Frequently asked questions
Gift Aid and the software, explained
Gift Aid basics
What is Gift Aid?
Gift Aid lets a charity reclaim 25p from HMRC for every £1 donated by a UK taxpayer who has made a valid Gift Aid declaration. It's free money for your charity — HMRC pays it simply for asking correctly.
How far back can we claim?
Up to four years. And an enduring declaration backdates four years automatically — so a donor who declares today can cover donations they made in the previous four years, not just future ones. This is why so many charities are owed more than they realise.
Do declarations expire?
No. An enduring declaration stays valid until the donor cancels it. What does have a deadline is claiming a particular donation — four years from the date of that donation. We track this for you and warn you before a donation ages out.
Is an “I am a UK taxpayer” tickbox enough?
No — HMRC is explicit that this alone is not a valid declaration. Our declaration wording and capture are built to meet HMRC's actual requirements, so your claims stand up to audit.
Using the software
Do we need to be set up with HMRC before we start?
No. You can capture declarations and record donations from day one. You only need your HMRC details (Charities reference, Authorised Official, Government Gateway sign-in) when you're ready to file a claim.
How do we file a claim?
Today, you export HMRC's official schedule spreadsheet — pre-filled from your claim — and upload it through your charity's own HMRC online account. Direct one-click submission is built and tested, and switches on once our software completes HMRC's recognition process.
What happens to donations that can't be claimed?
The claim builder lists every excluded donation with the exact reason — no covering declaration, past the four-year deadline, incomplete address, or already claimed — so you can fix records and reclaim later.
Can it handle overseas donors?
Yes. Non-UK donors (including Channel Islands and Isle of Man) are handled the way HMRC requires — without a UK postcode — rather than being blocked by naive validation.
Pricing & plans
Do you charge per donor?
Never. Some tools bill you more as your donor database grows — even for archived records you're legally required to keep for six years. Our pricing is flat and doesn't punish you for keeping proper records.
Is there a free option?
Yes — our free Capture plan lets you collect valid declarations with a full audit trail. Upgrade to Core when you're ready to import donations and build claims.
What's the “Recovery” success-fee option?
For charities that want a one-off historical catch-up, we can sweep your donation history for Gift Aid you never claimed and help you recover it — charging a fee only on money actually recovered.
Roadmap
Do you support GASDS?
Not yet. The Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (for small cash and contactless donations without a declaration) is on our roadmap. If it's important to you, tell us — it helps us prioritise.
Do you do Retail Gift Aid for charity shops?
Retail Gift Aid is on our roadmap, including a donor wallet pass that lets a shop link a bag of donated goods to a donor in seconds. Register your interest and we'll keep you posted.
Still have a question?
We're a small team and we answer our own support. Ask us anything about Gift Aid or the product.