Free Wills Month 2025: A gift in your will can…
A gift in your will of any size can change lives at The Brain Charity
If you are thinking of leaving a gift in your will to The Brain Charity – thank you.
This donation will cost you nothing today but can continue our mission to help people living with all forms of neurological conditions in the future.
There are several ways to include a gift to The Brain Charity in your will, including pecuniary (a fixed amount of money), residuary (a percentage share of your estate) or an item (like jewellery, stocks or artwork).
A gift of any size has the power to make a difference to someone at The Brain Charity.
Whether you pledge £50 or 5% of your estate, you can change someone’s life.
So, what can a gift in your will do?
A gift in your will can… deliver emotional support
In December 2024, a pecuniary donation of £4,000 was made to The Brain Charity from the estate of a supporter.
£4,000 could fund over 150 counselling sessions, delivering a full course of counselling to 25 individuals or couples struggling with their mental health.
Cassandra’s Story
“Counselling with The Brain Charity made a real difference.”
Cassandra lives with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), which she says is currently stable and manages with daily medication.
However, although her physical health was under control, Cassandra found herself struggling emotionally and was signposted to our counselling service.
“I had three sessions with a Counsellor, and it really changed the way I thought. I realised it wasn’t a weight I couldn’t carry. It helped me turn negative thoughts into more positive ones.”
Cassandra found her experience so valuable, she chose to make a donation to The Brain Charity – a gift which could actually fund a counselling session each for two other people in a similar situation her.
“After a diagnosis, you’re kind of just left on your own—and it gets into your head. Counselling with The Brain Charity made a real difference. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone going through something similar.”
Last year, The Brain Charity provided counselling to 334 clients, with 80% reporting an improvement in their symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Our counselling service is growing year-on-year, but demand is always high – a gift pledged in a will could reduce that pressure in the future.
A gift in your will can… provide practical advice
Earlier this year, we received a gift of £35,000 from a supporter who had left 6% of their residuary estate to The Brain Charity in their will.
£35,000 is enough to enable almost a year of support from one of our Information and Advice Officers, who work with thousands of families every year.
Officers provide practical advice on understanding a diagnosis, managing symptoms, accessing financial aid, signposting to legal advice, employment and more – while also providing the invaluable emotional support of listening to and validating clients’ experiences.
Christine’s Story
“I don’t worry about money anymore!”
Christine had been denied benefits for 34 years due to never having a diagnosis, despite several tests, MRI scans and visits to the doctor.
In 2022, she was finally diagnosed with hyperekplexia (HPX) an extremely rare neurological condition.
Despite now having a diagnosis, her initial application for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) was rejected.
One of The Brain Charity’s Information and Advice Officers helped Christine take her case to a tribunal, using their expert advice to build her defense while providing emotional support by attending the meeting with her.
“Just having somebody there, to put my hand out if I needed to because I was very nervous.”
Christine is now a regular at The Brain Charity’s centre, attending our programme of social activities and events.
Our Information and Advice team provide support to people across the UK living with all forms of neurological conditions, no matter how rare.
Support can be accessed over the phone, via video call, email and in person at our centre.
They are based in hospitals across Merseyside in order to offer support in person at the point of diagnosis for hundreds of families each year.
A gift in your will can… prevent social isolation
In June 2024, a donation of £2,821 was made from the estate of a supporter who had pledged a 0.7% residuary gift to The Brain Charity.
This gift has the power to run The Brain Charity’s boccia group for over a year, covering the costs of 65 sessions.
Boccia is part of The Brain Charity’s social activities programme, a regular calendar of events designed to bring people together to learn new skills and develop hobbies.
Amber’s story
“I found [The Brain Charity] to be a warm, welcoming and supportive place.”
Amber first came to The Brain Charity over a decade ago, initially looking for support – but ended up finding a community that helped her to grow her confidence, skills and communication.
“I truly value the sense of community here at The Brain Charity. I especially enjoy the various events like the monthly coffee mornings.”
She is now one of valued volunteers and a regular attendee of social activities including maths classes, ukulele group and arts and crafts sessions.
Amber is an integral part of our coffee mornings, finishing each month’s event by reading out a poem.
“I love my time at The Brain Charity—not just because of the people I meet and the support I provide, but also because of the friendships I have formed.”
We host hundreds of sessions every year, including ukulele lessons, art and craft workshops and gym-based activities like yoga and tai chi.
Our activities provide a safe, welcoming place to meet other people living with neurological conditions, preventing social isolation.
It just goes to show that even a gift of less than 1% of an estate can have a huge impact.
Write your will for free
The Brain Charity is partnered with Octopus Legacy and Kwil to offer supporters the opportunity to write their will for free.
When writing your will for free, there is no obligation to leave a gift to The Brain Charity but we are incredibly grateful for any donations pledged.
For more information, or to request a free printed copy of our guide to making your will, please email legacies@thebraincharity.org.uk.
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