Introducing Digital Legacy Insights. In 2024 we will be shining a spotlight on the key issue of online wills.

Digital technology permeates all aspects of our lives and charities are experiencing digital transformations in every sphere of their organisations.

Over the past 3 years, Legacy Foresight collected evidence on the scale and shape of digital legacy fundraising through its consortium research programme Legacy Fundraising 2.0. To continue to support our charity members in the best way possible, we have shifted the aims and focus of our research to incorporate a wider remit of digital topics and issues affecting legacy fundraising.

We launch this evolution of our programme by looking at the important issue of online wills and how consumers are engaging with them.

Recent Legacy Foresight research has shown that 71% of 45-54 year olds and 83% of 35-44 year olds don’t have wills yet. With younger people being increasingly digital first and more likely to turn to the internet for advice and conduct their financial affairs online, it is likely that a significant proportion of new people entering the will making market will gravitate towards an online option.

Online will writing services have valuable insights about their customer base, which they share in different ways with their partner charities and the wider sector. However, there is a gap when it comes to understanding online wills from a consumer perspective.

Driving the discussion on the value of digital legacy fundraising

Proposal 2024 – Online wills through the eyes of consumers

“I have found the programme extremely useful in helping to build our legacy messaging and how to make use of digital promotion for gifts in wills.”

Gifts in Wills Officer, Leeds Hospital Charity

This year’s Digital Legacy Insights will look at online wills from a consumer perspective, seeking to understand more about who is making them and why; how they make their decisions; what their choice criteria is and importantly where charities and charitable bequests fit in.

The objectives of the research are:

To get a snapshot of the current online wills landscape in terms of uptake and growth over time
To identify the current limitations of online wills and future opportunities
To understand the consumer perspective of online wills – why and how they chose them and their experience
To understand where and how charities fit into this decision making journey and how they can positively enhance the supporter experience through this process

We will use a range of research methods including desk research, surveys, qualitative research and expert interviews.

We are welcoming new members to the consortium now.

Programme costs

The cost per organisation for a 12 month cycle is based on your charity’s average legacy income, from the previous 3 financial years 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22, drawn from Charity Commission data:

Over £10m: £3,300+VAT
Under £10m: £2,200+VAT