Legacies & Significant Gifts

Legacies

You can help transform young lives. Your gift. Your legacy. A hope for future generations.

With over 2,400 volunteers and 120 staff, we partner with churches to help fulfil our vision of seeing every child and young person in Scotland exploring the Bible and responding to the significance of Jesus.

We invite you to leave a lasting legacy by supporting our mission. By including SU Scotland in your will, you can ensure that future generations of children will have the opportunity to explore the Bible and discover the transformative love of Jesus-making a profound and enduring impact on their lives.

£6,000 could run our Bible Alive programme for a year, taking the good news of Jesus to schools across Scotland.
£15,000 could give 60 young people from disadvantaged communities the life changing opportunity to attend an SU Holiday.
£20,000 could provide a new outdoor activity at one of our outdoor centre’s increasing the centre’s offering, attracting more young people and schools.
£40,000 could help support training and events for the next generation of young leaders.
£50,000 could support a regional worker’s ministry for a year, enabling them to reach more children and young people in local communities.

Here at SU Scotland, around 15% of our voluntary income comes from legacies, and it allows us to reach many more children and young people. Without these vital gifts, children and young people across Scotland would be missing out on opportunities to explore the Bible, discover Jesus and grow in faith.

With 1 in 5 people in the UK now pledging a gift to charity in their will, you too could join our growing number of legacy pledgers, just like David & Sharon Rowatt. Here they share why they have chosen to leave a gift to SU Scotland: “Having been SU Supporters for over 40 years, we know how important the work of SU Scotland is to young lives in Scotland. We know the legacy we leave will help SU Scotland reach future generations of young people for years to come and that’s why we feel the need to leave a gift in our will”.

Will you leave a gift in your will and bring hope to future generations? Your pledge today could be the gift that changes the next generation.

When planning for the future, we understand your family and friends must come first, but if you are able to leave a gift to SU Scotland, you will be ensuring more children and young people have the opportunity to explore the Bible and respond to the significance of Jesus.

If you have not yet made a will, then we are delighted to offer a FREE will service in partnership with Balfour+Manson solicitors whereby they will prepare a free basic will for SU Scotland supporters. More complex instructions or estates will incur fees, albeit at a discounted rate. You are under no obligation to leave a gift to SU Scotland when using the free will service but we would be delighted if you would consider doing so. To take advantage of this amazing service please email Balfour+Manson.

Click here to read more about the impact of legacy gifts, how you can leave a gift and more about our new free will service.

Thank you for considering a gift in your will to SU Scotland. If you have any other questions, please contact Elaine Kinloch, Individual Giving Manager, or read our FAQs below. We know how personal your will is, and we respect your privacy. We also appreciate you’re free to change your mind at any time. If, however, you are happy to share your decision with us, we would be delighted to thank you properly.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you if you have already chosen to leave a gift to SU Scotland. Your gift is very much appreciated and will bring hope to future generations.

Legacy FAQ’s

A will ensures that your possessions and property are distributed according to your particular wishes after your death. Without a will, there is no guarantee that your estate will be dealt with as you intended.

You can request a paper copy of our new legacy guide (please email legacies@suscotland.org.uk). We have also updated our legacy webpage with more information including a digital version of our legacy guide.

The best way to make a will is to see a solicitor. Wills can vary in price however we have good news here at SU Scotland-we now have a free will writing service in partnership with solicitors, Balfour + Manson! More information can be found above.

Inheritance tax is a tax payable on the remainder of an estate that is over and above the inheritance threshold. Most home-owners will be liable to pay IHT on their estate, so check with your solicitor for the latest threshold before tax is payable.

Gifts to a charity are exempt from inheritance tax, which means leaving a charitable gift can reduce the amount of tax your estate incurs. A charitable gift can be an affordable way for many people to support their favourite charity, something that might not have been possible during their lifetime.

Legacy gifts can be allocated to any area of ministry but must be clearly indicated in your will. Please contact your solicitor or talk through with the team at Balfour + Manson if using our free will service.

You do not have to let us know but it really helps us to know so that we can thank you appropriately and keep you updated about the work of SU Scotland.

You are free to change your will at any time and we recognise this might mean removing us from your will.

Residuary: A percentage of your estate after other gifts and expenses have been paid. This is the most valuable gift you can leave to SU Scotland as it increases in value over time.

Pecuniary: A fixed sum of money.

Specific: An item such as property or shares.

No, you can make minor amendments or changes to your will without the need for a whole new one. This is a simple procedure that your solicitor can assist you with.

Significant Gifts

SU Scotland has been blessed over the decades by generous investment from individuals, families, trusts and churches.

While we believe that every gift is from God, we recognise the increased responsibility for careful stewardship of larger gifts.

If you are interested in making a gift of £5,000* or more to the ministry of SU Scotland, we would recommend first contacting Mark Beattie, our Donor Relationships Manager. Mark is best placed to discuss your plans confidentially or connect you with a relevant member of our Leadership Team. Gifts may be applied to general costs, a ministry of your choosing, or potentially to meet a specific need of which you are currently unaware. You can make a single opportunistic gift, or a strategic investment over a set time scale.

A significant gift enabled SU Scotland to purchase Lendrick Muir in 1998, while further giving has facilitated upgrades to Alltnacriche and Gowanbank. Other substantial gifts have financed ministry positions and resources, purchased adventure activities and assisted young people from disadvantaged communities to access our programmes.

Each gift made will contribute to children and young people finding somewhere safe and welcoming where they can explore the Bible and respond to the significance of Jesus.

We would be delighted to start a conversation with you to match your passions to our vision.

Contact: Mark Beattie, Donor Relationships Manager | Mark.beattie@suscotland.org.uk (0141 611 0068)

*At SU Scotland we wish to honour every gift regardless of its financial value. If you would like to make a significant gift which is under our administrative £5,000 threshold, please contact Elaine Kinloch, 0141 352 7619 (Mon-Thurs), who will be delighted to talk with you.