Legacy giving

Recent research carried out among 200 solicitors’ firms across Scotland, England and Wales during August 2003, shows that the legal sector is helping to increase the number of wills that include a charitable bequest. And according to further research carried out on behalf of Remember A Charity, support from 250 firms means that in less than a year, the number of people “very likely” to leave money to charity in their wills has doubled.

Among solicitors who know about the campaign:

• 32% always prompt for charity (compared with 19% who don’t know about the campaign);
• 22% say that half of all wills they draft contain a charitable bequest (compared with 16% who don’t know about the campaign).
• Solicitors’ attitudes towards charitable wills are changing too:
• 32% consider it acceptable to include charity bequest in the prompt list (up from 24% in 2002);
• 40% say they will personally leave a charitable bequest (up from 16.2% in 2002);
• 72% say that 1 in 4 clients include a charity (up from 65% in 2002)

These findings are backed up by recent research that shows a 1% increase compared with 2002 in the proportion of those who have recently made a will who say they have included a charity. This means a substantial sum in money terms.

Patricia Milner, principal with Withers LLP, a Remember A Charity founder supporter, says: “Solicitors can play a positive role merely by raising the issue of charitable giving. One of the main barriers to leaving a donation to charity is lack of awareness and we are supporting the campaign to raise the profile of charitable giving.”

Campaign supporters include high street solicitors and leading private client firms. HSBC and Barclays are also supporters and have developed a fact sheet about charitable giving to include in their customer will writing packs which are sent to over 150,000 people a year.

A guide for solicitors and financial advisers who are writing and advising on leaving a charitable will is available.

Remember A Charity currently has 111 charity members representing charities of all sizes and causes.