One million legacies left by kind-hearted Brits with a 30% rise in gifts in Wills

More kind-hearted Brits are leaving gifts to charities in their Wills than ever before, with a million legacies left in the past decade*, according to new research from Remember A Charity and Smee & Ford.

To mark the start of Remember A Charity Week, the data reveals that the percentage of people leaving a gift to charity in their Will has increased by almost a third (30%) over the past 20 years**, with more people than ever choosing to support a charity close to their heart – even after they’ve gone.

Gifts in Wills are a critical source of funding for charitable services across the country, raising more than £3 billion for good causes annually – and have been the fastest-growing source of voluntary income for charities over the past twenty-one years.

Today marks the start of Remember A Charity Week, an opportunity for charities around the country to raise awareness of passing on something wonderful by including a charity in your Will after family and friends have been taken care of.

One in seven of the Children’s Air Ambulance (TCAA) missions is funded by gifts in Wills! As it’s a charity that receives no government or lottery funding, it underlines how crucial these gifts from generous supporters are. Gifts in Wills allows the Children’s Air Ambulance to be there for families in their greatest hour of need, and without them, the vital service simply would not be able to do what it does – help save lives.

TCAA Legacies and In-Memory Manager Chloe Bass says:

“Gifts in Wills make a huge difference to our charity, and we are very grateful to everyone that considers including a gift in their Will. Just a small percentage of your estate can make a real difference to the children and families who desperately need our help.”

To support Remember A Charity Week, TCAA is promoting legacy giving through its social media channels, having legacy conversations at their retail stores, and currently offering a free Will writing service.

“I believe a Will is the only way your family and friends can really know your wishes. I’ve also asked for donations in lieu of flowers to go to the Children’s Air Ambulance. I’m happy to think that one of my final acts in life will be to help save someone else’s,” says supporter, Mel Smith.

Former head judge of Strictly Come Dancing, Len Goodman, will be lending his support to the week, having altered his own Will to include a charity close to his heart.

Len Goodman, head judge on Dancing with the Stars, commented “I am honoured to be supporting Remember A Charity Week for the fourth year running and to have the opportunity to meet some of the inspiring people working hard for a range of charitable causes.

I really hope this week will encourage more people to leave a gift, however big or small after they’ve gone. I’ve included a charitable gift in my Will after my family has been taken care of – it’s so simple and it really does make an enormous difference!”

Rob Cope, Director of Remember A Charity, says: “It’s so inspiring that we’ve reached this milestone of one million Brits leaving gifts to charity in their Wills. We really hope that this will become increasingly common and that the number of people supporting charities in this way will continue to rise. Leaving a gift is your Will a wonderful way to support charities in continuing to do amazing work and also provides an opportunity for your legacy to live on after you’ve gone.”

 

*1 million legacies left between 2010-2020. Smee & Ford record over 100,000 bequests in wills per annum.

**The percentage of people choosing to leave a gift to charity in their Will, after looking after friends and family first, has increased by a third (30%) since the year 2000.