Frequently asked questions

Below are a range of questions which have been asked at the legacy evenings which might be helpful:

Wills

Haven’t the majority of people made a will?

Approximately 60% of the population have not made a will.  Heritage currently have 20,000 wills in storage and offer a free changes/amendments to wills.  From a previous campaign they were involved in, they found that 7 out of 10 people did not have a will.

When making a will, are people wary of including a legacy within this?

Heritage discuss a will on a one-to-one basis as part of a free home visit.  As part of this process, Heritage enquire as to whether the person wishes to leave a legacy.  If required, they can give suggestions of what they may like to do.

What happens if the will is contested?

There has to be a reason for the will to be contested, and doing so can also lead to a large legal bill for those who wish to oppose the will.  Heritage have never written a will which has been contested.

Is there any way of ensuring a legacy goes to the charitable cause, rather than administration?

They key is to research the charity before putting the legacy in the will. The RSPCA, for example, spend a large proportion of their income on administration. In your will, you can specify what the purpose of your legacy should be used for.

Are we entitled to a legacy if a person dies intestate?

The estate would go to family, or failing there being any family, to the Crown (government) as per the following example: http://www.heritagewills.co.uk/intestacy.htm

Heritage

What experience do Heritage have with small church communities?

Heritage work directly with individuals. They have encountered cases where people who have no links to the Church have still left legacies to the Church in their will.

How much do Heritage charge to do a will?

Their website has a complete price list and Heritage can send these out on request. The fixed fee for a single will is £120 and £180 for a couples will.

The campaign

How do we overcome the belief that the church is rich?

Although the Diocese has around £125 million pounds of assets, approximately £80 million of this is housing for clergy.  For 2011 the Diocese will show an approximate deficit of £800,000 and supporting information can be provided by the finance team.

Could this campaign be seen as an intrusion and push people away?

The campaign is not about pushing people to give a legacy, and it is up to the parishes if they wish to be part of the campaign. If they speak to an individual and find that they are uncomfortable with this, then they should not pursue this any further.

What makes a good legacy officer?

Someone who can talk to people on a one-to-one basis, is warm and open and will be willing to ask or learn to ask.  They would need to be able to identify the people who may wish to leave a legacy to their Church and be comfortable speaking to them on what can be seen as a sensitive matter.