LEAVING A GIFT IN YOUR WILL

A gift in your Will or legacy costs nothing in your lifetime, but can make a big difference to help us preserve BSL for future generations, as well as providing services to the Deaf community across the UK.

 

Your support through a gift in your Will allows the BDA to ensure a world in which the language, culture, community, diversity and heritage of Deaf people in the UK is respected and fully protected, ensuring that we can participate and contribute as equal and valued citizens in the wider society. For example, we have been able to campaign for a BSL Act which came into force on 28th April 2022 as a result of people leaving a gift in their Will to the BDA. In addition, we have also been able to provide a range of support services to Deaf children and adults across the UK as a result of people’s legacies.

 

Whether you already have a Will or not, making a gift in your Will to the British Deaf Association, no matter how large or small, is a straightforward and simple way to make a real difference for Deaf people. For more information, please contact the BDA at bda@bda.org.uk

How to leave a gift in your Will


We are always extremely appreciative of any gift left in a Will and are happy to ensure that it is used in accordance with any expressed wishes to support a particular area of the British Deaf Association’s work.

Making a more general unrestricted gift however, may ultimately enable the British Deaf Association to use it to greater long-term impact for Deaf people across the UK.

There are three main ways in which people commonly choose to leave a gift to the British Deaf Association in their Will:

  • a cash gift: you can choose to give a fixed amount of money,  known as a “pecuniary” gift.
  • a percentage of your estate: you can choose to leave a share of what is left in your estate after you have provided for your family and friends, known as a “residuary” gift.
  • a specific gift: you can leave an item or items of value such as jewellery, artwork, buildings, land or investments such as shares.

Leaving a residuary gift is the most commonly preferred option because it means that you don’t have to change your Will later if your circumstances change.

If you want to leave a gift in your Will to support work of the British Deaf Association, it is essential to include the full name of the British Deaf Association, address and registered charity number to make sure that your gift reaches us.

We therefore recommend the following wording for the different types of legacy gift you might want to consider leaving to the British Deaf Association:

  1. Residuary gift (a share of your estate)
    I give […]% of the residue of my real and personal estate to the British Deaf Association (Registered Charity Number - England and Wales (1031687) and Scotland (SC042409)) of 258 Green Lanes, London N4 2HE (for the work of ….. - area of work that you wish to support, if any). The receipt of the Treasurer or the proper officer for the time being of the British Deaf Association shall be a complete discharge to my executors.
  2. Pecuniary gift (a set sum)
    I give the sum of [...in words] pounds (£… in figures) to the British Deaf Association (Registered Charity Number - England and Wales (1031687) and Scotland (SC042409)) of 258 Green Lanes, London N4 2HE (for the work of ….. - area of work that you wish to support, if any).  The receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer for the time being of the British Deaf Association shall be a complete discharge to my executors.
  3. Specific legacy gift (a named item)
    I give to the British Deaf Association (Registered Charity Number - England and Wales (1031687) and Scotland (SC042409)) of 258 Green Lanes, London N4 2HE absolutely, my […name and description of item].

Making or updating your Will

Making a Will is the only way to be certain that your money and possessions go to the people and causes you care about. If you die without a valid Will your entire estate, depending on your circumstances could be passed on to the Crown.

This can happen if you haven’t made a Will, have cancelled your Will, or your Will has been incorrectly signed or witnessed. If you do not have a Will, we recommend that you use a solicitor or professional Will writing service when making your Will to ensure it is legal and valid.

For more information about writing or updating your Will, please visit Remember A Charity’s guide on making a Will

If your personal or financial circumstances change, you should review your Will to make sure it still accurately reflects your wishes for your loved ones.  Changes that could affect your Will could relate to marital status or separation, a family birth or death, or moving house or moving abroad.

Changing your Will could also reflect a wish to include a particular charity.  If you would simply like to add a gift in your Will for the British Deaf Association, you can do so using by using a Codicil form