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Registering your club as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC)

Swimming clubs should consider registering with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC).

This is a special tax status which delivers tax benefits including 80 per cent mandatory business rate relief, corporation tax exemptions and inheritance tax reliefs

For most swimming clubs that don’t own a pool, the key benefits from CASC are receiving HMRC cash payments under gift aid and the gift aid small donations scheme (GASDS) on individual donations.

Registration is relatively simple but will require the club to change its constitution and to be run in accordance with the CASC rules and conditions.

Both unincorporated members clubs and company clubs can register; CASC registration confers no special legal status which remains unchanged.

Clubs need to consider whether CASC status is appropriate for them before proceeding. For further details of CASC status, head to cascinfo.co.uk.

Using CASC status to generate cash rebates

Gift aid can contribute much needed funds since HMRC will pay an extra 25p for every £1 donated to a CASC by individual UK taxpayers.

The donation must be a gift with no or very small benefits in return.

If a CASC is claiming gift aid successfully in the current income tax year it can also claim rebates of 25 per cent from HMRC under GASDS on small donations of up to £30.

The administration of GASDS is simpler than gift aid. The maximum annual rebate is £2,000.

Further details of CASC status and the benefits including gift aid are available through our free helpline for swimming clubs which can be accessed at cascinfo.co.uk/contact

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