WRITING a will and dividing your estate is a daunting prospect for many of us. Investment manager Brewin Dolphin has commissioned research on the matter.

The poll, conducted by ICM, found that 70% of people in the North East still do not have a will and this number endorses the research recently carried out by HSBC, which found that two-thirds of parents in the UK do not have one.

The Brewin Dolphin ICM poll also found that 23%of those who have a will or are planning to make one, will leave a proportion, typically around 5.3% of their estate, to charity.

However, when told that if they gave 10% of their estate to charity, a 10% lower rate of IHT would be applied to the remainder of their estate, many more said they were likely to leave a charitable legacy.

George Slack, head of financial planning for Brewin Dolphin Newcastle, said, “It is very encouraging that the planned new inheritance tax incentive for charitable giving appears to entice nearly twice as many people to be twice as generous to charity in their wills. This could make a significant change to philanthropy in this country.

“However, we would urge people to seek advice on how the new legislation will affect their estate planning as it is not as simple as it sounds.”

Brewin Dolphin asked Julia Abrey, a partner in Withers LLP’s estate, succession and trust group for her view on the implications for will drafting.

Abrey said: “We are very pleased this research suggests charities are set to gain more from the new legislation.

“Advisers in this area have been working closely with HMRC to help clarify the details of the proposals making it as simple as possible for people to include qualifying legacies in their wills.

“Some of the other findings, however, confirm many are confused about the complexities of making a will and they should not put off consulting a solicitor to assist them with this task so that they can take advantage of the potential tax saving.”