Gift Aid is an extremely valuable tax relief that contributes millions worth of funds to Third Sector causes each year and is a crucial aspect of charity fundraising and retail in the UK. However, manually processing Gift Aid contributions is time-consuming and can be prone to human error. Retail Gift Aid automation makes the process of claiming Gift Aid for your charity faster and more efficient. In this article, we’ll explain the five main benefits of automated Gift Aid systems and how they can help maximise your income from sales and donations.
Gift Aid submissions can be a confusing and time-intensive process for volunteers and staff, resulting in valuable sums that go unclaimed. Gift Aid automation ensures that all eligible sums are claimed correctly, and also avoids incorrect claims that could skew your sales data and cause your charity to miss out on vital sums. By automating your Gift Aid process through all donation and retail channels, you minimise the risk of human error and ensure that your claims are submitted to HMRC correctly and on time.
Automated Gift Aid submissions by Wil-U’s EPOS system remove all paper documentation from the Gift Aid claim process, making automation a positive step for the environment as well as more convenient for your staff and volunteers. By transitioning from a paper-based system to a digital one, you lower the carbon footprint of your organisation as well as make it easier to keep track of historic Gift Aid transactions. By automating your digital Gift Aid systems donors and customers can be kept updated about Gift Aid through their mobile phones or electronic devices, making it more convenient for customers and staff.
With automated Gift Aid systems, exclusive to Wil-U’s EPOS system, the user simply has to click one button to submit the Gift Aid claim to HMRC, giving you better real-time control and visibility over your cash flow. This is especially helpful for small independent charities that rely on steady income streams from the charity shop to support their fundraising operation – by automating your Gift Aid process, you reduce the burden and expense of administration and free up resources to focus on your charitable mission.
Many Gift Aid claims fail due to administrative processing errors, resulting in the claim being rejected by HMRC. An automated Gift Aid submission system will automatically flag errors ahead of a claim going through, ensuring that most claims are complete and accurate, and saving you time, hassle, and money resolving issues.
Our Wil-U android tablet is 96% more efficient than traditional charity EPOS systems and can save you significant sums on energy bills and carbon output – as much as £470 per year for each shop based on energy prices in January of 2023. Moreover, a convenient fixed monthly fee provides you with everything you need to maintain your automated system, including servicing, support, and maintenance, with little to no upfront investment.
For more information about Retail Gift Aid automation and how our digital system can help you save time and money while maximising your returns from Gift Aid, please click here to sign up for a free demonstration of our digital Gift Aid solution.