CHARITY donors are urged not to dump bags of goods outside shops because more money can be made by taking them inside.

The concept of Gift Aid is not new, but the 28 per cent extra given by the government can now also be claimed through donated goods, if a declaration form is signed.

St Clare Hospice’s retail sales manager Louise Hamilton said: "It doesn't matter if a donation is a three-piece suite, a bag of clothes, a box of books or a dinner service so long as the doner is a taxpayer, they can sign a declaration. “Once a donor has signed the simple form they will be given their own donor ID card so they can take as many donations as they want to any of our shops."

It means a book sold for £1 will raise an additional 28p if it has been Gift Aided, and a sofa sold for £100 will raise a further £28 at no extra cost to the donor or customer.

A hospice spokesman said if just 20 per cent of people donating are able to sign for Gift Aid, the hospice could raise an extra £30,000 each year which could cover the running cost of an in-patient room for ten weeks.