Recent figures reveal that two thirds of UK adults don’t currently have a Will in place – and there are several reasons for this, from procrastination to not wanting to confront one’s own mortality. Could Remember A Charity Week, and the opportunity to engage with clients through conversations about gifts in Wills, present the ideal solution?
Gifts in Wills are the largest single source of voluntary income for charities in the UK, raising £4 billion for good causes annually and funding vital charitable services. While some professionals have historically reported feeling some awkwardness in raising the conversation of legacy wishes with clients, more recent research suggests that attitudes are shifting.
Remember A Charity’s recent professional adviser benchmarking study shows that 72% of solicitors and Will-writers raise the charitable option with their Will-writing clients, and advisers are acknowledging they have a responsibility to highlight to clients the values-led and financial-related benefits of legacy giving.
Remember A Charity Week, which this year runs 9-15 September, brings together almost 200 charities, and 900 Campaign Supporters (solicitor firms and Will-writers), wealth advisers, and partners to encourage more people to consider leaving a gift to charity in their Will. The week presents an opportunity to promote the importance of having an up-to-date-Will – by reframing the act of Will-writing as a positive and empowering chance for individuals to leave a lasting legacy, and support the causes close to their heart for generations to come.
The consortium provides its Campaign Supporters with a range of assets and ideas to help them maximise the potential the week brings in raising the topic, which can lead to more engaged clients and new audiences. Partner and Campaign Supporter Law firm Hugh James promotes the Remember A Charity message through their social media, website and newsletter. They also create videos which show some of the charities their clients support and the impact on beneficiaries.
Gareth Wisdom, Partner at Hugh James, said:
“Remember A Charity Week provides a well-needed push to encourage individuals to write that Will, and, more than that, to think about leaving a gift to charity where possible. It promotes a positive message that individuals can leave a gift to charities in their Will, because people might not be aware of the options available to them, whether it’s a cash sum (a pecuniary legacy), or even a proportion of their residual estate.”
As a large firm, Hugh James also shares the Remember A Charity message internally to encourage cross-department referrals and as an important reminder to colleagues to ensure they have their own Will in place.
Smaller firms also serve to benefit – Yasmin Hoque is a founding Partner at AL-HQ Law & More, a boutique firm specialising in faith-inspired legal services and delivering Islamic Wills. There are around 4 million Muslims living in the UK, yet only 10% have Wills. Yasmin said:
“Members of the Muslim community have a religious obligation to part with aspects of their estate for charitable benefits. However, research shows there’s a lack of awareness about what happens to their estate if they don’t have a Will. Some people assume their family will be able to take care of their wishes or that God will deal with it. It can be a lightbulb moment when we advise that it will actually be HMRC (and the default legal framework) stepping in!”
AL-HQ Law & More use Remember A Charity Week as a bridge to connect clients with causes they care about. Yasmin adds: “It has a sideways impact – It allows you to share why you’re a Campaign Supporter which then leads to conversations about Will writing in a comfortable way.”
Solicitors, professional Will-writers and others who wish to participate in this year’s Remember A Charity campaign and sign up as a Campaign Supporter, are encouraged to get in touch with Remember A Charity in the next few weeks.
