How legacy giving is helping beat cancer

Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research, influence, and information. It’s the only charity fighting all 200+ types of cancer and its pioneering work is saving lives on a global scale.

What does legacy giving mean to Cancer Research UK and why is it so important?

Over a third of the charity’s life-saving research is funded by legacies. This vital income source enables the charity to plan research funding long term and accelerate progress so that 3 in 4 people survive their cancer by 2034.

Last year was incredibly tough – the pandemic continued to disrupt the lives of people affected by cancer, and significantly hamper our mission, our research, and our people. Legacies moved from funding over a third of our research to almost half as events were cancelled and fundraising in the community made impossible. Never has the value of gifts in Wills been more fundamental to our mission.

It’s a pivotal time for Cancer Research UK to partner with donors and their advisors to facilitate impactful gifts that will create a step-change in cancer research, driving progress and bringing hope to millions across the globe.

What are the necessary processes for leaving a legacy and how does Cancer Research UK help? We would always recommend that your clients consult with a professional advisor first regarding their personal circumstances however, we’re always happy to discuss the different ways we can accommodate donations to fund our research.

Our Gifts in Wills guide contains all the information needed for writing a new Will or amending an existing one. You can request a copy via our website: cruk.org/legacy and if you have questions, we have a dedicated team of local Legacy Relationship Managers who you can reach over phone or email at LPMs@cancer.org.uk

By leaving a gift in your Will, your client may be able to reduce their inheritance tax liability. Gifts to charities are 100% tax-free and are taken out of their estate before tax is calculated. Since April 2017, if they leave 10% of their net estate to charity, after certain deductions their inheritance tax rate will be reduced from 40% to 36%.

We also run a nationwide Free Will Service which is available to write a simple will online, over the phone or face-to-face with a local solicitor free of charge. There is no obligation to leave Cancer Research UK a gift, although we hope, and most people do, consider this as an option.

Have you seen any changes in legacy giving motivations recently?

More and more we are hearing from supporters how they view philanthropy and donations are ‘social investments’ and like any investment, want to understand the impact their money can have on social outcomes. Particularly with gifts in will, supporters are literally looking at their own personal legacy and the impact on future generations.

We want to accelerate progress and see 3 in 4 people surviving their cancer by 2034. As the world’s leading cancer research charity, we are at the forefront of the global fight against cancer, bringing together millions of people who share our determination to beat it.

What do you do with all the money that is gifted to Cancer Research UK?

All money bequeathed to Cancer Research UK goes towards our core purpose of beating cancer. We want to bring about a world where everybody can lead longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer. A world where:

• Some types of cancer are effectively eliminated and many more are prevented from developing in the first place

• People who do develop cancer are diagnosed at the earliest possible stage so they can be successfully treated

• Treatments are more effective, kinder and more targeted, so people can lead better, more fulfilling lives

To find out more about legacy giving at Cancer Research UK, please visit cruk.org/legacy

Samantha Devlin

Head of Product: Legacy Giving Cancer Research UK