A cross-communal umbrella organisation is reporting an eight per cent rise among Jews who consider that charitable legacies are important.

Legacy Giving, which conducted the research, encourages people to leave money to one of the 48 charities signed up to its campaign.

Its chair, Melanie Klass, said: "It's all about changing attitudes in the community towards legacies."

Harvey Bratt, legacies director at UJIA, welcomed the potential increase in support, saying that legacies were "vital" for charities such as his.

Mr Bratt added that legacies were "an amazing way for individuals and families to make their mark on the Jewish story and to pass something on to the Jewish people, here and in Israel. The more awareness about this way of giving tzedakah, the better for our collective future."

Jewish Care's fundraising director Daniel Carmel-Brown found the research "very encouraging. We were a founding member of the Jewish Legacy campaign and we're pleased to see that there has been an increase in people's intentions to leave a Jewish legacy."

Kisharon fundraising director Richard Franklin said the study mirrored what his charity had experienced over the past year.

"One's last gift can have the greatest impact, both for one's family and for one's wider community.

"I would do anything I can to encourage people to give to causes which have touched them."