More than a million legacy gifts left to charities over last decade

More than a million legacy gifts have been left to charities over the last decade, according to latest figures.

The milestone has been revealed by the voluntary sector consortium behind the annual Remember A Charity Week, which takes place this year from today ( September 6-12).

The data, from Smee and Ford, shows that there are more than 100,000 charitable bequests left in wills each year, with one million gifts donated from 2010/11 to 2019/20.

Over the last decade the total legacy income to UK charities has exceeded £23bn.

Consultancy Legacy Foresight anticipates growth in bequests over the next decade, with the total figure estimated to be £43bn. It had previously put the figure over the next ten years at £40bn. The number of charitable bequests is set to rise by 30% over the next decade.

“Legacy giving can be transformational for UK charities and it’s wonderful to see such scope for growth,” said Remember A Charity director Rob Cope.

“Donations have long been on the rise, but the global pandemic has accelerated that growth, shining a spotlight on the critical role of charities in our communities and the importance of Will-writing. This funding will be vital for the sector as we strive to build back and strengthen resilience for whatever the future brings.

“Remember A Charity Week is a great opportunity to build on that momentum and for all charities to use the week as a springboard to open up conversation about gifts in Wills. These conversations are so important for driving change, normalising legacy giving and generating crucial income for the years ahead.”

This year's public awareness campaign focuses on the phrase "Will You?" and features 1970s chidren's TV characters The Wombles for the second year running.