Remembering Cats Protection in your Will makes a huge difference to the lives of cats.

Anyone can leave a gift in their Will, no matter how large or small. Every single donation will help to make a better life for cats across the UK. Gifts in Wills fund almost half of all the work we do, making these generous donations incredibly important. 

Making a Will is vital in ensuring that your property and possessions will go to the people and causes that you care about after your death.

The information we provide is designed to help you make or update your Will, but we recommend that you get in touch with a legal representative for advice before creating or changing a Will.

Request our information pack Pledge to leave a gift in your Will

Step-by-step guide to leaving a gift in your Will

1. Choose who to include in your Will. 
You can leave a gift in your Will to family, friends and any charities that you care about. These are known as your beneficiaries.

2. Decide what type of gift to give.
There are three types of gifts in Wills:

  • A residuary legacy is when a person leaves a percentage of their estate after all the other legacies have been made and debts cleared. One of the advantages of a residuary legacy is that it has the benefit of being inflation-proof, and means you’re less likely to need to update your Will in the future
  • A pecuniary legacy is a gift of a specified sum of money. To prevent its real value from decreasing over time, this gift can be index-linked to the Retail Price Index
  • A specific legacy is a gift of a particular item, such as property, antiques, jewellery and stocks

3. Choose your executors.
Your executor is the person who carries out the instructions left in your Will. You could choose a loved one or a professional executor, such as a solicitor. A professional executor can also be appointed at a later date by your loved ones. Professional executors will charge for their services, and this is usually deducted from the value of your estate. It is recommended to have between two and four executors. 

Cats Protection can act as executor, either solely or as a joint executor. We are able to do this because we have an in-house Legal team who are experienced in this kind of situation. This enables us to keep costs as low as possible, so that we can ensure that as much of your estate as possible goes to the people and causes that you care about. We have provided suggested wording if you wish for Cats Protection to act as executor of your Will. 

If you have any questions about the process of being an executor, our Legacy Administration team will do their best to help you. Please contact our Legacy Administration team on 01825 741 992, email legacy@cats.org.uk or write to Legacy team, Cats Protection, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT.

4. Calculate the potential value of your estate.
Your estate includes any property, cash, bank and savings accounts, stocks and shares, and personal possessions you own. Any outstanding bills, debts and invoices must be deducted to establish the potential value of your estate. In some cases, inheritance tax may be payable.

5. Consider inheritance tax.
Any gift you make in your Will to Cats Protection also has the added benefit of being exempt from inheritance tax and could even reduce the liability for your loved ones if your estate is over the inheritance tax threshold. For further information, please see the inheritance tax advice on gov.uk

6. Write your Will.
We recommend using a professional Will writer to write your Will. Professional Will writers charge a fee, or you can use our free Will-writing service instead. The National Free Wills Network and The Goodwill Partnership are free Will-writing services offered to supporters of Cats Protection. We also have some suggested wording you can use to include Cats Protection in your Will. Your Will needs to be signed in the presence of two witnesses. These witnesses cannot be a beneficiary of your Will or codicil, or their spouse or civil partner. 

7. Let Cats Protection know if you’ve left us a gift.
There is absolutely no obligation to tell us that you have left a gift in your Will, and any pledge you make is not legally binding. However, if you would like to let us know that you have remembered Cats Protection in your Will, we’d love to hear from you so that we can thank you for remembering the charity in such a personal way. You can let us know by using our online pledge form. 

8. Keep your Will safe.
Professional executors may offer to store your Will. Keep copies of your Will where they can be easily located upon your death. Many people provide copies of their Will to the named executors. If you have multiple executors, it is advisable to give each a copy or at least make them aware of where the Will is kept.

9. Keep your Will up to date.
If your circumstances change, consider updating your Will using a codicil form. This simple form allows you to amend or add to your Will without having to write a new one. It needs to be signed in the presence of two witnesses. These witnesses cannot be a beneficiary of your Will or codicil, or their spouse or civil partner. 

If you would like to add a gift to Cats Protection In your Will, you can download our codicil form. You will find full instructions at the top of the downloadable form. We recommend that you seek advice from a legal professional when using a codicil as it affects the contents of your Will. 
More complex changes will require a new Will. Make sure you destroy your old Will or clearly mark it as an old one. 

Gifts in Wills frequently asked questions

A gift in your Will costs you nothing during your lifetime, but it will one day make a vital difference to the lives of countless cats and kittens. Find out why your gift matters.

A gift left in a Will is also known as a legacy or a bequest. 

There are three main types of gifts in Wills: residuary, pecuniary and specific legacies.

  • A residuary legacy is when a person leaves a percentage of their estate after all the other legacies have been made and debts cleared. One of the advantages of a residuary legacy is that it has the benefit of being inflation-proof, and means you’re less likely to need to update your Will in the future
  • A pecuniary legacy is a gift of a specified sum of money. To prevent its real value from decreasing over time, this gift can be index-linked to the Retail Price Index
  • A specific legacy is a gift of a particular item, such as property, antiques, jewellery and stocks

For more information about the terms surrounding writing your Will, take a look at our glossary.

A charity clause is a specific instruction in a Will that leaves a gift to a charity after the person's death. This clause directs what happens to your money, property or possessions and can specify a fixed sum, a specific item or a portion of your remaining estate (the residue). The clause should include the charity's full name, address and registered charity number to ensure clarity and avoid complications for your executors. Cats Protection has suggested clauses to include in your Will. 

Yes. While most people want us to use their legacy wherever the need is greatest at the time, we also know that our supporters can have strong affinities for specific areas of our work. Consequently, we do all we can to facilitate supporters being able to leave a gift to these areas.

All we ask is that you phrase this choice by expressing a wish that your gift be used in this way, particularly in the case of naming cat centres and volunteer teams, to cover for an event where a centre or volunteer team changes its name, moves location, or differs in other circumstances. We can never be exactly sure what will happen in the future, so we always look to ensure that the continued care of cats is our paramount concern.

Take a look at our suggested wording for your Will. 

Every gift we receive from our supporters, no matter how large or small, makes a real and tangible difference to the lives of the cats and kittens we help and care for. Even a small percentage of your estate can make a big difference to charity, while safeguarding both your intentions and your loved ones' interests.

Writing a Will is not as expensive as you might think. Solicitors can provide estimates on request, but the cost will depend on how complex your affairs are.

Cats Protection offers a free Will-writing service to Cats Protection supporters. Find out more about our free Will-writing offer.

If you decide you would like to leave a gift in your Will, in most cases you can do so by making a simple addition to your existing Will. This is called a codicil. This supplement overwrites existing instructions without the need to revoke or rewrite the whole document. We have provided a draft codicil to simplify the process.

If you want to rewrite your Will, or if you have not yet made one, you may wish to see a solicitor. Although you will have to pay a fee, you will receive professional advice and can be sure that your wishes are honoured. Take a look at our suggested wording for including Cats Protection in your Will. 

All gifts should be left to Cats Protection and must use our registered charity numbers 203644 (England and Wales) and SC037711 (Scotland) and the correct registered address: Cats Protection, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT.

With any matters regarding your Will, Cats Protection always recommends seeking professional legal advice.

That is perfectly fine. Solicitors normally advise you to review your Will every few years to make sure that it doesn’t become out of date and that it reflects your changing circumstances. Ensure your Will is up to date by either writing a new one or amending and updating your existing one using a codicil. 

Cats Protection will act in a professional manner and respect your privacy at all times. We will not pass on any details of your Will or confidential information.

If you would like to share your personal reasons or story as to why you have chosen to remember Cats Protection, we would love to hear from you. This can be a great way to encourage others to consider this wonderful way to support our work in future.

Any gift made in your Will to Cats Protection also has the added benefit of being exempt from inheritance tax and could even reduce the liability for your loved ones if your estate is over the inheritance tax threshold. For further information, please see the inheritance tax advice on gov.uk

As a charity, we’re unable to recommend a particular solicitor, but your relevant Law Society will be able to help you find details of solicitors close to you. 

Yes, Scottish laws relating to Wills do differ in some areas and we would strongly advise you to speak to your solicitor who will be able to advise you and ensure that your wishes are carried out. Discover more about Scottish law by visiting the HM Revenue and Customs website.

Cats Protection will be happy to care for any cats that survive you, as part of our Cat Guardians service. You will need to register with us, but you can then feel safe in the knowledge that we never put a healthy cat to sleep and will care for your cats until a loving new home is found. Find out more about Cat Guardians.

If you have any questions about the process of being an executor, our Legacy Administration team will do their best to help you. Please contact our Legacy Administration team on 01825 741 992, email legacy@cats.org.uk or write to Legacy team, Cats Protection, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT.

Yes, Cats Protection can act as executor, either solely or as a joint executor. We are able to do this because we have an in-house Legal team who are experienced in this kind of situation. This enables us to keep costs as low as possible, so that we can ensure that as much of your estate as possible goes to the people and causes that you care about.

We have provided suggested wording if you wish for Cats Protection to act as executor of your Will.

There is absolutely no obligation to tell us that you have left a gift in your Will, and any pledge you make is not legally binding. However, if you would like to let us know that you have remembered Cats Protection in your Will, we’d love to hear from you so that we can thank you for remembering the charity in such a personal way. Please let us know by contacting our friendly Gifts in Wills team. 

Glossary of key terms

  • Assets. Assets are all the property, money and belongings that you own
  • Beneficiary. Beneficiaries are those who are entitled to benefit from your Will
  • Bequest. Bequest is another word for a legacy or a gift left in your Will
  • Codicil. A codicil is a document that alters the terms of an existing Will. Download our codicil form
  • Estate. An estate is your net worth, which is calculated by adding together your assets and subtracting any liabilities
  • Executor. An executor is the person or people (joint-executors) appointed by you in your Will to administer your estate in accordance with the terms of your Will. This involves dealing with paperwork, debts, taxes, funeral arrangements and distributing the money or property to your beneficiaries
  • Inheritance tax. Inheritance tax is the tax which may be payable if your estate exceeds the nil-rate band. The inheritance tax rate is reduced if more than 10% of your estate is left to charity. Please see the inheritance tax advice on gov.uk
  • Intestate. Intestacy or dying intestate is when you pass away without having made a Will, or where your Will does not dispose of the whole of your estate
  • Liabilities. Liabilities are obligations (such as debts) which may need to be settled after your death
  • Legacy. A legacy is a gift of money or property which is left to someone in your Will
  • Mirror Wills. Mirror Wills are two separate but identical Wills which are created on behalf of couples (married, civil partners or unmarried). They may be revoked by either party at any time
  • National Free Wills Network. The National Free Wills Network is a service that allows Cats Protection to offer a free will-writing service to supporters. Find out more about our free Will-writing offer
  • Pecuniary. A pecuniary legacy is a gift of a specified sum of money
  • Probate. Probate is a legal document which validates your Will and authorises the executor to administer the estate in accordance with the terms of the Will
  • Residue. The residue is what is left in the estate after all the liabilities, tax, costs and other legacies have been paid
  • Specific. A specific legacy is a particular item or sum of money that you wish to leave to someone in your Will
  • Trustee. A trustee is legally responsible for the assets held in a trust and distributing the assets according to the terms of the trust
  • Testator. A testator is the person who has made the Will
  • Will. A Will is a legal document by which the testator states what they want to happen to their estate after they die

If you have any other questions then please do not hesitate to contact our friendly Gifts in Wills team.  

Cats Protection always recommends seeking legal advice regarding your Will. Please contact your solicitor for further information on legal matters. 

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