Frequently Asked Questions about writing a Will

If you die without making a Will, the state will divide your assets in accordance with the current law. By making a Will, you can ensure your wishes are carried out, and the people and causes you care about are looked after.

A Will is a legal document and so, for peace of mind, we always recommend that you ask a solicitor to draw it up for you. You can use our free wills service or you can find a list of qualified solicitors in your local area through the Law Society.

If you use our free wills service it won’t cost you anything. If you choose an alternative route, the cost will vary depending on the complexity of your Will, but if your requirements are simple, it need not be expensive. A simple Will can cost as little as £100.

You can make and change your Will as often as you like, and we recommend changing your Will any time your circumstances change. For example, if you get married, or have a new grandchild.

For every pound donated to VSO, 87p is spent on tackling poverty and 13p is spent on raising the next pound. You can read more in our annual report and financial statements.

You would need to include our full registered name, which is VSO, and our registered Charity Number, which is 313757. See here for the full wording to include VSO in your Will to help us continue the fight against poverty. Thank you so much for considering to make this important gift.

Yes, this can be the case. Gifts to charity are tax-free and these gifts are not included when your estate is valued for inheritance tax purposes. There are additional benefits when the value of your gifts to charities total more than 10% of the estate. We strongly recommend that you speak to a solicitor for any advice on tax issues.

You don’t have to tell us if you’ve chosen to leave a gift to VSO, but if you do, we will give you the choice about how we talk to you in the future about our work fighting poverty. You’ll also be invited to special events. You can read our promise to you should you choose to remember VSO in your Will.

You are free to change your mind about leaving a gift in your Will to VSO at any time, and we completely understand that this is a personal decision.