A grant-making charity dedicated to supporting people in need
What is the Relief Chest scheme?
The Relief Chest Scheme is operated by The Freemasons' Grand Charity to provide a cost effective solution for the charitable activities of Craft Lodges, RA Chapters and other recognised Masonic orders, groups and bodies and to generally help them manage charitable giving efficiently. There is no charge for this service.
Today, there are over 4,400 individual Relief Chests with a total holding of some £25 million. The Freemasons' Grand Charity holds the money on behalf of Lodges etc., which retain control over the disposal of the money from their Chests. The Chest Holders may use their funds to make donations to any Masonic or non-Masonic charity, or to an individual (e.g. a Lodge member or the widow or a dependant of a member) who is in need.
The Grand Charity operates separate Chests for each fund as requested (a Lodge etc. may have more than one Chest if required) and holds the total in a designated account, thus benefiting the Chest holders from its charitable status. The service relieves the Lodge etc of the burden of administration by taking on the management and dispersal of charity funds as requested by the Chest holders, saving time and resources, whilst adding the ability to make full use of the tax breaks available for charities and donors within the UK.
The Relief Chest Scheme provides:
- Flexibility, continuity & security
- Traceability and tracking
- Monthly statements
- Payments can be made into Chests by BACS, Direct Debit, cheque, Gift Aid envelope or telephone.
- Gift Aid is claimed by the Grand Charity, which generates an additional 25p on all eligible donations and this is added to the Chest each month
- A favourable rate of interest is added to the funds held by the Grand Charity.
- All funds held come under the umbrella of the Grand Charity and are shown in the Charity's annual report and accounts as a restricted fund. There is, therefore, no need for individual Chest holders to submit information to the Charity Commission as this is covered by the returns made by the Grand Charity.
- The Grand Charity is audited independently each year
Contacting the HMRC Charities Helpline - For more help you can contact the Charities Helpline on telephone number 0845 302 0203 (open from 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday)
