Probate can be a complicated process. If you’ve been trusted to administer someone’s Will and they’ve left a gift to the RBL, here’s how to ensure we receive it.
How do I know if a gift is meant for the Royal British Legion
If you’re acting as an executor, you should know a gift in a Will is for us if it contains some or all of the following information:
- Our name, or a variation of our name (for example TRBL, Legion, etc) appears in the Will
- Registered Charity Number (RCN) – 219279 – stated in the Will. Our RCN is unique to us as a charity, and will identify us as the benefactor immediately
- Our current or a previous Head Office address appears in the Will, or the address of one of our Care Homes, County Offices or a Branch address
You may also know a gift if for us if there is any of the following:
- A history of lifetime support for RBL by the person who made the Will
- Any clues in the notes taken by a Will draftsman when the Will was made that indicate we could be a benefactor
If you are uncertain if a gift is for RBL, then please contact the Legacy Administration Team and we’d be happy to help with anything that may assist you.
How do I pay in a Legacy?
First step, when you make a legacy payment is to email legacies@britishlegion.org.uk and provide the following details:
- The full name and title of the deceased
- Their last address – this will also allow us to prevent any future mailings, as we know this can be distressing at a difficult time
- The date of death – so we may add the supporter to our Book of Remembrance
- Your name and contact details
- A copy of the Will – this will help us to ensure the gift is allocated correctly. If you do not have this we can confirm this at a later date
- Any information about the reason for the legacy
Your details as executor will not be added to any mailing list as a result of contacting us about a legacy.
If you could, please send all payments by bank transfer to the following account:
Account Name: RBL – Fundraising Head Office
Account Number: 01937679
Sort Code: 30-11-75
Bank: Lloyds
Branch Name: Cox & Kings
Please use reference – “Legacies – [Surname of Deceased]” to assist our Finance Team in identifying the payment when it is made after which confirmation of receipt will be provided to you.
If you prefer to make payment of the gift by cheque, please send a cheque made payable to “The Royal British Legion” to the following address:
Legacy Administration Team, Haig House, 199 Borough High Street, London, SE1 1AA
Gifts in Wills and tax exemption
As a registered charity, we’re exempt from inheritance tax, capital gains tax and some aspects of income tax. These exemptions apply to gifts in Wills and estate administration can increase the value of a gift at no cost to any other beneficiary. If you’re an executor, see what this means for you.
However, these exemptions have limitations, and can be complicated to work out. You may need to get specialist advice to avoid the estate paying more tax than necessary, if you would like to discuss any element of the estate administration please contact us, our Legacy Administration team would be more than happy to support you. Alternatively, you may also find HMRCs website and helpline 0845 302 0900 useful.
Our charity details
These details are required in all Wills written by a solicitor. Executors will find this helpful when ensuring any gift left to RBL reach us.
- Registered Charity Number: 219279
- Head Office Address: Haig House, 199 Borough High Street, London, SE1 1AA
Need more help?
If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with our Legacy Administration team on legacies@britishlegion.org.uk and we’ll do everything we can to help.
If you need any definitions of legal or financial terms you’ve come across when writing or executing a Will, take a look at our Glossary.
