Tax reliefs for charities and donors were worth £3.34bn in 2010/11,according to HM Revenue & Customs.

Figures published last week show charities received £2.56bn in tax relief, up from £2.48bn 2009/10.

The figures include £1.1bn in Gift Aid, up from £1.03bn in the previous year, and £1.16bn in business rate relief, up from £1.14bn in the previous year. Reliefs for donors rose to £780m from £740m.  The largest personal reliefs were inheritance tax relief, up to £340m from £320m in the previous year, and higher-rate relief on Gift Aid, up to £350m from £330m.

VAT reliefs were estimated to be worth £200m, but this figure is rounded to the nearest £50m and has remained unchanged since 2003.  Third Sector online 5 May 2011