Making a will is your only guarantee that the proceeds of your estate will go to the people and causes that you care about.

Anyone can leave a legacy to Cats Protection and every bequest is important to us, no matter how small or large. There are a few different types of gift you can leave in your will; these are the most common:

Pecuniary legacy
This is a set sum of money which you can leave either to individuals or charities. Pecuniary legacies can be index linked so that the value of the gift increases with inflation. Otherwise, the value of the bequest will decrease over time, as the cost of living increases.

Residuary legacy
This is what is left of your estate once all other monies have been paid out. Unless you specify how you would like the residue to be disposed of, the Government will decide where it is to be paid out.

Specific legacy
This is a particular item or specific property that you can leave to an individual or charity.

For more information about leaving a legacy, including a guide to writing your will, please request our legacy pack.

We advise anyone making or updating a will to get in touch with a practising solicitor to help you do this.