Gift Aid and DonateMate (UK Stores)

If you're a UK-based charity or fundraiser, Gift Aid lets you claim an extra 25p for every £1 donated at no extra cost to your donors. Here's how DonateMate fits into the Gift Aid picture.

Does DonateMate Automate Gift Aid?

DonateMate doesn't currently have a built-in Gift Aid declaration form or automated HMRC submission. What it does do is process the donation itself — the Gift Aid admin layer sits on top of that.

How to Collect Gift Aid Declarations

You have a few options for collecting Gift Aid declarations alongside DonateMate donations:

Option 1: A Checkbox on Your Donation Page

Use a Shopify form app (like Hulk Form Builder or Jotform) to add a Gift Aid declaration checkbox near your donation widget. The customer ticks it, and you collect their name and address details alongside the donation.

This gives you the declaration you need to claim Gift Aid from HMRC.

Option 2: Post-Purchase Follow-Up

Customise your order confirmation email to include a Gift Aid declaration link. Customers who want to Gift Aid their donation can fill in a short form.

You can add a custom message to your DonateMate order confirmation — see Adding a Custom Receipt Message.

Option 3: Dedicated Gift Aid App

Apps like Swiftaid integrate with Shopify checkout to collect Gift Aid declarations automatically. These can work alongside DonateMate.

What Customer Information Does DonateMate Collect?

DonateMate collects the standard Shopify order information, which includes the customer's name, email, and billing address (if they enter one during checkout). This is the information HMRC requires for Gift Aid claims.

See Do I get customer information for the donation? for more details.

Exporting Donation Data for Gift Aid Claims

To submit Gift Aid claims, you'll need to export your donation orders. In Shopify Admin → Orders, filter by your donation product and export to CSV. This gives you the donor details you need to submit to HMRC via the Charities Online portal.

I Need More Help With Gift Aid Setup

Gift Aid requirements can vary depending on your charity status and how donations are structured. For detailed HMRC guidance, visit gov.uk/claim-gift-aid.

For DonateMate-specific questions, get in touch — Ben is happy to walk through how to set things up for your specific situation. 🇬🇧