What is Will Aid?

Will Aid is a fundraising campaign involving nine of the UK's leading charities (ActionAid, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Age UK, NSPCC, Save the Children UK, Sightsavers, SCIAF and Trocaire) The objective of the campaign is simple but compelling: to encourage people to make a Will with a solicitor and at the same time raise vital funds for the Will Aid charities.

What's important about Will Aid?
The campaign involves:

  • charities working together - something the public really appreciate
  • solicitors being generous and using their professional skills to benefit others
  • large numbers of the general public at every stage of life creating security for their loved ones
  • Will Aid is a powerful force for change. It has raised more than £8m million in donations for the Will Aid charities since it was founded in 1988 and many millions more in promised legacies.

The history of Will Aid

Will Aid was founded by solicitor, Graeme Pagan of Hosack and Sutherland, Oban, Scotland. In the spirit of Live Aid, he was deeply moved by the famine in Ethiopia and wanted to involve his profession in action.

With Will Aid, everyone is a winner!

Making a Will is straightforward, simple and an important way of protecting loved ones for the future. But many people die without having made a Will. When this happens, any belongings are distributed according to the laws of intestacy - a detailed impersonal set of rules that dictate where the money goes. By publicising the importance of making a Will, the campaign is helping people look after their own families as well as helping families in need around the world. Solicitors will draw up a basic Will without charging their usual fee. Will Aid solicitors hope the client will donate to the Will Aid charities the fee they would normally charge. The suggested donation level is £75 for a single Will, £110 for mirror Wills and £40 for a codicil. If there is additional work involved, for example estate planning, solicitors may charge their normal fee for the work.

We aim to be able to provide a Will Aid solicitor within easy travelling distance of all prospective will makers.