What is Gift Aid? A Simple Guide for UK Fundraisers Gift Aid is a government scheme that allows UK charities to claim an extra 25% on eligible donations — at no additional cost to the donor. It’s one of the easiest ways to increase the impact of your fundraising efforts, and it applies to most personal donations made by UK taxpayers. If you're donating or raising money through GiveWheel, understanding how Gift Aid works means you can make the most of every contribution. How Does Gift Aid Work? When a UK taxpayer makes a donation and agrees to Gift Aid, the charity can claim an additional 25p for every £1 donated. A £10 donation becomes £12.50 A £100 donation becomes £125 There’s no extra cost to the donor The additional 25% comes from HMRC (the UK tax office), not from the donor themselves. Who Can Use Gift Aid? To be eligible for Gift Aid, the donor must: Be a UK taxpayer (paying Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax) Have paid at least as much tax in the current tax year as the charity will claim Complete a Gift Aid declaration (a one-time confirmation that they want Gift Aid applied) This applies to most personal donations. Gift Aid can’t be claimed on: Donations made on behalf of someone else or a company Donations in exchange for goods, services, or tickets Fundraising proceeds from events like raffles or auctions How Does Gift Aid Work on GiveWheel? When someone donates through a GiveWheel fundraising page, we automatically ask if they’re eligible for Gift Aid unless the page is a ticketed event. If they confirm and tick the box, we handle the rest. All Gift Aid declarations are passed on to the recipient charities Where charities receive funds via Charities Trust, the Gift Aid is automatically reclaimed and passed to the charity When receiving funds via Stripe, charities can use GiveWheel exports to reclaim Gift Aid through HMRC or other Gift Aid reclamation processes This happens behind the scenes, with no extra effort needed from you as the fundraiser. Why Is Gift Aid Important? Gift Aid can significantly boost the total raised for charity. If a fundraiser collects £1,000 in eligible donations, Gift Aid could increase this to £1,250 - without asking donors to give more. It’s one of the most effective ways to grow charitable impact, and yet many donors forget or skip the declaration. That’s why GiveWheel makes it part of the donation process every time. Start Fundraising with Gift Aid Today Whether you’re raising money in memory of someone, taking on a challenge, or supporting your favourite cause, Gift Aid helps you make every donation go further. Start your fundraiser →