An increasing number of solicitors are asking clients if they want to leave a gift to charity when advising on wills, research has found.
The survey of 200 solicitors by the Remember a Charity campaign found that 32% of solicitors considered it acceptable to include a charity bequest in the prompt list, up from just 8% in 2002.
Lawyers have also become more generous from their own pockets, with 40% saying they intend to leave a charitable bequest in their own personal will - as opposed to 16% last year.
Remember a Charity was set up in September 2002 to increase the number of charitable legacies and has so far enlisted 250 law firms to its cause.
Supporters include leading private client firms Withers, Bates Wells & Braithwaite, and Bircham Dyson Bell.
Another supporter, Judy Dyke, a partner at Birmingham firm Tyndallwoods, said: 'I always raise the issue of charitable legacies with clients, and am happy to do so.
Some may say this is not in the client's interest, but I believe that it is actually providing a service to the client.
'There is no pressure and most clients are extremely grateful that it has been raised.
They often have no idea that they can leave money to charity in their will.
Charitable legacies can bring a real feel-good factor to the client.'
Richard Grosberg, chairman of the Law Society probate section, said: 'I am pleased to see that practitioners have responded so generously to this initiative.'
Rachel Rothwell
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