# 2022 record-breaking year for legacy income in England & Wales

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2023/04/20/2022-record-breaking-year-for-legacy-income-in-england-wales/
- Published: 2023-04-20T08:00:00+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**Reported legacy income reached £3.3bn last year in England and Wales, according
to the latest Smee & Ford data, with total legacy income estimated to have risen
to around £3.7bn.**

The increase in reported legacy income, from organisations providing this data to
the Charity Commission, was a 13.2% increase on the previous year’s £2.9bn. These
organisations represent the largest legacy recipients in the country and receive
at least £500k of total annual income.

According to Smee & Ford’s [Legacy Trends Report 2023](https://go.wilmingtonplc.com/rs/936-FRZ-719/images/Legacy%20Trends%20Report%202023.pdf?mkt_tok=OTM2LUZSWi03MTkAAAGLOLk5Emu-bpuzxKVxz3kc-1Pod3OMfuytChbGy2T206FuPVmh8GhSwCsY_Je6npo_Z1WuE0xejMwLBFd3Sbqd),
for charities that do not report legacy income with the Charity Commission (those
with a total income under £500k), its calculations show that legacy income was worth
£447mn in 2022. This is significantly higher than in previous years, indicating 
that more legacy income is being distributed to charities with lower total annual
income.

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Combining these figures, [Smee & Ford](https://smeeandford.com/) estimates that 
total legacy income to charities increased to around £3.7bn in 2022 – the largest
total it has ever recorded.

![](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2023/04/unnamed.png)

#### Charitable estates

The value of charitable estates also rose – from £19.9bn in 2021 to £21.bn in 2022.
This is a 7% growth and the first time values have exceeded £20bn.

Growth in estate values translates to growth in the values of residual bequests.
In recent years, Smee & Ford has seen growth in the average value of charitable 
estates, from £496k in 2017 to £576k in 2022. Over the past year, the average value
of a charitable estate has increased by 8%.

Polly Avgherinos, Managing Director at Smee & Ford, said:

> “It is encouraging to see total legacy income for charities reach a record high
> in 2022, as well as a new milestone reached for the value of charitable estates.
> We hope that legacies will remain resilient in the face of the current economic
> climate, and remain committed to supporting the sector with valuable market insight
> throughout this year and beyond.”

#### More findings

 * Smee & Ford identified 37,053 charitable estates out of a total of 269,699 estates
   processed in 2022 that included a Will; meaning around 14% of probated estates
   with Wills are charitable.
 * In 2022 there were 10,627 unique charitable organisations mentioned in Wills,
   the second highest we have recorded over the past decade.
 * 37.1% of charitable Wills contained just one named charity and 21.7% contained
   2 charities. The highest number of charities named in one Will in 2022 was 79.
 * There were 37,053 charitable estates in 2022, nearly the same number as reported
   last year.

 * **[Just under 14% of probated estates with Wills currently charitable, Smee & Ford data shows](https://fundraising.co.uk/2023/08/07/just-under-14-of-probated-estates-with-wills-currently-charitable-smee-ford-data-shows/)**(
   7 August 2023)
 * **[The Legacy Giving Awards return for 2026](https://fundraising.co.uk/2025/11/10/the-legacy-giving-awards-return-for-2026/)**(
   10 November 2025)
 * **[New Web address for Smee and Ford.](https://fundraising.co.uk/1996/08/07/new-web-address-smee-and-ford/)**(
   7 August 1996)