Music is the soundtrack to our lives. It defines our happiest moments, gets us through the tough times and it brings us together. Without the creators behind the melodies and lyrics, where would we be?
However, the music industry is uncertain and a sudden illness, unexpected bill, period of mental ill health or a drop in income can leave many of those creators struggling. Many songwriters and composers work independently without a safety net to fall back on when crisis hits.
That’s why we exist. For more than 90 years we’ve provided practical support to music creators facing hardship. We help people get their lives back on track so they can continue their creative careers. But we can’t do it alone.
Whether you’re a music creator yourself or just a fan, you can help keep music alive far into the future.
A gift in your will can help secure long-term support for generations to come.
Your music leaves a legacy, let your estate do the same
If you’re a PRS member and music creator, you have a unique understanding of the uncertainty of a career in the music industry. You know that your career and your circumstances can change on the flip of a record.
We’d like you to think about what happens to your copyrights and royalties after you die. And once you’ve taken care of your loved ones, consider leaving a gift to the PRS Members’ Fund in your will.
By standing in solidarity with those singer-songwriters who follow in your footsteps, the music can live on long after you’ve gone.
A gift in your will ensures that long after your final royalty distribution, we can continue to offer a safety net to creators who fall on tough times.
How PRS members can leave a lasting legacy
- Residual Legacy: Leave the remainder, or a percentage of your estate to the Fund after loved ones are cared for.
- Pecuniary Legacy: Specify a fixed cash sum in your will to provide immediate financial support.
- Posthumous Royalty Streams: Dedicate a specific percentage of your ongoing catalogue earnings to generate support in perpetuity. It is also possible to leave MCPS and PPL earnings, publisher income, and other royalties.
Why a gift of royalties is different?
The nature of a royalty bequest presents unique benefits for both the donor and the recipient. Copyrights continue for 70 years after the death of the writer. Years after your own death, your gift could pay the rent arrears that prevent a songwriter from being evicted or buy new glasses for an elderly composer.
By giving back to the community that fostered your own journey, you’re not just protecting individuals, you’re safeguarding the future of the singer-songwriter ecosystem, leaving a lasting mark on the industry that defined your life.
Tom Springfield
1934 – 2022
For many people, Tom Springfield’s songs are woven into the memories and moments of a generation. A gifted musician, songwriter and producer, Tom wrote and produced some of The Seekers’ most beloved hits, including ‘Georgy Girl’, ‘I’ll Never Find Another You’ and ‘The Carnival is Over’. Although he never performed with the group himself, his contribution to their sound and success was so significant that he became affectionately known as “the fifth Seeker”.
Tom’s generosity did not end with his lifetime. When he died in 2022, he left his future royalties to the PRS Members’ Fund, creating a legacy that will help protect and support vulnerable music creators across the PRS community for years to come. His music continues to do what great songs have always done: reach people, offer comfort and make a lasting difference.
Watch our 1-min tribute to Tom’s generosity and please consider making a royalties’ bequest in your own Will.
As a music lover you can leave a legacy so future generations can experience the same joy from music that you have.
You’ve been to the gig, you’ve got the T-shirt and you’ve spent a lifetime singing along to the tracks that define your happiest memories. As a music lover you can leave a legacy so future generations can experience the same joy from music that you have.
Your love for music can help protect the real people behind the music that has soundtracked your life. By leaving a gift in your Will to the PRS Members’ Fund, you help build a long-lasting safety net that protects the creators behind your favourite songs when crisis hits.
How music lovers can create a lasting legacy
- A gift in your Will: Choose to leave a cash gift or a percentage of your estate to protect the future of music once you’ve taken care of your loved ones.
- A frictionless legacy: Include the PRS Members’ Fund in your estate planning using standard, simple, legal wording (we can even offer a free Will writing service via our partner Farewill).
By leaving a gift to the PRS Members’ Fund in your Will, you’re not just protecting individuals, you’re guaranteeing that future generations can experience the same rich, musical landscape that soundtracked your life.
Daphne Oram – electronic music pioneer
Daphne Oram was an electronic music pioneer whose imagination and determination helped shape the future of experimental electronic music, opening up new possibilities for generations of composers and sound creators.
As well as inventing ‘Oramics’ an innovative approach to composing sound using drawn waveforms, and co-founding the highly influential BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Daphne was also a writer, educator and advocate for electronic music as a valuable art form. As a trustee of PRS for Music in the seventies, she was also a strong supporter of composers’ rights.
Following Daphne’s death in 2003, the administrators of her estate made a generous gift to the PRS Members’ Fund. In 2025, to mark Daphne’s centenary, the Fund partnered with the Oram Awards to provide financial backing for alumni to attend their Shetland Artist’s Retreat. This project provided women and gender-diverse artists, recognised for their innovation in sound and technology, the opportunity to rest and restore in nature while focusing on their writing, research, mental health, and wellbeing.
Our pledge to you
Leaving a gift in your will is a special and personal decision. When you make a gift to the PRS Members’ Fund we promise,
- We’ll continue to offer financial and welfare support to PRS songwriters and composers and develop our services to meet the needs of our members.
- We’ll use your gift wisely and cost-effectively ensuring it has the greatest impact for PRS songwriters and composers suffering from hardship or poor health.
- We will handle your personal information securely and in confidence, respecting your privacy and letting you choose how we contact you.
- Your contribution won’t be forgotten. We’ll ensure our work continues to support songwriters and composers for generations to come.
Find out about our free will writing service
Request our Legacy Brochure
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