Don’t put pressure on people to remember you in their will, charities told
THE NUMBER of people leaving money in their wills to charity has almost doubled, prompting the regulator to remind charities to fundraise ethically.
One in 10 people left money to a good cause in the past year, compared with one in 16 from the year before, research from Co-op Legal Services found. In light of the figures, the fundraising regulator has reminded charities to ensure they are following ethical practices in collecting donations.
There has been a crackdown on the ways in which charities can raise money since the suicide of poppy seller Olive Cooke. After her death in 2015, it emerged she had been receiving 3,000 requests for donations every year.
The survey of 2,000 people found that poverty and homeless charities were the most popular among donors, followed by cancer and animal charities. Around 56 per cent of Britons are thought to have a will, with Cancer Research revealing a third of its income was from gifts left in wills. The number of inheritance disputes brought to the high court was found to have increased eight-fold in the past decade.
The family of Sybil Jenazian have been locked in a dispute with Manchester Girls’ School after Ms Jenazian left more than £1 million to the £11,000-ayear private school. A decade-long fight between the RSPCA and Heather Ilot, an only-child who was left out of her mother’s will in favour of the animal charity, only came to an end earlier this year. There is no suggestion that either Manchester Girls school or the RSPCA were engaged in unethical fundraising.
A spokesman for the Funding Regulator said: “Legacy donations allow people to make a lasting contribution to a cause they support. However, these donations must be sourced in an ethical and sensitive manner, adhering to our Code of Fundraising Practice and the best practice guidance of the Institute of Legacy Management. We would encourage anyone who feels they are being pressured to include this type of payment in their will, or are worried about a friend or relative, to get in touch at 0300 999 3407, or visit our website.”
The figures have also prompted a reminder to fundraisers from the Charity Commission: “We expect the trustees of charities to ensure all fundraising activities – including legacy fundraising – is done in a respectful and ethical way that is in line with the charity’s values.”
Claire Routley, a fundraising consultant, said: “The whole fundraising environment has changed a lot since the Olive Cooke case in 2015. If charities were using aggressive tactics there would be a legal challenge. Historically, only about six per cent of people left money to charity so if charities have already informed people often it is in a very positive way.”
Gavin Wall, from Conveyancing Experts, said he had seen clients who insisted on donating their entire wills to charity, though largely due to cripplingly high inheritance tax rates.