Almost one in every five patients cared for by North London Hospice has that care paid for by a gift left in someone's Will. This quietly extraordinary figure is one the charity is keen for local people to know, as legacies represent one of the largest single sources of funding for its work.
The hospice, which has served the London boroughs of Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey since 1984, provides free specialist palliative and end-of-life care to thousands of patients and their families every year. Legacies are among the most significant contributors to keeping that work going.
Free Will-Writing Services Partnership
Writing a Will is often something people put off, but the hospice's message is gentle: look after loved ones first, then, if it feels right, consider leaving something to the community that may one day be there for them too. To make the process easier, North London Hospice has partnered with two trusted providers so supporters can write or update a simple Will free of charge. There is no obligation to include a gift to the hospice, though many people choose to.
The first option is the National Free Wills Network, which arranges a face-to-face appointment with a solicitor in the local area. The second is Octopus Legacy, an online service for those who prefer to complete their Will from home. Both routes are outlined on the hospice's page about how to write your Will for free, alongside guidance for anyone weighing up the decision for the first time.
Expanding Care Across Three Boroughs
The scale of what those gifts support is easy to underestimate. North London Hospice was the first multi-faith hospice in the UK when it opened, growing from an idea in a Muswell Hill flat into a purpose-built hub in North Finchley by 1992. Four decades on, it now runs inpatient care, community nursing, day services, and family support across three London boroughs.
The need is only growing. In Barnet alone, the number of people aged over 65 is expected to double by 2040, which will bring more families to the hospice's door. One patient, quoted on the charity's own materials, put it simply: before arriving, she had been frightened, assuming a hospice was somewhere people went to die. What she found instead, she said, was a place that helped her live better.
Impact of Legacy Gifts
That shift, from fear to reassurance, is the practical result of the care funded in part by legacies. Every gift, large or small, contributes to the same picture. More information about leaving a gift in your Will, requesting a legacy guide, or speaking to the hospice's team is available on the North London Hospice website.
For the families the hospice supports across north London, a gift written into a Will today is what makes the care possible tomorrow.
