A message from Dean Anthony

Thank you for thinking about supporting Portsmouth Cathedral with a gift in your will.  

As a Christian community, we offer everyone a spiritual home and a safe place to explore and deepen their faith. Thousands of people have been married at the Cathedral, brought their children for baptism and honoured the lives of departed loved ones. 

We are a sacred space that is open to all, offering visitors a chance to discover the history and heritage of our Cathedral, encounter the divine, or spend time in quiet reflection. Portsmouth Cathedral is a meeting place for the local community, a centre for music-making and creativity in Portsmouth, a place of learning for children, and an organisation where volunteers can gain new skills and forge new friendships. 

By remembering Portsmouth Cathedral in your will, you can ensure that we will be at the heart of the community and a sacred space that is open to all for generations to come. This booklet sets out how you can make a difference to our future, and leave your lasting legacy on Portsmouth Cathedral and everyone we serve.  

Remembering us in your will could enable us to…

• Remain at the heart of the community and be a sacred space that is open to all without charge.  

• Continue offering a rich and varied pattern of daily worship alongside providing vital pastoral support to all those who need it. 

• Nurture young, talented singers and organists, and safeguard the remarkable choral tradition we have inherited.

• Inspire children, teachers and families through innovative learning and participation projects with schools. 

• Conserve and care for our Grade I listed building and the treasurers entrusted to us.

• Be more financially resilient and better equipped to deal with unexpected financial challenges. 

• Plan for the future with greater confidence.

Making a will has the added benefits of…

• Making sure your wishes are respected and that your assets go to the people and causes that are closest to your heart. 

• Bringing comfort to your loved ones at a difficult time. 

• Avoiding a situation where the courts decide how to divide up your estate. 

Legacies to your spouse, civil partner, charity or Church of England cathedrals and churches including Portsmouth Cathedral are free of inheritance tax.  

If you leave 10% or more of the net value of your estate to charity in your will, your estate can pay inheritance tax at a reduced rate of 36% instead of 40% (rates correct at the time of writing). This may mean that family and friends receive more than they would otherwise whilst your favourite charities and causes also benefit. 

For further information contact your solicitor or visit hmrc.gov.uk/inheritancetax 

How to make a legacy gift

There are three main types of legacy gifts you can leave in your will…

We strongly recommend using a qualified solicitor to make a new will or to amend an existing will. You can find a solicitor in your local area using the Law Society’s website.   

Making a will for the first time

Before visiting your solicitor, it is a good idea to make a list of everything you own (your assets) including property, money, cars, jewellery and other possessions; and a list of everything you owe (your liabilities) including your mortgage and any other loans. 

Then decide who you want to include in your will including family, friends, charities and Church of England cathedrals or churches. You can also choose to include specific instructions about your funeral and provisions to be made for your children and pets, and it is helpful to think about these things before making your will. 

Finally, you will need to appoint executors who will carry out the instructions in your will. These could be family and friends, but you can also appoint professional advisors (please note there are likely to be charges for this). 

Once you are ready your solicitor will be able to draw up your will. 

If you already have a will

Best advice says to look at your will every five years and make sure it still reflects your wishes. It is also recommended to review your will after any major life change such as getting married (which cancels any will you have made before), having a child or grandchild, and moving house. 

Using a codicil

If you have an existing will and would like to make a few minor changes, such as including a pecuniary or specific gift to Portsmouth Cathedral, you may find that adding an amendment (called a codicil) is the simplest option. Please ask us if you would like us to provide a codicil form or find one on our website. We recommend you ask your solicitor to prepare and check your codicil to ensure it is legally valid. Your codicil will need to be witnessed and you should always keep signed codicils together with your will. 

Writing a new will

For more complex or significant changes to your will, it is recommended that you make a new will. This includes if you would like to leave a residuary gift, the remainder or a proportion of your estate, to Portsmouth Cathedral. 

Letter of Wishes

In recent years more people have started using a Letter of Wishes. This is a document that accompanies your will and can guide your executors on how you would like your personal wishes to be carried out. Unlike a codicil, a Letter of Wishes is not legally binding and so any legacy to Portsmouth Cathedral should be included in your will or a codicil to ensure your intentions are carried out. 

Wording for a residuary gift (a share of your estate)

For general purposes… 

‘I give ____ % of the residue of my estate free of all taxes absolutely to The Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, Portsmouth of High Street, Old Portsmouth, PO1 2HH, for its general purposes and I declare that the receipt of the treasurer or any other proper authorised office of any institution benefitting under my Will shall be a sufficient discharge for my Trustees.’

For Music and Worship…

‘I give ____ % of the residue of my estate free of all taxes absolutely to The Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, Portsmouth of High Street, Old Portsmouth, PO1 2HH, for the support of Music and Worship and I declare that the receipt of the treasurer or any other proper authorised office of any institution benefitting under my Will shall be a sufficient discharge for my Trustees.’

Wording for a gift of money (pecuniary gift) or an item (specific gift)

For general purposes…

‘I give the sum of £ ___ [£ in words and numbers] [or the item specified] free of all taxes absolutely to The Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, Portsmouth of High Street, Old Portsmouth, PO1 2HH, for its general purposes and I declare that the receipt of the treasurer or any other proper authorised office of any institution benefitting under my Will shall be a sufficient discharge for my Trustees.’

For Music and Worship…

‘I give the sum of £ ___ [£ in words and numbers] [or the item specified] free of all taxes absolutely to The Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, Portsmouth of High Street, Old Portsmouth, PO1 2HH, for the support of Music and Worship and I declare that the receipt of the treasurer or any other proper authorised office of any institution benefitting under my Will shall be a sufficient discharge for my Trustees.’