To minimise the cost of your membership fees please read this guidance. Please also note that, as a charity, the affordability of the IHBC's services is a priority for the Institute provided it does not undermine our charitable objects.

1. USE TAX RELIEF TO CUT COSTS BY 20-40% OR MORE
IHBC fees are tax deductible as a professional expense, so through tax relief you can reduce the cost to you by 20% (basic rate tax payer) to 40% or more (see http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/list3/index.htm)

• If you do not complete a tax return, be sure to write to your local tax office and ask for the cost of your subscription to IHBC to be deducted through your tax code (IHBC is on HMRC's 'List 3' under 'Historic Building Conservation, Inst. For')
• If you complete a tax return, be sure to claim the relevant relief for the tax year (Under 'Employment Expenses; Professional fees', online and in Box 19 on the form or pdf)
• If you have not claimed tax relief before you may be able to claim retrospectively for up to four years, be sure to check with your local tax office.

Depending on your income, you could get back almost half of your fee through reductions in tax.

2. INCOME BELOW £19,000? PAY ONLY £66!
In line with our new concessionary rate if your annual income is below £19.000 you may qualify for the concessionary rate and only pay £66 for the full IHBC service. Download the Concessionary Form HERE. Proof of income is required before the concession can be confirmed. This payment also qualifies for tax relief under 1 above. For queries contact our Membership Services Officer at membershipservices@ihbc.org.uk.

3. RETIRED? PAY ONLY £66.
If you are an existing member and no longer practising as you are retired, and you want to maintain your membership benefits and contacts, please contact our Membership Services Officer at membershipservices@ihbc.org.uk to confirm your circumstances. Download the Concessionary Form HERE. After moving to retired status you may feel that you wish to continue to practice after all. It is possible to return to being a Full Member for up to 5 years where full CPD records can be supplied for the intervening period.

4 EMPLOYER PAYS FEES?
Many employers pay for one or more professional subscriptions. IHBC fees ordinarily qualify for such payments, depending on your job. If your employer does not pay your IHBC fees, be sure to claim fees as a tax relief under 1 above.

5 HELP US TO HELP YOU: DONATE TO IHBC NOW!
The IHBC is a registered UK charity and our work is guided and regulated by charity law across the UK.

If you would like to help us improve our support for conservation please consider making a donation towards our charitable activities. Donations might take the form of financial contributions, or other transfers such as the return of expense payments made using our Expenses Form.

Any donations will help cover the costs of our operations. If used with Gift Aid a donation will cost you substantially less than it benefits us, again helping keep your subscription costs down.

If you would like to learn more about donating please write to our Honorary Treasurer at donate@ihbc.org.uk , or follow the links on our web site.