Leaving a gift in your Will is a wonderful way to ensure wonders of the V&A can continue to inspire, long into the future.
Please get in touch with our Legacy team if you have any questions not covered here.
What wording should I use in my Will to leave a gift to the V&A?
Thank you for deciding to leave a gift to the V&A. We always recommend that you speak to a solicitor when writing or amending your Will – they will be able to ensure that your wishes appear just as you want them, and can also advise you about inheritance tax. You may find it useful to give the following suggested wording to your Solicitor when preparing your Will:
Residuary gifts
"I give [state proportion e.g. one third] of the residue of my estate to the Board of Trustees of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) South Kensington London SW7 2RL absolutely for its general charitable purposes. My Trustees shall have no further duties relating to this benefit if they obtain the written receipt from the treasurer or other appropriate officer of the Victoria and Albert Museum."
Pecuniary gifts
"I give the sum of [amount in words] (£______ [amount in figures]) to the Board of Trustees of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) South Kensington London SW7 2RL absolutely for its general charitable purposes. My Trustees shall have no further duties relating to this benefit if they obtain the written receipt from the treasurer or other appropriate officer of the Victoria and Albert Museum."
If you would like to leave an object, contact our Legacy team to speak about wording.
Is the V&A a charity? I can't find your Registered Charity number
The Victoria and Albert Museum is a charity, however as we are a national museum, we are exempt from registration with the Charity Commission under Schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011, and therefore do not have a charity registration number. Instead, we are regulated by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
As a charity, all donations bequeathed to the V&A are exempt from Inheritance Tax, therefore a gift in your Will may reduce the tax on your estate.
The registered address of the Victoria and Albert Museum is:
Victoria and Albert Museum
South Kensington
London
SW7 2RL
I already have a Will. Is it possible to update it?
Yes, we have partnered with Bequeathed so that you can write or update your Will free of charge.
Can I leave an object?
You can leave an object to the V&A in your Will. Please note that the V&A has a responsibility to carefully consider all offers of objects to determine whether they are suitable for the collection and can be stored, displayed and conserved within the capacity we have.
If you are thinking of leaving an object to the museum, please contact the Legacy team so we can liaise with appropriate curatorial staff in advance. We would be very grateful for any accompanying financial gifts to contribute towards your object's long-term care.
Can my name be included with the gift?
We recognise the generosity of our valued legacy legacy donors with their name on an object label, or – for transformational gifts – on the wall of a gallery or attached to a curatorial post. Please contact us to discuss this further.
Can I specify how my gift will be used?
You can choose whether your legacy donation supports a specific department, an activity close to your heart and interests, or simply wherever the need is greatest at the time.
Please contact the Legacy team for the wording needed to direct your gift to a specific area of our work and to ensure your wishes can be met.
Do I need to tell you I've pledged?
You don't need to give us any details of your legacy gift and you are very welcome to remain anonymous. However, if you do let us know that you have included a gift, it gives us the opportunity to thank you.
Can I reduce my Inheritance Tax liability?
Gifts to charities are exempt from Inheritance Tax, meaning that leaving a gift to the V&A may help reduce your Inheritance Tax liability. If you leave 10% or more of the net value of your estate to charity in your Will, your estate will qualify for Inheritance Tax at the reduced rate of 36% (rather than 40%).
Everyone's tax situation is different. Your solicitor will be able to tell you more about the ways charitable giving may reduce Inheritance Tax on your estate.
Can I read the V&A's Annual Report?
Yes, you can read all of our past annual reviews to understand the impact of our work.
I'm an executor or solicitor – what to do I need to do?
Please contact us if you are an executor for a legacy supporting the V&A so we can work with you to create a meaningful and personal legacy for the person who has passed away. It is helpful if you can contact us at the start of the administration process so we can help guide you through it. For audit purposes we are required to have a copy of the Will and Grant of Probate on file.
For more information, contact:
Madeline Messenger, Senior Legacies Officer
Legacy@vam.ac.uk
020 7942 2716