SSAFA is regulated by the Fundraising Regulator and adheres to the Code of Fundraising Practice (2025). Through the code, we aim to make sure that all our fundraising activities meet the following values: 

• Legal: our fundraising must meet the requirements of the law.

• Open: our fundraisers must be clear about their processes and willing to explain them when necessary.

• Honest: our fundraisers must act with integrity and must not mislead people when asking for donations.

• Respectful: our fundraisers must respect the people and places they interact with.

Gifts in Wills, also known as legacies, account for a third of voluntary income for SSAFA. A gift in a Will is an act of purposeful and considered generosity that reflects the way in which an individual wants to be remembered and the way in which they see the world, people and causes close to their heart.

The number of people leaving gifts to charities in their wills is growing and we need to be comfortable talking to our supporters about legacy giving. In 2024, income from Gifts in Wills stood at £4.5 billion for the charity sector.

As a volunteer, you can raise awareness of gifts in Wills with your networks and give our supporters another fantastic way of giving.

Talking about gifts in Wills may feel daunting because of the private nature of Will writing. If you would like some guidance on how to be confident in talking about leaving a gift for future generations, the Legacy team at [email protected] can offer support and advice.

How important are gifts in Wills to SSAFA?
Gifts in Wills accounts for over one third of our voluntary income and so play a huge part in helping us continue our work. 

What would a gift in someone’s Will help to support?
It can help to fund any aspect of our work. We all live and breathe the wonderful work of SSAFA, so be enthusiastic and let them know about it.

How do I leave a gift in my Will to SSAFA?
We advise that anyone wanting to make or update their Will should seek independent legal advice from a solicitor or professional Will writer. By all means, mention that we have free Will writing partners MyIntent (formerly Bequeathed) Farewill & National Free Wills Network. Details can be found on our website: Gifts in Wills | SSAFA.  This service is free and without obligation 

If a supporter is showing an interest in gifts in Wills, you could mention some of our key messages:

• A third of our voluntary income comes from gifts in Wills. This lets people know that legacies are a very common way of supporting our charity.
• Pledging a gift in your Will costs nothing now.
• Even a small percentage share of a person’s estate could make a huge difference.
• There are significant Inheritance Tax benefits to leaving a gift in your Will.
• SSAFA offers free Will writing services.

We don’t expect you to be an expert. If the conversation is starting to go beyond these messages, please email our Legacy team at [email protected]. They’ll be happy to support.

Legacy administration can be complicated. There are many regulations and processes that charities must comply with. The Legacy team has the necessary experience and qualifications to deal with legacies left to SSAFA, including gifts left directly to branches.

We also provide support for Executors. If you are made aware of a gift left to SSAFA, please inform the Legacy team and we will ensure that the gift is dealt with appropriately.

Payments for any legacies that are intended for a branch/division will be transferred, once received from the Executors. The administration of an estate can takes on average 18 to 24 months, so we will try to keep branches updated on progress where possible.

​​If you have any questions, please do get in touch, we are here to help. Email [email protected]

Here is a PDF of our current Gifts in Wills:

Hard copy Gifts in Wills booklets are available to order on the Marketing Hub.

Here is a PDF of our Gift in Wills jargon buster. This jargon buster is for volunteer or employee use only. It must not be shared externally.

Gifts in Wills webpage - https://www.ssafa.org.uk/support-us/other-ways-to-give/gifts-in-wills

Our free Will writing services - Will writing service (free!)

Our legacy fundraising policy - https://ssafa-volunteer-kb.screenstepslive.com/a/1944300-legacy-fundraising-policy

• call 020 4570 0351

• email [email protected] 

Last updated 14 October 2025