Number of Charitable Gifts in Wills Surges, Latest Data Indicates

LONDON, December 8 - The latest data from Legacy Foresight's Legacy Monitor
programme, which analyses gifts left to the top UK charities in wills,
suggests that more of us than ever before are choosing to support charities
this way.

Compared with two years ago, the number of bequests left to Legacy
Monitor Consortium member charities, which together receive 44% of all the
money leftto charity each year, is up by 9%.

Commenting on the rise, Meg Abdy, Director at Legacy Foresight, said:

"This surge in legacy gifts to charities is unprecedented. We
have seen a change from autumn 2007 and this has been maintained ever since.

Given the depressed economic position, the increase in the numbers of
gifts left to charity is particularly welcome. Without it, many of the top UK
charities would have seen their income fall by 5% over the past year. "

The trend is warmly welcomed by charity consortium Remember A
Charity. Chairman Stephen George commented:

"To see data which suggests that more people are leaving gifts
to charities in their wills is very heart warming. We should be very proud of
these people who are helping the fantastic work of our charities to live on
and flourish."

Despite this recent rise, overall the number of legacies left
to charities in the UK remains small. Currently 7% per cent of people in the
UK aged over 40 have left a gift to charity in their will. However there is a
huge opportunity to increase support: 74% of us regularly give to charity in
our lifetimes and when asked, 35% of people are happy to give a small
percentage of their will as a gift to a charity after they have looked after
their family.[1]

Gifts left in wills are important - legacy income represents 34% of the
total fundraised income of the top 10 charities. In some cases, it is as high
as 70%.

A media guide to charitable legacies is also available

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Remember A Charity

Remember A Charity (www.rememberacharity.org.uk) was formed in
2000 and now has over 140 member charities, who work together to encourage
more people to consider leaving a gift to charities in their will, after
they've looked after their family and friends. Legacies (or gifts in wills)
form the foundation of charities in the UK. Many charities depend on
legacies, without them, they would not exist. The consortium is hosted by the
Institute of Fundraising.

2. Institute of Fundraising

The Institute of Fundraising's (
www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk ) mission is to support
fundraisers, through leadership, representation, standards setting and
education, to deliver excellent fundraising. Members are supported through
training, networking, the dissemination of best practice and representation
on issues that affecting the fundraising community. The Institute of
Fundraising is the largest individual representative body in the voluntary
sector with 5000 Individual members and 300 Organisational members.

3. Legacy Monitor

Legacy Monitor is a consortium research programme that analyses,
benchmarks and debates charitable legacies. This year's programme benchmarks
38 of the UK's leading charities who together receive 44% of all legacy
income.

———————————

[1] Legacy Giving Research - Remember A Charity' - TNS Report, Aug 2008

For further media information please contact Adrian Chitty or Amy Ashworth at Good Relations on +44(0)207-861-3102 or rememberacharity at goodrelations.co.uk