Remembering the hospice in your will is an excellent way to ensure you can continue to support yourself and your family now, in these financially demanding times, confident that you have made a commitment to supporting the hospice too.

Every year The Prince of Wales Hospice relies on income received from legacies to continue to provide services free of charge to people from the local community with life-limiting illnesses.  Legacies are also vital for the long-term growth of the hospice and for the development of the services on offer.

If you are thinking of leaving a legacy and want to find out more about how to do this or about the work you would be supporting please e-mail or telephone 01977 708868.

If you have already made provision for the Hospice in your will – thank you. If you feel you would like to let us know this, in strictest confidence, you can e-mail or telephone 01977 708868.

Why make a will?

1. To make sure your wishes are carried out

If you die without making a will, then the law decides how your possessions will be divided. With a will you can ensure people and organisations close to you receive exactly what you would like them to.

2. To safeguard your family

By leaving a will you can provide financial support for your family, as well as appoint guardians to look after dependant children.

3. To make a gift to charity

A legacy to charity is a special way to show your appreciation for an organisation and to ensure its work continues into the future. By leaving a legacy to The Prince of Wales Hospice, you can help us to continue to care for adults from the local community who themselves have life-threatening illnesses.

4. To save tax

Inheritance tax is payable on estates above a certain value. Financial management and careful drafting of your will can help reduce the amount of tax that will be paid. All charitable gifts are tax free.

5. To choose your executors

Executors are the people who carry out your wishes and administer your estate under the instructions of your will. You can choose who you would like to do this in your will.

Making a will

Before you make a will

If you are making a will for the first time, there are some questions you should take time to think about:

1. What have you got to leave? Your home may be your most valuable asset, but also think about its contents. Consider financial assets (and debts), including investments, savings, pensions, life policies, mortgage, loans and credit cards. And don’t forget jewellery, heirlooms and other personal effects.
2. What do you need to make provision for? Do you have any dependent family or pets? Are their particular friends you want to remember? Make a list of their full names and addresses.
3. Who else, or what organizations, have made a difference to your life? Has a particular charity or person helped you, or someone you love? Which causes have been important to you? If you know them,make a note of their official charity name, address and registered number for your adviser.
4. Who would you like to be your executors? A partner in the firm of professional advisors can take on this role. You can also appoint friends or family, but remember to consult with them first!
5. Do you have specific requests for your funeral?
6. Who would you like to care for your dependants and / or business interests (if relevant)?

Amending an existing will

If you have already got a will, you should check it regularly to ensure it is still accurate and includes the people closest to you. Marriages, divorces, house moves, births and deaths can all make your will ineffective.

It is easy to update or amend a will. To add a charity to an existing will your solicitor can simply add a new section mentioning your chosen cause.

Remembering The Prince of Wales Hospice

There are different types of gifts you can make to The Prince of Wales Hospice:

• Some people leave a sum of money, called a pecuniary legacy;
• Other leave a share of the remaining estate after close family and friends have been provided for, which is called a residuary legacy;
• The hospice can also accept a specific asset legacy, such as the donation of a property, an antique or some shares.

If you decide to remember The Hospice in your will, your solicitor will put a clause in the will which looks something like this:

"I give to The Prince of Wales Hospice of Halfpenny Lane, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF8 4BG (“The Hospice”), registered charity no. 541999

sum of £......... free of all tax  / …% share of the residue of my estate /  my jewellery

for the general charitable purposes of the Hospice. The receipt of the General Manger, or other proper officer of the Hospice, shall be good and sufficient discharge."

Making a will for the first time

We recommend you seek professional advice, such as from a solicitor or a financial advisor when drawing up a will for the first time.

The amount you pay for professional advice will depend on the complexity of your estate, but you could expect to pay in the region of £50-£100.

You can find a local solicitor who covers the “wills and probate” area of law, using the Law Society website.

We also thank the following solicitors for their on going support of The Prince of Wales Hospice:

Hartley and Worstenholme

Amending an existing will

If you have already got a will, you should check it regularly to ensure it is still accurate and includes the people closest to you. Marriages, divorces, house moves, births and deaths can all make your will ineffective.

It is easy to update or amend a will. To add a charity to an existing will your solicitor can simply add a new section mentioning your chosen cause.

Remembering The Prince of Wales Hospice

There are different types of gifts you can make to The Prince of Wales Hospice:

• Some people leave a sum of money, called a pecuniary legacy;
• Other leave a share of the remaining estate after close family and friends have been provided for, which is called a residuary legacy;
• The hospice can also accept a specific asset legacy, such as the donation of a property, an antique or some shares.

If you decide to remember The Hospice in your will, your solicitor will put a clause in the will which looks something like this:

"I give to The Prince of Wales Hospice of Halfpenny Lane, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF8 4BG (“The Hospice”), registered charity no. 541999

sum of £......... free of all tax  / …% share of the residue of my estate /  my jewellery

for the general charitable purposes of the Hospice. The receipt of the General Manger, or other proper officer of the Hospice, shall be good and sufficient discharge."

Telling the Hospice

Making a will is a personal and private matter and you do not need to tell anyone its contents.

However, it is helpful for us to know if you have remembered the Hospice in your will so that we can predict future income for the hospice and plan in confidence. We keep all information about legacy pledges completely confidential.