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Speak to a trained member of the Mermaids team. 08088010400



Look after the future of your loves ones…..and leave a gift to Mermaids

Small or large, every gift we receive in a Will makes a vital contribution to our work

How to make a Will 

Writing a Will is the only way to ensure that what you leave behind is distributed according to your wishes. However only around 50% of people aged over 40 have a Will. 

We know that caring for your family and friends is a priority; however after making provision for them, if you would consider leaving a gift to Mermaids it would be greatly appreciated.  You can either leave a specific amount of money, which is known as a Pecuniary Bequest or a share of what’s left over after all your wishes have been carried out, which is a residuary Bequest. Rather than leaving a precise sum of money, many choose to leave a percentage or the residue of their estate as it means that its value will not be affected by inflation. Leaving a gift in your Will to Mermaids couldn’t be simpler. If you haven’t yet made a Will it can be done when you see a Solicitor. If you already have a Will your Solicitor can simply add an addition to it. 

If you choose to leave a gift to Mermaids please use the following wording: “I bequeath to Mermaids, Registered Charity Number: 1160575, Suite 4, Tarn House, 77 The High Street, Yeadon LS19 7SP for its general charitable purposes…

Then insert one of the options below:

  • All the residue of my estate
  • One X share of the residue of my estate
  • X% of my estate
  • The sum of £X
  • All my personal effects, e.g. rings, necklaces 

An alternative way to leave a gift to Mermaids is through CAF (Charities Aid Foundation). Simply state in your Will the gift that you would like to leave to CAF and then provide CAF with a letter to say which charity you would like your gift to go to, they will ensure its delivery. There are no legal fees, no need for Solicitors and you can make changes for free.

For further information on leaving a donation through CAF call: 0300 012 3504

How your gift will help Mermaids

What we do

Mermaids is a support group for children and young people experiencing gender issues. Mermaids is committed to providing support for these children and young people and their families, to alleviate the stress and isolation and help to enable them to manage and move forward under extremely difficult circumstances.

We began as a small support group in 1995, with limited numbers of enquiries for help. Over the last 10 years’ demand has grown for the support we provide. Additionally, we are lobbying on behalf of our members for better treatment, and contributing towards policy decisions within the NHS. We provide training on trans issues specifically regarding children and young people and speak at conferences to educate the wider community. 

Whether a child or young person’s gender issues continue into adulthood or not, children and young people dealing with gender dysphoria and their families are at high risk. A survey found that 48% of trans people under 26 said they had attempted suicide, and 30% said they had done so in the past year, while 59% said they had at least considered doing so. By comparison, about 6% of all 16- to 24-year-olds say they have attempted suicide, according to the Adult Psychiatry Morbidity Survey. The research was conducted by Pace, and involved more than 2,000 people in England from 2010 to 2014.  

Transgender children and young people suffer from isolation, discrimination and prejudice and are often bullied, both physically and mentally, by their peers, adults, and even people in authority such as teachers and local authority workers. Trans youth are far more likely to drop out of school, and less likely to access higher education due to the prejudices they face, according to the Harsh Realities Study published by GLSEN.

Mermaids operates a support phone and email helpline and online forums for teens, parents and professionals. These allow individuals to connect, share experiences and support each other. We organise residential weekends twice a year in the north and south of England and we have founded a parent support group in Scotland, and run a small number of local groups nationwide. 

We liaise with national and local media in an attempt to promote awareness and understanding, and we try to attend as many policy making meetings as possible. We are on the Clinical Reference Group (CRG) within NHS England as Mermaids voice for young people and are on the Parliamentary Forum for Gender Identity Services.

Your gift will help Mermaids to secure its future

Our services cost over £300,000 to run each year and we desperately need to increase their capacity so that we can support the ever increasing number of people needing our help. Leaving a gift in your will would help us to keep these essential services operating, and mean that we can continue offering a vital lifeline to a wide range of vulnerable people.

The tax advantages from writing a Will

Current legislation states that your beneficiaries will not have to pay any inheritance TAX if your estate is less than £325,000. Anything over £325,000 is liable to 40% inheritance Tax. Gifts to charities are generally exempt from Inheritance tax. If you leave a charitable gift it will be deducted from your estate before inheritance Tax liability is calculated. Your beneficiaries will not be liable to pay inheritance Tax if you leave your assets to your spouse or civil partner as they are exempt. Once your spouse or civil partner dies, there is no exemption and the whole estate will be liable for inheritance tax. 

From 6th April 2012, if you leave 10% or more of your estate to a charity, you’ll be taxed at a lower rate (36%) rather than 40%) on any part of your estate that qualifies for inheritance tax.If you would like any further information about leaving a gift in your Will to Mermaids, please contact Rosanna at [email protected]

Glossary of terms

Beneficiary – A person who benefits from a gift in your Will

Bequest/Legacy – A gift in your Will

Codicil – A ‘supplement’ making a change or addition to your existing Will

Estate – Total sum of all your possessions, property and money

Executor/Executrix – A person you ask to make sure the wishes expressed in your Will are carried out. Executors can also be beneficiaries.

Inheritance Tax – The Tax levied on your estate if it is more than the amount specified by HM Revenue and Customs. A gift to charity is exempt from Inheritance Tax.

Pecuniary Legacy – A gift of a specified Sum of money

Residuary Legacy – A gift of what is left of your estate (or part of) after all debts, taxes, costs and other bequests. It can be a percentage, fraction or part of an estate. 

Reversionary Legacy – a gift of a Will that reverts to another beneficiary (such as a wife, husband or child) when the original beneficiary dies. 

Specific Legacy – A gift of a particular item in you Will e.g. a painting, antique, jewellery, etc.

Witness – A person present at the signing/authorising of your Will. A witness cannot be a beneficiary.