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Exactly. Gift aid is a form of tax avoidance, but it's hardly immoral/unethical.
(Unless the charity in question shouldn't really have charitable status in the first place, like most private schools.)
Greenbank-
I don't think that's true - avoidance is defined in legislation. There are several specific anti avoidance rules etc which deny the benefit of reliefs, exemptions etc where actions are part of arrangements with a main purpose of avoiding tax.
Absent anything else, claiming a relief wouldn't be viewed as avoidance (at least not as that term is used in law)
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Gift aid is a form of tax avoidance, but it's hardly immoral/unethical.
It depends doesn't it.
Imo there is a strong moral argument against tax deductions for charitable giving. Not least because as highlighted by your eg it's normally totally subjective based on your bias.
andyfallsoff
hugo7
I think you are reading negative connotations into the phrase "tax avoidance" that are not intended. It's a neutral statement of fact to say that a particular structure avoids a tax charge that would be payable in another structure.
What is ethical and what are the standards we might expect of our elected representatives is a totally different question.