Free Wills Month UK: What It Is, How It Works, and What To Do If You Miss It
Free Wills Month runs in March and October each year, offering people aged 55 and over a professionally drafted will at no cost. Here is everything you need to know about how the scheme works — and what your options are year-round.
What Is Free Wills Month?
Free Wills Month is a UK charity initiative that runs twice a year — in March and October — during which a network of participating solicitors draft simple wills free of charge for people aged 55 and over. The scheme is organised by a consortium of major UK charities and is entirely funded by the charitable legacies that participants voluntarily choose to include in their wills.
The principle is straightforward: charities know that people who work with a solicitor to write a will are significantly more likely to include a charitable legacy than those who never write a will at all. By making will-writing accessible and free, the charities invest in a future stream of legacy income — while participants get a professionally drafted legal document at no cost.
Participation in Free Wills Month is available across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland through solicitors who have signed up to the scheme. You do not have to include a charitable gift in your will to use the service — it is always your choice.
How the Scheme Works
Book your appointment early
When a scheme opens (typically the first week of March or October), visit freewillsmonth.org.uk to find and book an appointment with a participating solicitor near you. Slots are limited and popular locations fill within days. Do not delay.
Attend your appointment
Meet your solicitor in person or, at some firms, by telephone or video call. Bring identification, details of your assets, names and addresses of proposed beneficiaries, and the name of someone you would like as your executor.
Discuss your wishes
The solicitor will ask about your estate, your family circumstances, and your wishes. They will explain the implications of different choices. You will also be given information about the participating charities and the option to include a legacy — but this is entirely voluntary.
Sign your will
The solicitor drafts your will and arranges for you to sign it in front of two witnesses. This formal signing gives the will its legal validity under s9 Wills Act 1837. The solicitor may offer to store the original will for you.
Store your will safely
Keep the original will in a safe place and tell your executor where it is. A copy at home is useful but only the original can be admitted to probate. Consider registering it with the National Will Register (Certainty) at a small one-off charge so it can be found after your death.
What Is — and Is Not — Covered
Typically included
- ✓Single will or mirror wills for couples
- ✓Appointing executors
- ✓Leaving the estate to named beneficiaries
- ✓Specific cash or item gifts
- ✓Naming a guardian for children under 18
- ✓Basic testamentary trust provisions
- ✓Including a charitable legacy (optional)
Typically excluded
- ✗Complex inheritance tax planning
- ✗Business succession or business property relief
- ✗Foreign assets or cross-border estates
- ✗Disabled beneficiary trusts / vulnerable person trusts
- ✗Wills relating to divorce or contentious family situations
- ✗Very large or complex estates
- ✗Powers of attorney (separate document entirely)
Free Wills Month vs Will Aid vs WillSafe
| Feature | Free Wills Month | Will Aid | WillSafe |
|---|---|---|---|
| When available | March & October | November | Year-round, instantly |
| Age requirement | Typically 55+ | 18+ (all adults) | 18+ (all adults) |
| Cost | Free | Suggested donation £100–£200 | From £19.97 |
| Who drafts it | Solicitor | Solicitor | You (guided kit) |
| Slots available | Limited; fill very fast | Limited; fill fast | Unlimited |
| Charitable link | Invited to include legacy | Donation goes to charity | None required |
| Complex estates | Not usually covered | Not usually covered | Refer to solicitor |
The Charities Behind the Scheme
Free Wills Month is supported by a consortium of major UK charities. The charities fund the scheme in exchange for the opportunity to discuss charitable legacy giving with participants. The charities involved typically include a mix of health, humanitarian, animal welfare, and social care organisations, though the exact lineup varies by scheme year.
Remember: including a legacy in your will is entirely optional. The solicitor will present the option, but you can decline without any effect on the service you receive. If you are interested in leaving a charitable gift, Free Wills Month is an excellent opportunity to discuss how legacy giving works and to build it into your will at the same time as you create the document.
What If the Scheme Is Fully Booked or You Are Under 55?
Free Wills Month slots fill quickly. If you cannot get an appointment, there is no reason to delay writing your will — an unwritten will creates real risk and all the alternatives below are accessible right now:
- WillSafe kit (year-round, from £19.97). A guided online will kit for England and Wales, available instantly. Produces a legally valid will you sign at home with two witnesses. Suitable for the vast majority of straightforward estates.
- Will Aid (November). The other major charity will-writing scheme, open to all adults, with solicitor-drafted wills in exchange for a suggested charitable donation. See our full Will Aid guide for details.
- Solicitor (any time). A basic will drafted by a high street solicitor typically costs £150–£300. Worth paying for if your estate is complex or you have specific concerns about a claim against your estate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I book a Free Wills Month appointment?
Appointments are booked through the Free Wills Month website (freewillsmonth.org.uk) at the start of each scheme in March and October. You select your location and are matched with a participating solicitor near you. Slots fill very quickly — often within the first few days of the scheme opening — so it pays to register your interest and act immediately when booking opens rather than waiting until later in the month.
Is Free Wills Month genuinely free — am I pressured to leave a legacy?
The will-writing itself is completely free of charge. However, Free Wills Month is funded by a consortium of charities, and you will be given the opportunity to consider leaving a legacy (a charitable gift in your will) to one or more of the participating charities. You are under absolutely no obligation to do so. If you choose not to include a charitable legacy, the will is still prepared free of charge. The scheme is structured so that the charities benefit from the long-term gifts people freely choose to include, not from any direct charge.
What is the difference between Free Wills Month and Will Aid?
Both schemes offer professionally drafted wills from qualified solicitors, but they operate differently. Free Wills Month (March and October) is genuinely free — no fee is requested. The scheme is funded by charitable legacies that participants voluntarily include. Will Aid (November) asks for a suggested charitable donation in lieu of fees — typically £100–£120 for a single will or £180–£200 for mirror wills — which goes to nine Will Aid partner charities. Free Wills Month is generally available only to people aged 55+, while Will Aid is open to all adults. Both cover simple wills only; complex estates should see a specialist.
What types of will are covered by Free Wills Month?
Free Wills Month solicitors typically draft simple single wills and mirror wills for couples. Most participating firms will prepare a will that includes straightforward provisions: appointing an executor, leaving the estate to named beneficiaries, naming a guardian for children, and including basic trusts. Complex matters — including large estates with significant inheritance tax planning, business interests, foreign assets, disabled beneficiaries requiring specialist trusts, or contentious family situations — are generally outside the scope of the scheme and you would need to instruct a solicitor privately for those.
Can I use Free Wills Month if I am under 55?
The Free Wills Month scheme is generally restricted to people aged 55 and over, though the exact age limit can vary slightly between participating firms and scheme years. If you are under 55, the best alternatives are: Will Aid in November (open to all ages), the WillSafe DIY will kit (available year-round from £19.97 and suitable for most straightforward estates regardless of age), or a local solicitor if your estate is complex. Do not delay writing your will just because you are under 55 — intestacy affects people of all ages and an affordable option is always available.
Don’t Wait for the Next Free Wills Month
Free Wills Month slots fill fast. If you cannot get an appointment this year — or if you are under 55 — a WillSafe kit gives you a legally valid will for England and Wales right now, for less than the cost of a dinner out.