Gifts in wills

Let's write a world free from sudden and unexpected infant death. Make saving babies' lives and supporting bereaved families part of your legacy.

Grandad standing up smiling, holding a baby who is looking away.

An incredible act of kindness.

We know for many people it can be difficult to talk about, or even think about, writing a will.

This can be especially true for people who have experienced the loss of a baby or young child, or have recently lost someone they love.

But it’s important to remember that making a will is the kindest way to take care of family and friends after you’re gone. It’s also an opportunity to continue making an impact, by supporting causes that mean a lot to you. Many of our bereaved supporters find it meaningful to leave their gift in memory of a loved one, to make an impact on their behalf too.

Our free will-writing guide will answer your questions and tell you more about the incredible difference your kindness will make.

Request a guide by post or email

I have been fundraising for The Lullaby Trust and raising awareness of the impact of SIDS on families since we lost our son, Ellis, in 2003. When it was time for my husband, Jim, and I to put together our wills, it felt right to leave a legacy gift to The Lullaby Trust. They have been there for me. This will be the last gift I could give them for being a constant in my life since Ellis.

Louise Barrett, in memory of Ellis

Your will power

After taking care of your own family, a gift in your will to The Lullaby Trust will help many more families for generations to come.

A baby is being put down to sleep in a cot. They are looking up at their parent.

Baby safety advice

Your gift will provide life-saving advice to the families of the 600,000 + babies born in the UK each year.

A researcher from the back, seemingly organising lab samples, wearing a lab coat with her hair tied back.

Answers through research

You'll fund groundbreaking research into why babies dies suddenly and unexpectedly, and how we can prevent this.

Two people are supporting one another by holding hands. They have light and medium light skin.

Bereavement support

Your legacy will ensure that the hundreds of bereaved families that turn to us every year get the compassionate support they need, for as long as they need it.

Health professionals sitting together talking, in a training setting.

Training and resources for professionals

You'll will ensure that professionals working with families know how to reduce the risk of sudden infant death so that they can empower families with that knowledge.

Get a free will on us

We’ve teamed up with Octopus Legacy to help our supporters write a standard will, paid for by The Lullaby Trust. Just follow these steps:

Step 1

Visit our dedicated Octopus Legacy page.

Get started

Step 2

Follow the step-by-step guidance and answer simple questions to create your will. If you'd like, including a gift to The Lullaby Trust at this stage will help to create a world where no baby dies suddenly or unexpectedly and all bereaved families receive compassionate support.

Step 3

The experts at Octopus Legacy will review your will within 10 working days.

Step 4

After you’ve received your will, please check it and sign it to make it legally binding.

Step 5

If you wish to update your will, you can for free within the first year of making it.

Please consider leaving a gift

While there is no obligation to leave a gift in your will to The Lullaby Trust, many supporters that use this service do, to make our work part of their legacy. Other will writing services are available.

The benefits of writing your will

A baby is looking to their side with a huge, wide open grin. They have light to medium skin and the mum is looking down at them and smiling, with her face closely pressed to the baby.

Peace of mind

Having an up-to-date and valid will is the only way you can ensure your property, money and personal possessions are distributed in the way you want.

A baby is looking at his grandparent and their faces are close together. The granddad has dark skin and hints of grey in their hair and bears, and the baby is wearing a baby grow.

Leave a legacy

You can create a lasting legacy by leaving a gift in your will to a charity or cause you care deeply about, such as The Lullaby Trust.

An older couple look at eachother while holding a photo frame and tea lights

Help your loved ones keep more of your estate

Leaving a gift in your will to a charity can offer significant tax benefits. If your gift is worth 10% of your estate or more, you will reduce your overall rate of inheritance tax from 40% to 36%.

A cream circle contains two purple hands holding a yellow heart. The outer purple ring says '1971 circle'

Join our 1971 Circle

If you pledge to leave a gift in your will to The Lullaby Trust, you’ll become a member of our 1971 Circle, receiving invites to exclusive online events, a discount in our shop and a unique pin badge.

Questions?

What exactly is a will?

I don’t have much to pass on. Is it actually worth me making a will?

Even if you think you don’t have much to pass on, it can still be really important to make a will.

Many people underestimate the value of their home and belongings, pension and savings. You might be surprised at how everything adds up.

Wills are also important because they allow you to name who you want to inherit your estate. Close friends, partners (if you’re not married or in a civil partnership), carers and relations by marriage do not automatically qualify to inherit.

Who should write my will?

You could write a free standard will with our trusted will writing partner, Octopus Legacy. Other free will writing partners are also available.

Alternatively, you could use The Law Society to find a solicitor in your area. If you live in England or Wales, you can call them on 020 7242 1222 or visit lawsociety.org.uk.

For Northern Ireland, call the Law Society of Northern Ireland on 028 9023 1614 or visit lawsoc-ni.org.

In Scotland, call the Law Society of Scotland on 0131 226 7411 or visit lawscot.org.uk.

For trusted professional will writing services, please visit ipw.org.uk or call 0345 257 2570 (not available in Northern Ireland).

How much does it cost to make a will?

A standard single will can cost from £90 upwards. If you can’t pay this, please consider using the paid-for will writing service provided in partnership with Octopus Legacy.

With this offer everyone in our community has the chance to have a standard will written for free, paid for by The Lullaby Trust. If a partner wishes to have a will created at the same time, they can receive a 50% discount off their will.

Write your will for free.

I keep meaning to make a will, but I never get around to it. When is the best time to do it?

Making a will can seem daunting, but it’s important to make one as soon as possible.

To do this, please consider using our will writing partner, Octopus Legacy.

We’re also here to answer any questions you may have. Simply contact Kelly Smith at [email protected] 

How do I leave a gift in my will to The Lullaby Trust?

Every gift left in a will to The Lullaby Trust is greatly appreciated. It continues our vital work to keep babies safe and provide grieving families with the specialist bereavement support they need.

If you decide to create a will with Octopus Legacy, simply follow the online guidance to leave a gift to The Lullaby Trust.

If you speak to a solicitor or a will writing service about making a will, you can discuss with them the type of gift you would like to leave The Lullaby Trust. They will then draft the correct wording for you.

The essential charity information you must include in your will is:

Name of our charity: The Lullaby Trust
Our registered charity no: 262191
Our registered charity address: 10–18 Union Street, London SE1 1SZ

I can only give a small gift. Will it make a difference?

Absolutely. You don’t have to be wealthy or give a big gift to make a difference to the lives of babies and families across the country.

All gifts are vital to the funding of our services, campaigns and research into sudden and unexpected deaths of babies and young children.

By supporting us in this special way, you’ll help us give families a safer start to life and provide a welcoming and supportive space to thousands of people.

I already have a will, but I would like to leave a gift to The Lullaby Trust. Can I amend my existing will?

If you are making big changes to your will (involving more than 10% of your estate), it is better to make a new will. This will ensure that everything is recorded clearly and legally.

If you are making a small change, you can note your wishes down in a codicil. A codicil is an additional legal document which needs to be witnessed and stored alongside your existing will.

If you would like to make changes to your will, it’s best to contact your solicitor or a will writing service like our partner, Octopus Legacy.

Our will writing partner is offering you the opportunity to have a new standard will written for free.

What types of gifts can I leave in my will?

Big or small, your gift will take us closer to a world where no baby dies suddenly or unexpectedly. The types of gifts you can give after taking care of your loved ones include:

A share of your estate
This is known as a residuary gift. It is a percentage of your estate you may wish to leave to a charity after taking care of your loved ones and financial commitments.

Because a residuary gift is a percentage of your estate, it will keep its value over time.

Sum of money
This is called a pecuniary gift. It’s a fixed amount of money you include in your will after taking care of your loved ones. It’s a good idea to regularly review pecuniary gifts, because the cost of living can reduce their value over time.

A specific gift
This is when you state in your will that you would like to leave someone a specific item, such as a piece of jewellery, a painting or shares.

Who do I contact if I'm an executor or solicitor and have a query about a gift left in a will to The Lullaby Trust?

Already left us a gift in your will?

If you’ve already included a gift in your will to The Lullaby Trust, please let us know by using the form below. We’d really like to thank you for your generosity and tell you more about how your kindness will help keep babies safe and provide vital support to grieving families.

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What inspired you to leave a gift to The Lullaby Trust in your Will?*

Would you mind sharing what type of gift you've left us?

Pecuniary (a set amount £)

Residuary (a percentage of your estate %)

An asset or similar gift

I'd rather not say

Would you mind telling us how much you've pledged? (e.g. £100 or 5%)

There is no obligation to disclose this. We totally understand if you'd prefer not to.

How are we doing?

As one of our valued legacy pledgers, your opinion is really important to us. How do you feel about the relationship we have with you as someone who's left a gift in your Will? Is there anything you would like to see more or less of, for example?

We are always keen for our supporters to share their story as it is such valuable inspiration to others. Would you be willing to share your story about leaving a gift to us in your Will?*

We share stories on our website and social media, and within both internal and external communications at The Lullaby Trust (usually emails and postal mailings). If you would be willing to share some words about your legacy gift, please tick the relevant box(es) below. You can withdraw your consent at any point by getting in touch with us.

I'm happy for you to use the words from my first answer above

I'd be willing to film myself talking about my legacy gift

I'd like to talk with someone further about sharing my story

I do not wish for my legacy story to be shared