Free Will Writing Service, Bristol

Having an up-to-date Will is the best way to ensure your loved ones and the causes you care about are looked after. St Peter's offers free Will-writing services to our supporters.

• We have partnered with the National Free Wills Network to provide face-to-face Will-making with local solicitors
• We also offer free online and telephone Will-writing through the Farewill platform

Both these services are completely free and offered all year round. Please see below for more information.

To write or update your Will simply choose your preferred option below and quote the voucher code STPETERS-WEB when asked.

Online     Telephone

Gifts in Wills are vital to our work

Gifts in Wills are our largest single source of income – in fact, they pay for the entire care costs of almost one out of every four local people we support. Gifts left by generous supporters in their Wills impact everyone throughout the Hospice.

By choosing to leave a gift in your Will, you can be sure your generosity will help provide vital care for patients and their families, supporting them and giving comfort through the most difficult of times. A gift in your Will of any size could make all the difference in keeping Hospice services running for families across Bristol and the surrounding areas.

These kind and thoughtful gifts – often left in a Will made many years before – played a big part in enabling us to build our brand-new Inpatient Unit in 2018. These gifts also gave us financial security during the 2020 pandemic, making it possible for us to continue delivering care during the most difficult period we've ever faced.

If you decide to leave a gift in your Will to St Peter's Hospice – thank you.

Our promise to you

If you're able to support us with a gift in your Will, we'll make you some special promises:

• Your gift will be used to provide the loving care and sense of family that loved ones deserve in their final days
• We respect your privacy, so you won't have to tell us your decision
• We'll do all we can to help you make or update your Will, if that's what you'd like
• If you'd like guidance on the effects of Inheritance Tax, we can help with that too
• It's up to you whether or not you receive regular updates about the care we provide
• You're welcome to visit us any time – just let us know

Different kinds of gifts

There are different ways you can support hospice care for people in Bristol with a gift in your Will. Each gift is special to us and ensures that we're able to provide the very best care and support to those who need us, today and into the future.

• A cash ('pecuniary') gift
  This is when you choose to leave a single, precise cash gift from your estate
• A specific gift
  This type of gift is usually something like property or an individual valuable item, such as an antique or piece of jewellery
• A life interest
  If you wish, you can leave a gift for use over a specific period – for example, the income from an investment. After that time has passed, the gift could then be passed on to another recipient or family member.
• A share of your estate ('residuary') gift
  After you've provided for your loved ones and taxes have been paid, you could choose to leave a share, or the full remainder (the residue) of your estate to St Peter's Hospice. This means your estate is passed on to those you care about as well as supporting hospice care into the future.
• A house clearance
  St Peter's Hospice has for many years offered a bespoke house clearance service. Here, you would identify the specific items or belongings you wish to leave to your loved ones – and then leave the remainder to St Peter's Hospice. Our team of staff and volunteers will then sensitively arrange to come and clear your house of remaining furniture and belongings, which we will then sell on in the most effective way possible – the proceeds all going towards local hospice care.

Inheritance Tax

Good financial planning is essential when deciding what to leave to your loved ones. Each individual has a tax-free allowance before Inheritance Tax becomes due, with an extra allowance if the family home is passed directly to their descendants.

All Gifts to charities are deducted from the value of the estate before Inheritance Tax is calculated. A Gift towards a charity like St Peter's could also reduce the rate of Inheritance Tax due on the remainder of the estate.

Find out more about reducing Inheritance Tax through a Gift in your Will.

For more information, please speak to your solicitor or visit the HMRC website.

Suggested wordings to help you make your Gift

We strongly recommend using a specialist solicitor or Will writing service to help create or change your Will. They can advise and support you to ensure that your estate is distributed exactly according to your wishes and on how to minimise the impact of Inheritance Tax.

If you do decide to leave a Gift in your Will to St Peter's Hospice you will need to provide clear and unambiguous instruction to your executors. Here is some wording we recommend you discuss with your solicitor:

• For a residuary (share of your estate) legacy: "I give all / a fraction / a percentage of the residue of my estate absolutely to, St Peter's Hospice, Charlton Road, Brentry, Bristol, BS10 6NL, Registered Charity Number 269177, to be applied by St Peter’s Hospice for its charitable purposes, and I further direct that the receipt of the Hon. Treasurer or any other proper officer of St Peter’s Hospice for the time being shall be sufficient discharge to my trustees."
• For pecuniary (cash) legacy: "I give to St Peter's Hospice, Charlton Road, Brentry, Bristol, BS10 6NL, Registered Charity Number 269177, absolutely, the sum of (amount in figures, amount in words) to be applied by St Peter’s Hospice for its charitable purposes, and I further direct that the receipt of the Hon. Treasurer or any other proper officer of St Peter's Hospice for the time being shall be sufficient discharge to my trustees."
• For a specific gift: "I give to St Peter's Hospice, Charlton Road, Brentry, Bristol, BS10 6NL, Registered Charity Number 269177, absolutely, (write in here whatever you wish to give) to be applied by St Peter's Hospice for its charitable purposes, and I further direct that the receipt of the Hon. Treasurer or any other proper officer of St Peter's Hospice for the time being shall be sufficient discharge to my trustees."

However you choose to support St Peter's Hospice, please ensure that any instruction clearly includes our unique registered charity number 269177. This will ensure your gift arrives safely and promptly.

Glossary of common terms

• Estate:
  The property, including money, owned by the deceased, after any debts and/or expenses have been taken into account.
• Beneficiaries:
  People or organisations – for example, a charity – who benefit from a Will.
• Executors:
  Person(s) appointed in a Will by the testator to deal with the estate after his/her death.
• Guardian(s):
  Person(s) appointed in a Will by the testator to look after his/her children, if there is no-one else with parental responsibility to do so.
• Residuary gift:
  A share of the estate (i.e. percentage) allocated in the Will by the testator.
• Pecuniary gift:
  A single, precise cash gift from your estate.
• A specific gift:
  An individual valuable item, such as an antique or piece of jewellery.
• Testator:
  A person who has made a Will or given a legacy.

Download our Gift in Wills Guide

If you would like to download our guide to read offline or print at home, please click on the link below.

Download our Gift in Wills Guide

Get in touch

Making or changing a Will that provides for your loved ones, while your specific wishes are met, is a matter for serious consideration. If you would like to discuss what would be best for you with our Gift in Wills team at the Hospice, please get in touch to arrange a visit or an informal chat.

Please email legacy@stpetershospice.org, call 01275 391 400, or complete the form below.