There are three main types of legacy you can leave: 

• A share of your estate – this is called a residuary legacy. The ICR will receive a share of your estate once all other beneficiaries and costs are paid. 

• A fixed sum of money – this is called a pecuniary legacy. Over time the value of this gift can be eroded by inflation. 

• A specific gift – this can include property, jewellery, shares, art or antiques.

To ensure your gift reaches us, please include our full name, address, and exempt reference number in your Will: 

The Institute of Cancer Research 
123 Old Brompton Road 
London SW7 3RP 

We’re an exempt charity, which means we don’t have a Charity Commission number. Instead, please use our Exempt Reference Number: X90004 when writing your gift into your Will. 

Your legacy could turn discoveries made in the laboratory into treatments that save lives around the world by: 

• Funding cutting‑edge equipment for our scientists 

• Training the next generation of cancer researchers 

• Launching new research programmes that bring hope to patients 

Whatever you choose to leave, your gift will help create better treatments, kinder care, and a brighter future for people affected by cancer. 

We are very grateful for every gift left to the ICR. Each one plays a vital role in helping us drive forward life‑changing cancer research. 

You are very welcome to tell us how you would like your gift to be used. However, very specific instructions can sometimes create difficulties, especially if many years pass between writing your Will and us receiving your gift. Our research priorities may have changed by then, meaning we may not be able to use the gift exactly as you intended. 

To avoid this, many supporters choose wording that expresses their wishes while still giving us enough flexibility to put their gift where it will make the greatest impact.  

If you are thinking about supporting a specific area of research, we’re always happy to talk this through and help you find the right wording. You can contact us at [email protected] or call 020 7153 5387. 

The ICR is an exempt charity, which means we don’t need to register with the Charity Commission and therefore won’t appear on its website. 

We hold this status because we are a college of the University of London and are regulated by the Office for Students, which has similar oversight powers to the Charity Commission. Our exempt charity reference number is X90004. 

You can read more about exempt charities here.

Our free Will services cover the full cost of a simple Will. If your circumstances are more complex (for example, if you have business interests, overseas assets, or want to set up a trust) you can still use the service, but any additional specialist work would be payable by you. 

The solicitor will explain this after your initial meeting and let you know in advance if there are likely to be any extra costs, so you can make an informed decision. 

Even if you need more than a basic Will, using our service can still help reduce the overall cost.