Co-op Group’s research shows 36 million Brits intend to donate in their will

Co-operative Legal Services has warned charities they could be missing out on donations from 36 million UK adults who are willing to give, and urged will providers to...

Co-operative Legal Services has warned charities they could be missing out on donations from 36 million UK adults who are willing to give, and urged will providers to take action.

The announcement followed the Co-op Group’s legacy-giving research, released on 12 September, the first day of the national Remember A Charity in Your Will Week 2016.

The findings suggest charities could be greatly boosted if all will providers adopted the practice of asking clients about charitable giving when they make a will.

Despite 70% of UK adults claiming they would consider donating when made aware its an option, only one in 16 has actually left a charitable gift in their will. An average of £1,029 is being left per person.

Two thirds (67%) of Co-op clients said they would choose to leave gifts to up to five charities in their wills if given an option.

The legal provider’s business data shows animal charities are becoming increasingly popular, with almost a tenth (8%) of all legacy gifts left by its clients qualifying to this category. The gifts are worth an average of £50,000.

“We work with a number of large and smaller charities, offering affordable will writing services to their supporters,” said James Antoniou, head of wills for Co-op Legal Services.

“As such we understand that there is certainly a desire for clients to leave charitable gifts in wills and this is something that the charities heavily rely on.

“We’ve partnered with Remember A Charity since 2012, as we share their aim to make will writing and considering leaving a gift to charity the social norm. So far we have raised over £20million in potential gifts to charity.”

Rob Cope, director of Remember A Charity, said: “We’re so pleased that Co-op Legal Services are continuing to champion and drive charitable legacies forward on behalf of our charities.”

Co-op Legal Services was recognised by Remember A Charity as the first corporate organisation to raise £15 million in potential gifts to charities, through wills written for its customers.

 

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