Tom Brake MP calls on constituents to make their Will with Will Aid this November

6.38.00pm GMT Sun 8th Oct 2006

Tom Brake MP holding a batch of Will Aid postcards

Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, today called for local people to take advantage of this November's Will Aid; a campaign that encourages people to make a Will and at the same time to raise vital funds to help 9 charities, including Action Aid and Sight Savers International.

The 2006 Will Aid survey by Lightspeed Research reveals that only 1 in 7 people have an up-to-date Will. Most people say they simply have not got around to writing one.

Tom Brake remarked "Nobody should be without a Will. A Will is the only way of influencing who will inherit your possessions."

People who live together without being married have no automatic right to inherit if there is no Will, no matter how long or stable the relationship. Even married people can only automatically inherit up to certain financial limits laid down in law, and may end up having to sell off the family home to pay off other relatives. It's also very important to make provision for the financial security and guardianship of your children. In short, it is essential to have an up-to-date Will"

Will Aid provides the perfect opportunity for people to put their affairs in order. Will Aid solicitors will draw up a basic will free of charge and in return request a donation to Will Aid. The suggested donation level is £40 for a codicil, £75 for a single Will, £110 for a pair of Wills.

Since its launch in 1988, Will Aid has raised over £6 million in donations and very much more in legacies. Will Aid donations are distributed amongst the participating charities and go a long way to help transform the lives of children, elderly people, their families and whole communities in the UK and around the world.

Tom Brake remarked:

"Wills need to be kept up to date and reviewed as circumstances change. The powerful thing about Will Aid is that it also enables you, at no extra cost, to help improve the lives of many other people both here and overseas."

Will Aid runs every two years and so it is important to take this opportunity now. Phone 0870 6060239, or visit www.willaid.org.uk TODAY to find a participating solicitor near you, and take advantage of this great opportunity to get your financial affairs in order and help others at the same time.

ENDS

Will Aid is a campaign run by nine of the UK's best known charities: ActionAid, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Help the Aged, NSPCC, Save the Children UK, Sight Savers International, SCIAF (Scotland) and Trocaire (N. Ireland).