Blackwood & Smith are delighted to be taking part in Will Aid again this November. Will Aid is a special fundraising partnership between the legal profession and nine partner charities: ActionAid, Age UK, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, NSPCC, Save the Children, SCIAF (Scotland), Sightsavers, and Trocaire (N.Ireland)
What is Will Aid?
Will Aid is a yearly fundraising partnership among nine of the UK’s leading charities. With the support of solicitors who donate their time and expertise, people are encouraged to have their Will drafted. The campaign has a dual purpose of encouraging people to have their Will drafted by a solicitor whilst at the same time raising money for charity.
What has Will Aid achieved?
Will Aid started in 1988 and since then with the help of the legal profession the charity will-writing campaign has raised over 24 million pounds for worthy causes. Last year with your support Blackwood & Smith raised a total of £5,865 and were named as the 4th highest donating firm to the campaign in the whole of Scotland. Over the years we have taken part Blackwood & Smith and our clients have raised an impressive £32,681 for the Will Aid scheme. As a small firm we are massively proud of our clients and solicitors for raising such significant amounts in support of worthy causes.
The Will Aid charities work with the most vulnerable people near and far. The sums raised by the campaign have improved the lives of countless people. To find out more about the life-transforming work of the Will Aid charities please follow this link which will redirect you to the dedicated page on their website www.willaid.org.uk/will-aid-charitieSince Will Aid began it has encouraged more than 340,000 people to make their Wills through the campaign.
Why is it important to make a will?
A Will is a legal document that provides details of your wishes on your death. These instructions typically include directions about the distribution of your assets (your house, bank accounts, pensions and digital assets); a Will can also deal with the care of any children.
If you do not have a Will, the Succession (Scotland) Act 1964 will dictate how your estate assets including your money or property are distributed. The law of succession is not personal to you and your assets may not be distributed in the way you expect or wish. A well drafted Will can simplify the legal process for your loved ones after your death and save an unnecessary court process.
It is important that you update your Will if your personal circumstances change. An out of date Will may not reflect your current wishes at the time of your death.
Will Aid month is a perfect opportunity to draft a new Will or update your current Will.
How does Will Aid work
During the month of November, we volunteer our time and expertise and waive our usual Will writing fee for simple Wills in support of Will Aid. Instead of our fee, clients make a donation to Will Aid which will then be distributed among nine worthy charities to help support their vital work. Will Aid donations cover the cost of a basic Will. An example of a basic Will is one where a client is leaving their assets to a few family members, friends and/or charities. A basic Will does not include Inheritance Tax advice or the setting up of any Trusts. These are things we can assist with, but they would be charged separately from the Will Aid donation. In the event a Will requires more complex drafting, Will Aid will cover the “basic” part of the will and the extra services will be charged at our usual rate
The suggested donation is £100 for a single Will or £180 for a pair of mirror Wills. All donations are distributed by Will Aid to help support the life-changing work of their nine partner charities. The vital work of the nine Will Aid charities helps people in need in the UK and around the world.
How do I take part?
More than half of UK adults still do not have a Will. Will Aid is a perfect time to tick this task off your to do list.
If you wish to take part in Will Aid 2023 please request an appointment via www.willaid.org.uk or contact us directly to request an appointment. A direct appointment can be made by phone on 01721 720131 or by email to office@blackwoodsmith.com.
A meeting will be necessary in order to take your instructions. This can either be a physical meeting in our offices or alternatively a video call using Microsoft Teams or Zoom. Following our meeting, assuming we have all of the necessary details from you, we will prepare a draft of your Will and send this to you for approval. We will aim to do this as quickly as possible, however November is an extremely busy month with many Will Aid enquiries and sometimes it will take a week or two to have your Will prepared. Once your Will has been approved by you, we will provide you with a principal version for signing. The signed Will can then be retained in our strongroom on your behalf, and we will provide you with a copy for your records.
Will Aid month is always very busy and appointments are limited so please contact us early to avoid missing out.
Further information
For more details on the Will Aid scheme, including helpful guides and will planners, please click on the following link which will take you directly to the Will Aid 2023 website www.willaid.org.uk.
