Making a will is the best way to ensure that your wishes are carried out after your death and your property, money and possessions go to the people and organisations that matter to you.

Many people put off writing their will as they expect it to be complicated. However, in reality it is relatively simple and a legal adviser can guide you through the process.

You can write your own will or ask a legal advisor such as a solicitor or online will writing service to draft it for you. This is the safer option as they can answer your questions, provide advice and will know the correct legal wording to use.

Before you begin, you will need to:

• Make a list of everything you own – including property, money, shares, investments, life insurance policies, and all your valuables and possessions
• Work out the value of these assets
• Decide who should benefit from your estate, e.g. family, friends, charities
• Decide who to appoint as your executor(s), i.e. the people who will administer your estate

There are three types of legacy that you can give to beneficiaries of your will:

• Residuary legacy: a gift of the remainder of your estate, or a percentage, after all other legacies and any debts cleared. Residuary legacies keep pace with inflation and are an effective way to divide the value of an estate between a number of people and causes
• Pecuniary legacy: Leaving a fixed sum of money in your will. It is worth noting pecuniary gifts can devalue over time due to inflation, so it is worth reviewing your will regularly.
• Specific legacy: You can choose to leave property or specific items in your will such as art, jewellery, furniture or stocks and shares.

If you would like to include Royal Trinity Hospice in your will, please ask your solicitor to use the details below to ensure the gift reaches us:

At Trinity, we know that thinking about and making your will can be a bit daunting, but we are here to help.

Making a will is usually easier than you think, and to make it as easy as possible for you, we run a Free Will Fortnight twice a year in May and October. The next Free Will Fortnight will take place Monday 18 October - Sunday 31 October 2021.

During Free Will Fortnight, we team up with a group of experienced and reliable local solicitors who will make or amend a will for free. 

Find out more about taking part in Free Will Fortnight at Trinity in October 2021

We know not everyone has the luxury of time, so throughout the year we also run a Free Will Scheme for all our patients. This enables patients to make or amend a simple will for free. Our team of local solicitors can visit you at home or here at Trinity. 

If you would like to book an appointment with a solicitor for this service, please contact us on 020 7787 1000 or by email.

If you have already left a gift to Trinity in your will, thank you for your generosity. We are keen to know if people have included us in their Will in order that we can prepare for the future as a charity, but also so that we can acknowledge this thoughtful gift.

To let us know if you would like more information about leaving a gift in your will, you are considering leaving a gift or have left a gift, please complete a pledge form.  

Complete a pledge form

As a solicitor you can support Trinity by signing up to our Free Will Scheme or bi-annual Free Will Fortnight to offer a free will writing service to anyone who includes a gift to Trinity in their will. This service increases the number of gifts in wills to Trinity, providing us with a vital source of income to fund our free end of life care services.

Your firm will receive a variety of benefits by choosing to support Trinity in this way, including:

• positive association with a respected local charity
• promotion on our website, social media and marketing materials, as well as local PR coverage

If you would like to find out more about supporting as a solicitor, please contact us on 020 7787 1000 or by email.

Royal Trinity Hospice would like to thank the following law firms for their committed support for our Free Will Scheme.

Pothecary Witham Weld Solicitors

Gibson Young Solicitors 

Hanne & Co Solicitors

Other ways to donate in memory

dedicate a leaf create a tribute fund

become a regular giver