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For many charities, legacy fundraising sits firmly in the “one day” category.

​It feels important, but not urgent. There are trust applications to submit, events to deliver, donors to steward and services to run. Legacy fundraising can easily be pushed down the priority list in favour of activities that generate income more quickly. For small and medium-sized charities in particular, legacy fundraising can also feel daunting. It raises questions about whether supporters will be receptive, how to start the conversation and whether a smaller charity is even likely to benefit.​

The challenge is that legacy fundraising works differently. Unlike many other fundraising activities, it rewards consistency, visibility and long-term relationship building. That means waiting until you need legacy income is often too late.

​The good news? You don’t need a large budget or a dedicated legacy team to get started. In fact, small and medium-size  charities are often in a much stronger position than they realise.

Legacy Fundraising in the UK

Legacy fundraising is sometimes viewed as something that’s only relevant to large national charities with dedicated fundraising teams and well-established programmes. But the scale of legacy giving tells a different story.

Recent legacy-giving research found that charities received £4.5 billion in gifts from wills in 2024, with an estimated 145,000 charitable bequests made during the year. These figures highlight just how significant gifts in wills have become. In fact, legacy income now accounts for around 30% of total fundraising income across the UK’s top legacy-supported charities.

While the largest charities understandably receive the greatest share of legacy income, the overall growth of the market demonstrates something important: supporters continue to see charitable gifts in wills as a meaningful way to leave a lasting impact. 

For charities, this presents a significant opportunity. Legacy fundraising is no longer a niche activity or something to think about. It’s one of the most important sources of voluntary income in the UK charity sector, and forecasts suggest it will continue to grow in the years ahead.

Understanding the Intention to Give

One of the most encouraging things about legacy fundraising is that many people are already open to the idea of leaving a charitable gift in their Will.

Research shows that around 40% of UK adults say they would consider leaving a gift to charity in their Will, yet only 7% currently have one in place. This suggests there is a significant gap between intention and action.

At first glance, this might seem surprising. If so many people support the idea of leaving a charitable gift, why do so few go on to do it?

The answer is often quite simple. Writing or updating a Will isn’t something most people do regularly. Even when someone cares deeply about a cause, intends to support it in the future, or believes charitable giving is important, taking the final step can be easy to postpone.

That’s why visibility matters. Legacy fundraising isn’t about persuading people to care. In many cases, the desire to make a lasting difference is already there. Instead, it’s about ensuring your charity is part of the conversation when supporters come to make those decisions.

For many small and medium-sized charities, this can feel uncomfortable. Trustees and staff may worry about causing offence, appearing insensitive or asking for too much. Yet the reality is that many supporters simply don’t know that a charity would welcome a gift in their Will. If the conversation never happens, supporters never have the opportunity to consider it.

The charities that benefit most from legacy gifts are rarely those that make a single ask at exactly the right moment. More often, they’re the organisations that have built awareness, trust and familiarity over many years, so that when supporters come to write or update their Will, the charity naturally comes to mind.

Where to Begin with Legacy Fundraising

One of the biggest barriers to legacy fundraising is the belief that you need a fully developed programme before you can get started. For many charities, that can make legacy fundraising feel like a future project, something to tackle once there is more time, more capacity or more budget available.

In reality, legacy fundraising is less about launching a campaign and more about building awareness and relationships over time. Unlike many other forms of fundraising, gifts in wills are rarely the result of a single ask. They often reflect years of trust, positive experiences and connection to a cause.

That’s why starting small is almost always better than waiting for the perfect moment. In fact, smaller charities are often in a stronger position than they realise. Many have deep roots in their communities, loyal supporters and highly personal relationships that larger national charities can struggle to replicate. Rather than trying to copy the approach of bigger organisations, it can be more effective to build on the connections and goodwill that already exist. Some simple first steps might include:

• Creating a Gifts in Wills page on your website
• Sharing stories that demonstrate the long-term impact of your work
• Including occasional legacy messages in supporter newsletters
• Exploring partnerships with local solicitors or free Will-writing schemes
• Ensuring staff and volunteers know where to direct legacy enquiries

While these activities may seem modest, they all help to build awareness. More importantly, they help supporters understand the lasting difference they can make through their relationship with your charity and help make the process more straightforward.

The Value of Starting Legacy Fundraising Now

Ultimately, successful legacy fundraising is built on strong relationships. The charities that benefit most from gifts in Wills are often those that have spent years demonstrating their impact, communicating consistently and helping supporters feel connected to their mission.

While it is possible to start small, effective legacy fundraising rarely happens by accident. Like any area of fundraising, it benefits from a thoughtful approach, clear messaging and an understanding of what motivates supporters to take action.

The good news is that you don’t have to navigate these conversations alone. Sometimes a little guidance can help build confidence, shape the right messaging and ensure any legacy activity feels authentic to your charity and your supporters.

However, whether you start with a simple webpage, a supporter story or a more structured legacy programme, the most important thing is simply to begin the conversation. Because when it comes to legacy fundraising, time is one of your most valuable assets.