Leaving a gift in your will

A will is an important document expressing how you wish your estate (property, money and possessions) to be allocated once you die. You can also include instructions for how you wish your funeral to be conducted in your will. Without a will, your estate may be allocated according to certain existing rules that do not reflect your wishes.   

Making a will is an important life step – but it doesn’t have to be complicated. We’d recommend you speak to a legal professional so get in touch with a solicitor you trust and they can help draw your will up. We have partnered with the National Free Wills Network who can put you in touch with a local solicitor who can help you write your will. Once you have registered you will receive a pack which includes the details of your closest solicitors.

We totally understand that your loved ones come first and looking after their future is a priority. The great thing about leaving a legacy gift is that you can leave a percentage of your overall estate and make sure that your loved ones will be well looked after. You could choose to leave Women’s Aid a gift of 5%, 10% or even 20%! 

There are three types of gift (called a ‘legacy’):  

• Residuary Legacy – You donate a percentage of the remainder of your estate once family members and friends are provided for and costs have been paid. This type of gift won’t be affected by inflation, so will maintain its value.  

• Pecuniary Legacy – This is a specific sum e.g. £10,000. Its real value will decrease over time due to inflation unless it is index linked to the Retail Price Index.   

• Specific Legacy – An item of value such as an antique or jewellery.  

The most important information to include is our name, address and our registered charity number: Women’s Aid Federation of England, PO Box 3245, Bristol, BS2 2EH. Registered Charity in England 1054154  

You can amend your will at any time with a codicil form (an example of which can be found in this Legacy Pack). A codicil form is a supplement to a will that allows for alterations to be made whilst keeping the rest of the will intact and saves having to write a new will.  

You can also amend your will for free through our partners at the National Free Wills Network.

Here at Women’s Aid, we believe that leaving a legacy gift is a way to reflect on the causes you’ve been passionate about throughout your life and continue that support even when you’re gone. One of the great things about a legacy gift is that you can leave a small percentage rather than a specific amount. Whatever your circumstances, even a small percentage can make a huge difference.

 Although we love to hear that Women’s Aid has been left a gift, you are under no obligation to tell us. It is up to your own discretion. If you would like to tell us that you plan to leave a legacy gift you can contact fundraising@womensaid.org.uk

Leaving a gift in your will is one of the most effective things you can do to help women and children experiencing abuse. Women’s Aid has been advocating for survivors for 50 years, however, the reality is that domestic abuse is still devastatingly common – with 1 in 4 women experiencing domestic abuse in their lifetime.  

Thanks to gifts in wills from our supporters, we’ve been able to help hundreds of thousands of women escape abuse and build independent lives free from fear. Many of these women faced a stark choice of homelessness, or returning to their abuser. Many also risked losing their children. 

We always use donations in the most cost-effective way, spending the money where the need is greatest. Your gift could help launch a campaign and lobby government to provide better safeguarding of women who experience domestic abuse or it could help run our unique online Survivor’s Forum, which offers peer to peer support for women throughout their journey to freedom, along with the guidance of a trained professional worker who monitors the forum.

We have partnered with the Free Wills Network to offer a free will writing service. The Network will put you in touch with a qualified solicitor in your local area who can help you write your will for free. All you need to do is request a will-writing pack, which includes a list of solicitors near you. 

If you choose to use the services of a solicitor rather than go through this scheme, you will incur costs. These costs will vary depending on the solicitor and the complexity of your will. It is best to ask for a few quotes from different solicitors beforehand and be clear as to what you are expecting for the fee they charge.  If you don’t already have a solicitor, you can find a reputable solicitor at The Law Society. 

Women’s Aid is a UK registered charity and therefore gifts and bequests to us are generally exempt from Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax if you are a UK tax payer. Please seek advice from your solicitor about Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax.