Clarity & Confidence

Looking beyond the headlines

The publication of the Legacy Giving Report 2026 last month gave the sector plenty to be encouraged about. While the headlines told an important story of resilience, they also reminded us that the strongest decisions come from looking beyond the headline figures and understanding what's really driving change.

That's a thread running through this month's edition.

CharityTracker's latest research explores how public attitudes towards charitable giving continue to evolve, while the latest article in our Insight to Action series looks at why understanding your charity's reputation can be just as important as measuring the performance of individual campaigns.

Elsewhere, we're celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Crispin Ellison Bursary Award. Over the past decade it has supported some exceptional people across the legacy sector, and it's a milestone well worth recognising. Finally, Dr Claire Routley explores what Charles Duhigg's Supercommunicators can teach us about building stronger, more meaningful conversations with legacy supporters 

I hope you enjoy this month's edition and, as always, if anything sparks a question or a conversation, we'd love to hear from you.

Legacy Giving Report 2026: Who are the legators?

Legacy giving continues to provide a vital source of stability for charities across the UK, with the Legacy Giving Report 2026 revealing a market that remains resilient despite wider economic and fundraising pressures.

The report shows that legacy income reached an estimated £4.4 billion in 2025. While this represents a modest easing from the exceptional £4.6 billion peak recorded in 2024, the market performed significantly better than many expected.

Following the clearance of the probate backlog by HM Courts & Tribunals Service last year, a slowdown in estate administration and a corresponding fall in legacy income had been widely expected. Instead, probate volumes remained robust, charitable estates held close to record levels, and average gift values remained high.

Alongside this short-term performance, the report highlights factors that are expected to shape the outlook for legacy income in the years ahead, including demographic change, evolving charitable giving patterns and emerging policy developments. These influences suggest that while the market remains strong today, future performance will be shaped by a more complex and changing environment.

Fewer donors, bigger gifts: What the shift in UK giving means for legacy fundraising

The UK charity sector is changing. Fewer people are giving to charity, but those who do are donating more than ever before.

At first glance, that sounds encouraging. But beneath the headline figures sits a more complex picture with significant implications for fundraising and legacy giving.

Research from CharityTracker, presented at a recent Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIOF) webinar, suggests the giving market is becoming increasingly polarised. Participation in charitable giving is shrinking, while income is becoming more concentrated among a smaller group of highly engaged supporters.

For charities thinking long-term, this matters.

The hidden costs of not tracking your brand.

Even the most seasoned communicator knows the feeling. You spend months shaping a campaign, the launch lands, the room fills with anticipation – and then, almost immediately, the energy drains away. The post-launch blues.

You may see some promising outputs or encouraging anecdotes, but can you honestly say who heard you, what they took from it, or whether it nudged the dial you needed to move? For organisations doing vital work in a crowded, fast-changing world, that uncertainty shouldn’t be the norm.

When you’re tracking, the picture is different. You get feedback rather than silence. You can see who saw the campaign, how they responded and whether it shifted awareness, credibility or motivation. Instead of a vacuum, you gain momentum. Teams feel re-energised because they have fresh knowledge to take into the next launch – and the means to make it sharper, more targeted and more effective.

You can find the full Insight to Action series here.

PS want to know which AI persona you are? Complete the survey to find out. You'll also receive a copy of the report behind the segments. 

Celebrating 10 Years of the Crispin Ellison Bursary Award

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Crispin Ellison Bursary Award, a milestone for both Legacy Futures and the wider legacy sector.

Over the past decade, the award has helped nurture talent, strengthen professional development and open doors for 24 people working in charity legacy administration throughout the UK and across a wide range of cause areas, reflecting the diversity of the sector. More than that, it has carried forward the values and vision of the man whose name it proudly bears. 

Since its launch, the Crispin Ellison Bursary Award has supported professionals at different stages of their careers, from those new to legacy administration to experienced practitioners seeking to deepen their expertise. 

Do your legacy supporters want to be helped, hugged or heard?

Dr Claire Routley has put fingertips to keyboard writing another inspirational article. Pulling from her recent personal literary explorations she applies the thinking of Charles Duhigg's book "Supercommunicators" to legacy giving. 

In his book, Duhigg talks about there being three types of conversation, and how, for communication to work effectively, you need to:

a) understand which type of conversation you’re having and

b) be having the same type of conversation as the other person.

The three types of communication are practical (fact-based, solution seeking), emotional (focused on feelings) and social (about identity and values).

But, of course, being the self-described "legacy nerd", Dr Claire Routley applies his thinking to gifts in wills conversations.