Leave a gift
Your will. Your faith. Your lasting gift to the Church.
A gift in your will is one of the most powerful things you can do for the Church you love. It costs you nothing during your lifetime, but it can fund youth holidays, train church leaders and support parishes for decades to come.
Thousands of people across the UK have already chosen to remember a charity in their will. Many find it one of the most meaningful decisions they have ever made.
Request an info pack
Would you like to find out more?
We have a simple guide that explains everything you need to know about leaving a gift in your will to CPAS. Fill in your details below and we will post or email it to you with no obligation and no pressure.
Many people worry that leaving money to a charity might mean their family receives less. It doesn't have to work that way. A good will can look after everyone - your family, your friends, and the causes you care about - all at the same time.
There are three main ways to leave a gift in your will. Each one can sit alongside gifts to your loved ones. Your solicitor can help you find the right combination for your circumstances.
Residuary gift
After your family and friends have received what you have set aside for them, you leave a share of whatever remains - perhaps 1% or 5% or more. This is the most flexible type of gift, because it adjusts with the value of your estate over time.
Pecuniary gift
You name a specific sum - perhaps £1,000 or £5,000. It is simple, clear and certain. Your family and other beneficiaries receive everything else. Even a modest sum can make a real difference.
Specific gift
You can leave a named item - a property, shares, jewellery or other asset. Your executor arranges the sale and the proceeds come to CPAS.
Our process in four easy steps
1
Decide
Think about whether a share of your estate, a fixed sum, or a specific item feels right. If you have a particular part of CPAS's work close to your heart (such as Ventures, Falcons, or appointing clergy) you can ask for your gift to go there.
2
Solicitor
Any solicitor can help you write a new will or add a short amendment called a codicil to your existing one. You do not need to rewrite the whole will.
3
Details
Your solicitor will need our full legal name, address and charity number. We have suggested wording below that you can take straight to your solicitor.
4
Share
You are under no obligation to tell us. But if you do let us know, we can thank you personally, keep you updated on the work your gift will one day support, and plan more wisely for the future.
Suggested wording to give your solicitor:
These are suggested words only. Your solicitor will adapt them to fit your personal circumstances. CPAS does not provide legal advice.
'I give [X]% of the residue of my estate to Church Pastoral Aid Society, Sovereign Court One (Unit 3), Sir William Lyons Road, University of Warwick Science Park, Coventry, CV4 7EZ (Registered Charity No. 1007820) to be used for its general charitable purposes.'
'I give the sum of £[amount] to Church Pastoral Aid Society, Sovereign Court One (Unit 3), Sir William Lyons Road, University of Warwick Science Park, Coventry, CV4 7EZ (Registered Charity No. 1007820) to be used for its general charitable purposes.'
Things people often want to know
Yes. This is something your solicitor can write directly into your will. Many people choose to leave specific gifts to family members first, and then leave a share of whatever remains to causes they care about. Written clearly into your will, those wishes will be carried out. Your solicitor can help you find the right wording to make sure everyone you love is taken care of.
No. If you already have a will, you can add CPAS with a short amendment called a codicil. This is a simple document your solicitor can prepare quickly and at low cost. You do not need to start again from scratch.
Your will is yours to change at any time. Nothing you tell us is legally binding, and you are completely free to change or remove CPAS from your will whenever you wish. We will support you in doing so without question.
The full value of any gift you leave to a registered charity is completely exempt from inheritance tax. It is taken off your estate before any tax is calculated. There is also a useful bonus: if you leave at least 10% of your net estate to charity, the rate of inheritance tax on the taxable remainder of your estate falls from 40% to 36%, which can mean a meaningful saving. Your solicitor or financial adviser can explain what this means for your personal circumstances.
Yes. If Holidays, Falcons, Arrow Leadership or CPAS's work appointing clergy means a great deal to you, you can ask for your gift to be used there. You can say so in your will. An unrestricted gift - one with no conditions attached - gives CPAS the freedom to use it wherever the need is greatest, which is often the most helpful option.
CPAS has been serving the Church of England continuously for nearly 190 years, and we fully intend to be here for many generations to come. In the extremely unlikely event that CPAS no longer exists, the law provides for your gift to go to a charity with a similar purpose - so your intentions will still be honoured.
No - your will is completely private. But if you do let us know, we can thank you personally, tell you more about how your gift will one day be used, and include you in our plans for the future. Many supporters tell us it feels good to know the difference their gift will make, even before it is received.
Yes. Whatever you share with us is held securely and will never be passed to anyone else. We will ask whether you are happy for your gift to be acknowledged after your death - many supporters prefer to remain private, and we will always respect that wish.
Your generosity in action
Many people who support CPAS have never thought of themselves as wealthy. But a gift in a will, however modest, can achieve something remarkable. Over the last five years, gifts like these raised over £1.1 million for CPAS.
500
Children given a free or subsidised place on a Falcons holiday - many experiencing the countryside for the very first time.
1,069
Young people who went on a Ventures holiday they could not have afforded without help. 246 places have been fully funded.
2,000+
Church leaders helped every year with training and resources. Half the cost of every course paid for by gifts like yours.
Tell us your intention
If you are considering leaving a gift, or would simply like to talk it through, we would love to hear from you. Nothing you share is legally binding, and you can change your mind at any time.
Even a small gift can make a big difference
£5,000
Less than 1% of the average charitable estate
Could fully subsidise 6 children on a Falcons holiday covering accommodation, meals, activities and trained leaders. Each family pays just £10; a gift like this funds the rest for a child who could not otherwise go.
£10,000
Less than 1.5% of the average charitable estate
Could send 13 children on a fully subsidised Falcons holiday or give 15 young people a fully funded place on a Ventures holiday, many of whom might not been able to participate otherwise because of cost.
£25,000
Less than 4% of the average charitable estate
Could fully fund 39 young people on a Ventures holiday - enough to fill almost an entire camp. For many, a week like this is the moment they first encounter Jesus.
% share
Grows with your estate
Even 1% of the average charitable estate (around £6,000) is enough to send eight children on a Falcons holiday.
Why people choose to remember CPAS
Many CPAS supporters have a connection going back years. This could be through Ventures or Falcons, through a church served by a CPAS-appointed vicar, or through the Arrow Leadership Programme. For them, a gift in their will is a natural expression of faith and gratitude.
'I want CPAS to carry on doing what it does - leaving a gift in my will means it can.'
Margaret, 77 - more than twenty years as a Falcons camp volunteer.
When she came to write her will, including CPAS as a beneficiary felt natural. Her family had already been well provided for, and she wanted to make sure the work she had given so much time to could continue after she was gone.
Margaret refers to a verse referenced on her Billy Graham calendar from Matthew 6:19-20: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth... lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven." She smiled. "I find God's timing is very helpful very often."
Would you like to talk to someone?
Martin Kavanagh
Key Relationships Manager
Martin is happy to answer any questions you may have.
No pressure, no obligation, just a friendly conversation.
Email: mkavanagh@cpas.org.uk
Mobile: 07794 865 773
Call: 0300 123 0780