A Lasting Legacy
Find out how to make a donation in memory of someone important to you or how to include
a gift in your Will.
How your legacy could make a difference
You can support OPA Cancer Charity by making a gift in your Will; one of the most effective ways to help ensure that our fight against oesophageal and gastric cancers continues our mission to save the lives of future generations.
OPA has supported thousands of patients since it started over thirty years ago. By remembering OPA in your Will you can help us continue and to save the lives of future generations of family and friends. Your legacy will help to fight oesophageal and gastric cancers and support patients, families and carers to cope with this devastating disease.
OPA supports people with life threatening cancers and works to save lives through our national campaign to create public awareness and early diagnosis. However, people of all ages should be made be aware regular heartburn or indigestion could be early symptoms of oesophageal or gastric cancers which can be dealt with through a straight forward procedure long before developing into cancer.
For further information order our free information leaflet
How your Gift will Help
Your gift will help the OPA to promote early diagnosis and will assist patients who are facing or recovering from an operation for one of the most unpleasant, lifechanging and rapidly increasing cancers.
Early symptoms may only show as heartburn or indigestion, often resulting in late referral and diagnosis. Treatment by surgery is extremely complex with long operations that often involve restructuring the digestive organs in the chest, which is a traumatic procedure.
Your gift helps us to continue to give medically informed support to patients, families and carers through:
• Telephone helpline
• Online information and support
• Medically approved high quality information booklets
• UK wide network of patient support meetings
Your gift will help us to continue to work with our strategic alliances to improve cancer treatment and outcomes and to continue our network of patient support meetings across the UK.
Free Wills
We’ve joined forces with FreeWills.co.uk to offer you the chance to create a fully comprehensive, legally binding Will at no cost. You can complete your personalised Will online in just three easy steps, from the comfort of your own home, with the confidence that it will be carefully checked, vetted, and approved by a qualified solicitor.
Including a gift to OPA Cancer Charity in your Will is a meaningful way to help us continue our vital work. Nearly all of what we do is funded by donations, and any legacy – large or small – can make a lasting impact in supporting those affected by oesophageal and gastric cancer and advancing research, awareness, and patient support.
By writing a Will, you can ensure that your loved ones are cared for and that the causes you are passionate about continue to thrive. Once you’ve provided for your family and friends, remembering OPA Cancer Charity means that we can keep providing life-changing support, raising awareness, and driving research into oesophageal and gastric cancers. Your legacy can help shape a future where more lives are saved, and more families are supported.
Every gift matters to OPA Cancer Charity, and we are deeply grateful for any contribution you choose to leave. Your legacy will not cost you anything during your lifetime, is simple to arrange, and can be exempt from inheritance tax.
No matter the size, it is truly a gift that can change lives. We thank you for your thoughtful generosity – your support will leave a lasting, positive impact on everyone touched by oesophageal and gastric cancers. Together, we can make a difference!
What is Inheritance Tax (Iht)?
What is inheritance tax (IHT) and why are more families falling into the tax trap?
What is IHT and who has to pay it?
More families than ever are falling into the inheritance tax trap. With property prices and asset values rising – and tax thresholds frozen – the government collected a record-breaking £7.5 billion in IHT during the 2023/24 tax year.
What is Inheritance Tax (IHT)?
Inheritance tax is a 40% tax on the value of an estate (property, savings, investments, possessions, and business assets) that exceeds a certain threshold when someone dies. It may also apply to gifts made within seven years of death.
How Does It Work?
- The standard IHT threshold is £325,000 per person. Anything above this may be taxed at 40%.
- For example, an estate worth £500,000 could face a tax bill on the £175,000 above the threshold, resulting in a £70,000 tax charge.
- However, if the estate is left to a spouse or civil partner, it’s usually exempt from IHT.
- The unused allowance of a deceased partner can be passed on, doubling the threshold to £650,000.
- Leaving a main residence to children or grandchildren adds another allowance of £175,000 (the “residence nil-rate band”), potentially increasing a couple’s combined threshold to £1 million.
Who Pays IHT?
Usually, the executor of the will (or administrator of the estate) arranges payment from the estate’s assets.
- IHT must be paid within six months of death, or HMRC will charge interest.
- Beneficiaries receive their inheritance after tax and debts have been settled.
- In some cases, if the estate doesn’t have enough cash, beneficiaries might pay IHT themselves.
Are Pensions Affected?
At the moment, pensions are usually outside the estate, so they aren’t subject to IHT.
However, from 6 April 2027, unused pension funds and death benefits may become taxable under IHT rules, which could lead to double taxation if the recipient is also subject to income tax on withdrawals.
How to Reduce Your IHT Bill
There are several legal ways to reduce how much of your estate goes to the taxman:
- Make a Will
Ensures your assets go where you want and lets you take advantage of IHT allowances and exemptions. - Gift During Your Lifetime
- You can give up to £3,000 per year tax-free.
- Small gifts up to £250 per person are also allowed
(under certain rules). - Wedding gifts of up to £5,000 (for children) are
exempt. - Gifts made more than seven years before death are
usually IHT-free. If you die sooner, tax is charged on
a sliding scale.
- Donate to Charity
Leave 10% or more of your estate to charity, and the IHT rate drops from 40% to 36%. - Leave Money in Pensions
Pensions are generally IHT-free for now. But with upcoming rule changes, it’s worth reviewing your
plans before 2027. - Take Out Life Insurance
A whole-of-life policy written in trust can help cover the IHT bill without waiting for probate. - Invest in AIM Shares
Some AIM-listed company shares qualify for business property relief, making them IHT-exempt. However, from April 2026, this relief will reduce – and shares not listed on recognised exchanges may face a 20% tax.
Leave a legacy gift in your Will
Leaving a gift in your Will is one of the most meaningful ways to support OPA Cancer Charity, to help ensure that our fight against oesophageal and gastric cancers continues our mission to save the lives of future generations.
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