News that suggestions it has changed its position on gift aid donations is “nonsense” and claimed that it is trying to simplify, rather than over-complicate, gift aid donations through its latest updated guidance and proposals.

"HMRC's position on gift aid donations, made via digital intermediaries, remains unchanged - we are working closely with intermediaries to help them improve their processes to maximise the gift aid claimed on eligible donations. We are committed to simplifying giving to increase gift aid on eligible donations.”

She also said that: “Internal processes are a matter for individual intermediaries - there is no question of HMRC imposing new requirements on intermediaries or charities".

HMRC were responding to a number of umbrella bodies and digital giving platforms, including JustGiving, who have been critical of the way in which HMRC has handled updating its guidance on digital gift aid.

In March, JustGiving said that HMRC ordered it not to apply gift aid to donations on its website that were “signed off with messages of support by more than one person” which cost charities in the region of £1m to £2m a month in lost gift aid.

Civil Society News understands that HMRC communicated this to JustGiving in November 2015.   

Yesterday both CFG and NCVO criticised HMRC’s proposal to introduce a ‘pre-donation questionnaire’ as being “utterly ridiculous” and one that “flies in the face of the whole process”.