Can I still submit Gift Aid claims manually via the HMRC portal?
This article explains that there is no need to create Gift Aid claims manually. However, if you would like to do this, the article details the steps required.
If you opt to submit your Gift Aid claim to HMRC manually, when you receive the income from HMRC, you should ensure you reconcile the income using the steps in our Help Guide article How do I record Gift Aid income from HMRC? (claimed outside ExpensePlus).
In this article:
ExpensePlus integrates directly with HMRC, so you can submit Gift Aid claims at the click of a button directly from within ExpensePlus. There is typically therefore no need to submit claims via the HMRC portal.
This video explains how you can submit Gift Aid claims at the click of a button.
If you decide you still want to submit a claim manually via the HMRC portal, see the guidance below for how to do this using ExpensePlus.
If you have any problems signing into HMRC or submitting claims from within the HMRC website, please contact HMRC (not the ExpensePlus Support Team).
Steps to take within ExpensePlus
This help guide article shows you the steps you first need to take within ExpensePlus. This will ensure you have the information you need, in the format needed, to submit a Gift Aid claim to HMRC manually via the portal.
Steps to take in the HMRC portal
You may want to ensure you have all the information you'll need before signing in and starting the claim. Otherwise, if you pause for too long between steps, the system may log you out, and you may have to complete some of the steps again.
Section 1: Signing in and claim details
1) Go to the HMRC Gift Aid website, click the 'Start Now' button, then enter your details.
2) Once signed in, click the 'Claim tax back on donations' link (as shown below).
If you don't see this option, you will need to click the 'get online access to a tax, duty, or scheme' link at the top of the page to request this to be added to your account.
3) In the 'Make a repayment claim' section, click 'Use the charities online service' (or click 'Continue with draft claim' if you have started the claim previously).
4) Click 'Provide repayment claim details'.
5) Click 'Continue'.
6) Click 'Tax repayments on Gift Aid donations', then click 'Continue'.
We highly recommend you make any GASDS claims separately, i.e. that you don't also tick the 'Top-up payments for donations under the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS)' box on the above screen.
7) Click 'Yes' or 'No' depending on whether you have a claim reference number, then click 'Continue'. (When the claim is paid, the reference number will be shown on the payment advice note. The reference number is up to 20 characters in length, and can include numerical characters and letters.)
8) Check all the details are correct, then click 'Continue'.
Section 2: Organisation details
9) Click 'Provide organisation details'.
10) Note the information, then click 'Continue'.
11) Select your organisation's charity regulator, then click 'Continue'.
12) Enter your organisation's charity number, then click 'Continue'.
13) Click to indicate whether or not you're submitting the claim as a corporate trustee, then click 'Continue'.
14) Click to answer whether or not you (as the authorised official) have a UK address, then click 'Continue'.
15) Add the authorised official's name, phone number and postcode, then click 'Continue'.
16) Check all the details for your organisation, then click 'Continue'.
Section 3: Gift Aid schedule and claim details
17) Click 'Add Gift Aid schedule'.
18) Note the information about the file format, template schedule and file size, then click 'Continue'.
19) As you have already created the .ods Gift Aid schedule, by following the steps taken within ExpensePlus (above), you can simply click 'Continue'.
20) Drag and drop the file created (above), or click to browse and find it; then click 'Continue'.
21) Once your file is showing as 'uploaded', click 'Continue'
22) The screen will show the imported spreadsheet data. If you need to update the data, click 'Yes'. Otherwise, click 'No, continue with Gift Aid schedule', then click 'Continue'.
23) Click 'Continue' to acknowledge your Gift Aid data has uploaded successfully.
Section 4: Declaration and submitting the claim
24) Click 'Read declaration'.
25) In the box provided, type details of any adjustments included within the claim data; then click 'Continue'.
26) Read the declaration, confirming that:
- the information you've given is complete and correct
- you've read HMRC's guidance on claiming Gift Aid
- the charity meets the conditions for tax exemption for the period covered by this claim
- you understand that giving false or misleading information can lead to HMRC taking action against you.
Once you are satisfied that you understand the declaration, and that all the information in your Gift Aid claim is correct, click 'Confirm and submit claim'.
27) You'll then see a screen confirming your claim has been successfully submitted.
28) When you receive the income from HMRC, ensure you reconcile it following the steps in our Help Guide article How do I record Gift Aid income from HMRC? (claimed outside ExpensePlus).
To better understand the Gift Aid module, please view the module overview video here.