Wills and legacies

*We strongly advise you to see a solicitor before making or changing your will. They will be able to advise you as to which option will work best for your situation. Please show these wordings to your solicitor or professional will advisor. They’ll know precisely the right way to use them.

Leaving a Legacy

Making a will is essential if you want to ensure that those closest to you are provided for after your death. It also offers a wonderful opportunity to make a real and lasting contribution to Autism Bedfordshire, whose work you may have supported during your lifetime.

The first priority is of course to make sure your loved ones are looked after, but even a small bequest to Autism Bedfordshire will help to underpin the work we do and enables us to plan for the future. If Autism Bedfordshire has made a difference to your life, please consider acknowledging us in your will to make a difference to someone else’s. Any gift, no matter the amount, will make an impact. So once you’ve remembered the people you care about, don’t forget the cause you believe in.

Which gift to give

You can give a share of the remainder of your estate

This is a gift of money or assets left after all other gifts and expenses have been paid. It’s easy to put this gift in your will without affecting any other gifts you have left. You can express it as a percentage – anywhere from 1% to 100%.

Accompanying text: “I give to Autism Bedfordshire, registered charity number 1100722, X% share of my residuary estate, free of inheritance tax, for its general charitable purposes.”

You can give a sum of money

If you’d like to give a specific amount of money, this is also simple to do.

Accompanying text: “I give to Autism Bedfordshire, registered charity number 1100722, the sum of £X, free of inheritance tax, for its general charitable purposes.”

You can give an item

Leaving something of value that can be sold to fund our work, such as a piece of jewellery, stocks or shares, or property is another gift you can consider.

Accompanying text: “I give to Autism Bedfordshire, registered charity number 1100722, my [description of item], free of inheritance tax, for its general charitable purposes.”

Leaving your gift to a specific service/purpose

You can specify that your gift goes to an Autism Bedfordshire service that is close to your heart, should you wish. This can be done by leaving your gift in the usual way, but including the words: “I express the wish for the money to be used for the benefit of [insert name of service].”

A legacy gift could for example:

• Provide essential equipment for children at our Loads of Autistic Fun Sessions
• Help our Children’s Services Team to reach more families in need of assistance
• Supply necessary materials and equipment for adults attending our social skills courses
• Provide teenagers with autism the opportunity to develop their communication skills through social groups and planned excursions.

If you’re worried that time will erode the value of your gift, please ask your solicitor for advice on how you might arrange it to keep pace with inflation.

How to change your existing will

If your planned changes are small – such as making a specific legacy – it may not be necessary to change the whole document. It’s wise to consult your solicitor, but you may be able to record any changes by adding a codicil.

Please note that any codicil must be signed and witnessed in the same way as a full will to make it legal.

If you would like to talk to someone about leaving us a gift in your will, or to let us know that you’re planning to leave a legacy to Autism Bedfordshire, please get in touch on 01234 214871.