Year in Wills report 2024

From the music that tells our stories to the places and companions that shaped our lives, wills written in 2024 highlight a growing desire to personalise funerals in meaningful ways. Whether it’s a favourite song, a colourful celebration, or a heartfelt nod to beloved pets, people are finding ever more unique ways to reflect their values, connections, and memories in their final wishes.

Queen still reigns supreme as the most requested band 

For another year, Queen continues to be the most requested band at funerals. Their iconic hit Bohemian Rhapsody remains a firm favourite. Close behind are Oasis, whose anthems Stop Crying Your Heart Out and Cast No Shadow resonated deeply this year, perhaps inspired by their much-anticipated reunion tour in 2025.

But the most requested song of all? Frank Sinatra’s timeless My Way. Released in 1969, this classic continues to outshine both modern hits from artists like Taylor Swift and Robbie Williams and the enduring appeal of Elvis Presley. With its message of individuality and celebration, My Way has cemented itself as a poignant farewell choice.

Modern artists are also leaving their mark. Ed Sheeran’s Perfect and Adele’s Someone Like You remain popular, offering heartfelt reflections for final goodbyes. Meanwhile, Coldplay’s anthems, such as Fix You, continue to strike a chord, resonating deeply in funeral ceremonies.

Classic rock still holds strong, too. Tracks like Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles and Elton John’s Candle in the Wind bridge generational gaps, providing universal messages of hope and remembrance.

A deep connection to place

This year’s wills revealed just how much the places we hold dear continue to shape our final wishes.

While churches are still most frequently mentioned, with many wishing to return to a place so central to their lives, a growing number chose alternative places to be remembered. Nature featured prominently as you might expect, with beaches, gardens, and rivers offering peaceful, meaningful resting places. Many people also mentioned holiday destinations and family homes, reflecting a desire to be laid to rest in places tied to treasured memories. From the tranquillity of woodlands to the majesty of mountains, these choices underline how deeply connected we are to the landscapes of our lives.

Raining cats and dogs

This year, more people than ever included their pets in their funeral wishes, reflecting the enduring bond between humans and their animal companions.

Dogs led the way, with many people requesting that their loyal friends be remembered or even included in their final plans. Whether it was scattering ashes in favourite walking spots or mentions of cherished memories, these wishes showed how deeply loved dogs are.

Cats were close behind, with owners often asking for their feline companions to be nearby in death, just as they were in life. For some, even more exotic pets, like birds, fish, and lizards, featured in their plans, showing that all creatures, great and small, hold a unique place in our hearts.

Black is (not) back

Traditional all-black funeral attire is increasingly being set aside, with many people requesting more colourful and uplifting clothing for their final farewell. Here’s how colour featured in funeral wishes this year, ranked from most to least popular:

• Red – Often mentioned in the context of “red roses” for flowers, symbolic phrases like “red sky at night,” or even names.

• White – Favoured for its uplifting tone, particularly in ceremonies with a focus on hope and reflection.

• Green – A popular choice, especially linked to eco-friendly funerals, natural burial grounds, and greenery in flower arrangements.

• Pink  and purple – Often requested as themes for flowers or clothing, bringing warmth and vibrancy to ceremonies.

Gold and silver – These metallics were commonly associated with details like casket linings, decorations, or memorials.

Gifts left in wills are deeply personal choices that reflect the values, relationships and moments that matter most to each individual. In 2024, more people than ever before left a gift to a charity through Farewill – increasing 13% on 2023. 

We’re proud to partner with over 300 charities on their free will campaigns, helping supporters leave a legacy that creates a brighter future. This year, Farewill celebrated a significant milestone: the highest gift inclusion rate in our history. 

It’s a powerful reflection of the growing number of people choosing to include a charitable gift in their will, offering an exciting opportunity for charities to grow their legacy income and make a lasting difference.

Baby boomers lead the way in gift giving

During times of financial uncertainty, it can be difficult to regularly donate to causes you care about. But this year, despite the continuing financial crisis, our charitable spirit continued to prevail across the UK. Baby Boomers, the largest and wealthiest generation, are also the most generous when it comes to leaving a gift to charity. In 2024, 42% of baby boomers who wrote their will with Farewill included a charitable gift. Although millennials left the least number of gifts, a generous 23% chose to leave a gift to charity in their will. 

The South West was the most generous region

In 2024, the South West was the most generous region when it comes to leaving a gift to charity in their will (34.4%). They were followed closely by Yorkshire and the Humber (34.1%). At the opposite end of the scale, Greater London (25.2%) and Scotland (22.2%) lagged behind.

Supporter interests are overlapping

Legacy giving isn’t a zero-sum game. In 2024, we continued to see individuals leaving gifts to multiple charities, even when those charities operated in overlapping cause areas. 

Our analysis reveals interesting patterns in how cause areas overlap. Some connections are intuitive: donors supporting cancer charities often also include general health charities in their wills, and vice versa. Other overlaps are less predictable but no less significant. For instance, donors to animal rights charities often also support cancer, general health, and emergency response charities, highlighting a diverse range of interests even within specific cause areas.

One of the most striking connections in our dataset is between homelessness & housing charities and mental health charities. Over 10% of those leaving a gift to a mental health charity also include a homelessness charity in their will, compared to only 4% who include a hospice.

This shift underscores the importance of building a strong legacy giving brand and providing an engaging stewardship journey. As donors increasingly focus their giving on one or two key causes, the charities that thrive will be those that create lasting, meaningful connections with their supporters, ensuring their mission resonates deeply and stands out.

5% is the most popular amount to leave a charity

A residuary gift is a percentage of your estate, after all other gifts and expenses have been paid. In 2024 the most popular share of an estate left to charity was 5%. We saw peaks at various round numbers, as people opted to keep things simple. 

Unlike a fixed gift of cash, a residuary gift is more likely to hold its value over time. It’s one of the reasons it’s such a great way to leave a gift to a charity or cause you care about.

Charities that clearly communicate the outsized impact of larger residuary gifts often see stronger results over time, creating a more sustainable future for their work.

We all know how important it is to write your will, but it’s often a task that gets put off for another day. This year, we’ve worked closely with our charity partners to explore what motivates people to write their wills, and the powerful role a legacy can play in shaping the future.

When do people write their wills?

Our data from 2024 revealed some interesting patterns in when people are most likely to write their wills:

• 22 October: The busiest day of the year, as the final week of October’s Free Wills Month prompted charities to make a last push to engage supporters.

• 1 April: The day after March’s Free Wills Month ended, with follow-up reminders inspiring many supporters to take action.

• 6 March: The first Wednesday of March’s Free Wills Month, as campaigns kicked off and charities reached out to their communities.

At the other end of the scale, the quietest days were during the festive season. Unsurprisingly, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day saw little activity. Outside of Christmas, the quietest day was the first Saturday in August, a sunny 25°C day when many swapped life admin for time outdoors.

Tuesday is the most popular day to write a will

The start of the week consistently proved the most popular time for writing a will, as people tackled their to-do lists after the weekend:

• Tuesday, Monday, and Wednesday: These were the busiest days, with many people turning their focus to important tasks like will writing.

• Sunday: The fourth busiest day, as quieter weekends often gave people time to reflect and plan.

On the other hand, Saturdays and Fridays saw the least activity:

• Saturday: The quietest day overall, as people prioritise leisure and social plans.

• Friday: Often a day for winding down rather than ticking off life admin

1. Start by making notes The more you think about it upfront, the easier you’ll find it to write your will. So start by asking yourself these questions:

   • Who do I want to inherit my money and property?

   • What do I want each of my loved ones to get? 

   • Do I want to leave money to charity? 

   • Are there any gifts I’d like to leave people? 

   Once you’ve figured these things out and got it all down on paper, you’ll have taken a big first step towards writing your will.

2. Make a list of people you trust Your will lets you name legal guardians for your children and who should look after your pets. You will also need to choose your executors (these are the people who will sort everything out when you’re gone). Before making any big decisions, it’s a good idea to write out a list of options. This could include people like: 

   • your partner 

   • your children 

   • your parents

   • your siblings

   • your best friend

3. Do it your way

There are many ways to make a will. So shop around until you find a service and price that suits you. You could do:

• write your will online with a step-by-step guide

• write your will over the phone with a specialist 

• write your will at your local will writing professional’s office

• write your will at home with a professional

With Farewill, you’ll be able to ask questions and get guidance along the way.

For this report we’ve analysed anonymised data from thousands of the wills people wrote with us in 2024, and compared this to our data for 2016 and through to 2023. All data was collated between 1 January and 31 December 2024.

The generation brackets we’ve used

• Gen Z, born 1997 – 2012

• Millennials, born 1981 – 1996

• Gen X, born 1965 – 1980

• Boomers II, born 1946 – 1964

• Boomers I, 1946 – 1954

• Post War, born 1928 – 1945