Leave a gift in your will

FAQs

• What is a gift in a will?

  Also called a legacy, a gift in your will is a way of leaving something to loved ones and causes you care about.

  Some people choose to leave a fixed amount of money (a pecuniary gift), a percentage of their estate (residuary gift) or an item, like a piece of jewellery.

  For us, gifts in wills mean we can continue funding life-saving research and life-changing support for years to come.

• How do I write my will?

  It’s important to use a solicitor or trained legal professional. It’ll make things a lot simpler for your executor (the person you choose to make sure your wishes are carried out).

  We offer 2 services you can use to write or update a simple single or mirror will, for free. Use our free wills service.

• Do I really need a will?

  Yes! Without a valid will, your assets will be distributed according to inheritance laws. Which means they may not go to the people you hoped they would.

  A will is the best way to make sure your loved ones and the causes you care about are looked after when you’re no longer here. It makes a difficult time a little easier for those you leave behind.

  Even if you’re married/in a civil partnership, it’s important to have a will to keep things clear and straightforward.

  We know life isn’t predictable, so it’s also important you update your will when big changes happen. For example, buying a house, or when you have children/grandchildren.

• What do I need, to write my will?

  Your solicitor will let you know what you need, but here’s some of the information that’s helpful to have to hand.

  The names and address of:

  • Everyone who’ll be included in your will, including charities you may want to support
  • Anyone you want to name as an executor
  • Anyone you want to name as a guardian (if you have children under 18)

  It's also useful to have the following to hand:

  • The approximate value of your estate (properties, savings etc, minus mortgages, loans etc)
  • Funeral wishes
  • Details of anything specific you’d like to mention in your will

• I’ve already written my will, how can I change it?

  You can use one of our free wills services. Or simply go back to the solicitor you originally used.

• Is there specific wording I should use in my will?

  Your solicitor can word a gift for you, but you might also find these suggestions helpful:

   

  A gift of money (a “pecuniary” gift)

  To stop your gift losing value over time, you can “index link” it.

   

  I give to Breast Cancer Now of Ibex House 42-47 Minories London EC3N 1DY Charity Registration Number 1160558 in England and Wales, SC045584 in Scotland and 1200 in Isle of Man, the sum of £xxxxx for its charitable purposes and I direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other duly authorised officer shall be a sufficient discharge to my Executors.

   

  A gift of whatever’s left over (a “residuary” gift)

  You can leave a percentage of whatever’s left over to us, after all your other gifts of money and items have been distributed.

   

  I give to Breast Cancer Now of Ibex House 42-47 Minories London EC3N 1DY Charity Registration Number 1160558 in England and Wales, SC045584 in Scotland and 1200 in Isle of Man, xx% of my residuary estate for its charitable purposes and I direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other duly authorised officer shall be a sufficient discharge to my Executors.

   

  A gift of an item (a “specific” gift)

  This is an item you want to leave, and could be anything from jewellery to a house.

   

  I give to Breast Cancer Now of Ibex House 42-47 Minories London EC3N 1DY Charity Registration Number 1160558 in England and Wales, SC045584 in Scotland and 1200 in Isle of Man, the item(s) xxxxx for its charitable purposes and I direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other duly authorised officer shall be a sufficient discharge to my Executors.

• What is inheritance tax?

  It’s a tax on your estate (everything you leave behind) if it’s worth more than an amount set by the government – currently that’s £325,000.

  You don’t need to pay inheritance tax on any assets passed from one spouse or civil partner to another.

  Inheritance tax is paid out of your estate – not by the beneficiaries (the people you leave gifts to) in your will.

  How much is it?

  The tax is currently charged at 40% on anything above £325,000. So, if your estate is worth £500,000, inheritance tax at 40% would need to be paid on £175,000. That means £70,000 would be payable to HMRC, which would be taken out of your estate before your wishes were carried out.

  But if you own your own home, then your tax-free threshold can increase from £325,000 to £500,000. This is as long as you leave your property to your children or grandchildren, and your estate is under £2 million.

  Gifts to charity are tax free!

  If you put a gift in your will to us, it'll be taken from the value of your estate before HMRC calculates how much inheritance tax, if any, is payable.

  That’s just a small bit of information. Go to gov.uk/inheritance-tax/gifts to find out more.

• How can I get in touch with you to ask questions?

  Email us at gifts@breastcancernow.org or call us on 0333 20 70 300. We’d love to talk to you.

• How do I pay in a legacy gift?

  Are you an executor or solicitor? Find out the details you need to pay in a gift.

• What could a gift in my will do?

  A gift in your will could help make sure no one in the future goes through breast cancer alone. And no one loses someone they love.

  £100 could fund 2 online Moving Forward sessions for up to 12 people. Moving Forward is our course for people finishing treatment for primary breast cancer. It’s a chance to connect with people who understand.

  £500 could pay for 2 days of research. That’s 2 days for a researcher to better understand breast cancer. Work on their project. And find new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent the disease.

  £1,000 could help us hold an event in parliament. Where we can speak to decision-makers about the improvements needed in diagnosis, treatment and care and bring MPs face-to-face with people affected by breast cancer.

  £1,600 could keep our Generations Study running for a day. Our Generations Study has been running for 18 years, following more than 100,000 women in the UK. It’s one of the world’s largest studies into the causes of breast cancer.

  £13,500 could keep our Tissue Bank running for a week. It’s full of samples of breast cancer tissue and it’s a crucial resource for our researchers. Using real tissue, they can make breakthroughs faster.

  £26,200 could fund the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre for a day. It’s home to over 70 scientists across 10 teams.

  £42,000 could fund a post-doctoral scientist for 6 months. That’s a researcher who’s completed their PhD and is working on becoming a future leader in breast cancer research. Their expertise and skills are crucial in the research projects we fund.