# Three party leaders make the Legacy10 pledge to leave a charitable legacy - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/01/16/three-party-leaders-make-legacy10-pledge-leave-charitable-legacy/ - Published: 2012-01-16T11:28:51+00:00 - Author: Howard Lake **The leaders of the three main political parties at Westminster have confirmed their support for the Legacy10 campaign: The Rt. Hon David Cameron MP, Rt. Hon Nick Clegg MP and Rt. Hon Ed Miliband MP have all pledged to leave a charitable legacy in their wills.** Legacy10, launched in November 2011, is a nationwide campaign to increase the number of people in the UK who leave money to charity in their wills. It urges individuals across the UK to pledge 10% of their estate to charity. With effect from April 2012 any estate which leaves at least 10% (of its taxable wealth) to a charitable cause will be able to take advantage of a reduced rate in inheritance tax, from its current level of 40% down to 36%. Roland Rudd, founder and Chairman of [Legacy10](http://www.legacy10.com), said that the appeal of Legacy10 lay in its simplicity. “We are asking people to make a contribution”, he explained, “to their favourite cultural or charitable cause in their will, the benefit to that cause will be four times bigger than the small loss to the donor. I am so pleased that all of our main political leaders have not only chosen to support Legacy10 but have also made a personal commitment to change their wills to make the pledge.” ## Advertisement Currently only 7% of the UK population leave a charitable gift in their will, even though 74% support a charity during their lifetime, according to Legacy Foresight’s‘ Legacy Market Snapshot’, 2011. CAF Chief Executive John Low welcomed the pledge, saying: “CAF warmly welcomes the announcement by each of the three party leaders that they will leave 10% of their estates to charity. “This is an excellent gesture, and one that will doubtless be warmly received by the public and charities alike – especially in the current economic climate, where demand on many charities is growing while overall funding for many charities is falling. “We know from the success of the Gates-Buffett Giving Pledge in the US that where prominent people in society pledge to give a substantial amount of their wealth to charity, many will follow.” #### Taking action with Legacy10 Is your charity supporting the Legacy10 campaign? How is it doing so? Share you ideas, tips or even early successes in the comments below. * **[Legacy10 creates award for excellence in legacy fundraising](https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/09/12/legacy10-creates-award-excellence-legacy-fundraising/)( 12 September 2013)** * **[Launch of Legacy10 campaign](https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/01/16/launch-legacy10-campaign/)**( 16 January 2012) * **[Developing a legacy culture](https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/02/10/developing-legacy-culture/)**( 10 February 2012) * **[New study of charity legacy advertising published](https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/04/26/new-study-charity-legacy-advertising-published/)**( 26 April 2012)