The Value of Zakat al-Fitrah in the United Kingdom

With the excitement of the joyous completion of the holy month of Ramadan, it is easy to forget about the needs of those in poverty and our obligation to provide charity to them. Therefore, we should remember that such people in need require our help to make it through the year.

Zakat al-fitrah is a special form of obligatory zakat given at the end of the month of Ramadan, during the day of Eid.

According to Islamic Center of England the estimated minimum value of zakat al-fitrah, for 2020, in the United Kingdom, is £5 per eligible person. The sum must be paid on a person’s behalf as well as on behalf of all those who are his dependents. This would also include any guests who are staying overnight during the eve of Eid al-Fitr, under the care of the person. A family of four, for example, who also has two guests staying overnight during the eve of Eid al-Fitr would pay six times the individual zakat amount, for a total of US £30, to account for each family member and guest.

Please note, if a center or person knows of someone needy in their city, as an obligatory precaution, it is not religiously allowed to send the zakat al-fitrah to feed the poor outside of that city. [Reference: Minhaj al-Salihin, Book 1, page 383, 2001, Mas’ala #1182.]