Frequently asked questions about gifts in Wills

The following information may help you with any questions you have about leaving a gift in your Will.

If you have questions that are not answered here please get in touch with a solicitor.

Why are gifts in Wills important to South East Cancer Help Centre? 

Gifts in Wills help support the work we do. Every year we help hundreds of people facing cancer find a way through one of the toughest challenges they’ll ever face. We’ve been providing support and information to people affected by cancer since 1983. In that time, we’ve helped thousands of people and their families through our one-to-one and group support services.

Leaving a legacy gift in your Will is a valuable and lasting way to support the work we do and make sure that we’re still able to support anyone affected by cancer in years to come.

What about my family and friends? 

You will, of course, want to make sure your loved ones are taken care of in your Will. But after you have provided for them, leaving any percentage of what’s left over, or any amount that's suitable for you to South East Cancer Help Centre is a wonderful way to help take care of others who will also need support and care in the future.

By discussing your intentions with your loved ones, they will understand that leaving a gift in your Will is something that’s important to you. They may feel proud of your decision, as many families do. By choosing to leave even a small percentage, the amount you want to give to your loved ones will always be protected.

You may want to leave a fixed amount of money, in which case, a solicitor can advise you on how to plan for inflation. You can also choose to leave your gift in memory of someone special to you – a lovely way of commemorating how much that person meant to you.

Can I afford to leave a gift in my Will? 

Most of us aren’t wealthy, and are also worried that paying for our retirements will eat away at our savings. But however little we might own, we can still choose to support the things we care about. Even small gifts left in Wills let us help so many people who need our support. However much you choose to leave, it will make a difference to someone affected by cancer many years from now. What’s more, making a gift in your Will could actually reduce the percentage of your estate liable for Inheritance Tax. You can contact a solicitor or a financial advisor to see if this applies to you.

Doesn’t South East Cancer Help Centre need my help now, not later? 

If you send a gift today, it will help support people affected by cancer today. And a gift left in your Will can help us make sure that people waking up to the harsh reality of cancer in the future will still have somewhere to turn for support. We’ve been supporting people affected by cancer since 1983. We don’t know what the future will bring but as long as cancer exists, so will people needing our support.

Isn’t my Will a private matter? 

Of course your Will is a private matter. We’ll never ask you to tell us if you’ve chosen to leave a gift to South East Cancer Help Centre in your Will – that’s your decision and we will always respect that. But if you would like to tell us, we’d love to hear from you and we’d welcome the opportunity to thank you.

If I decide to leave a gift in my Will, what do I have to do? 

If you have decided to leave a gift to South East Cancer Help Centre in your Will, thank you so much. Because of you, so many people will have somewhere to turn for support when they need it most – thank you for helping us be there when it matters. We understand that choosing to leave a gift in your Will for South East Cancer Help Centre is an important decision, but it isn’t a complicated process.

Take a look at our How to leave a gift in your Will section for more information.

What types of gifts can I leave? 

There are a couple of ways you can give gifts in your Will.

A share of your estate (which can be anything from 1-100%)

Once you’ve decided what you are leaving to family and friends, you can donate a share of what is left. This is known as a residuary gift. This type of Will doesn’t decrease in value due to inflation and will save you having to update your Will in the future.

A specific sum of money (which can be any sum of money that's suitable for you)

If you want to leave a specified sum to South East Cancer Help Centre, simply list this amount in your Will. This is known as a pecuniary gift.

A specific gift

This is a gift of a specific item that you wish to leave to South East Cancer Help Centre.