One way you can help us continue to strive for social justice, democracy, and equality is to remember HSS in your will.

Whether you can leave £10 or £10,000, by remembering HSS in your will you will be helping us to achieve our shared vision of a Scotland in which the worth, dignity and autonomy of every person is respected and individual freedom is balanced with social responsibility and a duty of care for future generations.

Not only will leaving a legacy help HSS support people to live Humanist lives for many years to come, but any charitable gifts you make in your will shall be deducted before tax – reducing the overall inheritance tax taken from your estate.

What do I need to do?

Making or amending a will is usually a very simple process, but we would always recommend that you use a solicitor or a will writing service for peace of mind.

If you do not already have or know a solicitor or will writing service, you can find one in the Yellow Pages or online, and they will be able to tell you how to leave a legacy to the HSS in your will.

The fee for drawing up a will should be quite small – ask the solicitor how much they charge before deciding who to use. You may want to find a will writer through a professional body such as the Scottish Society of Will Writers.

Alternatively if your will is going to be very simple, you could use a DIY will template, of which many are available online for a small fee.

If you have decided to leave a gift in your will to HSS – thank you so much! Do let us know of your decision as we’d love to send you a formal thank you and a small token of our appreciation!

Please see our Legacy FAQs below for more information about leaving a gift in your will. If you have further questions or would like to inform us of your intention to leave a gift in your will please get in touch.

Legacy FAQs

I’d like to remember HSS in my Will what information do I need to include?

Are there any tax benefits to remembering HSS in my Will?

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Yes - Inheritance Tax is paid if a person’s estate (their property, money and possessions) is worth more than £325,000 when they die. An estate can pay Inheritance Tax at a reduced rate of 36% on some assets (instead of 40%) if 10% or more of the ‘net value’ of their estate is left to charity. All gifts made to charity in your will are exempt from inheritance tax. Please note, however, that Gift Aid does not apply to such gifts.

If I remember HSS in my will, where will the money go?

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Your gift will be used where it is most needed at the time. This helps us to be flexible and adaptable in our approach to achieving HSS’s core objectives working towards a more democratic, secular and socially just society. If you would like your gift to be used for a specific purpose you can specify this in your will.

How do I find a solicitor to help me with my will?

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If you don’t have a solicitor in place you can visit the Law Society or Law Society of Scotland website for a list of accredited solicitors in your area.

Can HSS act as executor of my will?

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No - unfortunately we do not have the resources needed to offer this service. Your executor should be a solicitor or trusted friend or family member.

Do I need to inform HSS if I have remembered/ intend to remember them in my will?

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This is entirely at your discretion. We would of course be delighted to hear from you and be able to thank you for your generosity and support. However we understand that this is a personal and private decision that you may not feel comfortable communicating.

Who should I contact if I have further questions or wish to inform HSS of my intent to remember them in my will?

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Please email us or call our office if you have any questions.

The Legal Bit

We would always recommend consulting with your solicitor before writing or amending a will.

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