Our Complete Guide To Leaving a Gift to Charity in Your Will

While some people leave their assets to family members, others choose to leave a lasting legacy that resonates far beyond their own lifetime. In the United Kingdom, the percentage of people leaving charitable bequests has risen, with around 1 in 6 (16%) of all wills leaving a gift to charity.

If this sounds like something you’d like to do, you’re in the right place! Here is our complete guide to leaving a gift to charity in your will.

What Does It Mean To Leave a Gift to Charity in Your Will?

In short, leaving a gift to charity in your will, often called a “charitable bequest,” means including provisions in your will to donate a portion of your assets, property, or estate to one or more charitable organisations after your passing. 

Charitable donations can serve a wide range of purposes depending on the charity cause, such as providing food, animal welfare, medical care, education, disaster relief, environmental conservation and scientific research, just to name a few.

Benefits of Donating to Charity in Your Will

Leaving a gift to charity in your will is a lovely way to continue supporting causes you care about and feel passionate about once you’re no longer here to contribute directly.

Here are some other key benefits of donating to charity in your will, for both the charity and your own legacy:

1. Positive impact 
2. Control over your assets 
3. Flexibility 
4. Tax benefits 
5. Leave a legacy of giving

1. Positive Impact

First and foremost, leaving a gift to charity in your will allows you to contribute to causes and issues that you care most about, and make a significant impact on the organisation’s work.

It is especially meaningful when a charitable bequest is donated to a small, local charity that may struggle with funding or might have poor access to large donor networks. Donating money to these charitable organisations can provide crucial support and make more of a positive impact than you might think. 

2. Control Over Your Assets

Another benefit of leaving a gift to charity in your will is that you’ll retain complete control over your will and how your assets are distributed once you have passed. This planning ensures that your assets only go to causes you truly care about, rather than being subject to other distribution methods. 

How To Leave a Gift to Charity in Your Will

Through your will, you explicitly name the charitable organisation(s) you would like to receive your gift to ensure that your assets go to the intended recipients. It’s also important you include the charity’s address and registered charity number. 

It’s very important to make sure the charity number is correct to avoid any confusion, as there are lots of charities out there with very similar names. If you’re including more than one charity, include details for each one. You can find all these details on the Charity Commission website. 

3. Flexibility 

Donating a gift to charity in your will also offers numerous flexibility benefits that allow you to tailor your philanthropic efforts to your unique financial situation and personal preferences. For example, you will have complete control over the type of gift you want to leave, whether it’s a specific amount of money or percentage of your estate. 

Unlike current donations, a charitable bequest doesn’t require you to part with assets during your lifetime, which is especially beneficial if you need to maintain financial stability during your retirement years. 

4. Tax Benefits

In addition to offering control and flexibility over your assets, leaving a charitable donation in your will can also offer numerous tax advantages. These include:

• Inheritance Tax Relief: Charitable gifts are generally exempt from inheritance tax in the UK, meaning that if you leave a gift to charity in your will, it will not be subject to inheritance tax, which could result in significant tax savings for your estate.
  
• Reduced Estate Value: The value of your estate that is given to charity will be deducted from the overall value of your estate before calculating the inheritance tax liability. This can lower the taxable portion of your estate and therefore reduce the inheritance tax payable by your successors.
  
• No Capital Gains Tax: Leaving a gift to charity in your will can also help your estate avoid paying capital gains tax on the gains accrued during your lifetime. 

5. Leave a Legacy of Giving

Last but certainly not least, leaving a charitable gift in your will is more than a financial transaction,  it’s a heartfelt statement about your compassion towards a particular cause, your values and the kind of world you want to leave behind. 

Donating your money to charity after you’ve passed means that your legacy lives on through the positive changes you’ve helped make happen and the inspiration you’ve provided to others.

Donating to Sea Trust Wales

Here at Sea Trust, we are committed to studying and raising awareness of local marine wildlife and rely on funding and donations to run our wildlife surveys and educational aquarium. 

If you’d like to leave us a gift in your will, you’ll be contributing to a legacy of conservation that will endure for generations to come. You can also help support us by adopting a porpoise, becoming a corporate sponsor, becoming a volunteer or donating directly. For special occasions, you can also send e-cards and donate the cost of cards and stamps to Sea Trust Wales.

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We are Sea Trust Wales: a marine conservation charity based in Pembrokeshire. Our mission is to get local people taking care of their marine wildlife by conducting scientific research, raising awareness of marine conservation issues, educating the public and contributing to the conservation of the marine environment.