Making a Will
We appreciate and respect that your family will always come first. Once you have remembered the people you love, we ask you consider the gift of a smile in your Will.
Our promise to you:
- We will honour and adhere to your wishes
- We will never ask how much you have left in your Will. We understand that your Will is personal and confidential
- We will never pressurise you to leave a gift
- If you would like to visit us before considering leaving a gift – please let us know
- Your gift will be spent carefully and in a cost effective manner
- Your gift will be treated with care, respect and sensitivity
Thank you for considering leaving the gift of a smile in your Will 💚
I have always been in awe of the fantastic work of the hospice movement, it's inspirational. We have been extremely lucky, so far, regarding the health of our children and grandchildren. Leaving a gift in my Will to Children’s Hospice South West to help children and their families make the most of their precious time together, however short that may be, is the least I can do. Hopefully, it will help to ease the way for those facing huge challenges while also securing my own family's future through effective Inheritance tax planning
- How to leave the gift of a smile in your Will
- Types of gifts
- When to update your Will
- Including the gift of a smile in your Will
- FAQs
Why write your Will:
Ensure your wishes are adhered to
Executors named in your Will have a duty of care to ensure they adhere to your wishes.
For your own peace of mind
Having a Will means you can be reassured that your family, friends and loved ones will be cared for and your estate will be administered as per your instructions.
Ensure your children are cared for by a trusted guardian
Naming guardians for your children means you can be assured they will be safe, secure and cared for by someone you trust.
Save time, stress and money for your family and loved ones
A Will makes it much easier for your family and friends to take care of your estate and be sure they’re acting on your wishes. Without a Will, the process can be difficult, stressful and time-consuming.
Help to minimise inheritance tax
The gift of a smile to Children’s Hospice South West can reduce the amount of Inheritance Tax you pay on your estate.
Leaving your entire estate to a spouse or charity means that no Inheritance Tax will be payable.
Leaving 10% or more of your estate to charity can reduce the amount of Inheritance Tax payable on the remaining estate from 40% to 36%.
Protect the rights of your partner
If you and your partner aren’t married or in a civil partnership, you don’t have the same automatic rights as those who are married. You can make sure your partner is looked after by naming them in your Will.
There are a variety of ways you can gift a smile to Children’s Hospice South West:
Pecuniary – A gift of a specific amount of money
Specific – A named item such as a house, stocks and shares, jewellery or antiques.
Residuary Gift – This is the most valuable type of gift to us. A residuary gift is the remainder of your estate after all gifts have been distributed and all debts, bills and taxes have been paid. You can gift the whole or part of your remaining estate to a person or charity, like Children’s Hospice South West.
Trust – some people choose to create a trust in their Will for the benefit of a person and/or charity. For example, someone may give a family or friend the opportunity to live in their house for the rest of their life. Children’s Hospice South West would then receive the house once their relative or friend died.
We recommend speaking to a solicitor if you are considering the creation of a trust.
Changes in your circumstances can mean that your Will is no longer valid. Reasons you should consider updating your Will:
- Changes in financial position
- Getting married
- Having a child, adoption or birth of a grandchild
- Getting separated or divorced
- Moving house
- If the Executor named in your Will dies
- Death of a named beneficiary
- You change your mind
If you decide to leave the gift of a smile in your Will, thank you. Please include our charity name, address and registered charity number in your Will.
- Our charity name is Children's Hospice South West
- Our registered charity number is 1003314
- Our registered address is Little Bridge House, Redland Road, Fremington, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 2PZ
Whether you are making a new Will or updating an existing one, we recommend that you seek professional advice from a solicitor or professional Will Writer. They have legal expertise to ensure your Will is valid and they can clearly express and carry out your wishes.
You can find a solicitor in your area using The Law Society or our free Will writing partner, Octopus Legacy.
Can I have the same Will as my partner?
Yes you can. There are two types of joint Wills you can have:
- Mirror Wills – these are two separate Wills that have the same wishes within both.
- Mutual Wills - these are two separate Wills that have the same wishes within both. However, this type of Will cannot be altered after one person dies.
How do I ensure my Will is valid?
There are certain conditions for a Will to be valid:
- the person making the Will must be18 years old or over
- your Will must be made voluntarily and without pressure from any other person
- you must be of sound mind when writing and signing your Will
- your Will must be in writing, on paper
- your Will must be signed by you, in the presence of two witnesses who are both over 18
- your Will must be signed by the two witnesses, in your presence
- witnesses cannot be a beneficiary of your Will, nor the spouse or civil partner of a beneficiary of your Will. Where a beneficiary witnesses the Will any gifts to them fail.
How do I update my Will?
If you’re amending your Will, you can either revoke your current Will and make a new one, or you can add an amendment/s to your current Will. This amendment is known as a codicil and must be written and signed in the presence of two independent witnesses. Your solicitor can advise you about what to state.
Do I need to be wealthy to leave a gift?
Not at all. The gift of a smile, no matter what size, will bring comfort and care for generations to come.
Wouldn’t it be better to help now rather than later?
We greatly appreciate any gift we receive, and each gift makes a huge difference to our families. Some of the legacies we receive are from people who support the hospice during their lifetime. Others choose to support us for the first time by leaving the gift of a smile in their Will.
Can I choose where my gift will be spent?
Yes of course. Although, it is important for us to invest in areas of greatest need, we understand you may want to fund a specific service. If you would like to specify how we should use your gift, please express this clearly alongside the gift in your Will.
We are bound to use the funds exactly as specified within your Will which can sometimes present a challenge. For example, if a service ceases to exist, we would have to apply to the Charity Commission for permission to use the funds as closely as possible to your original wish.
To help us avoid these complications, we ask that you express your wishes in a non-binding way and be more general. For example, “It is my wish but without creating any legally binding obligation that my gift is used to fund….”
Children’s Hospice South West will always aim to follow your wishes. If we cannot follow them specifically, we will always aim to use your gift as closely as possible to your original wish. Rest assured your gift of a smile will bring comfort and care for generations to come.