Leave a gift in your Will

With our free solicitor-checked Will-writing service via Farewill, you can write your Will free of charge from the comfort of your own home, either online or by speaking to a Farewill specialist via the phone. You can also choose to leave a gift to Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, after taking care of loved ones, if you wish. All Wills written through Farewill are solicitor-approved, so you can have peace of mind that your wishes are in place.

Making a Will ensures that when you die, all your assets (also known as your estate) will go to the people/charities you wish them to. If you die intestate (without a Will), the ‘Intestacy Rules’ determine how your estate will be distributed. These are the pre-set rules that set out who would inherit your assets if you died without a Will. These rules can be inflexible and won’t take into account unmarried partners or friends. By making a Will, you can choose your executors (an executor is the person appointed in your Will to sort out your estate after you’ve died). You can also provide for any children you have, leave gifts to charity, and you may also be able to save on Inheritance Tax. Many people find knowing that their wishes are clear brings peace of mind.

Yes. You can choose to leave a gift to one charity, or multiple charities, if you wish. You can choose to leave this gift after taking care of loved ones in your Will. Many charities, including Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, depend on gifts in Wills to continue their life-changing work. For example, over half of all hearing dogs are funded thanks to gifts in Wills. Leaving a legacy like this is a very personal decision, but many people find comfort in knowing they will be supporting a cause/causes close to their heart after they die.

Your Will covers everything you own when you die, known as your ‘assets’. This can include properties, vehicles, savings, investments, or other personal items. It’s important to remember that your assets might be worth more in the future than they are now, for example, if you receive an inheritance. To make your Will, you’ll need a list of all the assets you want to include – approximate monetary figures are enough. Depending on your circumstances, it may be best to not list all your assets individually in the Will, as they will probably change. Think about who you want to have these assets after you die. A Will can also include details of any other wishes you have, such as the type of funeral you want.

You may wish to update your Will to include a gift to charity, or if your circumstances have changed. Speak to your solicitor if you need to amend or rewrite your Will – there will usually be a fee for these services. If you created your Will through Farewill, they offer an annual subscription service for updating your Will which may be cheaper than using a solicitor. If only minor changes are needed, you can create a supporting document, called a ‘codicil’, and store it alongside your Will. Farewill have more information on codicils on their website. If there are any major changes in your life, such as a marriage/civil partnership, children, grandchildren, divorce, or receiving an inheritance, it’s usually best to make a completely new Will. Remember that a marriage or civil partnership automatically revokes (i.e. cancels) a Will, so it’s important to make a new Will in these scenarios. Think about who you would like to inherit these assets after you die.

It’s never too early or too late to make your Will. Writing your Will may feel like a daunting task, but it can bring peace of mind once it’s sorted.

The ‘Intestacy Rules’ are the pre-set rules that set out who would inherit your assets if you died without a Will.

Under the Intestacy Rules, the legal age of inheritance is 18 years old. However, in your Will, you can specify a different age at which your children will inherit, such as 21 or 25. You can appoint trustees who are responsible for looking after the money until your children come of age – these trustees can be the same as the executors of your Will.

You can also appoint guardians to look after your children if you and your co-parent die before the children are grown up. This can be very important to consider in your Will, as the Intestacy Rules don’t cover this. You can use the UK Government’s online Intestacy Rules tool to learn more about your individual circumstances.

When choosing who to appoint as the executor of your Will, it’s important to choose someone who you trust with the task and with matters of money. It’s a good idea to choose someone who is younger than you, if possible. In the event of your death, executors can instruct a solicitor if they want to – this is their decision. If they do, the costs for the solicitor come out of your estate. You can appoint a solicitor to be your executor. You don’t have to choose this, but it can be a good idea if your estate is very substantial, or if you know there are major disagreements in your family.

Yes, the person you appoint as an executor of your Will can also be listed as a beneficiary to receive part or all of your estate.

Review your Will following major life changes such as starting a family, marriage, divorce, or death of a family member. It’s important to note that if you get married or enter a civil partnership, this automatically revokes all former Wills. Some people find it helpful to review their Will every five or 10 years, just in case anything has changed.

You can write your Will for free using our service in partnership with Farewill. You can also use a solicitor where fees may vary. The Law Society provides a free service to help you find a solicitor – you can also search for lawyers who use British Sign Language (BSL) or have a hearing loop.

The Law Society provides a free service to help you find a solicitor – you can also search for lawyers who use British Sign Language (BSL) or have a hearing loop. Friends and family may also have personal recommendations. You can also make your Will using our free solicitor-checked Will-writing service via Farewill. You can do this online or talk to one of their specialists on the phone.

If you complete your Will using the online Will writing service, Farewill, you can download and print it at home or order a printed copy to be sent to you. After downloading and printing out your Will, you need to sign it alongside two witnesses. This is an essential step to make your Will legally binding as the law requires your Will to be a physical, signed document. If you use a solicitor, most solicitors store Wills for clients free of charge. Your solicitor should also provide you with a copy of the signed and witnessed Will for you to keep at home. After printing and signing your Will, you need to make sure it is well-marked and keep it somewhere safe and accessible. It's important that you tell your executors where it is so they can easily find it. It’s important that you don’t store your Will in a safety deposit box at the bank because your executors won’t be able to access it.

For information about how leaving a gift to charity in your Will could reduce the amount of Inheritance Tax paid from your estate, learn more on the gov.uk website.