Remember a Charity Week launched yesterday (Monday) with an awareness campaign featuring a range of characters (pictured) and the results of a new survey exploring what legacy means to people.
The findings show that while wealth and career success form part of the picture, people also place importance on their relationships, values and the difference they make to others.
The survey found that 92% of UK adults care about the legacy they leave behind. Being a good friend, partner or family member was identified as the most important aspect of legacy, cited by almost two thirds (64%) of respondents.
One third (33%) highlighted helping others in times of need, and three in ten (30%) passing on values and life lessons. A successful career or business was a key part of their legacy for one in ten (10%).
For professional advisers, Remember a Charity says the findings highlight the range of considerations that can form part of conversations about wills, estate planning and intergenerational wealth – including the values, relationships and causes that matter to clients alongside the assets they wish to pass on.
More than six in ten (62%) of those surveyed said that supporting causes they care about is important to them, while more than one in five (22%) said they had already included a charitable gift in their Will or planned to do so when they write their Will.
One in six estates (17.4%) at probate now include a charitable gift and, increasingly, people are choosing to remember good causes alongside family and other beneficiaries in their estate plans.
Lucinda Frostick, director of Remember A Charity, said: “For most people, legacy isn’t about fame or fortune. It’s about the people they care about, the difference they make to others and the values they want to pass on.
“For professional advisers, these wider considerations can provide really useful context for conversations about estate planning and what clients ultimately want to achieve with their wealth.
“This Remember a Charity Week, we’re encouraging advisers to use the week to engage with clients and prospects, opening up conversation about their legacy and the opportunity to remember their favourite charity alongside their loved ones in their will.”
