Our free will service

Creating a will is one of the most important things you can do to protect the people you care about and ensure your wishes are carried out.

Through our partnership with Octopus Legacy, Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity offers a free will writing service for anyone aged 18 or over living in England or Wales. Whether you're making your first will or updating an existing one, the process is simple, secure and can be completed in a way that works for you.

Having a will in place can provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones and ensure that your wishes are respected

There is no obligation to leave a gift to Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity when using this service

Download your FREE will guide

Why having a will matters

Many people put off writing a will, but having one in place can make a real difference to the people you care about most.
A will allows you to:

- Decide who will inherit your estate
- Make your wishes clear
- Help avoid uncertainty for family and friends
- Appoint guardians for children
- Protect the people and causes that matter most to you
- Provide peace of mind for the future

Without a valid will, your estate may not be distributed according to your wishes. Whether you're planning ahead for the first time or reviewing an existing will, taking action now can help ensure your loved ones are looked after in the future.

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How to create your free will

We have partnered with will writing experts, Octopus Legacy, to offer free wills to anyone over the age of 18 living in England or Wales. There are several ways to create your will, depending on your preferences and circumstances.

Create your will online: Your will can be created online by visiting our Octopus Legacy portal to get started

Call: Reach out to 020 4525 3605 to schedule a phone appointment or an in-person consultation.

Email: Contact support@octopuslegacy.com to arrange an appointment for any assistance you may need.

Create your free will

Leaving gift in your will

Gifts in wills help us fund projects that go above and beyond what NHS funding alone can provide, helping to make a real difference for local patients, families and staff across our hospitals.

Many supporters choose to leave their gift to a specific ward, department or area of care that holds special meaning for them. This means every pound of their gift is used to support that area, helping future patients and families benefit from the things that mattered most to them.

Whether that's enhancing patient environments, funding specialist equipment, providing additional comfort and wellbeing items for patients, improving staff wellbeing, or supporting countless other projects and services, your gift can make a lasting difference where it's needed most.

Our promise to you

We understand that writing a will can feel like a big step. That's why we offer this service completely free of charge through our trusted partner, Octopus Legacy, with no obligation to leave a gift to Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity.

If you do choose to remember us in your will, we promise that the people closest to you will always come first. We understand that circumstances can change and you may wish to update your will in the future, and we will use any gift left to our charity carefully and responsibly to support local patients, families and NHS staff for years to come.

  • There are a few ways you can create your will and it doesn’t have to be done online if this doesn’t suit your needs. To book a will appointment over the phone or an in person appointment at a local branch or at home, call 020 4525 3605 or email support@octopuslegacy.com and quote ‘Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity’.

  • If you already have a will and a solicitor, please speak to them directly about your wishes.

    Alternatively, if you don't have a will, we offer a free will writing service.  To find out more, download the pack by clicking here

  • If you already have a will but would like to leave a gift to the charity, some wording is given below:

    I give the residue of my estate (or I give _____% of the residue of my estate) to Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity, located at Royal Derby Hospital, Uttoxeter Road, Derby, DE22 3NE (Registered charity number 1061812) for its general charitable purposes absolutely. I further direct that the receipt of the Chief Executive or other proper officer of the said charity for the time being shall be a full and sufficient discharge for the said gift

    I give the sum of £_____ to Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity, located at Royal Derby Hospital, Uttoxeter Road, Derby, DE22 3NE (Registered charity number 1061812) for its general charitable purposes absolutely. I further direct that the receipt of the Chief Executive or other proper officer of the said charity for the time being shall be a full and sufficient discharge for the said gift.

    If you have already left the charity a gift and would like to let us know, please send us email on uhdb.charity@nhs.net

  • If you already have a will but wish to rewrite it, you can create a new one through our free service. The new document will override your existing will, ensuring that your current wishes are accurately reflected. This allows you to update any details or make changes to your estate plans at no additional cost.

  • We offer this free will service because our primary goal is to support people through the process of creating their will. We understand that making a will can be overwhelming, so we want to simplify it for our supporters. By partnering with Octopus Legacy, we’ve made it easier and more accessible. While leaving a gift in your will can significantly benefit charities like ours, there is no obligation to do so. Our goal is to ensure you receive clear and straightforward assistance, regardless of whether you choose to include a donation.