Parish Giving Scheme Form and FAQParish Giving Scheme
Why are regular gifts so important to our Church?
The Church of England offers a Christian presence in every community. Together we seek to make this Christian presence the heart of all our cities, towns and villages: by our wonderful buildings; by worshipping together; by serving our communities and by sharing our faith and values. This valuable contribution to our
community has a cost, of which 75% is met by personal gifts. For our Church to survive and grow, we rely on regular gifts so that we can plan confidently for the future.
What is the Parish Giving Scheme?
The Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) has been set up to help us best manage regular gifts. It is a charity that is owned and funded by the National Church Institutions of the Church of England.
How does it work?
Gifts can be made on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis, using the attached gift form and Direct Debit instruction. Even though gifts are made to the Parish Giving Scheme, they are restricted to our parish, giving you peace of mind that your gift cannot be used elsewhere. Unlike a utility bill you are always in charge of
what you give. Your gift will be passed back to our parish by the 10th of the month. Gift Aid will be received separately once PGS has received it from HMRC. The unique feature of this scheme is the option for you
to commit in principle to increase your gift annually in line with inflation. Whilst this is a voluntary decision, it is one that could potentially have a huge impact on the life and future of our church.
What are the main benefits?
The main beneficiary of this scheme will be our church. Through your generous commitment, we can be assured of a regular, tax-efficient source of income which has the capacity to increase with the cost of living, yet involves virtually no administration. You will benefit from a system that is secure, confidential and easy
to use, while supporting our church today and for the future.
How do I go about signing up to the scheme?
Fill out the form below, with as much detail as possible using a black pen in BLOCK CAPITALS.
Detach it from this leaflet following the cutting line and post it to the address given below.
Important: It is essential to complete all sections of the gift form in particular ‘Church / Parish name; Diocese of;
and PGS Parish code’. Without this information in full PGS cannot process your gift.
Note: We welcome gifts from couples, so if you wish to make a joint gift please write ‘Mr & Mrs’ in the ‘other’ box. For the purpose of Gift Aid however they need the signature of just one individual who pays sufficient tax to cover the gift. Please add your title in the Gift Aid signature box so they know which individual the declaration belongs to.
Then what can I expect?
Within 10 working days you will receive a letter confirming your personal details, the level, frequency and date of your first gift and the parish you wish to restrict it to. Please check this letter thoroughly to ensure that
all the details are correct. In this letter you will receive a PGS reference number (located below the address)
which needs to be retained by you, and quoted in any future communication you have with the Parish Giving Scheme. There will also be a bank reference code which begins with ‘PGS Thank You’, and ends with a unique number code. This is the description which will appear on your bank statement when each gift is given.
How will our parish be notified of my gift?
We will receive your gift in our parish bank account by the 10th of the month and Gift Aid will be received separately once PGS has received it from HMRC. Our parish’s Planned Giving Representative receives a statement detailing the names of those who have given gifts through PGS. PGS will provide our parish’s Planned Giving
Representative with your postal address, however you can decide to remain anonymous by ticking the box on the right. If you decide to remain anonymous only the amount of the gift will be shared with our Representative. We wish to encourage you to remain known to us, so that we can thank you and tell you more about how you can support us and to avoid mistakenly approaching you in the future to consider a regular gift to our church.
I currently give by standing order; how do I stop this?
Unfortunately PGS is unable to cancel a standing order for you, only you may do this. If you bank online
it is very simple to do through your online account, otherwise you will need to contact your bank direct.
How do I go about changing my gift in the future?
We know that circumstances change and your ability to give may increase or decrease over time. If you wish to make a change please notify the Parish Giving Scheme using one of the methods provided in the contact information box below quoting:
• Your PGS reference number (found below your address on PGS correspondence) • How much your existing gift is for
• What you would like it changed to
• When you would like this change to be brought into effect
Should you wish to have a confidential conversation about your options in changing your gift, please don’t hesitate to contact our Parish Giving Representative or the Parish Giving Scheme at the address below. Note: For administrative reasons the Parish Giving Scheme cannot make any changes within 10 working days of the next gift date.
Who do I contact for help?
Parish Giving Scheme, 76 Kingsholm Road, Gloucester GL1 3BD Tel: 0333 002 1260 Email: info@parishgiving.org.uk www.parishgiving.org.uk