Gifts in Wills – Frequently Asked questions
How do gifts in Wills help Hft?
We rely on individual supporters for a huge amount of our income, and gifts in Wills contribute about a third of our fundraised support every year.
Operating as a charity in the under-funded and under-resourced social care system is hugely challenging and these gifts ensure learning disabled people in our care are protected. We direct fundraised income wherever the need is greatest at Hft.
How do I leave a gift in my Will to Hft?
We always recommend having your Will written by a solicitor with expertise in Wills and Probate. This is the best way to ensure that your Will accurately reflects your wishes and is correctly witnessed.
Hft has partnered with Bequeathed –an organisation and website where supporters can have their simple Will written for free.
Bequeathed guides you through a simple online questionnaire, offering guidance and support throughout. You’re then able to download your Will for free, and Bequeathed can recommend a solicitor if advice is needed.
You’re under no obligation to leave a gift to Hft through Bequeathed – ultimately, having a Will which protects your family and finances is always important.
What information do I need to leave a gift to Hft?
The following information will need to be included in your Will when leaving a gift to Hft:
Registered charity name: HF Trust Ltd
Registered charity number: 313069
Registered Address: 5/6 Brook Office Park, Folly Brook Road, Emersons Green, Bristol BS16 7FL
We fully appreciate that many people will want to leave a gift in their Will to directly benefit one of our services. This is entirely your decision; however, it is very important that these requests are if possible stated as a preference – or as we refer to it, a wish – and not a condition/restriction of the gift.
Restrictive gifts may prevent Hft from receiving your very special gesture of support in the future if a particular service or house should cease to exist. This could mean that your gift may not be received by Hft.
Download our Gifts in Wills guide
What do I need to know about taxes?
Gifts in Wills to charities can reduce the amount of your estate that is liable for inheritance tax. If you give more than 10% of your estate to charity, it will reduce the rate of inheritance tax that is paid on the whole of your liable estate (36% rather than 40%).
Every person’s case is different, however, and we recommend you consult a solicitor for information to discuss how this affects you personally.
What if I can only leave a small amount?
A gift of any size is hugely appreciated by Hft and the people we support. When you consider that just £100 could provide Personalised Technology like panic buttons or door sensors for learning disabled people to be independent and live safely, it’s easy to see how a gift of any size can change lives.
What kind of gift can I leave?
There are three main ways you can leave a gift to us in your Will.
A residuary legacy or percentage of your estate is the most helpful gift. It is the remainder of your estate after gifts, taxes and expenses, and has the added benefit of keeping pace with inflation.
A gift of a fixed sum of money is referred to as a pecuniary legacy. This can be of any size you wish.
You may choose to leave a particular named item known as a specific legacy, for example, a piece of jewelry.
What information do I need to include when leaving a gift?
Your Solicitor/Will Writer may find the following wording helpful:
Residuary legacy: I bequeath to Hft, registered charity number 313069, the whole (or a % share) of my residuary estate for its general charitable purposes and I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer shall be a sufficient discharge thereof.
Pecuniary legacy : I bequeath to Hft, registered charity number 313069, the sum of £….. (pounds sterling), for its general charitable purposes and I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer shall be a sufficient discharge thereof.
And finally … thank you!
When we think of how Hft has transformed into the organisation it is today, it’s sometimes really grounding to remember that, in the 1960s, Hft began with a home for six young people – and today we support over 2,200 people nationwide.
None of that would be possible without help from supporters like you.
These donations mean that, however squeezed or fluctuating social care funding might be in the future, we can always put the needs of the people we support first.
It’s impossible without your support, and on behalf of Hft – thank you.