Gifts in Wills

Last year, legacies and gifts in wills helped us care for 69 people in our specialist In-Patient Unit. Funding remains a challenge for many hospices across the nation, but legacy income is an important and growing source of funding. Charities, especially hospices like us, have an enormous opportunity to attract a significant amount of this legacy income.

It’s so important to have an up-to-date Will. It’s the only way you can ensure your lasting wishes are honoured and your loved ones are cared for. It can be a stressful process when considering a Will, so we have put together a Legacy Guide to make things a bit more simple. The guide includes details on planning your Will, the needs of family and loved ones, and even recommended wording where you can fill in the important bits yourself.

What is a will?

Your will helps guide people with what you want to happen to your money and assets when you die. All of these things together make up your estate which can be distributed to whoever you choose, from your children to family and friends. Anyone over 18 can make a will. It can be used to outline your lasting legacy within your family and community. If you decide not to leave one, the government will decide how your estate is used and you have no control over your legacy.

How to make a Will?

We’ve partnered with expert will writers Octopus Legacy, to make giving a gift in your will to Teesside Hospice even easier.
Choose the solution for you:

• Write your will online – Octopus Legacy Will Writing Service
• • Easy step-by-step process
  • Legal experts check over each will
  • On-hand support
• Book to write your will over the phone: when you call 020 4525 3605
• Book a face-to-face meeting when you call 020 4525 3605

We also have our free online Will Planning Checklist as a basis to start your Will.

Things to consider when writing a will

Who will be the Executors?

The person(s) who will be responsible for the legal and financial aspects of your estate.

Who will be the Guardians?

The person(s) who will be responsible for Children legally.

Who will be the Beneficiaries?

The person(s) or organisations who will be given a specific gift from your estate such as money, land or property.

Who will receive the Residue?

The rest of your estate once all specific gifts have been made and debts paid off.

What can you gift in your final wishes?

Residual Legacy

We understand that family comes first during a difficult time. A residual legacy means that after making provision for your family, you can dedicate anything that is leftover to us, or in combination with other organisations.

Pecuniary Legacy

Deciding to leave a specific amount of money to us can be done by informing your solicitor that you would like to make a “pecuniary bequest”. This is presented as a fixed sum, which can lose value over time. However, if you choose to link the monetary gift to the Retail Price Index (RPI), the value can be maintained.

Pecuniary Legacy Deciding to leave a specific amount of money to us can be done by informing your solicitor that you would like to make a “pecuniary bequest”. This is presented as a fixed sum, which can lose value over time. However, if you choose to link the monetary gift to the Retail Price Index (RPI), the value can be maintained.

Specific Gifts

If you want to leave a gift, but money is something you cannot give, you can leave specific items such as jewellery, shares and property to us. There are many shops across Teesside and online, with skilled team members to make sure we really get the value your items are worth.

• Provide essential training to frontline hospice staff caring for people at the end of life.
• Make sure those who are currently missing out can get hospice care by working with the government to ensure that hospice, palliative and end of life care stays high on their agenda.
• Respond to a family in their time of need, helping them get the support, guidance and care they need.
• Improve hospice care by giving hospice staff the resources and tools they need to better care for people.
• Support carers in the community looking after people in their own homes at the end of their life.

Preparing a will is one of the most important steps you can take to protect the future of those you love. By putting your wishes in writing, you ensure that your family is cared for, your assets are distributed as you intend, and charities close to your heart are supported.

Because we care about you and your wishes, we invite you to consider leaving a legacy to us. At Teesside Hospice, it costs £7.5 million annually to run our services – that’s £20,500 every 24 hours.

If you have any questions about leaving a gift to Teesside Hospice in your will, please contact us at 01642 811140. For more information about taking control of your legacy, please contact our team and receive your free legacy and wills guide or download our digital guide below.