How you can remember us in your will

Thinking about leaving us legacy? Find out how:

There are a number of different ways that you can leave a gift to the Library in your will and we’ve listed them all below. The wording can be used whether you are writing a new Will, or if you are amending an existing Will (adding a Codicil). When writing your Will, we advise you to consult a solicitor or other qualified specialist to ensure that your Will suits your personal circumstances. Please see the descriptions below and some suggested wording.

 A Residuary Gift – A proportion of your estate

After taking care of your family and friends, you can decide to leave a share of the remaining value of your estate to the Library – this is known as a Residuary Gift. A residuary gift won’t be affected by inflation as its value will change in line with the value of your estate, which may mean you are less likely to need to amend your will in future.

Residuary Gift Suggested wording

I give ___________ percentage of my residuary estate to the British Library of 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB for its general purposes and I declare that the receipt of an authorised officer shall be full and sufficient discharge to my executors.

A specific Sum – A Pecuniary Gift

You may wish to specify an exact amount of money to give the Library in your Will. This is known as a Pecuniary gift.

Pecuniary Gift – Suggested wording

I give the sum of £____________ to the British Library of 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB for its general purposes and I declare that the receipt of  an authorised officer shall be full and sufficient discharge to my executors.

A specific Item or gift:

You may wish to make a gift of rare books, manuscripts, sound material or other item to the Library. Please contact us should you wish to leave an item(s) which you would like to be added to the Library’s collection as it is important for us to ensure that we would be able to fulfil your wishes.