Unclaimed Gift Aid UK: Why Churches Lose Millions and How to Claim It Back
An estimated £560 million in Gift Aid goes unclaimed by UK churches every year because declarations aren't submitted to HMRC on time. Givr automates the entire process: capture Gift Aid declarations when congregants give, then submit claims to HMRC Charities Online automatically, so your church reclaims what's legally yours.
Why So Much Gift Aid Goes Unclaimed
Gift Aid is a government scheme that lets churches claim an extra 25p for every pound a UK taxpayer gives. It's free money, but only if a valid declaration is on file with HMRC and a claim is submitted within the tax year. Most churches manage donations in spreadsheets, collect declarations on paper forms, and manually submit claims. By the time reconciliation happens, the tax year has ended and HMRC won't backdate claims. Even digitally savvy churches struggle because donation platforms and giving systems don't integrate with HMRC Charities Online. As of June 2026, thousands of UK churches are still missing this revenue because the process remains manual and error-prone.
How Givr Recovers Unclaimed Gift Aid
Givr is a UK church giving platform that captures Gift Aid declarations at the point of giving and submits them to HMRC automatically. When a congregant scans a QR code at church, they enter their name, postcode, and confirm they pay enough tax. Givr stores that declaration against their donation. On the Gather tier (£25/month or £245/year), Givr batches all valid declarations and submits them to HMRC Charities Online on your behalf, eliminating the manual paperwork. Churches then receive HMRC payments directly into their bank account. There's no FCA licence required (Stripe Connect, which is FCA authorised, handles payments), and no complex setup. The Gift Aid performance fee is 2% of the amount claimed, invoiced after HMRC pays you, so you only pay if you actually recover the money.
What Givr Actually Does for Congregants
Congregants don't download an app. They scan a QR code on the church notice, which opens a browser page. They give their donation amount in seconds and tick the Gift Aid box if they're a UK taxpayer. That's it. No account creation, no app installation, no friction. For churches that want to collect recurring gifts, the Gather tier includes GoCardless integration, so congregants can set up standing orders through the same QR code process. The church treasurer and finance team see everything in a dashboard: total funds raised, donor records, and a record of every Gift Aid declaration submitted to HMRC.
Gift Aid and GASDS: Two Ways to Reclaim
UK churches can claim Gift Aid under two schemes: standard Gift Aid (requires a valid declaration from the donor) and GASDS (Giving Account Service for Small Donations), which lets churches claim 25% on small donations (under £10) without a declaration. Givr supports both. If you collect mostly small anonymous donations, GASDS claims those automatically. If you have named donors, standard Gift Aid declarations are captured and submitted. Many churches leave money on the table because they don't realise GASDS exists or don't know how to file claims. Givr handles both schemes in one platform.
Getting Started with Givr
Start free on the Free tier: congregants can give via QR code, and you'll see all donations in a dashboard. There's a 1% platform fee and a £5,000 monthly volume cap. To claim Gift Aid, upgrade to Gather (£25/month or £245/year, 0.5% platform fee). Givr will guide your church through HMRC registration if you're not already set up, then you'll connect Givr to your HMRC Charities Online account. Givr handles the rest. If you want white-label branding or API access for custom integrations, the Grow tier is £55/month or £549/year (0.35% platform fee). For churches managing large-scale giving campaigns or needing custom workflows, speak to the MRVL team about enterprise options.
Start recovering unclaimed Gift Aid in seconds with Givr.
Frequently asked questions
How much unclaimed Gift Aid does the UK lose each year?
An estimated £560 million in Gift Aid goes unclaimed by UK churches annually, mostly because declarations aren't captured or submitted to HMRC on time. Givr recovers this by automating declarations and HMRC submissions.
Do I need an FCA licence to use Givr?
No. Givr uses Stripe Connect, which is FCA authorised to handle payments. Your church doesn't need its own FCA licence. Givr handles the compliance.
Can congregants give without downloading an app?
Yes. They scan a QR code, which opens a browser page. They give in seconds. No app download, no account creation, no friction.
What happens if someone gives but doesn't tick Gift Aid?
Givr only claims Gift Aid for donors who declare they're UK taxpayers. Anonymous or non-taxpayer donations are recorded but aren't claimed under standard Gift Aid. GASDS (small donations scheme) claims a flat 25% on donations under £10 without a declaration.
When does HMRC pay the claimed Gift Aid?
HMRC pays quarterly (typically end of July, October, January, and April). Givr charges a 2% performance fee on the amount claimed, invoiced after HMRC pays you.
Can I see which donors have submitted Gift Aid declarations?
Yes. The Givr dashboard shows all donors, their donations, and their Gift Aid declaration status. You'll also see a record of every claim submitted to HMRC.