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Wills & Will Writing Articles
Everything about making and updating a valid will in England and Wales: formal requirements under the Wills Act 1837, choosing executors and guardians, gifts and legacies, codicils, and the mistakes that get DIY wills challenged.
All 83 wills & will writing articles
- Best Online Will Writing Service UK 2026, Compared & Ranked99. Beyond has exited the UK will market in 2026; Farewill, WillSafe UK and others remain. Compared on price, scope, and legal validity.19 June 2026
- Charitable Legacy in a Will UK24A. This guide explains the types of charitable legacy, the 10% rule, and how to draft the gift correctly.9 June 2026 · 4 min read
- Mutual Wills UK: Binding Agreements Between CouplesMutual wills are wills made under an agreement that neither party will revoke them after the first death.9 June 2026 · 4 min read
- Where to Store a Will UK: Safe Options That Cost LittleA will is only useful if it can be found after you die. Executors need the original signed will to apply for probate.9 June 2026 · 4 min read
- Wills Act 1837 UK: The Rules That Make Wills ValidThe Wills Act 1837 sets out the formal requirements for a valid will in England and Wales.9 June 2026 · 4 min read
- Wills Act 1963 UK: Foreign Wills Recognised HereThe Wills Act 1963 determines whether a foreign will is formally valid in England and Wales.9 June 2026 · 4 min read
- Beneficiary of a Will UK: Your Rights ExplainedA beneficiary is a person or organisation named in a will to receive a gift from the deceased's estate.8 June 2026 · 5 min read
- Beneficiary Rights in an Estate UKBeneficiaries of an estate in England and Wales have the right to receive their inheritance.8 June 2026 · 7 min read
- Write a Will for Free UK: 5 Genuine OptionsYou don't need a solicitor or any fee to write a valid will in England and Wales. Five free and low-cost routes compared, with who qualifies for each.8 June 2026 · 5 min read
- Letter of Wishes UK: Guide Your Executors and TrusteesA letter of wishes is a private document that guides your executors and trustees on how to carry out your will.8 June 2026 · 5 min read
- Types of Will UK: Which One Fits Your Family?There are several types of will in England and Wales, a simple will, mirror wills, a will with a trust, a statutory will, and others.8 June 2026 · 5 min read
- What Is a Codicil UK? How to Amend a Will WithoutA codicil is a separate legal document that adds to, varies, or revokes part of an existing will, without replacing the whole will.8 June 2026 · 4 min read
- Will Writing Services UK: Types, Costs and AlternativesThere are four main ways to make a will in England and Wales: a high-street solicitor, an online will writing service, a DIY will kit.8 June 2026 · 5 min read
- UK Wills Law Reform 2026: What Happened to the BillThe government missed its 16 May 2026 deadline to respond to the Law Commission Modernising Wills Law report. Your existing will is fully valid.19 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Blended Family Wills UK: Protecting All Your ChildrenStandard mirror wills can disinherit children from a first relationship in a blended family.18 May 2026 · 10 min read
- What Happens If a Beneficiary Dies Before You UKIf a beneficiary dies before you, their gift lapses and falls into residue, unless you name a substitute or the s33 Wills Act exception applies.13 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Leaving a Charitable Legacy in Your Will UKHow to leave a gift to charity in your will, the 10% rule that reduces inheritance tax from 40% to 36%, and how to word a charitable legacy correctly.13 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Codicil to a Will UK: A Cheap Way to Make Small ChangesA codicil lets you amend your will without rewriting it, but it must be signed and witnessed like a will.13 May 2026 · 7 min read
- Cy-Pres Doctrine UK: When a Charity Gift FailsWhen a charity named in a will no longer exists or cannot be identified.13 May 2026 · 7 min read
- Digital Assets and Wills UK: Passing On Your AccountsCryptocurrency, online accounts, and digital assets can be lost forever if not planned for in your will.13 May 2026 · 9 min read
- Divorce and Your Will UK: What Changes AutomaticallyDivorce does not revoke your will in England and Wales, but gifts and executor appointments to an ex-spouse are automatically cancelled.13 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Handwritten Wills UK: Are They Legally Valid?Can you write a will by hand in England and Wales? The legal requirements, why a handwritten will is no more valid than typed, witness rules, common mistakes.13 May 2026 · 7 min read
- How to Find a Will After Someone Dies UKHow to find a will after someone dies in England and Wales: searching the home, contacting solicitors, using the Probate Registry standing search.13 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Making a Will with Children UKIf you have children under 18, your will needs to appoint guardians and set up trusts for their inheritance.13 May 2026 · 9 min read
- Pecuniary Legacies UK: Cash Gifts in a WillA pecuniary legacy is a specific cash gift in a will. Full 2026 guide: general vs specific vs residuary legacies.13 May 2026 · 7 min read
- Personal Chattels in a Will UK: Who Gets Your ThingsPersonal chattels, furniture, jewellery, vehicles, and household goods, pass under the will or intestacy rules in England and Wales.13 May 2026 · 7 min read
- Revocation of Will by Marriage UKGetting married or forming a civil partnership in England and Wales automatically revokes any existing will.13 May 2026 · 7 min read
- How to Revoke a Will in the UKHow to revoke a will in England and Wales: the four legal methods (destruction, declaration, new will, marriage), what automatically revokes a will.13 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Specific Legacies UK: Gifting Named Items in a WillA legacy in a will can be specific, general, demonstrative, or residuary.13 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Statutory Legacy UK: What the Surviving Spouse Gets FirstThe statutory legacy is the fixed sum a surviving spouse receives first from an intestate estate, currently £322,000 (from 7 April 2026).13 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Statutory Wills UK: Wills Made by the Court of ProtectionIf a person lacks mental capacity to make or change their will, the Court of Protection can authorise a statutory will on their behalf.13 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Survivorship Clause in Will UK: 30-Day RuleA survivorship clause makes a gift conditional on the beneficiary surviving you by a set period (usually 30 days).13 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Undue Influence and Wills UK: Spotting and Proving ItUndue influence occurs when someone pressures a testator into making a will that does not reflect their true wishes.13 May 2026 · 9 min read
- Will Writing Checklist UK: Everything to Gather FirstA complete will writing checklist for England and Wales. Gather your estate details, choose executors and guardians, decide your wishes.13 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Writing a Will When Ill UK: Acting Quickly and SafelyHow to make a valid will when you are ill in England and Wales: the testamentary capacity test, deathbed wills, the urgency procedure, who can help.13 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Can You Write Your Own Will in the UK?Yes, you can write your own will in England and Wales without a solicitor. Will-writing is not a reserved legal activity.12 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Contesting a Will UK: Grounds, Time Limits and CostsThe 5 legal grounds for contesting a will in England and Wales, lack of capacity, undue influence, improper execution, fraud, and Inheritance Act claims.12 May 2026 · 10 min read
- How to Appoint a Guardian for Your Children in Your Will UKAppointing a guardian in your will is the only reliable way to choose who raises your children if you die.12 May 2026 · 7 min read
- How to Write a Will UK: A Complete Plain-English GuideA complete step-by-step guide to writing a legally valid will in England and Wales.12 May 2026 · 9 min read
- Second Marriage Wills UK: Protect Children and SpouseMarriage automatically revokes your existing will. In a second marriage with stepchildren, the wrong will structure can disinherit your own children.12 May 2026 · 9 min read
- What Happens If You Die Without a Will UKIf you die without a will in England & Wales, the intestacy rules decide who inherits, and your unmarried partner gets nothing.12 May 2026 · 8 min read
- What to Include in a Will UK: The Full ChecklistEverything you need to include in a will in England and Wales: executors, beneficiaries, specific gifts, residuary clause, guardians, funeral wishes.12 May 2026 · 8 min read
- Who Can Witness a Will in the UK?, Rules &Two independent adult witnesses must sign your will in your presence for it to be valid.12 May 2026 · 6 min read
- Beyond Wills Has Closed: What Customers Can Do NowLife) shut down in 2025. Customers who bought a Beyond will still hold a legally valid document. Here is what to check and where to go next.11 May 2026 · 5 min read
- Farewill Alternatives 2026: UK Options ComparedComparing Farewill against the best UK online will services in 2026, prices, formats, and honest side-by-sides for England and Wales.11 May 2026 · 11 min read
- Does Marriage Cancel a Will in the UK?Yes, marriage automatically revokes your existing will in England & Wales under s18 Wills Act 1837. Divorce does not.9 May 2026
- 5 Things the Post Office Will Kit Doesn't Tell YouA post office will kit seems simple, but there's a lot it leaves out. Here are 5 things you need to know before using one to write your will in the UK.26 April 2026 · 5 min read
- Cohabiting Couples and Inheritance UKCohabiting couples inheritance UK law is clear: living together gives you no automatic right to inherit. Here's what 3.6 million couples need to know in 2026.26 April 2026 · 6 min read
- Joint Will vs Mirror Will vs Single WillConfused by mirror will vs joint will UK? This guide explains the difference between joint, mirror, and single wills.26 April 2026 · 5 min read
- Will Writing for New Parents UKExpecting a baby? A will for new parents UK means naming a guardian, setting up a trust, and protecting your child's future. Here's what you need to know.26 April 2026 · 5 min read
- Do I Need a Solicitor to Write a Will UK?No, writing a will is not a reserved legal activity in England & Wales.22 April 2026 · 6 min read
- How to Store a Will Safely UK: 5 Options ComparedWhere to keep your will after signing it, at home, with a solicitor, at the Probate Registry or in a digital safe.22 April 2026 · 5 min read
- How to Update a Will UK, Codicil or New Will?Making a change to your will in England & Wales: when to add a codicil vs rewrite the whole will, how to do it correctly, and the common mistakes to avoid.22 April 2026 · 6 min read
- Mirror Wills UK: The Couples GuideMirror wills let married couples, civil partners and cohabitees leave everything to each other and then to their children.22 April 2026 · 5 min read
- What Is a Residuary Estate UK?The residuary estate is everything left after specific gifts, debts and taxes are paid.22 April 2026 · 5 min read
- Is a DIY Will Kit Actually Legal?The most common objection to writing your own will. We explain the law, when a DIY will is perfectly valid.21 April 2026 · 7 min read
- The Ambulatory Nature of a Will UKA will is ambulatory, it speaks from death, not from the date it was made. This means it captures assets acquired after the will was written.
- Bankrupt Beneficiary UK: Protecting an InheritanceIf a beneficiary named in your will is bankrupt (or in an iva), their inheritance passes directly to their trustee in bankruptcy, not to them. · 9 min read
- What Happens if a Beneficiary Dies After the Testator UK?If a beneficiary survives the testator but dies before the estate is distributed, their share forms part of their own estate.
- Benjamin Order UK: Distributing When an Heir Is MissingGuide to Benjamin orders in England and Wales. What a Benjamin order is, when probate courts grant one, how executors apply, missing beneficiary insurance. · 7 min read
- Charging Clause in a Will UK: Paying ProfessionalsA charging clause in a will authorises a professional executor or trustee to charge for their services. · 8 min read
- Class Gifts in a Will UK: Sharing Between a GroupA class gift in a will passes property to a group defined by a shared characteristic, children, grandchildren, nephews.
- Is a Codicil Valid UK? When to Use One vs Making a New WillWhen a codicil is legally valid and sufficient in England and Wales, the formal requirements under the Wills Act 1837, risks of using a codicil instead of rewriting your will, and how to make a codicil correctly. · 6 min read
- Contesting a Will for Undue Influence UK: What to ProveLearn the legal grounds for contesting a will in England and Wales, undue influence, lack of testamentary capacity, suspicious circumstances.
- Contingent Gift in a Will UK: Age Conditions ExplainedA contingent gift in a will only takes effect if a specified condition is satisfied, such as reaching a particular age or surviving to a set date. · 8 min read
- Doctrine of Election in a Will UKThe equitable doctrine of election requires a beneficiary who takes under a will to also give effect to the whole instrument.
- Foreign Assets and Your UK WillIf you own property or assets abroad, your UK will may not cover them.
- The Forfeiture Rule UK: When Heirs Cannot InheritThe forfeiture rule prevents a person who unlawfully kills another from inheriting from their victim's estate. · 8 min read
- Gift Aid and Legacies UK: What Charities and Donors Need to KnowGift Aid does not apply to legacies. But charitable legacies are 100% IHT-exempt and can reduce the rate on the rest of your estate. Here is how it works.
- Lapse of Gift in Will UK: s33 Wills ActA gift in a will lapses if the beneficiary dies before the testator. Learn the general lapse rule.
- Lifetime Mortgage and Your Will UKA lifetime mortgage (equity release) lets you borrow against your home in retirement. · 9 min read
- Mutual Wills Doctrine UK: When Wills Bind Each OtherMutual wills create a binding legal agreement that prevents the survivor changing their will after the first testator dies. · 9 min read
- National Will Register UK: Is Registering Worth It?The National Will Register (Certainty) is the UK's largest will registration service.
- Powers of Appointment in a Will UKGeneral, special and hybrid powers of appointment explained, who holds them, how they are exercised in a will, IHT treatment. · 7 min read
- Reading of the Will UK: The Myth and the RealityThere is no formal will-reading ceremony in English law. Here is what actually happens and what beneficiaries are entitled to know.
- Rectification of a Will UK: Fixing Drafting MistakesA court can rectify a will under section 20 of the Administration of Justice Act 1982 if it fails to carry out the testator's intentions due to a clerical.
- Republication of a Will UK: How Codicils Refresh WillsRepublication of a will by codicil re-dates the will as at the codicil's execution date. · 8 min read
- Satisfaction and Performance UK WillsSatisfaction and performance are equitable doctrines that affect how will gifts interact with lifetime dealings in England and Wales. Full legal guide. · 7 min read
- Void vs Voidable Wills UK: The Crucial DifferenceA void will is a nullity from the outset; a voidable will stands unless set aside by a court. · 8 min read
- What Makes a Will Invalid UK: 7 Common MistakesLearn every ground that can make a will invalid in England and Wales, from failed execution under the Wills Act 1837 to lack of capacity, undue influence. · 8 min read
- Will Dispute Costs UK: What a Challenge Really CostsContesting a will or defending contested probate can cost tens of thousands of pounds.
- Where to Store a Will UK: Solicitor OptionsThe safest places to store a will in England and Wales, how to find a will held by a solicitor, the National Will Register (Certainty), and what to do if a will cannot be found. · 6 min read
- Writing a Will as a UK Expat: Assets in Two CountriesUK expatriates face complex will-writing issues: domicile of origin, foreign property, forced heirship rules, and whether a UK will is valid abroad.
Self-help information only. Articles on this blog are for general informational purposes and do not constitute legal advice. WillSafe UK is not a firm of solicitors. For complex estates, blended families, business assets or foreign property, please speak to a qualified solicitor.