Questions about leaving a gift in your Will to Sense

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On this page there’s answers to some of the usual questions we hear about leaving a gift to Sense in your Will.

How do I leave a gift to Sense?

A gift in your Will enables you to make a gift that you may not otherwise be able to leave in your lifetime.

We always suggest visiting your solicitor when making or changing a Will to include a gift to Sense. You may wish to have your Will written for free through our Sense Free Will Service.

If you’re thinking about whether to leave us a gift in your Will, you might find it useful to talk to our Legacy Manager, Katharine Ayres, by emailing [email protected] or calling 020 3833 0584. Although we can’t offer legal advice, we can help you understand the difference a gift in your Will can make.

Find out more about leaving a gift in your Will to Sense.

What wording should I use when including a gift to Sense?

You can remember Sense in your will as either a share of your estate, a set amount or a specific item. Here is some wording which you may wish to provide to your solicitor:

For a share of your estate, or residuary gift

A residuary gift is a remainder, or a percentage of the remainder of your estate, once other payments have been made. We suggest this wording:

“I give _______% of my residuary estate to Sense, 101 Pentonville Road, London N1 9LG Registered charity number 289868, to be applied for its general purposes and I declare that the receipt of the finance director or appropriate officer shall be a complete discharge to my trustees.”

For a cash gift, or pecuniary gift

A pecuniary gift is a fixed sum of money. We suggest this wording:

“I give £_______ to Sense, 101 Pentonville Road, London N1 9LG Registered charity number 289868, to be applied for its general purposes and I declare that the receipt of the finance director or appropriate officer shall be a complete discharge to my trustees.”

If you wish to choose a Sense service or area to support, along with the standard wording, you would simply need to add: “I express the wish for the money to be used for the benefit of [insert full name and address of service or area].”

Alternatively, you can make your gift to Sense as a whole, and we’ll use it where it’s most needed.

Should I make a new Will now if I’ve decided to leave an extra gift to Sense?

If your planned changes are small, such as making a straightforward bequest, it might not be necessary to change the whole document. You can do this for free through the Sense Free Will Service.

How do I remember a loved one?

You can state in your Will that a gift is in memory of a loved one. You can also set up a Tribute Fund for donations to Sense in memory of a loved one. We would be honoured to support you in your fundraising to celebrate the life of someone special to you. Find out more about giving in memory.

Why should I write a Will?

Find out about why you should write a Will, what it should include, using solicitors, the different types of trusts, appointing trustees, how trusts work and why they could be in a disabled person’s best interests.

If you are an Executor of a Will where a gift has been left to Sense or a solicitor and you would like to speak to someone, please email [email protected]