Lucinda Frostick
As solicitors and Will writers, you can help your clients leave a lasting impact on the world by making them aware of the option to include a charitable gift in their Will.
A vital source of income for good causes, gifts in Wills have become the largest source of voluntary donations, funding crucial services and core operations for charities across the country.
Appetite for giving in this way is rising, with 40% of the over 40s saying they’d be happy to leave a gift to charity in their Will after taking care of their loved ones. And yet, only 7% of those who have passed away have done so. Often, they simply didn’t think about it at the time of writing their Will.
Thanks to solicitors and Will writers who reference the option of charitable giving with clients, this is starting to change. Our latest survey of the Will-writing sector shows that almost a quarter of Wills (24%) handled by UK solicitors and Will-writers now include a donation – a 50% rise since 2014[1].
For your clients, leaving a gift to charity in their Will can provide them with a welcome opportunity to build a better world for future generations. Legacy gifts now fund 6 in 10 lifeboat launches and over a third of Marie Curie’s vital work, as well as sustaining an increasing number of smaller and community-based charities.
Remember A Charity is a consortium of almost 200 UK charities, working together with government and legal partners to make charitable gifts in Wills a social norm by raising awareness and increasing understanding amongst the public.
How you can help
As a legal adviser, you know that giving your clients the best advice means everything.
Our research with the Cabinet Office Behavioural Insights Team showed that if you simply mention the charitable option to clients, you can triple the likelihood of them leaving a gift.
Clients will often greatly value your advice about the tax benefits too. Any charitable gift in their Will can reduce the tax due from their estate, but should they choose to donate 10% or more, your client can benefit from a reduced rate of Inheritance Tax – 36% instead of 40%.
Including a charitable gift won’t be the right decision for everyone – but it’s important for clients to understand and be aware of all the options available to them.
Become a Campaign Supporter
Join our free Campaign Supporter scheme and help your clients include everything they care about in their Wills while supporting hundreds of UK charities. You’ll benefit from:
- Your details listed in our solicitor and Will writer directory, which the Will-writing public use to search for advisers in their local area.
- Free resources to use when communicating with clients about gifts in Wills.
- Access to insights, webinars and discounted offers from our partners.
- Access to our high-profile annual awareness campaign, Remember A Charity Week, to promote the benefits of an up-to-date Will.
- Use our Campaign Supporter logo on your marketing materials
As a Campaign Supporter, all we ask for is that you always make your Will-writing clients aware that they have the option of leaving a gift to charity in their Will.
With your help, we can change the conversation and make charitable giving the social norm.
Join us and become a Campaign Supporter today
[1] Savanta Professional Will-Writing Tracking Study 2022