You would give your spare change to the guy sitting on the cold pavement, trying to catch your eye, if you only had cash on you right?
The three pocket pat moment, just before we leave the house, is quickly becoming a two pocket check for keys and phone, as technology turns our mobiles into digital wallets.
Tech has made life simpler for some, but, what about all the individuals that rely on cash donations to fill their belly each day? It’s estimated that over 300,000 people are living on the streets throughout the UK, with around 170,000 based in London alone. With the way things are going, times will surely only get tougher for them, as more and more of us carry less cash.
TAP London, and other similar charities, are tackling the issue head on. Bringing fundraising into the digital age by making use of contactless terminals and helping people directly affected by the lack of cash in society. With support from the Mayor of London, TAP London are using tech to make the world a better place. You may have seen donation points dotted throughout our Capital, whether on the bar of the local pub, or in a window at London Bridge station. Enabling us to use our card or smart device to make contactless donations to help the homeless. Pretty amazing hey?
But what happens when it comes to Gift Aid?
TAP London has managed to raise over £160,000 for homelessness charities including Shelter, The Big Issue Foundation and YMCA, but have never before been able to benefit from the government tax relief that is Gift Aid, this means they have missed out on over £40,000 in additional funding so far. Just think of the good they could do with that extra money. But, how on earth do you ask someone that is simply tapping their card as they pass by a contactless terminal to fill in a Gift Aid declaration?
The answer, of course, lies in technology.
Using brand new tech, we are able to unlock this life-changing money with very little effort. People are now adding an extra 75p to every donation they make to TAP London, for free, simply by linking a payment card to the automated Gift Aid network - powered by Swiftaid - and completing a one off declaration. UK taxpayers can help charities within the network, claim Gift Aid. Automatically adding 25% to every donation we make. Even better, charities simply receive money straight from HMRC. The new system relieves them of the burdens of all processing and paperwork, so they can spend more time doing what they do best; making the world a better place.
Swiftaid is a Universal Donor Intermediary service working closely with HMRC to improve flaws and fulfil industry needs using technology, rather than rewriting policy, to ensure that tax relief ends up where it should.
For us donors, the entire process is free.
By linking a payment card, we are enabling automation of Gift Aid on the donations we make to all charities on the network, via the donation sources they connect. As UK taxpayers, we connect to the network by creating an account, and authorise the capability to track our giving. The personal data linked to our Swiftaid donor account is used purely for processing Gift Aid, and will not be shared without our explicit consent. We receive a statement at the end of each year, making the headache of tax returns more painless!
Swiftaid makes it possible, donors make it happen.
With every charity and eligible donor on one system, the entire process of Gift Aid can be completely automated for everyone. So more of the £564m that is missed across the UK every year will reach those who need it most.
If you’re a UK taxpayer and want to help TAP London and other charities you care about receive more Gift Aid, then join them on the automated Gift Aid network by linking your card today.
Contactless is only the very beginning, soon charities will benefit from an extra 25% in Gift Aid across all our donations, as Swiftaid technology creates more opportunities, to work with online donations, SMS giving, direct debits and more.
Find out more about TAP London here and join the automated Gift Aid network here.
