Gift in Wills
By leaving a gift to Tapping House in your Will, you make sure that your legacy is one of kindness, compassion, and lasting impact – helping to make every moment matter for those who need it most.
The importance of making a Will
Thinking about making a Will isn’t easy, and it’s natural to have many reasons for putting it off. We might feel we don’t have the time, think it’s not needed, or simply prefer not to think about the future. However, creating a Will is one of the most thoughtful things you can do to ensure your wishes are honoured and your loved ones are cared for. Yet only one in three people creates one.
Without a Will, it can sometimes lead to unnecessary stress and confusion for your loved ones when they are already going through a difficult time. Taking the time to create a Will can offer peace of mind for both you and your family. Creating or updating your Will doesn’t have to be difficult or costly, and there’s a comforting sense of peace in knowing that your affairs are taken care of. It’s important to think about the people you’d like to support and consider any charitable causes that hold a special place in your heart.
Your gift for the future
The difference your legacy can make. Legacies provide long-term financial stability, allowing us to continue with the care that is needed by so many.
Today, in the communities we cover 26% of our population is already over 65, significantly higher than the UK average. And predictions are for the average age to continue to rise over the coming years, so the need for our services has never been greater. With demand for palliative and end-of-life care set to increase, gifts left in Wills help us plan ahead and expand our services.
Leaving a legacy is something anyone can do. Even a small percentage, like 1%, can make a lasting impact, providing comfort, dignity, and support to those who need it most. It’s a simple act of kindness that will be felt for generations to come. We currently care for 1,500 patients a year and support 3,000 community members. No matter the size, your legacy gift has the power to change lives. It could help make sure that someone’s loved one – perhaps even a member of your own family – receives the compassionate care they deserve in their final days.
£100 can offer 6 hours of care from a Palliative Nursing Assistant. £1,000 provides 25 bereavement sessions to support families in their darkest times. £10,000 pays for one whole day of services at our Hospice to bring comfort to hundreds of patients through our Inpatient, Outpatient and Hospice at Home teams.
Helpful tips for leaving a gift in your Will
List your assets
The first step in writing your Will is to make a list of all of your assets, such as property, cash, investments, vehicles and any other valuable possessions.
Choose your beneficiaries
You may choose anyone you wish to benefit from your Will. These may be family, friends, organisations or charitable causes.
Inheritance Tax
The legal rules on Inheritance Tax change regularly so it is important to make sure you have up to date information. All gifts to charity are exempt from Inheritance Tax. These funds are deducted before the estate is valued. For more information about Inheritance Tax, visit the HMRC website: www.gov.uk/browse/tax/inheritance-tax
Choosing your Executor(s)
An ‘Executor’ is a person or persons named in your Will who will be responsible for handling your estate and making sure that your wishes are carried out after you die. An Executor’s duties include ensuring all debts, bills, funeral expenses and taxes are paid from your estate and that all your beneficiaries receive what you intended them to inherit.
Preparing your Will
There is no obligation in law to hire a professional to write your Will, but the legal and financial consequences of any error or oversight in the process can be quite serious. So you might see the cost of legal fees as a wise investment. If you use a solicitor, all the advice they give is covered by their professional indemnity insurance.
Making changes to your Will
You cannot simply write changes on the existing document. There are two legally valid ways to change your Will: – for small changes by making a codicil – for major changes by making a new Will and revoking the old one.
Common Types of Gifts to Leave in a Will
Pecuniary Gift: A fixed sum. This type of gift will, over time, devalue with inflation.
Residuary Gift: The residue (or a proportion of the residue) of an estate after all other gifts, debts and expenses have been paid.
Specific Gift: A particular asset, for example a property.
Reversionary Gift: A two-stage gift where assets are first held in a trust to provide some benefit to an individual. This could be a property for them to live in or income generated by investments. Once that individual’s need for the property (or trust) ends, the assets then pass to a second beneficiary, such as a charity.
Wording your Will
f you would like to include Tapping House in your Will then you may want to give the following wording to your solicitor:
Pecuniary Gift I give the sum of £ to Tapping House (Registered Charity No. 1062800) and I direct that the receipt of the treasurer or other proper office shall be a full and sufficient discharge to my executors.
Specific Gift I give to Tapping House (Registered Charity No. 1062800) (write in whatever it is you wish to leave Tapping House) and I direct that the receipt of the treasurer or other proper officer shall be a full and sufficient discharge to my executors
A Gift of Residue I give to Tapping House (Registered Charity No. 1062800) (write ‘all’ or the share you would like to leave to Tapping House) and I direct that the receipt of the treasurer or other proper officer shall be a full and sufficient discharge to my executors.
Can I choose where I would like my gift to be used? Usually, we try to use your gift where it can make the biggest difference. We do understand, however, that you may like your money to go to a specific area of the Hospice, and that can of course also be arranged. All you have to do is state clearly in your Will where you wish your money to go to
Keep in touch
Thank you for considering leaving a gift in your Will to Tapping House. Your support will help us to continue providing compassionate care in our local community. We completely understand that your Will is a private and personal matter, but we would love to know if you have included Tapping House, so we can say a big thank you and keep you updated about our work and news. If you have any questions or would like an informal, confidential chat about legacies, please call our Fundraising Office on 01485 601701 or fundraisingteam@tappinghouse.org.uk