Leaving Money to an Animal Charity

Many animal charities have similar names, operate under several different linked organisations, or have changed their name or structure over time. To avoid any doubt for your executors, always identify the charity in your will by its full registered name and its registered charity number, which can be checked on the Charity Commission's register for charities in England and Wales.

If a charity later merges with another or ceases to exist, most wills include a general clause allowing the executors to make the gift to a similar charity instead, but getting the identifying details right from the outset avoids unnecessary uncertainty or delay.

You can structure a gift to a charity in several ways: a fixed cash sum, a percentage share of your residuary estate, or a specific item of value. A percentage share has the advantage of automatically adjusting with the size of your estate over time, whereas a fixed sum stays the same regardless of how your finances change between making the will and your death.

Many people who want to support an animal charity choose to leave a percentage of the residue after providing for family and specific gifts, since this reflects a genuine share of what is actually left rather than a sum that might become disproportionately large or small.

A number of UK animal charities operate schemes under which they agree to find a new home for your pet, or care for it themselves, in exchange for a legacy left to the charity in your will. This can be a valuable fallback option if you do not have a suitable friend or family member able to take your pet on.

If you are considering this route, contact the charity directly well in advance, since many ask you to register your intention and provide details about your pet so they can plan appropriately. Check exactly what the scheme covers, whether there are any conditions, and what size of legacy they expect, since this varies between organisations.

Gifts to charities registered in the UK are exempt from inheritance tax, meaning the value of the gift is deducted from your estate before tax is calculated. If you leave at least 10% of your net estate to charity, your estate may also qualify for a reduced rate of inheritance tax on the remainder, though the calculation involves specific rules.

This general tax steer is only a starting point. Where inheritance tax planning is a significant factor in your decision to leave money to charity, or your estate is large enough for the reduced rate calculation to matter, take advice from a solicitor or tax adviser to get the figures right.

For most people, adding a charitable legacy, whether general or as part of a pet care plan, is a simple addition that fits easily within an online will alongside gifts to family and friends.

Where the gift is tied into a formal pet rehoming scheme with specific conditions, or where inheritance tax planning around a substantial charitable gift is involved, a solicitor can make sure the wording achieves exactly what you intend.