Major cancer charity puts efficiency first with FirstClass

The background


Since it was formed in 1911, Macmillan Cancer Support has grown into one of the largest British charities.


Raising money to provide vital cancer services, campaign for better cancer care and support the cancer workforce, Macmillan Cancer Support is now nationally recognised and hugely respected.


In fact, in YouGov’s UK Charity Rankings 2023, it claimed first place as the charity that most people would donate to tomorrow. 


Legacy gifts account for 40 per cent of the organisation’s income, currently totalling over £90m each year, and the Legacy Income team handle over 3,000 legacy notifications annually.


Yet, despite its size and the volume of support it receives, Macmillan Cancer Support was running a dual system when it came to managing its legacy financial data and its legacy notifications – an approach that was creating inefficiencies and leaving its legacy management programme open to risk.


This all changed in 2023 when it chose FirstClass to handle both elements.

“We’ve been using FirstClass for legacy case management since 2016. However, we initially delayed migrating the financial data on legacies because we were expecting to move away from our income management system within a year or so, and it made sense to wait for that project before moving over our legacy data. However, the income management system project was significantly delayed, and it was not until 2023 that we were able to progress with moving our legacy income onto FirstClass. 


“It is fantastic to have finally brought everything onto the same system having craved it for so many years. The legacy team are loving having everything in one place and have found the process of recording income and making estimates straightforward to learn and easy to use. Our finance team are equally delighted, as they can now run reports in minutes that previously took hours and were subject to error. 


“We knew FirstClass would give us opportunities to improve our processes and reporting but the benefits are even greater than expected and it is hard to believe we waited so long!”


Lucy Pike, Legacy Income Development Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support

The project


In many ways, Macmillan Cancer Support was an outlier; it was one of the UK’s largest charities yet its dual system approach meant that it was not straightforward to access financial legacy data.


Not only was the dual system unnecessarily using resource, but the organisation also has plans to replace the in-house finance system, so this is a step forward towards being able to phase it out. Additionally, only a few remaining members of the Technology team knew how to support the in-house system, which increased the charity’s risk profile.


The decision to migrate legacy financial data was taken in 2023. This began with a significant data cleansing programme, which saw the FirstClass team assist with identifying discrepancies that had built across the two systems over several years. Once the current and historic data was consistent, it was migrated into FirstClass. 


Following several months of testing, the project went live in June 2024 and Macmillan Cancer Support now intends to be an active member of the FirstClass steering group, which will see the charity help shape the next generation of the legacy management platform.

“We’ve always had a good relationship with the FirstClass team. This project has only strengthened it. The way they operate is always led by what their clients need. Now that we’re planning to be an active member of the steering group, we recognise that Macmillan Cancer Support has the opportunity to influence what comes next from a sector-wide perspective. After all, if the system can work for other charities as well as it works for us then everyone can realise the benefits. Our partnership has been hugely successful and we want to continue building it in any way we can.”


Lucy Pike, Legacy Income Development Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support

The result


Since migrating its financial legacy data into FirstClass, Macmillan Cancer Support has:


  • Incorporated the accrual function, which allows the charity to calculate outstanding income in seconds – a process that previously took over two hours to run

  • Delivered a training programme to all 18 of its legacy team members enabling a more strategic approach to legacy and finance management

  • Enabled more accurate integration with key industry bodies such as Legacy Foresight, the UK’s most prominent legacy market analyst. Not only is the data required by Legacy Foresight produced more quickly, but it’s also exported in a standardised format that Legacy Foresight can use

  • Phased out the manual spreadsheets that it was using to produce multiple sets of data. Now, everything can be contained and managed within the FirstClass platform

  • Significantly improved the efficiency and detail of case management, reporting and analysis, and more effectively prioritised workload and legacies. Prior to unifying its systems, the charity was unable to easily determine how much each legacy case was worth and prioritise workload based on value without cross referencing two systems

  • Built stronger relationships both internally and with FirstClass, which better enables it to shine a spotlight on the value of legacy giving.
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ILM 2026: What we’re most excited about this year

By Fiona Paton • March 25, 2026
We’re officially counting down to the ILM Annual Conference on 8 May at 133 Houndsditch, London. It’s always one of the best days in the legacy calendar - a chance to reconnect in person with friends and colleagues across the sector, soak up engaging speaker sessions, spark new ideas, and celebrate the incredible work happening in legacies at the ILM Awards. What's New The FirstClass team will be on hand to share the latest on how FirstClass is evolving, with the launch of the first iteration of FirstClass 5 Essentials coming very soon. We’ll also be unveiling a couple of new services we’re delighted to introduce, including Data Cleansing and RCS Business Messaging - the natural successor to SMS. Data Cleansing For charities and non‑profits, supporter data is the backbone of effective legacy giving. Yet while nearly half of organisations want to use insights to improve services, more than half are held back by CRM challenges. Poor‑quality data can have serious consequences - from losing touch with potential legacy supporters to missing opportunities for deeper engagement, and even risking compliance issues. That’s where our Data Cleansing service comes in. We help charities restore confidence in their supporter information by improving the quality of addresses, emails, and phone numbers. The result is cleaner, compliant, and more reliable data that strengthens legacy communications and ensures every supporter feels valued and connected. RCS Business Messaging Charities are experiencing a major shift. Supporters now expect digital‑first, mobile‑first communication - they want interactions that feel personal, transparent, and effortless. Social media is great for sharing impact stories, but when it comes to deeper, more meaningful conversations, like inspiring someone to leave a gift in their Will, charities need something more powerful and more trusted. RCS delivers on‑brand, secure, and interactive messages straight to the place that matters most - your supporters’ phones. Unlike SMS, RCS allows content‑rich, multimedia, and interactive messaging, helping charities build stronger, more personal connections with legacy supporters. And the results speak for themselves: up to three times higher engagement than SMS, read rates of 60–80%, and adoption by hundreds of leading brands. RCS is redefining how charities nurture relationships and inspire legacy giving. ILM Awards As always, a big highlight of the conference is celebrating excellence across the legacy sector, and we’re looking forward to cheering on all the ILM members who’ve been nominated. Good luck to all the nominees - we’re excited to celebrate your achievements and hear about the great work happening across the sector. Make sure to drop by on the day to hear how FirstClass is now delivering even more for its clients, and in the meantime, you can view the complete list of speakers and topics for the day at the ILM Annual Conference website .

Open Conversations. Shared Solutions.

By Fiona Paton • March 25, 2026
At FirstClass, we’ve always believed our product should grow with the charities and non-profits who use it. Your input has shaped the way we build, and now we want to take that collaboration one step further. Monthly Check-in Calls We’re introducing monthly check‑in calls - an open forum where you can drop in, chat with the team and other customers, and explore anything to do with the product. No agenda, no pressure. Just space for conversation, questions, and shared ideas. These sessions give you the chance to: Share your priorities and help shape how we address different aspects of the system Stay informed on technical updates, including external systems like SQL or Outlook What’s new across our Team, billing, and the wider company See functionality demonstrated live - if you’re unsure how something works, we’ll show you Updates on features and fixes in the latest releases Ask questions on any part of the system Whether you join for five minutes or stay for the full hour, this is your space to connect with us. It’s a chance to explore challenges together, share experiences, and help shape a product that truly works for charities. We’ll host these sessions monthly on Microsoft Teams, giving you regular opportunities to drop in and join the conversation. Join our team for open, honest discussions that help us learn, improve, and grow alongside you.

Legacy Giving: Where Donors Leave Their Mark

By Fiona Paton • January 30, 2026
Most people assume gifts in wills go mainly to hospitals or animal charities. But legacy giving is evolving - from climate action to cultural preservation, donors are reshaping where their final gifts go. And with the biggest wealth transfer in history already underway, the question isn’t if charities will benefit, but which ones will capture the imagination of a new generation of donors. The Main Sectors for Legacy Gifts Health & Medical Research : Personal or family experiences with illness inspire gifts to hospitals, hospices, and research foundations. Animal Welfare : Emotional bonds with pets and wildlife make animal charities a natural choice. Humanitarian Aid : Donors who care about poverty, hunger, and inequality often leave legacies to international aid organisations. Faith‑Based Causes : Religious traditions encourage charitable giving as part of a spiritual legacy. Education : Universities, schools, and scholarship funds benefit from donors who want to give future generations opportunities. Community & Social Services : Local charities supporting homelessness, youth, or food banks benefit from donors who want to strengthen their communities. Emerging Growth Areas Environmental Charities : With climate change high on the agenda, more donors are leaving gifts to conservation and sustainability causes. Arts & Heritage : Museums, galleries, theatres, and cultural trusts are seeing increased support as donors seek to preserve culture and history for future generations. Younger Donors and the Great Wealth Transfer A major shift is underway. Millennials and Gen Z are beginning to shape the future of legacy giving, and their priorities look different from those of older generations. Younger donors tend to support: Environmental and climate action - sustainability and conservation are top of mind. Social justice and equality - causes that drive systemic change resonate strongly. Community impact - grassroots and local charities that deliver visible results. Arts and culture - inclusive cultural spaces and heritage preservation are gaining traction. This shift is amplified by the Great Wealth Transfer: an estimated $84–124 trillion will pass from Baby Boomers to younger generations and charities over the next two decades. This is not just financial - it represents a cultural change in philanthropy. Younger donors expect transparency, digital engagement, and clear evidence of impact. Digital Engagement: Meeting Younger Donors Where They Are For younger generations, digital isn’t optional - it’s the default. Communicating with them means using the channels they already live on, and that includes mobile messaging . It’s quick, it’s simple, and your message lands directly in their hands. Charities that embrace mobile‑first communication alongside email, social, and digital campaigns will build stronger connections with younger supporters and keep legacy conversations relevant. Why Donors Choose These Causes Legacy giving is rarely about short‑term impact. Donors want to leave something that endures - whether it’s funding medical breakthroughs, protecting animals, preserving heritage, or tackling global challenges. These gifts reflect identity, values, and lived experiences, ensuring that a supporter’s passion continues long after they’re gone. Data Accuracy: The Foundation of Legacy Giving Regardless of who or what supporters choose to leave their legacy to, without the right details, it all becomes pointless . Poor‑quality data can mean missed opportunities or even lost supporters. Clean, validated data ensures that legacies are honoured, communications reach the right people, and charities can act with confidence. Conclusion Health and animal welfare charities may dominate legacy giving today, but the landscape is shifting. Environmental and cultural causes are gaining momentum, and younger generations are bringing new priorities to the table. With the Great Wealth Transfer already underway, charities that invest in legacy marketing now - building trust, demonstrating impact, engaging digitally (especially through mobile messaging), and ensuring data accuracy - will secure not just income, but a lasting place in the hearts of future supporters. From legacy management to data cleansing and mobile messaging, we help charities handle every legacy with confidence. Want to know how FirstClass can support your organisation? Contact our team to find out more