The charity will writing campaign, Will Aid, has revealed that people in Northern Ireland are the least likely in the UK to have made their will.
According to the survey the charity carried out, more than 74 percent of those asked said they had no will – an increase of 10 percent on the previous year’s survey. Across the UK in general, 53 percent of adults say they have no will (51 percent last year). In England, Yorkshire has the best figures with only 43 percent of people not having a will.
Will Aid month runs in November, where solicitors and the charities join together to push the message that people should make a will. During Will Aid month, members of the public can use the services of professionals to have a will drawn up in return for a donation to charity. Will Aid suggests an amount—£95 for a single will and £150 for mirror wills—but this is voluntary.
Partner charities
The Will Aid partner charities are:
- ActionAid
- Age UK
- British Red Cross
- Christian Aid
- NSPCC
- Save the Children
- SCIAF (Scotland)
- Sightsavers
- Trocaire (Northern Ireland)
This year, 2018, will mark the 30th anniversary of Will Aid. The charity’s chairman, James Tarleton, said that even after three decades, the research showed there was still a need for the campaign.
He commented: “Not only does making your will through Will Aid provide peace of mind, but the nine partner charities use the donations and legacies from will makers to reach people in crisis, both here in the UK and all around the world.
Make a difference
“As well as making a donation, many people who make their wills through Will Aid, use this opportunity to provide support to their favourite charities through a gift in their will. These legacies make a great difference and we are very thankful for those who choose to support our work in this way.”
Last year’s campaign raised more than £1.25 million for Will Aid’s charity partners.
Finders International’s Ireland office is the go-to firm for solicitors, councils, members of the public and media who need to trace a missing heir or unknown next of kin. Other services include family tree verification, probate property sales and services, tracing the owners of empty properties, selling UK and international shares, and others. Contact our office on: +353 (0)1 5676940, Fax: +353 (0)1 640 1899 or Freephone (Ireland only): 1800 210 210.