How does the UK want to be remembered?

It seems Brits want to be remembered for their heart rather than their hustle, based on our survey. “Trustworthy”, “kind” and “loving” are the top ways they’d like to be remembered while being remembered as “wise”, “adventurous” and “ambitious” hover at the bottom of the list. ^{Footnote [1]}  

And how we want to be remembered varies between generations and genders. For those aged 16-24, it’s about being “loyal”, “loving”, and “kind” while for those 55+ it’s being remembered as “trustworthy”, “honest”, and “kind”. ^{Footnote [1]} And for those aged 35 and older, being remembered as “ambitious” is low on the list.  

And while the men surveyed would like to be remembered as “trustworthy” and “honest”, surveyed women prefer to be remembered as “kind” and “loving”.

In our analysis of over 1,000 obituary tributes from around the country, as found on Funeral-Notices.co.uk and written by loved ones of those who passed, it seems how we want to be remembered and how we’re honoured may differ.

Although over a quarter of surveyed Brits want to be remembered as “trustworthy”, for example, no tribute included this in a description of their loved one. ^{Footnote [1] Footnote [2]} And while nearly a quarter want to be remembered as “honest”, only one tribute describes their loved one as such. ^{Footnote [1] Footnote [2]}    

This doesn’t mean that those who passed away weren’t trustworthy or honest (or aren’t remembered that way). Instead, it may show that how we hope to be remembered differs from how we’re appreciated in people’s hearts and minds. 

But it doesn’t mean that those who passed aren’t cherished. Because the words “love”, “loving”, and “loved” appear more times than any other to describe feelings and 94% of these tributes include at least one emotional word or phrase. Nearly three-quarters include at least one mention of a specific relationship (like dad, husband, wife, son, or daughter) and more than one in five include a physical trait, like their loved one’s voice or eyes. “Beautiful” and “smile” are the most popular physical characteristics mentioned.^{Footnote [2]}

Yet, it seems writing a tribute to honour someone who’s passed may be tricky. More than two in five of those surveyed worry about finding the right words with more than three in five of those aged 16 to 24, which is not only higher than any other age group, but more than double of those aged 55+.^{Footnote [1]}

The three most important legacies Brits want to leave behind are:

1. strong family bonds and memories (54%)
2. a positive impact on other peoples’ lives (49%)
3. financial security for their family (41%).

While more than a quarter of those aged 16 to 24, and nearly a quarter of those aged 25 to 34, believe career achievements and professional success are important legacies to leave behind, this drops to just 6% for those aged 55+.

Contributing to their community and society as well as career achievements and professional success are more important for our surveyed men than for women. And, for our surveyed women, strong family bonds and memories are more important than for the men.

And for 71% of Brits who are widowed, more so than any other relationship status, strong family bonds and memories are the top priority.

For an overwhelming majority, more than 90% of surveyed Brits, it’s important to ensure their family is financially supported when they pass. ^{Footnote [3]} Those who are married or in a relationship are most likely to agree.

And for many, it’s not simply wishful thinking.

Almost two-thirds of those surveyed have a plan to leave financial support for loved ones with more than two in five actively saving or working towards this goal. ^{Footnote [1]} More than any other age group, nearly three-quarters of 25 to 34-year-olds have a plan and half are already, actively saving or working towards this aim. And it seems men are more than 10% more likely than women to have a financial plan in place for when they pass.

More than one in five of those surveyed have a plan but aren’t actively pursuing it, while nearly three in ten don’t have any plan.

For some of our surveyed Brits, it may take a health scare or a major life event (like having a child or losing a loved one) to think about and act in pursuit of their financial legacy. For others, one in ten of those surveyed, getting married would be the push towards making sure loved ones were financially supported after their death.

Step 1: Reflect and review – money may be a mirror.

How you’re remembered when you’ve passed, and how you’d like to be remembered, is uniquely personal to your life and values. And, whether you’re thinking about it or not, your financial choices may speak (either quietly or loudly) to your beliefs and values. This means that your financial legacy, whatever it may look like and no matter how much thought you give it, could reflect more than what’s in your bank account. So, it may be worth taking a moment to think about how you’d like your money to leave a lasting, positive impact on generations to come. To help reflect, you might ask yourself:

1. who would I like my money to support when I’m gone?
2. which groups, clubs, organisations, or businesses would I like my money to support when I’m gone?
3. based on the financial decisions I’ve made as an adult, what do I value?
4. how are my most recent financial choices helping my financial legacy goals?
5. what do my financial habits look like and are they helping build my financial legacy?

Step 2: Protect and plan – helping secure a future for generations to come.
Once you’ve reflected on the legacy you’d like to leave, the next step is to protect what matters most by making a plan.

For some, this may mean putting practical measures in place to make sure family, friends, and their community are financially supported when they’re gone. Life insurance is one of the most accessible and effective tools for this.

“Depending on the plan that best fits your needs,” says Victoria, “it can help give your family a financial cushion to help cover expenses like mortgage payments, childcare, or education costs. Whether you’re just starting out or well into your financial journey, a life insurance policy can be tailored to your needs and budget, helping to ease the burden on those you care about most.” And it’s not just about the payout—it’s about having some reassurance that your legacy includes care, foresight, and protection.

Check out our article ‘What is life insurance?’ for how it works, how much it costs, and what it covers.

Estate planning is another key part of building a secure financial legacy. Creating a will or trust means that your assets (anything you own of value) are shared out according to your wishes, which helps reduce the risk of arguments and delays. It also allows you to make thoughtful decisions about who inherits what, and how.

Beyond the legal documents, estate planning can include setting up savings accounts, pensions, or investment portfolios that grow over time and can be passed on. For some, this might even include digital assets like cryptocurrency. The goal is to create a plan that reflects your values and supports the people and causes you care about. By protecting what you’ve built and planning with intention, you’re not just preparing for the future, you’re shaping it for generations to come.

For more details, explore our guide to help you with estate planning.