Make a major gift

Age UK have a dedicated team who work closely with our major supporters. We are here to discuss your support and ensure your gift is allocated according to your wishes.

We can help by suggesting specific projects and programs that would benefit from your investment and will keep you informed about the difference your support is making to older people.

We rely on your donations to:

• Inform and support older people to improve their health and wellbeing, and to access the financial assistance they are entitled to, enabling them to combat discrimination and lift themselves out of poverty.
• Provide targeted, practical home and care services for people who need additional support, so everyone can enjoy an independent, healthy and safe later life.   
• Carry out groundbreaking biomedical research into age-related health conditions.
• Provide long-term solutions and disaster relief to older people in some of the most deprived and vulnerable regions of the world.

Ongoing support

A number of our donors choose to support a specific project over several years. Longer term support can take the form of one large gift when the project starts, or be given at regular intervals throughout the duration of the project. This support is invaluable as it enables us to plan ahead knowing that funding is secure.

One such project is the Disconnected Mind, a major 8-year research programme at the University of Edinburgh to discover why and how our thinking skills change with age and what we can do to minimize the changes. Our mind - how we think - is at the core of our being so we all fear losing our mental abilities as we age. This is one of the greatest health challenges of the 21st century. The Disconnected Mind is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to understand cognitive ageing throughout life and during ageing itself:

Read more about the Disconnected Mind project

How you can make a difference

£2,000 would enable a local centre to provide a volunteer befriending service enabling older people to participate in community life, reducing the effects of isolation. 

Medicare vehicles bring essential healthcare to isolated rural communities in India.

£7,000 will buy a mobile Medicare vehicle to reach isolated communities in India.

Medicare vehicles provide medication, primary healthcare and vital emergency support to older people with poor health or mobility who struggle to access healthcare.

£11,750 will fund a Home from Hospital scheme for 120 older people.

This service provides vital additional support for the six weeks after a stay in hospital. An emergency response pendant enables older people to get help or hear a friendly voice at the touch of a button, giving the chance for greater independence and security and reducing readmission to hospital.

£20,000 would provide training in agricultural methods to over 1,500 older people in deprived communities in Peru.

This will enable them to grow crops and vegetables and breed livestock so that they can support and feed themselves and their families.

£42,000 will fund a HandyVan scheme for a year.

This enables a trained fitter to visit 600 older people’s homes to install life-saving smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, fit locks and carry out small but essential tasks such as changing light bulbs.

This service is free for disadvantaged older people and enables them to live independently and safely in their own homes.

£82,800 would fund a three-year PhD Studentship to study the genetic causes of dementia.

This offers hope for prevention and management of this condition that devastates the lives of so many. By supporting these studentships we are also developing much needed capacity in the field of ageing research, ensuring that our work will continue in the future.

Recognition

As a major supporter, you will play an important role in enabling Age UK to transform later life. Our Chief Executive will thank you personally for your contribution to our work and all recognition will be tailored to your personal preferences.

We will also keep you informed about the progress of the work that you fund and, depending on your desired level of involvement, you can enjoy the following benefits:

• Private visits to see the work you fund and the impact of your support.
• Invitations to regular briefing events at which you can meet the programme experts.
• A dedicated member of staff who will answer your questions and let you know about any key developments.

Gift Aid

We encourage all donors to increase their gift to us through the Gift Aid scheme. This is available to all individuals who pay UK tax. Gift Aid donations are regarded as having basic rate tax deducted by the donor. Age UK receives your donation - which is money you've already paid tax on - and reclaims the basic rate tax from HM Revenue & Customs. This means that if you give £10 using Gift Aid, it’s worth £12.50 to the charity. You will need to complete a short Gift Aid form but you only have to do so once, regardless of how often you give. Find out more about gift aid.

Contact us

If you would like to find out more about our work and the difference you could make to the lives of older people, please call us on 020 3033 1358, or email natasha.wright@ageuk.org.uk.

We will be delighted to hear from you.