Charitable gifting in wills jumps by 40% in 2023, Co-op reveals
According to the legal services provider, £64.8m worth of charitable gifts were pledged in wills last year – spelling a 27% increase on last year’s amount
The number of cases where a charitable gift had been included in a will jumped by 40% in 2023, according to Co-op Legal Services’ business data.
These findings coincide with Remember a Charity Week, which began on Monday 9 September and will run until Sunday 15 September.
According to the legal services provider, £64.8m worth of charitable gifts were pledged in wills last year – spelling a 27% increase on last year’s amount.
The most popular causes to receive a charitable donation in wills last year include cancer and other health charities; animals; international aid and development; emergency rescue; mental health and disabilities; advancing religion; environmental groups; children’s causes; and homelessness.
Meanwhile, some of the most unusual items left in Wills included an adapted bicycle, a collection of vinyl records, a rare 18 carat Welsh gold diamond engagement ring, a collection of guitars, and a collection of diving artefacts
Co-op Legal Services is encouraging people to consider leaving a gift to charity in their Will as part of Remember a Charity Week.
James Antoniou, head of estate planning for Co-op Legal Services, said: “Many charities rely on legacy gifting in order to keep doing their amazing work, so it is encouraging to see that more people each year are choosing to pledge money and personal items to charities in their Will.
“Remember a Charity Week is a time for people to reflect on what is important to them and how they want to be remembered, and Co-op Legal Services can help you put a legally valid will in place in order to plan ahead.”
