Have You Thought About Leaving a Gift to Charity in Your Will?

Most of us spend our lives supporting the causes we care about — whether that’s a monthly donation to an environmental charity, dropping coins into a collection tin, or volunteering on a weekend. But there is one final, and often overlooked, way to make a meaningful difference: a charitable bequest in your will.

We were recently reminded of just how much this matters when we received a heartfelt note of thanks from a charity, acknowledging the final instalment of a client’s bequest, a gift worth nearly £30,000. It was a quietly moving moment, and a reminder of the lasting impact a well-prepared will can have.

Why charities depend on gifts in wills

For many charitable organisations, bequests are not simply a welcome bonus, they are a lifeline. Some charities receive up to 70% of their total income from gifts left in wills. Without them, vital programmes, research, and community services would simply not exist.

The gift does not need to be large to matter. Whether you are leaving a percentage of your estate or a fixed amount, the effect of people choosing to remember a cause they cared about can be extraordinary.

Is a charitable bequest right for you?

If you do not have close family or dependants, leaving a gift to a local or national charity can be a deeply personal and purposeful decision. It means that something you built over a lifetime continues to do good long after you are gone.

Of course, charitable giving through a will is not limited to those without family. Many people choose to leave a portion of their estate to a cause alongside gifts to loved ones, and with the right legal advice, this can be structured clearly and simply.

Leaving money to a charity in your will also has significant inheritance tax benefits. Particularly, donations to registered charities are deducted from your estate, making them completely tax-free. Furthermore, if you leave 10% or more of your taxable estate to charity, this will reduces the inheritance tax rate on the remainder from 40% to 36%.

What happens if you die without a will?

Dying without a will, known as dying intestate, can create significant and often costly complications. Legal and tracing fees, paid out of your estate, can mount quickly as solicitors work to locate any living relatives before your assets can be distributed.

It is not uncommon for such estates to involve dozens of potential beneficiaries across several countries once family trees are traced. The process can be lengthy, expensive, and emotionally draining for everyone involved, and it means far less of your estate reaches the people, or causes, that you would have actually wanted to benefit.

A properly drafted will puts you in control.

Taking the next step

If you have been thinking about writing or updating your will, whether to include a charitable gift or simply to ensure your wishes are clearly recorded, we are here to help.

Our team has experience administering wills of all sizes and complexities, and we will make sure your intentions are reflected accurately and legally. Get in touch today to find out how straightforward the process can be.

“I have been very satisfied with work undertaken for me – possibly reflected by my son and partner, who each became a client too!”

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