If you’re considering leaving a gift to Notts Hospice, thank you. It’s an extremely kind and thoughtful way of supporting us and will help care for many more patients for years to come.

We’ve put together some of your Frequently Asked Questions about Wills. Please remember, we’re here for you if you’d like to discuss anything further.

If you do have any more questions, please contact fundraising@nottshospice.org or call us on 07508 883870 and we’ll be delighted to help you.

• What kind of gift can I leave to Nottinghamshire Hospice?
• What should I write in my Will to leave a gift to the hospice?
• I already have a Will but want to change it to include a gift to Notts Hospice. How do I do that?
• What is a simple Will?
• How else can I help Notts Hospice through my Will?
• I’ve never heard of online Wills! Are they valid?
• How much does it cost to write a Will?
• Wouldn’t it be better to donate now?
• Do I need to tell you if I’ve left a gift to Notts Hospice in my Will?
• Will my gift be confidential?

What kind of gift can I leave to Nottinghamshire Hospice?

There are three main types of gifts:  

1. A residuary gift: a share of your estate after other gifts, taxes and debts have been paid. This kind of gift will not be reduced in value by inflation. Whether it’s 1%, 10% or 100% of your estate, your generous gift will help us support our Nottinghamshire patients and their families for decades to come.
2. A pecuniary gift: this is fixed sum of money. We’re very grateful for all cash sums, large and small. Please consider index-linking your cash gift. This means that your gift will maintain its value over time. You’ll need professional advice to do this. 
3. A specific gift: this refers to an object of value or specific asset that you wish to donate to us. 

What should I write in my Will to leave a gift to the hospice?

To leave a gift in your Will to us, you’ll need to include our name, address and registered charity number:

Name: The Nottinghamshire Hospice Limited
Address: 384 Woodborough Road Nottingham NG3 4JF
Registered charity number: 509759

I already have a Will but want to change it to include a gift to Notts Hospice. How do I do that?

Adding a gift in your Will to us is a relatively simple change. This can be done through a Codicil, which is an official and legally binding document that acts as a supplement to your last Will and Testament. Thanks to our partnerships with local solicitors, and online Will writers Octopus Legacy, you can create or rewrite a simple Will completely free of charge.

What is a simple Will?

A simple Will expresses who should inherit your estate, and includes your funeral wishes, appointment of executors and trustees, guardians for your children and/or pets and specific gifts.

How else can I help Notts Hospice through my Will?

• You could specify in your Will that anyone who wishes to make a donation in your memory should make it to Notts Hospice.
• You could ask for donations to Notts Hospice instead of flowers at your funeral.

I’ve never heard of online Wills! Are they valid?

Making a Will online is perfectly legal. You’ll need to meet certain requirements so that the document is valid in a court of law. That means you’ll need to be 18 and over, be of ‘sound mind’, make your Will in writing, and make it voluntarily. You’ll need to sign the document in the presence of two witnesses who are also 18 years old. Don’t worry, Octopus Legacy will give you full instructions.

How much does it cost to write a Will?

This varies depending on how complicated your Will is. Thanks to arrangements we have made with our trusted local solicitors and online Will writers Octopus Legacy, you can create a simple Will completely free of charge.  

Wouldn’t it be better to donate now?

We’re always grateful for all donations, large and small. However, we understand that the high cost of living means times are tough for many right now. Leaving a gift in your Will is an ideal way to support us in the future at no cost to you now.

Do I need to tell you if I’ve left a gift to Notts Hospice in my Will?

You’re not obliged to let us know, but if you do, we really appreciate it because:

• We’d like to thank you for your generosity
• It helps us to plan for the future
• We’d love to invite you to future legacy events

If you’d like to tell us you’ve left a gift in your Will, please email fundraising@nottshospice.org

Will my gift be confidential?

This is entirely up to you and we will respect your wishes regarding confidentiality with your gift. If you do decide to tell us, this will be in complete confidence and we won’t share details with anyone.

Jargon buster

A glossary of the terms you’ll see during the Will-writing process

A legacy is a gift left in a Will, and there are three main types:

Residuary legacy: when you leave whatever is left in your estate after specific gifts, debts and expenses have been paid. Its value is unaffected by inflation.

Specific legacy: when you leave a specific item to someone.

Pecuniary legacy: when you leave a specific amount of money to someone

Other terms

Bequest: any specific gift mentioned in your will, such as a piece of jewellery.

Chattels: your movable personal property, like furniture or clothes.

Codicil: if you need to make small changes to your existing Will, you can use a legal document known as a codicil.

Estate: when you pass away, everything you owned is called your estate.

Intestate: if you die intestate, it means you haven’t left a Will. In such cases, the laws of intestacy determine who benefits from your estate. While these laws work reasonably well for traditional families, they can be more complicated for unmarried partners, step-children, and more complex family structures.

Liabilities: debts that need to be settled by the estate.

Nil rate band allowance: the amount that can be passed to your beneficiaries without paying inheritance tax.

Probate: the legal process used to validate and execute your Will and distribute assets to beneficiaries.

Residuary estate: the remaining assets or property not specifically designated in the Will to a beneficiary.

Tax and trusts

Capital Gains Tax: if this is payable, the Executor will be responsible for settling this tax out of the estate before distributing monies to your beneficiaries.

Discretionary trust: a trust where the trustees have the power to decide which beneficiaries receive a share of the estate.

Inheritance tax: the tax that may be payable on an estate when you die.

People

Beneficiaries: The people or organisations you name in your Will to receive your possessions and money are beneficiaries.

Executor: the person you name in your Will to carry out your instructions.

Renunciation: when an Executor decides that they are unwilling or unable to act as the executor.

Guardian: the person you appoint in your will to take care of children who are under 18 years old.

Residuary beneficiary: the person entitled to receive a share of any residue of the estate.

Testator: you, the person making the Will.

Trust: an arrangement set up by the Will or deed to manage assets for beneficiaries.

Trustees: responsible for the management of any trust that arises out of a Will.

Witnesses: the people who verify the signature of the person making the Will, and they must sign it at the same time as each other and the person making the Will.