Co-op boosts legacy giving as 36 million adults intend to donate in their will

12 September 2016

  • Just 1 in 16 UK adults have left gifts to charity in their wills
  • Yet, 70% say legacy giving is something they would consider if made aware of it 
  • Animal charities climb up the list as a tenth of UK adults say they’ll leave them gifts

Co-op Legal Services is warning that charities could be missing out on donations from 36 million UK adults and calls upon will providers to take action as national ‘Remember A Charity in your Will Week’ 2016 commences.* 

According to the legal provider’s study, charities could be greatly boosted if all will providers adopted the practice of asking clients about charitable giving when they make a will. **

Currently only 1 in 16 UK adults have left a gift to charity in their will, with on average £1,029 being left per person, yet almost three quarters (70%) said charitable legacy is something they would consider, if made aware that it’s an option.***

Furthermore, the study highlights the generosity of UK adults as two thirds (67%) would choose to leave gifts to up to five charities in their wills, if they were made aware that this was an option.

Co-op’s business data highlights that whilst Co-op clients are leaving gifts most frequently to charities which tackle poverty and homelessness, animal charities are pulling on our heartstrings with a tenth (8%) of all legacy gifts being given to them, worth an average value of over £50,000.****

Community causes and fundraising initiatives also hold a lasting place in our hearts as people seek to give back to the community where they have lived. Over £50,000 of legacy gifts have been pledged to them in the last 12 months.

Full break down of the charity categories Co-op’s clients have chosen to leave gifts to in the last 12 months are as follows:

  1. Poverty and Homelessness
  2. Cancer charities
  3. Animal charities
  4. Children’s charities
  5. Local causes / community
  6. Religious causes
  7. Rescue organisations
  8. Hospices
  9. International charities
  10. Help for elderly

When looking at the reasons people choose certain charities, a quarter (25%) would choose causes which have helped them or their family and a further tenth (10%) would prefer to leave small amounts to as many charities as possible.

Women on average would leave £100 more to charities than men and women are also four times more likely than men to leave gifts to multiple charities.

James Antoniou, Head of Wills for Co-op Legal Services said:

“We work with a number of large and smaller charities offering affordable will writing services to their supporters. As such we understand that there is certainly a desire for clients to leave charitable gifts in wills and this is something that the charities heavily rely on.

“We’ve partnered with Remember A Charity since 2012, as we share their aim to make will writing and considering leaving a gift to charity the social norm. So far we have raised over £20million in potential gifts to charity.”

Rob Cope, Director of Remember A Charity commented:

“We’re so pleased that Co-op Legal Services are continuing to champion and drive charitable legacies forward on behalf of our charities.

“2016 marks the seventh year of Remember A Charity’s legacy giving week, during which charities, Government, solicitors and Will-writers come together to encourage the public to leave a gift to charity in their Will.”

Emily Dalton
Press Officer
Office of the Executive

07738 621 201  / 0161 767 4323 Ext 777 4279
emily.dalton@co-operative.coop
coop.co.uk
@Coopukpress