Leave a gift in your will
Gifts in wills of any size are the spark that ignites lifesaving research, creates spaces that make hospitals feel less clinical, and funds cutting-edge equipment that gets people back on their feet.
We are so grateful to all our wonderful supporters who help us save lives at our four hospitals. Some fundraise, some donate, some volunteer their time and others think of us in their will.
Our growing population is living longer than ever, and the legacy you leave could lead to a future with better physical and mental health for all the people of Birmingham, the West Midlands and beyond.
Leave a lasting legacy...
You could change someone’s future by supporting the ground-breaking research of our skilled clinical teams. You could keep families together for longer by supporting innovative new technologies and equipment.
You may have personally experienced the great care our NHS staff provide, or perhaps you’re inspired to consider a gift in your will in memory of a loved one. Whatever your motivation, you can be sure that your generosity will help our NHS colleagues to deliver exceptional care to future generations of patients.
Pledging a gift in your will of just 1% of your estate is a truly wonderful way to say thank you.
Give the gift of Life...
Over the years, your local hospital Charity has been able to fund a range of life-saving equipment, research projects across our four hospital sites and more thanks to the gifts that we receive in wills.
Gifts in wills have helped us fund:
- The refurbishment of Heartlands Children’s Department and garden.
- Cyberknife - A £3.5 million state-of-the-art radiotherapy machine which can target tumours with mm precision to avoid affecting healthy tissue.
- Incubators for premature babies at Good Hope and Heartlands Hospital.
- Fisher House - a Home away from Home for injured military personnel and their families.
- And so much more!
Gift of tomorrow
Write Your Story, Shape Our Future: Free Wills for Supporters
Making a will and leaving a gift within it has never been more simple. We have partnered with Octopus Legacy to provide a FREE online will to our supporters.
Online option:
Octopus Legacy offers you a chance to make your own will. The service is free and you can get started by completing an online interview which takes just 15 minutes!
While making your free will, you will also have the option to leave a gift to a charity of your choice. Start writing your will today.
In-person option:
For those who prefer a face-to-face appointment, we’ve also partnered with our friends at the following solicitors with a half-price offer for our supporters:
HCB Solicitors RRK Legal Talbots Law
To take advantage of this offer please quote ‘UHB Charity/NHS offer’ when contacting them. The charity will also receive a donation equal to half the cost of the fee paid by the law firm. You can contact them by clicking on the links above.
If you would like to discuss leaving a gift in your will to our charity then please email us at charities@uhb.nhs.uk or call 0121 371 4852
Together, we can achieve anything
Gifts in wills help us fund some amazing projects, from revolutionary life-saving equipment to refurbishments for our hospital wards.
They enable us to continue going ‘over and above’ what the NHS provides as standard by providing those ‘added extras’ for staff, patients and families when they need us most. Even a small gift left in your will can make a big difference.
Below are just a few projects across our four hospital sites that have benefitted from gifts in wills.
To find out more about leaving a gift in your will, contact at:
charities@uhb.nhs.uk or call on 0121 371 4852
I’d like to make a will and leave a gift to the hospital charity within it, what do I do next?
Before you proceed with the online will writing site Bequeathed or visit your solicitor it may be useful to consider what type of gift you would like to leave.
- Pecuniary Bequest - A specific sum of money.
- Specific Bequest - A particular item of value, such as jewellery or an antique.
- Residuary Bequest - A share of what is left of your estate after expenses and all other wishes have been met.
- Conditional Bequest - A gift which is passed to charity if the person for whom it was intended dies before you.
Our friendly charity team are here to help with any further questions that you may have, please contact us using the details below:
University Hospitals Birmingham Charity, Fisher House, Mindelsohn Way, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham B15 2GN
Call: 0121 371 4852
Email: charities@uhb.nhs.uk
Or contact our designated Wills In Memoriam Fundraiser, Jonathan, at: jonathan.burch@uhb.nhs.uk
I have a will, can I change it?
If you already have a will but wish to add a gift to a charity there is no need to change the whole will. You simply need to fill in a short form called a codicil which is signed by you in the presence of two witnesses. Your solicitor will be able to help you with this. Do not cross anything out or make changes to your actual will as this may make it invalid.
Are there any tax benefits?
Gifts to charities are exempt from inheritance tax which is charged at 40% of the value of an estate in excess of £325k. They can also reduce the amount of inheritance tax on the rest of your estate. If you give at least 10% of your taxable estate to charity the inheritance tax rate for the rest of your estate drops from 40% to 36%.
Considering charity in your will?
Leaving a gift in your will is a wonderful act of selflessness and University Hospitals Birmingham Charity is extremely grateful to those donors who consider supporting the charity in this way. Leaving a gift in your will allows you to play a supporting role in helping patients, staff and families long into the future. The money that the charity receives from the wills of donors is used according to their wishes.
You can specify how the Charity should use your gift but it is best to discuss your wishes with the Charity first rather than simply leaving instructions in the will. This ensures the gift can be directed to the area you want to support. For example, a cutting edge piece of equipment required by the hospital today may have been superseded or made obsolete by another treatment in future years.
Why should I make a will?
If you die without a will the law decides who gets what and how much of your estate. By having a will in place you can clearly define who should receive any property, personal items and money you have and prevent unnecessary distress at an already difficult time for your family and friends.