It’s lonely and uncertain when someone you love is missing. Every year, thousands of families must begin the toughest of searches.
Missing People has a long past, being there when people need us the most for over 30 years. The charity is now there for as many as 10,000 people, every year.
When you leave a gift in your Will to Missing People, we can continue to be there for the missing and those who love them. Following in your footsteps, we can be there when needed most. There as long as needed. There for the long haul. There, if it’s your family. There for generations to come.
Even leaving 1% gift in your Will can make a lasting impact. But you can leave up to 100%, it’s your choice.
If you have an existing Will, but would like to leave a gift to Missing People, you can do so by making an amendment to your existing Will (called a codicil). If you do not have a Will at the moment, you can include a bequest when you write a Will. Whatever your circumstances, we would advise that you see a solicitor to ensure that your wishes are followed.
A residuary gift is the remainder, or a percentage, of your estate after all other bequests and expenses have been deducted. This ensures your loved ones are taken care of first and the remainder can then be donated to charity.
This is a gift of a specific amount of money of any amount, large or small. If you are thinking of leaving a specific gift to charity you might suggest to your solicitor that your cash gift is index-linked to ensure that its value increases with inflation.
This is the gift of a specific item such as an antique, a property, jewellery or other valuables.
“It’s important for me to know that even when I’m not around to be of any help, my gift will enable some of the future work of Missing People. Indeed, this is also a way for me to feel that my son Quentin’s legacy will live on.”
Sarah Godwin, the mother of Quentin who went missing in 1998
A gift in Will is a donation to a charity. You can leave a gift in Will by writing a new Will, or by amending (called a codicil) your existing Will. We recommended you speak to your solicitor if you wish to create a Will or make any amendments to an existing Will.
The most important information you need to include is the charity’s registered name, address and charity number. Your solicitor will be able to assist you with appropriate wording. Please see our details below:
Charity name: Missing People
Address:
Missing People
Roebuck House
284 Upper Richmond Road West
London, SW14 7JE
United Kingdom
Registered charity number: 1020419
Any gift large or small will make a difference. You can choose between leaving a residuary, pecuniary or specific gift in your Will. There is no best way to leave a gift, the choice is yours.
Yes! If you leave a gift in your Will to a charity, the gift is exempt of inheritance tax. This means it is deducted from the total value of your estate before the calculation for inheritance tax is made. For more information, please click here.
Having flexible funding is essential to Missing People’s ability to sustain and expand our support services. Leaving a gift in your Will for our charity general use is most effective as it means that your gift will be used where it is needed most. Leaving a gift in your Will to a specific type of work might mean that it cannot be used. This can occur if we no longer conduct the type of work specified in the future.
Firstly, we’re sorry to hear about your loss. We are very grateful for gifts in Wills from generous supporters. Please ask the Executor to notify us in writing of the gift by sending a letter to our address listed above so that we can commence the process of transferring the gift to Missing People.
Having a Will is the only way to ensure that your wishes are followed once you have passed away. If you do not have a Will, the law will decide who inherits your property and monetary assets. Leaving clear instructions and sharing your decisions with your family and friends can give you peace of mind that your final wishes will be understood and respected after you have passed away. We recognise that writing a Will is one of the most significant decisions you’ll ever make and appreciate that it’s important to take your time and have all of the relevant information you need to assist you with the process.
The information contained here is for guidance only. Please seek professional legal advice from your solicitor when making or amending your Will.
We have launched a regular email so that you can be aware of new missing person appeals and share them far and wide! We are also calling on all Heroes to be the eyes and ears for Missing People on the ground. Your sighting of a missing person could make a difference in a crucial time.
