Each year, more than £1 billion is left to organisations not registered with Smee & Ford, the National Legacy Notification Service.
Legacy gifts can be transformative, enabling charities to fund vital services, invest in their future and make a lasting difference to the causes and communities they serve. Every legacy begins with a supporter choosing to remember a charity in their will. But for that gift to have its intended impact, the charity first needs to know it's there.
Registering with Smee & Ford, the National Legacy Notification Service ensures your charity is identifiable and can easily be notified when a gift has been left to it.
Trusted by charities for decades, our dedicated team reads every will that passes through probate in England and Wales to identify when registered charities have been named as beneficiaries.
From Remember A Charity Week 2026, (7-13 September), Smee & Ford is making registration available free of charge to all UK charities not yet signed up.
Provide your organisation's details so we can accurately identify your charity when reviewing wills.
Our team reviews every will that passes through probate in England and Wales, identifying charities named as beneficiaries.
When we identify your registered charity in a will, we'll let you know and give you the option to receive the full notification details.
From Remember A Charity Week 2026 (7-13 September), registration with Smee & Ford, the National Legacy Notification Service is available free of charge to all UK charities.
There are no ongoing fees simply to remain registered.
If your charity is identified in a will, we will alert you for free by email. If this is a gift you are unaware of you can choose to buy the full notification, on a pay as you go basis. Charges are tiered according to the estimated size of gift, making the service accessible to charities of all sizes.
Whether legacy income forms a significant part of your fundraising or you receive gifts only occasionally, registration is a simple step that could help ensure no gift goes unnoticed.
For charities receiving legacy notifications more regularly, we also offer subscription options, which can provide a more cost-effective way to receive notifications throughout the year.
Whichever option you choose, you'll only pay for the level of service that's right for your charity.
The service is suitable for any UK charity that is able to receive gifts in wills, including:
If your organisation can receive a legacy gift, it's worth registering.
No. Smee & Ford the National Legacy Notification Service has supported charities for over 100 years by identifying gifts left in wills and notifying charities when they have been named as beneficiaries.
This campaign simply marks the opening of free registration starting during Remember A Charity Week 2026.
Yes. Registration is free from Remember A Charity Week 2026, and there are no mandatory subscription or annual fees to remain on the service.
You will receive a free email with some basic information. You'll only pay if you choose to receive the full notification details, including a copy of the will and grant of probate
At that point, a one-off fee applies, based on the estimated size of gift. We will make this clear upfront with the option to buy the full notification details.
If your charity is never identified, you'll never pay.
If you choose to receive the full notification, you'll receive key information to support your legacy administration, including:
This gives your charity the information it needs to understand the gift and begin the appropriate next steps in the administration process.
Just a few minutes.
Anyone authorised to act on behalf of a UK charity.
Register with Smee & Ford, the National Legacy Notification Service today.
Or contact Contact Claudia Rios for more information.
* Please note, the service currently covers wills made in England and Wales.
