Will Aid Scheme UK 2026: How It Works, What It Covers, and Your Alternatives
Will Aid is one of the UK’s most popular will-writing schemes — but it only runs in November, slots fill fast, and it’s not designed for complex estates. Here is everything you need to know.
What Is Will Aid?
Will Aid is a charity scheme in which participating solicitor firms in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland waive their normal will-writing fee during November each year. In return, clients make a suggested charitable donation — which goes to nine Will Aid partner charities including ActionAid, Age UK, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, NSPCC, Sightsavers, SCIAF, Trocaire, and Tearfund.
The scheme was founded in 1988 and has raised over £25 million for charity. Each November, hundreds of thousands of people across the UK use it to get professionally drafted wills at a reduced cost while supporting good causes.
Will Aid only runs in November. If you need a will in any other month, you will need a different route — see the alternatives section below.
How Will Aid Works
Find a participating solicitor
The Will Aid website (willaid.org.uk) lists participating firms by postcode during October/November. Not every solicitor firm participates — you need to find one that has signed up for the current year's scheme.
Book an appointment
Appointments are taken from October onwards for November slots. Popular firms fill up within days of the list going live — act quickly. Some firms offer phone or video appointments; others require in-person meetings.
Prepare your information
Bring details of your assets, intended beneficiaries, executor choices, and guardian arrangements for any minor children. The solicitor will guide you through the questions, but being prepared speeds up the appointment.
Will drafted and signed
The solicitor drafts your will based on your instructions. You return to sign it in the presence of two independent witnesses. The will is then legally valid.
Make your donation
The suggested donation is £100–£120 for a single will and £180–£200 for mirror wills (reviewed annually). You can donate more if you wish. The solicitor sends the donation to Will Aid.
What Will Aid Wills Cover — and What They Don’t
Typically included
- ✓ Gifts of your estate to named beneficiaries (spouse, children, others)
- ✓ Appointment of executors (up to 4)
- ✓ Guardianship for minor children
- ✓ Simple trust for minor children (assets held until age 18)
- ✓ Charitable legacies
- ✓ Residuary clause
- ✓ Funeral wishes (informally noted)
Often outside the scheme
- ✗ Complex IHT planning (nil-rate band trusts, RNRB optimisation)
- ✗ Life interest trusts for blended family protection
- ✗ Business property or agricultural property arrangements
- ✗ Foreign property or overseas assets
- ✗ Disabled beneficiary trusts
- ✗ Bespoke discretionary trusts
- ✗ Lasting powers of attorney (separate document)
Individual solicitors have discretion over what they include within the scheme. Always confirm scope with the firm before your appointment.
Alternatives: How to Get Your Will Made Outside November
| Option | Cost | When available | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will Aid | ~£100–£200 donation | November only | Simple wills; charity supporters |
| Free Wills Month | Free | March & October (age 55+) | Over 55s with simple estates |
| WillSafe DIY kit | £19.97 single / £29.97 couple | Any time, instant | Any straightforward estate; any age |
| Online will service | £50–£100 | Any time | Guided online completion |
| Solicitor (full fee) | £150–£500+ | Any time | Complex estates; trusts; IHT planning |
Will Aid vs a DIY Will Kit: Which Is Right for You?
Both Will Aid and a DIY will kit produce a legally valid will for England and Wales. The main differences are:
- Timing: Will Aid is November only. A WillSafe kit is available immediately, any day of the year.
- Cost: Will Aid suggests £100–£120 for a single will. WillSafe is £19.97 for a single will or £29.97 for a couple. Both are a fraction of full solicitor fees.
- Who does the work: With Will Aid, a solicitor drafts the will for you based on your instructions. With WillSafe, you follow the step-by-step guide and complete the will yourself — the kit provides the legally precise wording.
- Complexity: Will Aid and WillSafe kits are both designed for straightforward wills. For a complex estate with trusts, business interests, or IHT planning, both routes lead to the same advice: see a specialist solicitor.
If it’s November and you want professional drafting with a charitable benefit, Will Aid is an excellent option. If you want to make your will right now, at any point in the year, a WillSafe kit gives you a legally valid, professionally designed will without the wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Will Aid will legally valid?
Yes. A will prepared through Will Aid by a participating solicitor is drafted by a qualified legal professional and signed, witnessed, and stored to exactly the same standard as any other solicitor-drafted will. The charity element is simply the fee arrangement — there is no difference in legal quality or enforceability compared to a will produced outside the scheme.
What is the suggested donation for Will Aid 2026?
The suggested donation for Will Aid is typically £100–£120 for a single basic will and £180–£200 for mirror wills (a pair). These are suggested amounts — Will Aid asks for a minimum donation of £95 for a single will and £150 for a pair of mirror wills, with the money going to nine partner charities. The solicitor waives their normal fee, which would typically be £150–£300 for the same work. The suggested donations are reviewed periodically and can change year to year.
Can I use Will Aid if I need a complex will?
Will Aid is primarily designed for straightforward wills — simple gifts to spouse and children, basic executor appointments, and standard provisions. If your estate is complex — foreign assets, business interests, a trust for a disabled beneficiary, IHT planning, or a blended family requiring a life interest trust — the participating solicitor may tell you that the work falls outside the scope of the scheme and quote a normal fee for additional complexity. Will Aid is not designed for comprehensive estate planning; it is a simple will drafting service.
What can I do if I cannot get a Will Aid appointment or need a will outside November?
Several options exist. Free Wills Month runs in March and October — a separate scheme where solicitors in participating firms offer free basic wills to people aged 55 and over (some schemes extend to any age). Outside those windows, the main options are: a DIY will kit (such as WillSafe, from £19.97), a full-service solicitor at normal rates (£150–£300 for a simple will), or a regulated will-writing service. DIY will kits are legally valid if completed correctly and are appropriate for most straightforward estates.
Is Will Aid the same as Free Wills Month?
No. Will Aid and Free Wills Month are separate schemes run by different organisations. Will Aid runs every November and asks for a charitable donation in place of a solicitor's fee. Free Wills Month runs in March and October and offers genuinely free wills (no donation requested) to people typically aged 55 or over, in participating solicitor firms. Both produce solicitor-drafted wills. Free Wills Month slots tend to fill even faster than Will Aid because there is no cost at all.
Don’t Wait Until November
WillSafe kits are available all year round. Make your will today — legally valid for England and Wales, at a fraction of solicitor cost.