WaterAid 

Terms and Conditions 

1. About WaterAid 

These Terms and Conditions govern donations made through the WaterAid Shop for Life Gift Card donation site. 

For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions, “WaterAid”, “we”, “us” and “our” refer to WaterAid, the registered charity identified below. WaterAid Shop for Life is not a separate legal entity. 

Charity details 

2. Purpose of the Shop for Life Gift Cards 

The purpose of the Shop for Life Gift Cards is to enable supporters to make contributions to WaterAid's charitable work, for themselves or on behalf of someone else. 

A gift card is intended to serve as a physical or electronic acknowledgement of a donation. It is not a conventional retail gift card and does not provide a balance that can be spent or redeemed. 

The amount displayed on a gift card represents the amount of the associated donation. For example, a card displaying £25 indicates that a donation of £25 has been made or is associated with the card, as confirmed by the relevant transaction record. 

The card itself does not entitle its holder to receive cash, goods, services, discounts, credit or any other financial benefit. 

3. Nature of the Payment 

The amount paid by the donor corresponds to the amount displayed on the gift card. 

The intended arrangement is that the payment constitutes a donation to WaterAid, and that the card is issued solely as an acknowledgement of that contribution. 

No monetary value can be redeemed from the card, and no goods or services are promised in exchange for the donation. 

Decent toilets, good hygiene and clean water are essential for health, dignity and a life full of opportunity – but millions of people are still living without these essentials. WaterAid will use these donations to further this mission and reach people in communities and projects around the world. 

4. Use of Donations 

Donations will support WaterAid's charitable purposes in accordance with its governing document, applicable law and any valid restrictions attached to a donation. 

Unless WaterAid expressly accepts a donation for a specific restricted purpose, donations may be used to support its wider charitable work. 

This may include activities that improve access to clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene, as well as the reasonable costs of delivering and supporting those activities. 

WaterAid will manage and account for donations in accordance with its financial procedures and applicable regulatory requirements. 

A donation card does not give its holder ownership of any funds or the right to direct how WaterAid spends its money. 

5. Purchasing and Issuing Donation Cards 

Donation cards may be made available in physical or electronic form through channels authorised by WaterAid. 

The amount, payment method and any relevant information about the donation will be displayed before the transaction is completed. 

A donation will be treated as received once the payment has been successfully processed and accepted by WaterAid or its authorised payment provider. 

Where a payment fails, is declined or is not completed, a donation card will not be treated as evidence that the donation has been received. 

6. No Redemption or Spending Value 

Gift cards are non-redeemable. 

In particular: 

• They cannot be exchanged for cash or a refund of the displayed amount. 
• They cannot be used to purchase goods or services. 
• They do not hold a cash balance or stored monetary value. 
• They cannot be topped up or used as a payment instrument. 
• They do not create a debt owed by WaterAid to the cardholder. 

The amount printed on the card is a reference to the associated donation and is not a promise to repay that amount. 

Giving a donation card to another person does not transfer a right to redeem funds, because no such right exists. 

7. Gifts and Donations Made on Behalf of Others 

A donor may wish to give a gift card to another person as a gift or as an acknowledgement of charitable support. 

Where the donor makes the donation and gives the card to another person, the card recipient does not thereby become the donor for accounting or tax purposes. 

The original donor and transaction details will be recorded as appropriate. The recipient should not assume that they made the donation or are entitled to claim tax relief in respect of it. 

8. Cancellations and Refunds 

Donations are intended to support WaterAid's charitable work. Once a genuine donation has been completed and accepted, it will not ordinarily be refundable simply because the donor changes their mind. 

However, WaterAid will consider requests in line with our Refund Policy, relating to: 

Refund requests should be sent to supportercare@wateraid.org or made by telephone on 020 7793 4594. 

Please provide the transaction reference, payment date, amount and a description of the issue. 

Each request will be considered on its individual circumstances. Where a refund is approved, WaterAid will explain the next steps and process it using an appropriate method. 

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or limits any rights or remedies available under applicable law. 

9. Gift Aid and Tax Treatment 

A donation associated with a gift card will not automatically qualify for Gift Aid. 

Gift Aid may only be claimed where the donation and the relevant donor satisfy all applicable HM Revenue & Customs requirements, including the requirements concerning the donor's tax position, the nature of the payment, any benefits received and any required declaration. 

No donor or card recipient should assume that a payment associated with this scheme qualifies for Gift Aid. 

WaterAid will only make a Gift Aid claim where it has established that the applicable requirements are satisfied and has obtained the necessary Gift Aid Declaration. 

Where Gift Aid is not available, the donation will remain subject to the applicable terms of the scheme, without any promise of additional tax relief. 

Donors who have questions about their personal tax circumstances should seek independent advice. 

10. Lost, Damaged or Incorrect Donation Cards 

If a gift card is lost, damaged, duplicated or issued with incorrect information, the donor or recipient should contact WaterAid Supporter Care. 

WaterAid may verify the original donation against its records and, where appropriate, arrange a replacement card or corrected acknowledgement. 

A replacement card will not create an additional donation, duplicate the original payment or establish a right to repayment. 

Because donation cards have no redemption value, losing a card does not by itself mean that the associated donation has been lost. 

11. Fraud, Misuse and Unauthorised Activity 

Gift cards must not be used to mislead others about whether a donation has been made or to misrepresent WaterAid's activities, fundraising arrangements or charitable status. 

WaterAid may investigate suspected fraud, unauthorised use of its name or branding, false donation acknowledgements or other misuse associated with the scheme. 

Where reasonably necessary and lawful, WaterAid may suspend the issue of cards, cancel an incorrectly issued acknowledgement or take other proportionate steps to protect donors and the charity. 

Any action will be taken subject to applicable law and any relevant rights of the parties concerned. 

12. Personal Information and Privacy 

WaterAid will process personal information in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and its published Privacy Notice. 

Personal information may be used where necessary to: 

Personal information will only be shared where appropriate and lawful, including with authorised payment processors and service providers where necessary to administer the scheme. 

Providing information for the purpose of making a donation does not automatically constitute consent to receive marketing communications. 

WaterAid's Privacy Notice is available at: https://www.wateraid.org/uk/privacy-notice