Free will writing for over 55s

bylromarha

Cancer research are offering a free will writing service-had a leaflet through the door yesterday.

Selected solicitors in your area will write your will for you. You have to take the leaflet to the solicitor so you need to get hold of one to take advantage of the offer.

however, I can find nothing of this on their website, so watch out for the leaflet through your doors.

If anyone is in the Midlands and wants to get hold of one, please pm me.

Biggles

Sounds a bit like the 'Free will week', where you are told what donation you have to make to get your 'free' will and the solicitor then has the chance to explain that yours isn't one of the 'simple' wills covered by the scheme, so you'll need to pay him a fee as well.

bylromarha

No donation required-the leaflet clearly states that cancer research will pay the bill when the solicitor returns the leaflet to them.

We got our will under the will aid scheme where you could make a donation of your choice, but this makes no suggestion of a donation to cancer research at all...just that they will pay the bill and hope you'll remember them as you make the will.

Willman_Rodders

Hi bylromarha,

You wrote...
'I can find nothing of this on their website, so watch out for the leaflet through your doors.'

Cancer Research do have a couple of pages on their website explaining the service - though you will need to drill down through their 'Make a donation', 'Make a will' and more pages to find the scheme details.

You wrote...
'No donation required-the leaflet clearly states that cancer research will pay the bill when the solicitor returns the leaflet to them.'

This is correct; this statement is clearly stated on their website. However, in the terms and conditions of the scheme (also listed on the site) is the following ...

'The costs of the Free Will Service are met out of Cancer Research UK’s fundraising budget. That means that to comply with the advice received from external counsel and with guidelines published by the Charity Commission, Cancer Research UK has to keep the cost-effectiveness of the Service under review, in order to ensure not only that operating the Service does raise funds, but also that money set aside for fundraising purposes is used to the best effect.'

They then go on to write ...
'In conducting its cost-benefit analysis, Cancer Research UK needs to look at the results of providing the Service overall, and also at the results by geographical area and by individual branch of solicitors. It may be necessary to stop operating the Service in some areas, or to terminate the participation of individual branches of solicitors, if it is plain that to continue to meet the costs of preparation of Wills in those areas or by those branches is not a cost-effective use of Cancer Research UK’s resources. If Cancer Research UK does so, no criticism of any of the solicitors affected will be implied and reasonable notice will be given.'

The website also explains that solicitors need to formally register for authority to act under the scheme, together with a number of terms and conditions. So whilst the scheme may be operating in your area, it may not be available locally for others.

Reading into the terms do you get the feeling that, whilst you do not officially need to make a donation, you will be put under pressure to do so by the solicitor? I do.

Also the scheme is limited as to how much the charity will reimburse for each will. If your will is a complex will, with trust clauses included, you will be paying significant sums to the solicitor.

In other posts on this site I have highlighted that some solicitors make their money from being appointed executors - this is a very profitable source of income for them. If you see a solicitor you should be aware of this.

Hope that helps.

andyd

Reading into the terms do you get the feeling that, whilst you do not officially need to make a donation, you will be put under pressure to do so by the solicitor? I do.

I'm a solicitor in Manchester who's been doing Wills under the scheme for several years and can assure you that neither myself nor any of my colleagues put pressure on anyone to leave a donation to Cancer Research. The client can if they wish but that is entirely a matter for them.

My view is that the scheme benefits the client (who gets a free will drawn up by a sol), the charity (who I'm informed receive considerably more in legacies than they pay out in fees to sols) and the solicitor (who gets a new client and gets paid for his/her services)

The max fee paid by Can Res is £100+VAT for one will and £150+VAT for a mirror will which should cover the work required for most wills. However for more complex wills Can Res will still pay a contribution towards the cost of the will up to the max figures mentioned above.

I do feel that the previous post conveys a slightly cynical view of the scheme and hope that I've been able to clarify various issues.