How to make a bequest to Aid to the Church in Need

A candle lit on the round altar in the monastery of Mar Sarkis Maalula, Syria
A candle lit on the round altar in the monastery of Mar Sarkis Maalula, Syria

Making your Will
You can now write a simple Will free of charge at a local solicitors’ office. We belong to the National Free Wills Network – a group of charities and solicitors working together to give charity supporters the chance to have a simple Will written or updated free of charge*. This is a limited offer and is intended for people aged 55 and over.
Aid to the Church in Need is also a member of the Your Catholic Legacy consortium, spreading the word about the difference gifts in Wills can make to Catholic charities.

How it Works
If you request the free Will writing service, Aid to the Church in Need will send your contact details to Your Catholic Legacy, of which we are member, so that they can notify the National Free Wills Network, who will send you details of local participating solicitors.
Your request does not commit you to paying any money.
If a participating solicitor considers that a simple, free Will is not suitable for your personal circumstances, the solicitor will inform you of this, and then it is your choice whether to agree to the drafting of a Will entirely at your expense or cancelling the process without charge.
Aid to the Church in Need, Your Catholic Legacy and the National Free Wills Network all follow the Code of Fundraising Practice.

We strongly recommend you seek advice from a solicitor when drawing up your Will.

SOME PRACTICAL ADVICE

  • Making a Will is an important way of making sure that, in due course, your wishes are respected and that family, friends, causes and charities that are important to you are acknowledged.
  • Anything you leave to a registered charity is exempt from Inheritance Tax. And if you leave 10% or more of your net estate to charity, then a reduced rate of tax may apply to what is left over. Special rules apply though, so seek legal advice if you are planning to do this.
  • If you are making or amending your Will and wish to leave a proportion of your estate, or perhaps a fixed cash sum, to help the Church in need, you can use the appropriate form of words below.

Please contact Tony Smith, our Legacy Officer, if you have further questions on 020 8642 8668 or [email protected]

ACN and ‘Your Catholic Legacy’ campaign

Your Catholic Legacy is a consortium of over twenty charities, dedicated to raising the profile of charitable bequests in Wills for Catholic charities.