Octopus Legacy, a company that helps people plan for death and find support after loss, hosts its own Charity Free Will Campaign (crossing over with Free Wills Month) in spring and autumn. In Feb-March 2024, Octopus Legacy worked with 65 charity partners, resulting in an estimated £6.9 million pledged to charities so far.
Octopus Legacy’s campaign provides charities with the tools needed to connect with untapped audiences. Charity partners are provided with a campaign concept, designed tailored assets and copy to be shared across their own channels to drive awareness. Octopus Legacy’s will writing services allows charities to provide a direct call to action so that supporters can write or update their wills – over the phone, online or in-person free of charge, with the option of including a gift to a charity of their choice. Lastly, Octopus Legacy helps charities reach and engage new audiences through their paid ads and via a network of 260,000+ employees across the UK.
In 2023, Octopus Legacy raised £12.4 million in estimated income for its partnered charities. This Spring, the campaign saw a 236% increase in wills written and increased the estimated amount raised for charities from the previous Spring Campaign by 10.5 times, with the Autumn Free Will Campaign still to come.
Sam Grice, Founder and CEO of Octopus Legacy, said: “This Free Will Campaign has helped us support our charities reach their legacy goals. Seeing so many people engage with the opportunity to write their will and support the causes that matter most to them is inspiring. It shows that wills don’t need to be a cold legal document – we can make them our own – and use them as an opportunity to think about what we leave behind, not just for our family, but more broadly.
Our Free Wills Campaign allows us to reach people who otherwise would not have engaged with estate planning, either because of cost, or it not being on their radar. The legacy gifts from this campaign offer a significant boost for charities that rely on long-term donations to fund vital research or awareness campaigns.”
Charities across the UK can work with estate planning and will-writing companies, such as Octopus Legacy, to not only offer their supporters the chance to write and update their wills but also actively grow their legacy income. Octopus Legacy’s service is designed to make writing more personal, a place where you can think about the legacy you’re leaving behind—for your family and for the charities and causes you love.
Octopus Legacy has been working with charities since Autumn 2022, and so far has raised £11.8 million. Octopus Legacy will be hosting its Free Will Charity Campaign again this Autumn (September-October) 2024.