Legacies, or gifts in Wills, have a huge impact for the University of Cambridge, inspiring the world in our teaching and research, nurturing exceptional minds and driving the discoveries of the future.

This statement supplements our Data protection statement for alumni and supporters and explains how the University collects, handles and uses personal data to manage our legacy giving programme, including administration to secure legacy donations. 

Processing personal data in connection with the administration of legacy gifts is necessary to ensure we can apply such gifts in accordance with the donor’s wishes and our strategic research and teaching objectives for the public good.  

The following statement sets out how the University specifically uses personal data for legacy gift processing. 

Whose personal data do we use?

If you have informed us that you are considering or have already left a legacy to the University, we will retain this information. If we have an interaction with you regarding legacy giving, we will record this, as it helps us keep a record of your intentions and understand how best to direct your gift.  

Where a legacy giver has passed away, we will process personal data in line with our legal obligations to receive and use legacy gifts for charitable purposes. This includes personal data about people involved with legacy gifts, including the deceased, executors, solicitors, trustees, other beneficiaries, legacy administration professionals and family members.   

We collect and use personal data from the following categories of people:  

• Donors who have left a gift to the University in their Will  
• Professional or lay executors of the estate, trustees of Will Trusts 
• Other individuals named as beneficiaries in a Will, including those with life interest in an ongoing Will Trust  
• Employees of organisations we work with during the administration process, including charity legacy officers, solicitors’ employees, estate agents, etc.   
• Family members and/or next-of-kin to thank and report on the progress of the administration and impact of the legacy gift, as appropriate   

What personal data do we hold?

We may collect and hold information, including personal data, from several sources, including executors, solicitors, trustees, and legacy administrators (including third parties acting on our behalf – see below for when we share personal data).  Such personal data includes: 

• Names, addresses and contact details 
• Information about co-beneficiaries and their entitlement under a Will 
• Family relationships with the deceased legacy giver 
• Information from Smee & Ford notifications  
• Copies of Wills provided by executors, trustees or other professionals involved in the estate administration, or from publicly available sources online  

We do not collect or process special category (sensitive) personal data unless it is strictly necessary and relevant to the administration of a legacy.  

How do we use your data? 

• We use personal information for legacy administration
• We may send communications to you by post, telephone or electronic means (principally by email), depending on the contact details we hold
• If you have concerns or queries about any of these purposes or how we communicate with you, please contact us using the details listed below

When will we share data with others (our partners)?

We share the above categories of data with executors, solicitors, trustees, other beneficiaries, legacy administration professionals and family members to administer legacy donations. Additionally, we share data on a considered and confidential basis, where appropriate, with third parties engaged by the University to provide legacy administration services. 

Further information 

If you have any questions about the data we hold for legacy gifts, please email legacies@philanthropy.cam.ac.uk.