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Leaving Charitable Gifts in Your Will

09 January 2026

We often advise clients in Dorset, including Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole on how to leave charitable gifts in their wills.

Leaving a charitable legacy is a simple yet powerful way to support the causes you care about, while also making your estate more tax efficient.

Why Consider Leaving a Charitable Gift?

Leaving a gift to charity in your will can:

• Create a lasting impact for the organisations you care about.
• Be tax-efficient, as gifts to UK-qualifying charities are usually Inheritance Tax (IHT) exempt.
• Provide flexibility in the type and value of your gift.

Types of Charitable Gifts

There are several ways to leave a charitable gift in your will:

• Pecuniary gift: A specific sum of money to a named charity.
• Specific gift: A particular item, such as property, jewellery, artwork, or shares.
• Residuary gift: All or a percentage of your residuary estate (what remains after other gifts, debts, and expenses).

You can combine gift types to support more than one charity. If you want your executors to choose the recipient, or select from a list, we can draft a clear charitable power with a fallback clause to protect tax relief.

Identifying Charities Correctly

To avoid confusion and ensure your charitable gifts are applied as intended:

• Use the charity’s full name, registered address, and registration number.
• Include a successor or “similar charity” clause in case your chosen charity merges, changes, or ceases to exist.

Courts may apply the cy-près doctrine if the original charitable purpose can no longer be fulfilled, so clear drafting is crucial.

Inheritance Tax Benefits of Charitable Gifts

Gifts to UK-qualifying charities are IHT-exempt. Additionally, if you leave 10% or more of your net estate to charity, the IHT rate on the remainder may reduce to 36%.

The 10% threshold can be technical, so our probate solicitors in Dorset can draft clauses that “meet the 10% test” and model the effect using HMRC’s reduced-rate calculator to maximise tax efficiency.

Ensuring Your Will Is Valid

For a will to be legally valid:

• It must be in writing.
• Signed by you and witnessed by two people who are not beneficiaries or their spouses/civil partners.

If your circumstances change, you can either make a new will or add a codicil to update your existing will.

Practical Steps and Professional Advice

• Be specific: make your charitable instructions clear.
• Keep records: tell your executors where your will is stored.
• Appoint trustworthy executors: family, friends, or professionals.
• Seek professional advice: a solicitor ensures your will is valid, charitable gifts are properly identified, and clauses are tax efficient.

Optional planning tool: Within two years of death, beneficiaries may use a Deed of Variation to redirect part of an inheritance to charity. HMRC requires notification to the charity for IHT purposes.

Why Choose us?

As experienced local Dorset solicitors, our wills, trusts, and probate team can guide you through every step of legacy planning. From leaving charitable gifts in your will to tax-efficient estate planning, we provide professional, local advice you can trust.

Leaving a charitable gift in your will allows you to support the organisations that matter most while potentially reducing your estate’s Inheritance Tax liability. With guidance from our team, your will can be clear, valid, and tax-efficient, ensuring your charitable legacy has maximum impact.

If you would like advice on leaving charitable gifts or estate planning, our team is here to help. Call 01202 527008 or via our contact page: Contact Us AB Solicitors For Your Legal Needs

 

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