With Spring arriving many of us are giving our homes an update and taking care of those jobs we put off through the cold and dark winter months. It’s also a great time to look at all those life admin issues that you keep meaning to get around to. One really important thing to tick off is to ensure you have made a Will.

Although making a Will isn’t generally something people want to think about, by doing so you are ensuring that your wishes will be followed in exactly the way you want, and your loved ones are taken care of, which can bring great peace of mind. Making a Will is also a way you can choose to leave a lasting legacy to help others – and it is very easy to arrange.

By leaving a gift in your Will for Newlife you can be helping disabled children and their families receive the equipment and support they need for many years to come. From buggies and wheelchairs to car seats and more, equipment can be life-changing, allowing children – just like three-year-old Elizabeth from Staffordshire – to be safe and comfortable, to learn new skills, improve quality of life and really thrive.

Elizabeth has a working diagnosis of Rett Syndrome, a rare and heartbreaking neurological and development disorder which affects the way the brain develops.

With her condition now affecting Elizabeth’s mobility it makes it much harder for her to go anywhere with her family and she needed a specialised car seat and a buggy to really give her posture all the extra support it needs so she is pain-free, while also helping her retain as much of her mobility as possible for as long as possible.

If you do choose to make a free Will online with Newlife you can do it your own time, using the charity’s expert partner, Octopus Legacy, which ensures the Will is legally binding. Although there is no obligation to leave a gift to Newlife in your Will, we hope you would consider doing this once you have made all the arrangements to take care of your loved ones.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I make a Will? Having a Will makes things simpler and more straightforward for your family at an already very difficult time. Also, if you don’t get around to making a Will, the government decides how to share out your estate, which means the people you care about may not benefit. You also can’t leave money to charity without a Will.

If I do leave a gift in my Will for Newlife, do I have to tell them? You don’t have to tell us – but if you feel comfortable telling us we’d love the chance to say thank you!

Is there a set amount I have to leave? How do I have to leave it? There is no set amount for a gift and we’re grateful for any amount as a small gift can still make a really big difference! A gift is usually left to a charity in three different ways: The first way is as a percentage or all of your estate (the money and property you own once all other payments, gifts or deductions have been made). You can also leave a fixed amount of money, or a specific item of value such as possessions, property or shares.

I already have a Will, can I change it to help Newlife? Yes, you can still leave a gift to Newlife. The easiest way to do this is to use a Codicil Form: https://newlifecharity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Codicil_Form-1.pdf  Then all you have to do is return it to your solicitor for it to be added to your will.

If you would prefer to make your Will by telephone or in person, please call the Octopus Legacy team directly on 0800 773 4014. The Octopus Legacy Wills team will arrange this for you. Remember to quote NEWLIFE-FREE when you call. 

You can find out more about leaving a gift in your Will for Newlife here

If you’ve already decided you’d like to include a gift to Newlife in your Will, thank you! The most important information you need is:

• Our registered charity number: 1170125
• Our name: Newlife The Charity for Disabled Children
• Our registered address: Newlife Centre, Hemlock Way, Cannock WS11 7GF

If you have any questions about gifts in Wills and Newlife’s work, call us for a confidential chat on 01543 462 777 or email Sarah Sylvester, Head of Philanthropy, at ssylvester@newlifecharity.co.uk.