An up-to-date Will is the only way to guarantee that your wishes are carried out after you die, both for your loved ones and any charities that you wish to support.
Leaving a gift to the Meningitis Trust will help us continue our vital support to those whose lives have been shattered by meningitis. |
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Meningitis is still very much present in our lives and communities and the impact of it never goes away. Every year in the UK there are still thousands of cases of this devastating disease and whilst there are vaccines to prevent some forms of the disease there is still no vaccine for the most common meningococcal B strain. Viral meningitis also continues as it cannot be vaccinated against.
Our aim is to provide information and quality support to those who have been affected by this disease, through a range of professional services and there is an ever increasing demand on these. 1 in 10 of people who contract meningitis will die and a further 4 in 10 will suffer some form of long term after-effects, such as brain damage, loss of limbs, loss of hearing, loss of sight, and behavioral or learning problems. We are here to support these individuals and their families when it is needed and for as long as it is needed.
In order to fund our vital work we rely almost entirely on the generosity of people like you. Without your support we wouldn’t be here and a gift in your Will no matter how large or small will make a real difference to those whose lives have been and will be touched by meningitis.
Leaving a gift in your Will is also tax-efficient as it is exempt from Inheritance Tax. Under current rules a gift to charity will reduce tax liability or even eliminate it completely as such gifts are deducted first and tax is calculated on the remainder of the estate.
The most common gifts you can make are any of the following:-
- Residuary gift - this is the remainder or a percentage of your estate after all other bequests and expenses have been deducted. A residuary legacy has the added benefit of keeping pace with inflation
- Pecuniary gift - this is a gift of a specified amount of money, for example £5,000. However, unlike a residuary bequest, inflation can reduce the value of a pecuniary gift
- Specific gift - this is the gift of a specific item such as a property, jewellery or other valuables
We would always recommend that you seek the advice of a professional solicitor to make your Will as this will be the easiest and surest way to ensure your wishes will be carried out. As Wills are legally binding documents a solicitor will be able to guide you through the correct legal wording for leaving a gift.
If you have already made a Will then it’s also very easy to update it using what is known as a ‘Codicil’ – again a solicitor will be able to help you with this.
In order for you to leave a gift in your Will to the Meningitis Trust your solicitor will want to know 2 key pieces of information:-
Firstly, the type of gift you want to leave i.e. residuary, pecuniary or specific
and
Secondly – our company details, which are:-
For the United Kingdom:-
Meningitis Trust
Fern House
Bath Road
Stroud
Glos
GL5 3TJ
Registered Charity Number 803016 (England & Wales)
SC037790 (Scotland)
For the Republic of Ireland:
Meningitis Trust
PO Box 102
Bray
County Wicklow
Registered Charity No. 14722
If you have already left a gift in your Will to us or are thinking about it, we would like to know as we would like to thank you. It also helps us to plan for the future. In the meantime if you have any further queries or if there is anything we can help you with regarding leaving a gift to the Meningitis Trust please email: legacy@meningitis-trust.org or call Catherine Ind on 01453 769086.
Meningitis can happen in an instant but its impact will last a lifetime. Please help us be there for the thousands of people whose lives have been devastated by this disease with a gift in your Will – thank you. |
