Legacy gifts are increasing

London Sport

nfp Research have shared a useful summary of the new Smee & Ford ‘Legacy Giving Report 2025’

They say:

  • With the UK on the brink of the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth in history, there’s renewed interest in what the future holds for gifts left in Wills
  • In 2025, 33% of people who have written a Will report including a charitable gift (was 25% in 2020)
  • Charities that invest in long-term legacy strategies, and who communicate the impact of legacy gifts clearly, are likely to benefit in the years ahead
  • The most commonly supported charities are:
    • Health charities (39% of all legacy income)
    • Animal charities (16%)
    • Conservation charities (8%)
  • Cancer Research UK has spoken publicly about how legacy giving is embedded across their organisation, with all departments trained to mention it and with high-value donors invited to see first-hand the impact of their support. The average time between a pledge being made and the gift being received is about seven years
  • Animal charities have long used emotive storytelling to bring legacy giving to life, which has shown how a gift can protect vulnerable animals well into the future

Geographic Coverage
United Kingdom