Providing for Pets in Your Will

Can you leave money to a pet in a will?

Not directly. A pet is legally property rather than a person, so it cannot own money or stand as a beneficiary, and a clause simply leaving cash "to my cat" generally fails. A will deals with your money, property and possessions, and an animal falls within the possessions you can pass on, not among those who can receive (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). The practical route is to leave the pet, and money for its care, to a person.

What are the main options?

There are three routes many people consider, and they can be combined. You can leave the pet plus a cash sum to a named carer, you can set up a trust that holds money for the animal's care, or you can use a charity legacy scheme that rehomes and cares for pets. Each balances certainty, cost and control differently, so one option some consider may suit better than another depending on circumstances.

Option	How it works	Worth weighing
Gift to a named carer	Leave the pet and a sum of money to a person who agrees to care for it.	Simple and low cost, but the money becomes theirs and is not ring-fenced for the pet.
Pet trust	Money is held by trustees and released for the animal's care under your instructions.	More control and ring-fencing, but more complex and can carry trust tax and reporting.
Charity legacy scheme	An animal charity agrees to rehome and care for the pet, often with a gift to the charity.	Reassuring fallback, and gifts to charity are generally exempt from inheritance tax.

Option

How it works

Worth weighing

Gift to a named carer

Leave the pet and a sum of money to a person who agrees to care for it.

Simple and low cost, but the money becomes theirs and is not ring-fenced for the pet.

Pet trust

Money is held by trustees and released for the animal's care under your instructions.

More control and ring-fencing, but more complex and can carry trust tax and reporting.

Charity legacy scheme

An animal charity agrees to rehome and care for the pet, often with a gift to the charity.

Reassuring fallback, and gifts to charity are generally exempt from inheritance tax.

Gifts to qualifying UK charities are generally free of inheritance tax, and leaving at least 10% of the net estate to charity can reduce the rate on the rest from 40% to 36% (gov.uk/inheritance-tax, as at July 2026, subject to change). See our note on leaving money to charity in a will.

Naming a carer and leaving a sum

The most widely used approach is to name someone you trust as the pet's new owner in your will, and to leave them a cash gift intended to cover its care. Legally the money becomes the carer's own, so it is not automatically tied to the animal. Many people pair this with a letter of wishes setting out feeding, vet and routine details, which is not legally binding but guides the carer.

Because the gift is not ring-fenced, it relies on trust. Some people ask the chosen carer in advance whether they are willing, and name a substitute in case the first choice cannot act. A cash gift left this way forms part of your estate in the ordinary way for inheritance tax, alongside everything else (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change).

A letter of wishes works well alongside this; see our note on the letter of wishes and what belongs, or does not belong, in the will itself in what not to put in a will.

Using a trust for a pet

A trust can hold money for a pet's care and release it under rules you set. Because the animal cannot be a beneficiary, these are usually framed as discretionary trusts for the benefit of the people who care for the pet, or drafted so funds pass to a chosen person or charity once the animal dies. This gives more control and ring-fencing than an outright gift, at the cost of extra complexity, trustee duties, and possible trust taxation and registration (gov.uk, trusts and taxes, as at July 2026, subject to change).

A worked example (illustration only). Someone leaves their spaniel to a niece, together with a cash gift of £4,000 intended for its care, and adds a letter of wishes about the dog's routine. The £4,000 forms part of the estate and is assessed with everything else against the £325,000 nil-rate band (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change); if the estate is within the available bands, no inheritance tax arises on it. Because the money legally becomes the niece's, it is not ring-fenced for the dog, so the arrangement rests on trust and on the letter of wishes. Change the figures, the person or the structure and the position changes, so this is general information rather than a calculation for any real estate.

Charity pet-care schemes

Several animal charities run schemes that promise to take in and rehome a pet after an owner dies, usually in return for a gift in the will. This can be a reassuring fallback where no suitable carer is available. Gifts to qualifying UK charities are generally exempt from inheritance tax, and where at least 10% of the net estate passes to charity the rate on the rest of the estate can fall from 40% to 36% (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Terms differ between charities, so it can be worth checking each scheme's conditions.

Name a person first. A charity scheme often works best as a backstop behind a named carer, not instead of one.

Check the terms. Some schemes ask you to register the pet in advance or to leave a specified gift.

Keep details current. Update the arrangement if you change pets, carers or the charity.

Providing for pets in Scotland and Northern Ireland

The starting point is the same across the UK: an animal is property and cannot inherit, so provision is made by leaving money to a person, a trust or a charity rather than to the pet. Inheritance tax is UK-wide, so the £325,000 nil-rate band and the 40% rate apply in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland alike (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Succession and trust law differ, though. Scotland has its own rules, including legal rights that give a spouse and children a fixed share of the estate, which can affect how much is free to leave for a pet. Where an estate touches more than one UK nation, it can be worth taking advice in each.

Frequently asked questions

Can I leave money directly to my pet in my will?

No. Under the law of England and Wales an animal is property, not a person, so it cannot own money or be a beneficiary, and a gift left straight to a pet generally has no effect. A will covers your money, property and possessions (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Instead, many people leave the pet and a cash sum to a named carer.

How much money should I leave for my pet's care?

There is no set figure, and it depends on the animal's age, breed, health and likely lifespan. Many people estimate lifetime food, insurance and vet costs and leave a round sum to cover them. Whatever amount you choose forms part of your estate and is assessed against the £325,000 nil-rate band with everything else (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change).

Is a gift for pet care ring-fenced for the animal?

Usually not, if you leave it outright. A cash gift to a carer becomes their own money and is not legally tied to the pet, so the arrangement relies on trust and often a letter of wishes. Some people use a trust to keep funds ring-fenced and released only for the animal's care, which adds control but also complexity and possible trust tax (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change).

Do I pay inheritance tax on money left for a pet?

Money left for a pet's care is treated like any other cash gift and forms part of your estate for inheritance tax, assessed against the available bands (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). A gift to a qualifying animal charity is generally exempt, and leaving at least 10% of the net estate to charity can reduce the rate on the rest from 40% to 36%, depending on circumstances. Source: gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change.

What happens to my pet if I do not mention it in my will?

The pet passes as part of your estate like any other possession, either under a general gift of your belongings or, if there is no valid will, under the intestacy rules that decide who inherits (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Naming a carer and leaving instructions avoids leaving the animal's future to chance, which is why many owners set this out expressly.

Should I use a pet trust or just name a carer?

It depends on how much control and certainty you want. Naming a carer with a cash gift is simple and cheap but not ring-fenced; a trust ring-fences funds but adds cost, trustee duties and possible trust tax and registration (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). One option some consider is to name a carer and hold a charity scheme as a backstop. It can be worth discussing with a qualified professional.

About Fairchild Oldfield

The Fairchild Oldfield team brings together estate planning, tax, independent financial advice and client care, working with families across England and Wales.

Fairchild Oldfield are estate planning specialists and will writers, not a firm of solicitors. This article is general information based on practical experience, not legal, tax or financial advice.

Important: This article is general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Reading it does not create a professional relationship. It is based on the law of England and Wales, and other UK jurisdictions may differ. Figures and rules are current as at July 2026 and are subject to change. Before acting, many people choose to seek advice from a suitably qualified professional, such as a solicitor, a STEP practitioner, an accountant, or an FCA-authorised financial adviser, who can consider your individual circumstances.

Leaving Money to Pets in a Will