A will is one of the most important documents that you will ever make. It is a legal document that decides how your estate (everything you own) will be distributed after you pass away. A will offers you the opportunity to reflect on your life and consider how you would like to benefit those you leave behind.

In England and Wales, if someone passes away without a will, inheritance rules (called the rules of intestacy) mean that your estate will be passed to your relatives in a very specific order of priority, which might not match your wishes. For LGBTQ+ people, a will is even more important, as many of us have chosen families which are not legally recognised under the law.

Tax Relief

Currently, if your estate is worth more than £325,000, inheritance tax has to be paid at 40%. However, if you leave 10% or more of your estate to a charity such as LGBT Foundation, you may qualify for a reduced rate of inheritance tax.

How do I write a Will?

Once you have decided on what you would like your will to contain, visit a solicitor to have your will drawn up. If you don’t have a solicitor, perhaps ask friends and family members for recommendations, or visit the Law Society for solicitors in your local area. Alternatively, you can write your simple will for free through us, with our will-writing provider Co-op Legal Services.

LGBT Foundation's Free Will-Writing Service

We offer a free will-writing service, with options to write your simple will over telephone or online. The free service is intended for our supporters, and while you do not have to include a gift to us by using this service, we hope you will consider supporting our vital work making the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.

You can get started with your free will by visiting https://www.co-oplegalservices.co.uk/partners/lgbt.

If you would like to discuss this with us before taking any next steps, please contact us at [email protected] or leave a message on 0345 3 30 30 30 (extension 2).

Complex Wills

You may need a complex will, depending on your personal circumstances, but especially if:

• You are divorced or separated, especially if there are any dependents involved
• You own multiple properties, businesses, or international assets
• You wish to disinherit family members

If this applies to you, you may need a complex will. Our will-writing provider, Co-op Legal Services, will let you know if this is the case, and we may be able to offer a discounted complex will.

After you’ve taken care of your loved ones, we would be incredibly grateful if you would leave a gift in your will to us, ensuring we can be here for every single LGBTQ+ person that needs us.

Types of gifts you can leave in your Will

There are three main type of gifts you can leave:

Specific gifts are objects that you may wish to leave to an individual or a charity, for example, a painting or family heirloom.

Pecuniary gifts are specified sums of money. It can be a specific amount to a specific individual or charity.

Residuary gifts are made from the residue of the estate. The residue is whatever is left after any specific or pecuniary gifts have been made, and all expenses and taxes have been paid. You can leave the entire residue of your estate to a specific individual or charity, or a percentage of it.

With your gift to LGBT Foundation, you will...

Pledge and help create a future where all LGBTQ+ people can live a life free from discrimination

Over the decades, we have witnessed and been part of some incredible milestones in the fight for LGBT equality. Although we now have more legal rights than ever before, we know there is still a long way to go. For LGBTQ+ people today, the reality is quite stark: half of LGBT people said they’ve experienced depression in the last year, 46% of trans people have thought about taking their own life and one in seven LGBT people have avoided medical treatment out of fear of discrimination because they are LGBT.

Ensure we deliver our vital work

We are working daily to ensure that LGBTQ+ are given access to safe spaces, inclusive support, appropriate medical care and much more. By leaving a gift to LGBT Foundation in your Will, you will help continue our life-saving work.

96% reported that their wellbeing improved as a result accessing our support.

Help to improve the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ people and save lives

Our work helps LGBTQ+ people increase their skills, knowledge and self-confidence to improve and maintain their wellbeing. Our reach extends across the UK and overseas and each year, we support over 40,000 people. None of this work would be possible without the support of people like you.

"If you need to talk to someone or you need help these are the people to go to because they're one in a million. Without Brew Buddies, I wouldn't have had anyone else to talk to. I would be isolated."

– Barry*, after accessing Rainbow Brew Buddies, our telephone befriending service.

Charlotte and I are proud to have witnessed and to be part of the movement for LGBTQ+ equality over the years, from the abolition of Section 28, to the introduction of civil partnerships and then same-sex marriage. Although we have come a long way in legal terms, we know that there is a lot more work to do to make sure LGBTQ+ people have equitable access to healthcare services, justice, employment, and many other aspects of our society. When the time comes, we want to pass on the torch to future generations of LGBTQ+ people, just as the previous generations did for us, and make it a better place for our children to grow up in. For Charlotte and I, we can think of no better way to leave our final mark on the world.

- Amy* & Charlotte*, about leaving a gift in their Will to LGBT Foundation

Contact Us

If you have any questions, or would like more information, please email the Fundraising Team at [email protected] or leave a message on 0345 3 30 30 30 (extension 2).

*Names changed to protect anonymity