Remember Street Children in Your Will

At the Consortium for Street Children (CSC), we work tirelessly to make sure that the voices of street children are heard and that their rights are respected. We do that in many different ways. Examples of our work include:
  • Representing the rights of street children at national and international levels (national governments and international bodies like the UN).
  • We advocate for children’s rights and help our members to influence their governments to implement laws and strategies that help street children and to cease practices that harm them. Among other things, the CSC and their members are fighting to:
    • Stop penalising and incarcerating children for so called ‘status offences’ like begging and truancy,
    • Stop children being forcibly removed from the streets by the police in so called ‘round-ups’
    • Remove barriers that prevent children from accessing services they are entitled to.
  • We educate on-the-ground charities and street children themselves on how to advocate for children’s rights in their own, local environments.
  • We produce and collate research on the issue of street children making sure that any decisions concerning them are based on sound knowledge and that street children have a say on the laws that govern them.
  • In collaboration with our network members, we run projects, working directly with street children. You can read about our most recent projects here.

£50

could pay for materials that help children understand their rights

£500

could pay for CSC to train Network members in advocating for children’s rights

£1,000

could pay for digital campaigning to change how street children are viewed and treated around the world

Why I'm remembering street children in my will

“Street children are one of the most vulnerable children on the planet. That’s why they need strong organisations like the Consortium for Street Children (CSC) who works tirelessly on their behalf.

As a child I witnessed atrocities and experienced terrible privation in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam.

Once, I remember, a small boy arrived in the dead of night carrying a battered little suitcase. A message inside read:  “please look after our little Paul. He is 4 years old. He does not like carrots”.  His life depended on the streets, and his survival depended on being protected rather than rejected or persecuted.

The war for me ended a long time ago – but not my pledge to protect children like Paul in the future. Street children – who live or depend on the streets for survival – are still with us. They may call the street home for different reasons – conflict, migration, family breakdown, abuse or illness.

I think this must be the greatest shame of our planet, of our times.

One part of my promise for these children is that I am leaving a legacy in my will to support CSC. I want to ensure CSC continues to speak up for and improve the lives of the world’s street children .

Will you join me in leaving a legacy to continue this vital work?”

Trudy Davies
CSC Ambassador for Street Children.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why do I need a will?

When you write a will, you specify what will happen to your money and belongings after you pass away. It is particularly important if you have children or you would like to make sure that your estate is managed according to your wishes.

If you want to apportion money in your will to a charitable cause, you will need to state that in your will.

Also, writing a will may reduce the amount of Inheritance Tax that your loved ones may have to pay after your passing.

What happens if I die without having written a will?

If you die without having written a will, the law decides what happens to your estate. These are called the rules of intestacy. According to these rules, only married or civil partners and some other close relatives can inherit your estate.

Giving to charity and Inheritance Tax

According to The Money Advice Service, if you leave something to charity in your will, then it won’t count towards the total taxable value of your estate. This is called leaving a ‘charitable legacy’.

You can also cut the Inheritance Tax rate on the rest of your estate from 40% to 36%, if you leave at least 10% of your ‘net estate’ to a charity.

How do I go about including CSC in my will?

In preparation to drafting your will, you need to make a list of all of your assets – that is, the things you own, such as real estate, vehicles, and any items of value.

Then, make a list of your liabilities – that is, the things you owe, like mortgage or any loans that you need to pay back.

Finally, make a list of all the people you would like to leave money to – this might be family, friends, but also charitable organisations and causes that you support.

In order to draft a will, you will need to hire the services of a solicitor. The Law Society can help you find a solicitor in your area.

For more information, call 020 7320 5650 or visit the Law Society website.

What are the ways I can leave a gift to CSC in my will?

There are three ways you can remember CSC in your will. You can choose to leave a fixed sum of money from your estate. This is known as a pecuniary gift.

Alternatively, you may choose to donate a share of your residue estate to charity. This is the share of the estate once your family and other people you specified in your will have received their shares.

You may choose to leave all of the residual to CSC or specify a share, such as 10 or 20%

Finally, you can also choose to leave an item of value such as jewellery, artwork, or an antique. You may even choose to leave a property. This all would have to be described in detail in your will.

I already have a will – how can I change it to leave a gift to CSC?

You may want to draft a completely new will. Most people, however, choose to add a Codicil to the existing will. You can download a Codicil form here.