# Remember A Charity confirms potential growth for legacy giving

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/07/27/remember-a-charity-confirms-potential-growth-for-legacy-giving/
- Published: 2015-07-27T10:24:16+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Over one third (35%) of those over 60 who haven’t included a charitable donation
in their will said that they would consider doing so, according to research for 
Remember A Charity.**

The research found that Britons in their sixties are living active and philanthropic
lives, with many saying they felt younger than their years:

• 47% said that they feel at least 10 years younger

## Advertisement

• one third said that they are more likely to seek out new experiences than they
were 20 years ago.

Remember A Charity, the consortium of charities that encourages more people to leave
a gift to charity in their Will, commissioned the research ahead of this year’s 
Remember A Charity in your Will Week, which takes place from 7-13 September.

## ‘Young Age Pensioners’

The consortium described this cohort as ‘Young Age Pensioners’, to contrast with
the now deprecated term ‘Old Age Pensioners’. For example, it found that 10% of 
them have taken part in extreme sports over the past decade, including skydiving,
bungee jumping and scuba diving.

According to the research, 22% of over 60s are volunteering for good causes.  In
addition, 16% of the age group said that not only had they made a Will but that 
they had also include a charitable gift in it. This suggests positive progress from
the oft-quoted statistic of one in seven people who have left a charitable gift 
in their Will.

In welcome news for legacy fundraisers, of those who have not including a charitable
donation, **35% said they would consider leaving a legacy to a charity**.

## More legacy work to be done

At the same time the research shows that the Will writing message is still needed.
Remember A Charity found that **28% of people aged 60 or over have not written a
Will**. As legacy fundraisers know, no Will equals no charitable gift, plus of course
the likely problems for the individuals’ families if they die intestate.

Social media will likely form part of any communications with these people, as 41%
of respondents said that they used these channels regularly.

The survey was conducted by OnePoll in June 2015 and surveyed 2,000 adults in two
age group category’s; 45-59 year olds and 60+

Rob Cope, Director of Remember A Charity, said:

> “People in their sixties are really living life to the full and doing amazing 
> things, not least of all volunteering their time and taking part in challenge 
> events for good causes. It is fantastic to see that one in six have already included
> a charity in their Will and twice as many would consider doing so. This tells 
> us there is far greater potential still to be met when it comes to growing legacies.
> “People know they can give in this way and many are willing, but there is a need
> to normalise this form of giving and ensure that it becomes a regular part of 
> the discussion when planning a person’s inheritance or Will.”

[Remember A Charity](http://www.rememberacharity.org.uk) is working with a range
of audiences; the charity sector, Government, businesses and professional advisers
this summer to encourage the public to include a charity when writing a Will, ahead
of Remember A Charity Week.

 * **[Remember A Charity invites more charities to promote leaving a legacy](https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/08/16/remember-a-charity-invites-more-charities-to-promote-leaving-a-legacy/)**(
   16 August 2015)
 * **[Over 1,000 solicitor firms now promote legacy giving to clients](https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/10/20/over-1000-solicitor-firms-now-promote-legacy-giving-to-clients/)**(
   20 October 2015)
 * **[Number of charities named in wills rises 10%](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/04/22/number-charities-named-wills-rises-10/)**(
   22 April 2016)