back to top Remember people living with HIV and AIDS in your will
Leaving a legacy to AVERT is a unique commitment to a cause that makes a real difference to people’s lives.
For 25 years, AVERT has been providing education, support and research to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS. Our work is still urgent as more people become infected with HIV worldwide, and more families and communities are affected by the AIDS epidemic. If you are passionate about a future without HIV and AIDS, please consider leaving AVERT a legacy in your will. Your gift will go directly to our HIV/AIDS work to prevent the spread of the epidemic for as long as it takes, through education, treatment and care.
Constant funding is required to support our projects in sub-Saharan Africa, our website and our information and advocacy service. 2.5 million people use our website each month for HIV/AIDS information, and organisations in Africa use our donations to provide testing, treatment and care to those most in need. Our administrative costs are not supported by our donations, so you can be assured that your legacy is directly benefitting AVERT's HIV/AIDS education, treatment and care.
Recent estimates show that there were 2.7 million new HIV infections in 2010. However this is 21% below the number of new infections back when the epidemic peaked in 1997.1 Work to avert the spread of HIV and AIDS is having an effect. Your bequest will help us to provide the continued education, support and care that is needed to halt the spread of the epidemic.
back to top Your family can benefit if you leave a charity legacy
Leaving a legacy to charity will now reduce the amount of your inheritance tax, thanks to a new scheme announced by the UK Government which comes into effect on the 6th April 2012.
If you can give a minimum of 10% of the value of your estate to AVERT, your inheritance tax will be reduced to a lower rate of 36%.2
That means that your generous gift to avert HIV and AIDS will now go even further and may benefit your family.
back to top How to leave a charity legacy
Making a will can seem daunting but it can be a simple and straightforward exercise that will ensure the causes and people you love are cared for in the future.
There are three major kinds of legacy which are listed below, along with some examples of the types of wording that is often used when bequeathing money to charity in a will.
Pecuniary legacy:
A pecuniary legacy specifies exactly the amount of money you wish to bequeath. However it is worth bearing in mind that this type of legacy does not account for future inflation.
A typical example of suitable wording for a pecuniary legacy might look like this:
“I give £________ to AVERT (Registered Charity No. 1074849) of 4 Brighton Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 5BA, and the receipt of the secretary or treasurer, or other person professing to be the proper officer for the time being, shall be a complete discharge to my executors.”
For a specific legacy:
Legacies are not always given in the form of money. A specific legacy is a gift of an object or personal property that is of value.
“I give my __________ to AVERT (Registered Charity No. 1074849) of 4 Brighton Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 5BA, for its general purposes and I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer for the time being of the Trust shall be a good discharge for the gift.”
For a residuary legacy:
A residuary legacy is one where you bequeath only the amount that remains after all other requests in your will are executed. For example:
“I give the whole of the rest of my estate to AVERT, (Registered Charity No. 1074849) of 4 Brighton Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 5BA, and the receipt of the secretary or treasurer, or other person professing to be the proper officer for the time being, shall be a complete discharge to my executors.”
When you have decided how you would like to give, you should consult your solicitor or other professional advisor. If you have any questions please contact us at info@avert.org.
back to top Help and support with wills and legacies
AVERT recommends you consult a professional if you are planning on drawing up your will or leaving a charity legacy. Consulting a registered legal professional about your will is a good way of ensuring that your intentions are clearly worded and carried out effectively.
Many people choose to consult a solicitor, will writer or bank that can assist with drawing up a will. It is important to verify that any provider you use is registered with a recognised professional body.
back to top In Memory
Many people choose to leave a legacy to AVERT's AIDS work in memory of a loved one. You can specify this in the wording of your will, and when your will is executed the solicitor can inform any friends or relations of this on your behalf, if you so wish. It is also possible to make a donation to AVERT in the name of someone you love at any time.
back to top Contact Us
We will be happy to help you through any questions about leaving a legacy or donating in memory of someone. For any further information please contact us at info@avert.org or +44 (0)1403 210202.
You can also write to AVERT at this address:
4 Brighton Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 5BA, United Kingdom
References back to top
- UNAIDS (2011, November) 'World AIDS Day Report 2011'
- DirectGov(2011, November) 'Budget 2011 - tax changes.'