Probate · 7 min read · Published
Donating belongings to charity after a death: a practical guide
Practical advice on giving someone's belongings to charity after their death. It covers who has authority, valuations first, which East Yorkshire charities collect, fire label rules and the tax position.
By Aaron Johnson, Consultant Solicitor and TEP, a solicitor in Bridlington who writes every guide himself.
This guide is general information about the law of England and Wales, not legal advice. Each case is assessed on its own merits.
Guides · Probate · No. 11 of 21Published · 7 minutes
When someone dies, their home is often full of a lifetime of possessions. For an executor, deciding what to do with them can be one of the hardest parts of the job. Giving things to charity is a good way to honour someone's memory. First, though, there are practical and legal steps to take.
When belongings can be given away
Only the executor (named in the will) or the administrator (appointed by a grant of letters of administration, usually when there is no will) has authority to deal with the deceased's possessions. An executor's authority comes from the will itself, but banks, buyers and auction houses will usually want to see the grant of probate. An administrator has no authority until letters of administration are issued. Nobody else has the right to give away, sell or dispose of belongings, however well meant. Even the executor or administrator holds the belongings for the beneficiaries. Unless the will allows it, giving items away usually needs the agreement of the beneficiaries entitled to them.
In practice, everyday items such as clothing and perishable goods are often dealt with before the grant. For anything of value, or where there is any risk of a dispute between beneficiaries, it is safer to wait for the grant. A named executor who starts dealing with the belongings may lose the right to give up the role.
Get valuations first
Before donating anything, establish the value of the estate's contents. HMRC requires a record of all assets at the date of death for inheritance tax. That does not mean a formal valuation of every teacup. Items of potential value, such as antiques, jewellery, art and collectables, should be professionally valued.
A probate valuation gives the open-market value at the date of death. It protects you as executor, gives you proper records for HMRC, and stops you giving something worth thousands to a charity shop by mistake.
Charities that collect in East Yorkshire
Several well-known charities offer free collection, which makes donating much easier, particularly if you are clearing a whole house.
British Heart Foundation
The British Heart Foundation offers free home collection for furniture and electrical items it can sell, depending on your postcode. It also runs a paid house clearance service, from £400, which can be practical for larger estates. BHF accepts furniture, electricals, clothing, books and homeware.
Sue Ryder
Emmaus Hull and East Riding
Age UK Hull and East Yorkshire
Other options
The British Red Cross, the Salvation Army and local charity shops in Bridlington town centre also accept donations. Phone ahead to check what each shop can take, as space varies.
What charities can and cannot accept
Typical charity donation rules
| Usually accepted | Usually refused |
|---|---|
| Clean clothing | Upholstered furniture without fire labels |
| Furniture with fire safety labels | Mattresses (most charities) |
| Books and DVDs | Gas appliances |
| Kitchenware and crockery | Broken electricals |
| Working electricals (charities safety-test them) | Built-in furniture |
| Paint and chemicals |
Tax benefits of an estate's charity gifts
A gift to a UK charity made by the will is free of inheritance tax: its value comes off the estate before the tax is worked out. Belongings the executor simply gives to a charity shop are different. Unless the will or a valid deed of variation gave them to charity, they still count in the estate at their date of death value. There is a further benefit for larger gifts. If the will leaves at least 10% of the estate's 'baseline amount' to charity, some or all of the estate is taxed at 36% instead of 40%. The baseline amount is broadly the estate's value after debts, reliefs and other exemptions, less the nil-rate band. A deed of variation made within two years of the death can do the same. On a large estate the saving can be considerable.
Gift Aid does not apply to belongings given by an estate, because the goods must belong to the donor personally. Once an item has passed to a beneficiary who is a UK taxpayer, the beneficiary may be able to donate it under the Retail Gift Aid scheme.
Professional house clearance services
Giving things away item by item is not always practical. The property may need emptying quickly for sale, or there may simply be too much to sort. A professional house clearance service may then be the better option.
- BHF clearance service. From £400, the British Heart Foundation will clear a whole house and sell or donate the usable items through its shops.
- Specialist probate clearance companies. Firms that specialise in house clearances after a death.
- Auction houses. Some will clear a house as part of a sale arrangement. They combine disposal with the chance to sell items of value.
Getting help with probate
Dealing with someone's possessions is one part of probate, and often the part that feels most personal. If the whole process is too much, Aaron can take it on. He handles the whole estate administration, from the grant of probate to dealing with HMRC and distributing the assets.
Sources
The official pages behind the rules this guide explains. Each was checked on .
Written by Aaron Johnson, Consultant Solicitor and TEP · Law of England and Wales as at 21 March 2026 · Ends
