# Remember A Charity calls on political party leaders to support legacy giving

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/06/08/remember-charity-calls-political-party-leaders-support-legacy-giving/
- Published: 2017-06-08T11:45:14+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**The Chair of legacy consortium Remember A Charity has written to the leaders of
the main political parties, calling on them to support legacy giving.  **

 

Distributed to party leaders last month, the call to action has been published in
[an open letter](http://www.rememberacharity.org.uk/news/campaign-chair-calls-on-uk-party-leaders-to-support-legacy-giving/)
on [Remember A Charity](http://www.rememberacharity.org.uk/)‘s website this week,
ahead of today’s General Election.

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In the letter, Alex McDowell, chair of the consortium, highlights three government-
led actions that would boost charitable gifts in Wills, which include:

 

 * the development of a fiscal incentive (to leave a charitable gift) that would
   be eligible for all individuals, including those whose estates do not attract
   inheritance tax
 * encouraging all solicitors to provide charitable options during the Will-writing
   process
 * designing employer incentives to promote charitable Will-writing to staff and
   customers

 

The letter stresses the sector’s reliance on legacy giving, stating that it contributes
12% of all UK voluntary income and that ‘many of the UK’s best loved charities would
not be able to improve lives and communities without gifts in Wills.’ It also highlights
the unmet potential of charitable bequests, with figures from Smee & Ford showing
that just 6.3% currently give this way.

 

The consortium is calling on party leaders to do more to help the British public
support communities, causes and charities by helping grow legacy giving.

 

Alex McDowell, Chair of Remember A Charity, said:

 

> “No matter who is elected or which individuals make up our new parliament, Government’s
> support in developing fiscal incentives and helping making legacy giving a social
> norm really is critical. Legacies are the largest single source of voluntary income
> and their growth is essential if we are to enable a stronger and more resilient
> charitable sector.
> “After today, we’ll continue to work with whoever forms the next government to
> enlist their support in creating the best possible environment to nurture and 
> grow legacy giving.”

 * **[Final call to join Legacy Foresight’s In-Memory Insight research programme into funeral directors](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/06/13/final-call-join-legacy-foresights-memory-insight-research-programme-funeral-directors/)**(
   13 June 2017)
 * **[Remember A Charity encourages people to #HaveYourSay with first national legacy tour](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/06/28/remember-charity-encourages-people-haveyoursay-first-national-legacy-tour/)**(
   28 June 2017)
 * **[Better collaboration between probate practitioners & charities needed says report](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/06/29/better-collaboration-probate-practitioners-charities-needed-says-report/)**(
   29 June 2017)

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