Leaving a gift in your will

Take part in Free Wills Month

It's Free Wills Month from 1-31 October 2020, giving supporters aged 55 and over the opportunity to have a simple will written or updated for free, using participating solicitors in selected locations across the UK.

If you need a will or are thinking about updating your existing one, get in touch to arrange your free appointment. There's no obligation to leave a gift to the National Trust, but we hope you might think about supporting our essential conservation work in this way. Please note that spaces are limited and allocated on a first-come, first served basis.

Start writing your will for free

If you're under 55 or have any problems making an appointment through Free Wills Month, we’ve also partnered with two other specialists so you can still write or amend a simple will for free.

Whilst there's absolutely no obligation, we hope you’ll consider leaving a gift in your will to the National Trust to help us to look after our nation’s most beautiful and precious landscapes, for the benefit of everyone.

Bequeathed

We’ve partnered with Bequeathed to offer you a simple way to create a will online from the comfort of your own home. Using Bequeathed is so quick and easy, and it means that you can make your will at a time and pace that best suits you. Bequeathed is only available in England and Wales. All you need to do is:

• Visit the Bequeathed website and follow the steps to register
• Take the online interview with expert support and guidance available if you need it  
• Once the process is complete, the system will generate your will and you can download it and follow the instructions to sign it and have it witnessed  

National Free Wills Network

If you'd rather make or amend your will face to face, we've also partnered with the National Free Wills Network to give you access to hundreds of solicitors across the country. Talking through your will with a specialist can tailor the service to your needs and makes it easy to leave a gift in your will to help look after places you love. Spaces are limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. All you need to do is:

• Fill in the below form to let us know you’d like to use the National Free Wills Network  
• We will refer you to the Network and they will send a pack directly to you which will contain a list of your local participating solicitors and a form  
• Contact your chosen solicitor to make an appointment, take along your form and get your simple will written for free  

Why leave a gift in your will?

Without gifts in wills the National Trust wouldn’t be able to protect and look after all the places in our care. Any gift, no matter how large or small, makes a lasting difference, and if you like, you can choose to leave your gift to the place that matters most to you.

These beautiful places of nature and history are at risk – and recent times have shown how much we need these places to escape to. A gift in a will could support rangers, conservation experts and volunteers to replant hedgerows and wildflower meadows, repair coastal paths, protect historic homes, look after wildlife and so much more. Together, we can help nature and history to thrive for generations to come.

How your gift will help

Your gift will only be used for the purpose you intend it for. This could be for anything you like, such as woodland or coast conservation, to help protect a particular historical property or to keep a garden in bloom for generations to come. Every penny of your gift will help to look after the places you love.

Our donor newsletter has more information on how gifts in wills have previously helped us. You can also read our Annual Report and statement of accounts to find out more.

Download our 2020 donor newsletter PDF >

Read the 2019/20 Annual Report & statement of accounts >