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28 January 2021
Cheap and Free Wills
Die without having made a will and you could be leaving behind significant financial problems for the people you care about. Worryingly, new research suggests that more than half of adults don't have a will. Here's how to get a solicitor-written will in return for a small charity donation, and other low-cost options.
Important: If you want to write a will but you're worried about coronavirus, it's normally possible to complete it remotely. Additionally, new legislation has been introduced meaning a will can be 'witnessed' via video – eg, on Zoom.
Making a will is one of those things that many people put off. However, a will can be an important way to protect your family and loved ones. It can save on inheritance tax and head off family disputes about how your possessions should be divided.
A will is a legally binding document which tells everyone what should happen to your money, possessions and property – collectively called your 'estate' – after you die.
Crucially, no will = no say over what happens to your money and property when you die.
As well as naming your beneficiaries (the people who benefit from your will), a will appoints executors – the people who look after the financial process after your death (who 'execute' your will).
Importantly, if you don't leave a will, your estate is shared out in a standard way defined by law (the 'law of intestacy') – which might not be in line with what you would have wanted.
There are many specific reasons for writing a will, including:
Here we want to start with a WARNING – unlike many areas of financial services, will-writing is NOT a regulated market.
This means there are a number of different ways to get a will, but the protections you have if something goes wrong can vary hugely, depending on who writes it.
Confusingly, while will-writing itself is unregulated, because solicitors ARE regulated professionals, if you use them you ARE covered by a range of potentially valuable protections.
With other (non-lawyer) will-writing services, you do NOT have the same safeguards, and with a DIY will essentially you are on your own. So we want to make it clear that...
Who writes your will matters – the protections can vary hugely and problems may not come to light until after you are dead, which could be many years later
WARNING! Whether you get your will from a solicitor or a will-writing service, don't assume you also have to appoint them as executors (the people who'll sort out your finances after your death). While some people do choose banks or solicitors, they often charge monstrous fees. They may push to be made executors of your will – or just add themselves without asking you – so make sure you only agree to it if this is what you want. Try instead to choose trusted friends or relatives (especially people who are your beneficiaries, as they are interested parties to your will).
It's important your will is stored safely and you tell your executors where they'll be able to find it after your death.
If a solicitor helps you write your will, they'll usually store it for you – generally for free – while you get a copy.
If you use a will-writing service, they'll also often store your will – but there may be an extra charge. And you may be less protected than with a solicitor – for example, if the will writer went out of business – so certainly make sure you keep a copy yourself.
You could just keep the original copy of your will at home, though there is then the risk it might be accidentally thrown away or damaged.
Alternatively, you could store it with the Probate Service in England and Wales. There's a fee of £20 to do this, but withdrawing it is free. In Northern Ireland, wills can be deposited with the Probate Office for a fee of £33. You can find out more about the various options for storing your will in Scotland on the Citizens Advice Scotland website.
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As mentioned above, using a solicitor means you have more protection if something goes wrong – which may not become apparent until decades later and after you are dead. So if you want to be on the safe side, this is likely to be the best option for you.
Using a solicitor can be expensive, but there are ways you can cut the cost.
Many charities offer fee-free will-writing by solicitors. In return, they hope you'll make a donation or leave a bequest in your will (leaving them something when you die) – though you're not obliged to.
These schemes normally run during particular months of the year (notably March, October and November). We'll update this section when these schemes are open.
Do remember it is a charity paying for your will, and it may be shelling out £100s, so please seriously consider leaving a bequest.
The Cancer Research UK Free Will Service allows over-18s to get a free simple will (if your affairs are complex, eg, you have children from a previous relationship, you might need a more comprehensive will). Or they can update an existing one.
The service is available over the phone, online or face-to-face with your nearest participating solicitor. Find out more by following the link above or by phoning 0300 123 7733.
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The Stroke Association offers a free simple will to over-60s or stroke survivors who are 18+.
Email FWS@stroke.org.uk, complete the form on its website or call 0300 3300 740. You'll be sent a will pack which will explain details of the scheme.
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The Children's Hospital Charity (based in Sheffield) has partnered with national law firm Irwin Mitchell to offer a discounted will-writing service that also benefits the charity.
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If you have a particular charity in mind that you'd like to leave a gift, check whether it runs a scheme of its own. More than 100 charities are signed up to the National Free Wills Network, offering free simple wills – usually for charity members and over-55s.
The charity will usually check you have donated in the past, or are a member, to be eligible for the free will. Each charity's offering is slightly different, so ensure you read up.
Among the charities signed up and offering free simple wills prepared by a solicitor are: Amnesty International, Alzheimer's Research UK, British Academy, Children with Cancer, Compassion In World Farming, Dignity in Dying, Guide Dogs, Independent Age, Liberty, Oxfam, Shelter and the Soil Association.
A number of trade unions, including the Public and Commercial Services Union, the NASUWT teachers' union, the Fire Brigades Union and Unison offer free wills to their members (and 'mirror wills' for partners) via BBH Legal Services, part of Thompsons Solicitors, which is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. So if you're a union member, they're worth checking.
Some employers may also offer a will-writing service as part of their legal assistance to staff. Check how it works, though. If it's just filling in a template, you may well be better off with a solicitor-based service.
Go via this MSE link to get discounted wills at Co-op Legal Services*. Single wills are £99 (norm £150) and 'mirror wills' for couples are £185 (norm £245), incl free lifetime secure storage.
Co-op Legal Services is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
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If none of the free or low-cost options detailed above suits, you can also find a local solicitor on the Law Society's database. Or if you need one that provides specialist legal advice for older and vulnerable people, their families and carers, try Solicitors For The Elderly.
Phoning around to get a few quotes could be worthwhile, with potential savings of £100+ between firms.
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Will-writing services can also offer savings against standard solicitor fees, with prices starting under £100.
These services may be online-based – using digital tools to draft your will – operate by post, or will involve someone coming to visit you at home. This could be more convenient than going to see a solicitor.
Some services may have specialist staff checking the wills they produce. However, they do not carry the same safeguards as a regulated firm of solicitors.
If you're considering a will-writing service, it's worth checking whether it's a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, the Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW) or the Society of Will Writers (SWW). Members of the IPW or SWW have indemnity insurance – at least £2 million in the case of IPW members.
For example, Makeawillonline.co.uk charges £39.50 for one or £49.50 for two (covers England and Wales) and is a member of the SWW. Its wills are checked by a solicitor, but it isn't regulated by the SRA.
If you opted to include legal cover with your home insurance policy, check whether it includes a will service. For example, More Than's home insurance legal service add-on gives access to wills and other legal template documents.
You complete your details and the will is checked by a legal team, who send it back to you for signing. It's only suitable for simple wills, but worth seeing if your insurer offers it.
To compare, see our Cheap Home Insurance guide.
Use this MSE link to get 50% off all wills from Which?* until Thursday 4 February. Single wills cost from £49.50 (norm from £99) and joint (mirror) wills from £78 (norm from £156) including the discount, which is applied automatically when you click the Which? link above.
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Farewill* is offering 30% off wills until Sunday 31 January. By entering code msesave30 at the counter, or following the link above, you can get a single will for £63 (norm £90) or a couple's will for £98 (norm £140).
IMPORTANT: Farewill charges a £10 annual subscription fee if you want to be able to update your will – your first year is free. You'll get a reminder before the free period's up, so you can cancel if you wish. If you cancel and then need to update, you'll need to pay the full £90/£140 for a new will.
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For people with simple circumstances, writing your own will using a template available from stationery shops or online can be a cheap option.
WARNING! Only write your own will if your wishes are very simple. For example, if you're married and want to leave everything to your spouse, and – should they die before you – you then want to leave everything to your children. Anything more complicated than that – eg, if you have stepchildren or you aren't married to your partner – you should almost certainly use a solicitor or a will-writing service.
Lawpack* has a will template at £19.99. The legal advice site Compact Law also has some free-to-download templates.
Your Will Be Done (£27 for a single will or £37 for a 'mirror will'), allows you to update your will for free for life. There is an additional £27 charge if you want to have your will checked by a solicitor member of the Society of Will Writers.
There are some basic legal requirements needed to make a will, and DIYing will mean these rest on your shoulders.
For example, you must be over the age of 18 and have the mental capacity to make a will. The will also needs to be dated and witnessed correctly and must state that it replaces all previous versions (and if there are any, these should be destroyed).
It's common for people to make mistakes, such as names of people or charities being misspelled or information about assets being too vague, so be careful and be as specific as possible.
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