Gifts in Wills FAQs

There are three types of gifts (called a "legacy") you can leave to us:

1. A residuary legacy is where you donate a percentage of your estate, once family members are provided for and money owed is deducted.
2. A pecuniary legacy is a gift of a fixed sum of money.
3. A specific legacy is a gift of a particular item, such as property, jewellery or toys.

To make sure we receive your gift, you'll need to include our name, address and registered charity number.

• Name: Action for Children
• Address: 3 The Boulevard, Ascot Road, Watford, WD18 8AG
• Registered charity numbers: 1097940 (England) and SC038092 (Scotland)

You don't need to be rich to leave a gift to charity in your will. Leaving just a small percentage (called a residuary legacy) to us in your will goes a long way. These gifts are inflation proof and exempt from inheritance tax. People often find they can afford to be more generous in a will than in their lifetime. No matter the size or amount, your gift will contribute to our work with vulnerable children.

Most gifts you leave to Action for Children are exempt from tax. We usually receive the full amount. Your gift may also bring the total value of your estate below the Inheritance Tax threshold. We recommend you talk to a solicitor for more details on tax exemptions and benefits or visit How Inheritance Tax works: thresholds, rules and allowances: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

It's natural you'd want to provide for your family - and we'd encourage you to look after them first. We're asking that you remember us once your loved ones' needs are met.

That's up to you. Of course, we'll be delighted to hear from you - it'll allow us to thank you and helps us plan for the future. To let us know about a gift, please call us on 0300 123 2112 or email us. Any information you give us will be kept in strict confidence and you can change your mind at any time.

Yes, you can. A will is a very personal document that reflects your final wishes. You're free to change your mind at any time. Just contact your solicitor or will writing service to make any changes.

We would suggest that you speak to a solicitor directly to ensure that all of your wishes are written down as you wish. You can use our Will Planner as a great place to start. Alternatively we have partnered with will writing experts who are on hand to help you write a simple will for free.

We'd be happy to send you information by post or email. Simply drop us a line on 0300 123 2112, email us or fill in our online form.

Everybody’s list of requirements is different, however you can have a simple will written for free. We have partnered with Farewill who have experts on hand to help you write your will fuss free.

Simply put, no. Anyone who is 18 or over can have their will written. If you’re not sure where to start, using our free will writing service is a great way to get the ball rolling! They have experts on hand to guide you through the whole process.

We're very grateful for all donations. However, we don't know what issues may emerge in the future. That's why we try to encourage gifts in wills too - because they help us to plan ahead.

We understand that you may want to leave a gift to a project close to your heart - and you're entitled to do this. However, we encourage gifts left to us to be unrestricted. We're then free to use the money where it is most needed at the time.

Yes, like many other charities, we want to raise awareness about gifts in wills as a way to support causes close to your heart and create your own lasting legacy. In the UK, gifts in wills raise £3.4 billion a year – that means a lot of incredible work can happen for lots of charities.

If our supporters express an interest in leaving a gift in their will, we always advise them to make sure that friends and family come first. Once they have decided what to leave to their friends and family, then supporters might choose to leave a percentage of the remainder of their estate to Action for Children (a residuary gift), or a specific amount (pecuniary gift). We also advise supporters to tell family and friends if they have left a gift to Action for Children, so everyone is aware from the start, and to seek independent legal advice. Safeguarding our supporters is always a priority.