Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) Status
There are potential cash benefits for Clubs from registering for Community Amateur Sports Club status. This scheme means your club can get rate relief and claim back gift aid on donations or from fundraising.
By April 2006 around 3,761 sports clubs had registered for Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) status. The cash benefit of the scheme up to that date has been estimated by Deloitte and Touche at £12.5 million - and that’s money that has been kept in the sector for the development of grassroots sport.
What are the financial benefits of CASC Status?
There are a number of benefits. Your club receives mandatory 80 per cent rate relief (funded by central government), and the possibility of 100 per cent rate relief. The club can also claim gift aid on donations of 28p on every £1 donated.
CASC clubs get exemption from corporation tax on bank and building society interest, on profits from trading and fundraising where gross income is less that £30,000 per annum, and on income from property where gross income is less than £20,000 per annum. Plus exemption from corporation tax on chargeable gains.
Applying for CASC
The club will need to fulfill certain criteria to qualify. The governing document (constitution, memorandum and articles, club rules) must make explicit four things relating to how the club is run.
- First, that there is a policy of open membership and the club does not discriminate in terms of sex, race, religion, or ability.
- Second, that the core purpose of the club is to promote one or more sports or activities.
- Third, that the club is non-profit-making and any surplus profits get reinvested into the club.
- Fourth, that there is a dissolution clause stating that in the event the club is wound up, any remaining assets be distributed to either the governing body of the sport(s), a charity or another CASC.
The definitive guide to everything you ever wanted to know about CASC status is available from the website of HM Revenue and Customs. You’ll need some time to go through it but you can get to it by clicking here.
The England and Wales Cricket Board also has good advice especially crafted for cricket Clubs and you can get to it by clicking here.