Leaving a gift in your will
Vol. I · § Legacy
A quieter, longer kind of gift — that helps the next generation.
Most British adults have not made a will. If you have, or are considering it, leaving Unity Relief UK a small part of your estate is the single most transformative donation we receive — and it costs you nothing in your lifetime.
§ I · Why this matters
Legacy gifts arrived more slowly into our financial model than we expected. We do not run public legacy campaigns — we have never written you a letter asking. The legacy gifts we do receive arrive quietly, from people who have thought carefully about what they want to leave behind. They are some of the most consequential donations a small charity can receive.
A modest gift in a will — even 1% of an estate — typically creates a permanent restricted fund in the donor's name that continues lending in perpetuity. The fund's name appears in our annual report and on a small plaque at our registered office. Many such funds, taken together, become the long spine of our work.
There is no minimum gift size. Many of our most-loved funds began with a few hundred pounds, given by someone who simply wanted their kindness to continue.
§ II · Forms of gift
Four common shapes.
Your solicitor will know these.
Residuary gift
A share of whatever is left of your estate after other gifts and expenses are settled. Most common — it scales with your final estate and is not affected by inflation.
Pecuniary gift
A specific sum of money. Simple to set up; consider whether you want to index-link the amount so its value holds across the years until it is received.
Specific gift
A particular asset — for example, a property, a specific bank account, or a piece of art. Often used by donors who want to direct a particular asset to charity.
Reversionary gift
A gift that arrives only after another person (often a spouse or partner) has had the use of an asset during their lifetime. Useful for blended estate planning.
§ III · For your solicitor
Suggested clause.
Your solicitor may adapt this wording to fit the rest of your will. Please share our registration numbers and registered office details so they can verify us on the Charity Commission register.
I give to Unity Relief UK (registered charity in England and Wales no. 1199482 and in Scotland no. SC051427) of 4th Floor, 25 Greville Street, Holborn, London EC1N 8SQ, [the sum of £___ / ___% of my residuary estate / the asset described in Schedule ___] for its general charitable purposes, and I declare that the receipt of an authorised officer of the charity shall be sufficient discharge for my executors.
Adapted from the Institute of Legacy Management's model charitable bequest clause. Use freely.
§ IV · A note on tax
Gifts to UK-registered charities in a will are exempt from Inheritance Tax. If you leave 10% or more of the net value of your estate to charity, the rate of Inheritance Tax payable on the remaining estate is reduced from 40% to 36% — a benefit often shared with non-charitable beneficiaries.
We strongly recommend speaking to a solicitor or qualified financial adviser before making or changing a will. Many UK law firms offer reduced-fee or free will-writing services during Remember A Charity Week each September.
Would you like to tell us first?
You don't have to —
but it helps us plan.
Some donors prefer to tell us privately in advance. We treat these conversations confidentially, and they never appear in our donor records. Whether you do or not, every legacy gift is received with care and acknowledged in person.