# Legacies – only 27,000 people a year leave a charitable bequest

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2000/04/01/legacies-only-27000-people-year-leave-charitable-bequest/
- Published: 2000-04-01T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Richard Radcliffe of Smee and Ford reports on the latest figures on charitable bequests.

Richard Radcliffe of probate analysts Smee and Ford writes on charitable will-making
in the latest Royal Society of Arts Journal. “Legacies are the single largest source
of voluntary income available to charities,” he writes, “accounting for 34% of voluntary
income.”

They are worth £1.2 billion to charities, five times more than the sum donated by
businesses to charities, yet they come from just 27,000 people. “Why is it that 
85% of the population give to charity in their lifetime but only 5% include charitable
bequests on their death?” asks Radcliffe.

Seventeen per cent of people die intestate – without a will. The probate value of
all 237,000 wills each year is £19.8 billion, of which only £1.2 billion is donated
to charity. The average female legator dies at 82, compared to the average female
who dies at 80. The average male legator dies at 79, compared to the average mail
who dies at 77. The average citizen dies at 69 if intestate, 79 if testate, and 
82 if testate and leaving a charitable bequest. Hence Smee and Ford’s amusing comment
that if you write a will and leave a charitable bequest you are likely to live a
couple of years longer.

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Radcliffe reports that will writing is increasing: intestacy has decreased over 
the last 10 years, down from 21% to 17%. Unfortunately the percentage of charitable
legacies has not increased.

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