How to leave a gift to Oxfam

It’s really important to have a Will and everyone should have an up-to-date one.

A Will is a way of looking after the people, causes and charities that you care about after you’ve died. It’s the only way to ensure your wishes are carried out. If you die without a Will, you die intestate – this can cause added stress and financial cost to your loved ones.

Many people choose to make or update their Will on the incidence of key life events, such as:

1. Buying a house
2. Having a child
3. Getting married or divorced

If you don’t have an up-to-date Will, the best time to make one is now. It will give you the peace of mind that you’ve provided for your loved ones, and the causes you believe in are honoured too.

Every single gift left to Oxfam, no matter how large or small, is invaluable.

In these ever-changing and uncertain times your legacy gift is more important today than ever before. We rely on gifts in Wills for one quarter of our unrestricted public funding. So, thanks to people like you, the next generation of determined and passionate change makers are already fighting against the systems that make them poor – on their own terms.

But there’s more to be done. And with a gift in your Will, no matter what the size, you can help put the power back into their hands for generations to come. To build a fairer, more just and radically better world for all.

We hugely appreciate every gift we receive and thank you for considering leaving a gift in your Will to Oxfam.

Your gift will help Oxfam to continue its vital work in fighting poverty, promoting justice, and protecting the rights of marginalised communities. With your support, Oxfam, with its partners can continue to provide lifesaving assistance to people affected by natural disasters, conflict, and other emergencies.

We rely on gifts in Wills for one quarter of our public unrestricted funds. They are crucial in supporting our work to end the underlying causes of poverty, such as inequality and discrimination. Without them we couldn’t support local communities and organizations to build sustainable livelihoods and hold governments accountable for their actions.

You can find out more about the vital work your gift could support in our annual report.

Oxfam has a tested system of checks and balances to ensure proper use of funds, including regular internal and external audits. We publish an annual report every year where you can read about how we raise money and how it’s spent in furthering your vision of a fairer and radically better world.

You’re free to change your mind at any time. You can remove or re-add Oxfam to your Will by simply amending your Will through the ordinary avenues.

There’s no obligation to let us know, but if you’ve told us you’re leaving a gift, it would be helpful for us to keep a record if you’ve changed your mind.

We recommend consulting a solicitor in Scotland to ensure your Will complies with the Scottish legal system.

If you do decide to leave a gift to Oxfam in your Will, there are three main options.

• A percentage of your ‘estate’ (basically, the combined value of everything you’re leaving behind)
• A specific sum
• A specific item

Depending on which gift you’d like to leave, you can ask your solicitor to use one of the following texts:

For a share of your estate (residuary legacy): I give all/a share of (please state fraction/percentage) of the residue of my estate absolutely to Oxfam of Oxfam House, John Smith Drive, Cowley, Oxford OX4 2JY, Registered Charity Number 202918, to be applied by Oxfam for its general charitable purposes, and I further direct that the receipt of the Hon. Treasurer or any other proper officer of Oxfam for the time being shall be sufficient discharge to my executors.

For a specific sum (pecuniary legacy): I give to Oxfam of Oxfam House, John Smith Drive, Cowley, Oxford OX4 2JY, Registered Charity Number 202918, absolutely, the sum of (amount in figures, amount in words) to be applied by Oxfam for its general charitable purposes, and I further direct that the receipt of the Hon. Treasurer or any other proper officer of Oxfam for the time being shall be sufficient discharge to my executors.

For a specific item: I give to Oxfam of Oxfam House, John Smith Drive, Cowley, Oxford OX4 2JY, Registered Charity Number 202918, absolutely, (write in here whatever you wish to give) to be applied by Oxfam for its general charitable purposes, and I further direct that the receipt of the Hon. Treasurer or any other proper officer of Oxfam for the time being shall be sufficient discharge to my executors.

Our address is:

Oxfam GB
Oxfam House
John Smith Drive,
Oxford OX4 2JY

Our charity number in England and Wales is (no 202918) and in Scotland is (SC039042).

If you’ve chosen to remember us in your Will, we’d love to know! That way, we can make sure to thank you properly – and keep you informed about how you’re helping to build a fairer world.

You can tell us about your pledge by calling us on 0300 200 1331 or sending us an email at giftsinwills@oxfam.org.uk.

You can make or amend your Will at no cost to you by using our Free Will Writing Service. We can offer this service for free because Oxfam take on the cost of Will writing. While there’s no obligation to leave a gift to Oxfam if you use this offer, 65% of people do choose to do so.

We rely on gifts in Wills for a quarter of our public unrestricted funding so, we do hope that you consider leaving a percentage of your estate to Oxfam after taking care of loved ones.

Your gift will help fund our vital work in fighting poverty, promoting justice, and protecting the rights of marginalized communities for years to come. Find out why other supporters, like Nessy, have chosen to include Oxfam in their Will.

Technically, yes. Gifts to UK registered charities are exempt from Inheritance Tax. But we’d strongly recommend that you speak to a solicitor for advice on tax issues.

For more information about taxation on charitable gifts in Wills please visit our Information for Executors page.

Many of our supporters, who have made such a positive difference in the world during their lifetime, like their Will to reflect the values they lived by. Honouring causes dear to them means they can keep on creating the change they want to see, long into the future.

You can add Oxfam to your existing Will for free using our Free Will Writing Service. Simply tell your provider that you wish to amend your existing Will to add a gift to Oxfam.

Alternatively, you can amend your Will to include a gift to Oxfam through other avenues such as directly with your solicitor.

If you’ve chosen to remember us in your Will, we’d love to know! That way, we can make sure to thank you properly – and keep you informed about how you’re helping to build a fairer world. You can tell us about your pledge by calling us on 0300 200 1331 or sending us an email at giftsinwills@oxfam.org.uk.

It usually arrives within three weeks, but this can be affected by Royal Mail delays.

If it’s been more than three weeks since you ordered your guide by post and it hasn’t arrived, please call us on 0300 200 1331 or email giftsinwills@oxfam.org.uk and we will try to resolve the issue.

Alternatively, you can download the online version now.

If you’re experiencing issues with the download form this is likely because the form wasn't completed fully. Or because you have not entered the name that we have connected to your email address on our database. Please try to enter exactly the same name and email address that you have used with us in the past, and we will be able to process your request.

If the problem persists, we are happy to request the Gifts in Wills guide on your behalf. Please call us on 0300 200 1331 or email giftsinwills@oxfam.org.uk to request your free guide.

Alternatively, we are happy to book your free Will for you. Please email your full address, a telephone number and which service you would like to use to giftsinwills@oxfam.org.uk. Or you can call 0300 200 1331 between the hours of 9am -5pm, Monday to Friday and we’ll book your free Will for you.