Why am I being asked if I want to claim Gift Aid?
What is Gift Aid?
Gift Aid is a UK government tax relief incentive that allows registered charities to reclaim tax already paid by donors, increasing the value of a donation by 25% without costing the donor any extra money. Here's how Gift Aid works:
When a UK taxpayer makes a donation to a charity, they can declare it eligible for Gift Aid on some Zeffy forms.
The charity can then reclaim the basic rate tax (20%) that the donor has already paid on that donation from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
This effectively increases the value of the donation by 25% at no extra cost to the donor.
For example, if you donate £100 to a charity and agree to Gift Aid, the charity can claim an additional £25 from HMRC, making your total donation worth £125.
✅ Forms that are eligible for Gift Aid are: Donation forms, peer-to-peer forms, any form which includes an additional donation. In this case, only the additional donation is eligible for Gift Aid.
❌ Forms that are not eligible for Gift Aid are: Event forms and Online Shop forms, as purchases including a ticket or an item is not eligible.
How do I claim Gift Aid on my donation?
If an organization has linked their account to Swiftaid, you will be able to claim Gift Aid on eligible donation forms. The option will automatically show up as shown below:
If an organization is not eligible, the option to claim Gift Aid will not appear.
How can I see if I claimed Gift Aid on my donation?
If you claimed Gift Aid on your donation, your receipt will look like this:
If you claimed Gift Aid on a form which is not eligible for Gift Aid, but you made an additional contribution which is eligible for Gift Aid, your receipt will look like this:
Does claiming Gift Aid cost me extra?
No! While claiming Gift Aid increases your donation to the charity by 25%, you will not be charged extra. If you pay The additional 25% is paid by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
If you donate £100 to a charity and agree to Gift Aid, the charity can claim an additional £25 from HMRC, making your total donation worth £125, without charging you additionally.
You can read more about claiming Gift Aid here!