# Animal charities most popular for legacies, according to First4Lawyers figures - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/09/13/animal-charities-popular-legacies-according-first4lawyers-figures/ - Published: 2017-09-13T09:00:09+01:00 - Author: Melanie May **One in five people leave a gift in their Wills, with the majority of legacies left going to animal charities, research from First4Lawyers has shown.** [First4Lawyers](https://www.first4lawyers.com/) collated data on 2016 donation income from 15 of the UK’s biggest charities, and polled 2,000 people. Its figures show that gifts in Wills total an average £2 billion each year, with cancer charities receiving the biggest income from legacies but the highest number (43%) of legacies going to animal charities. According to First4Lawyers’s analysis of annual reports, out of the top 15 charities, Cancer Research UK received the most from legacies last year at £187m, from 6,000 gifts in Wills. RNLI was second with £118.5m, followed by Macmillan, at £76.8m. The RSPCA received £71.4 million: three times more than the NSPCC, which received £23.4 million, with the PDSA, RSPB and Dogs Trust also all in the top 15 for income from legacies. ## Advertisement [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/) [⌊first4lawyers⌉](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2017/09/image001-4.jpg)   % of people who leave a gift in their Will to each cause: * Animal-related 42.93% * Cancer-related 32.46% * Other illnesses 20.42% * Child-related 6.81% * Poverty-related 13.61% * Other 18.32% Of those surveyed, half say they are leaving the majority of their money and assets to their children while 1 in 8 do not plan leave their children anything. Over 90% of people will not be leaving anything for parents or friends, and 80% say siblings will not be included in their Wills. The survey also found older age groups less likely to leave a gift to charity: 1 In 5 of those aged 45+ said they would do so, compared to half of 18-24 year olds with a Will. Two-thirds of those who have not made a Will are over 55. First4Lawyers also found high levels of unawareness around the effect leaving money to charity can have on inheritance tax liability, with 80% unaware that leaving a gift to charity can reduce inheritance tax. The age groups least aware of this were 18-24 year olds (93%), and 25-34 year olds (87%). However, once made aware of the fact, they were also the most persuaded groups to leave a charity donation( 40%), compared to over 55s (11%). Andrew Cullwick, spokesperson at First4Lawyers said: > “It’s intriguing to see how many people are unaware that leaving a gift to charity > can reduce inheritance tax, and that now armed with that knowledge, a quarter > of people would be persuaded to change their mind.” * **[Legacy income predicted to rise due to higher death projections from ONS](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/11/02/legacy-income-predicted-rise-due-higher-death-projections-ons/)**( 2 November 2017) * **[Law Commission overhaul of Will-writing necessary but safeguards needed, says Remember A Charity](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/11/10/law-commission-overhaul-will-writing-necessary-safeguards-needed-says-remember-charity/)**( 10 November 2017) * **[Legacy professionals feel undervalued by non-profit organisations, with lower salaries for women, survey finds](https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/01/05/legacy-professionals-feel-undervalued-non-profit-organisations-salaries-lower-women-survey-finds/)**( 5 January 2018) ![Loading](https://fundraising.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/page-views-count/ajax-loader- 2x.gif)