DIY Will vs Solicitor: Which Is Right for You?
You know you need a will, but should you write it yourself or pay a solicitor? The honest answer is: it depends on your situation. This guide gives you a straight comparison so you can make the right choice for your circumstances.
Head-to-head comparison
| Factor | DIY Will Kit | Solicitor |
|---|---|---|
| Cost (single will) | £39.99 | £200 to £500+ |
| Cost (mirror wills) | £59.99 | £300 to £750+ |
| Time to complete | 1 to 2 hours at home | 1 to 4 weeks (booking, meeting, drafting, review) |
| Availability | Instant download, any time | Office hours, appointment required |
| Legal validity | Identical (Wills Act 1837) | Identical (Wills Act 1837) |
| Personalised legal advice | No (self-help template) | Yes (tailored to your situation) |
| Trust drafting | Not included | Yes (additional cost) |
| Tax planning | General information only | Yes (tailored IHT advice) |
| Professional indemnity insurance | No | Yes (SRA-regulated solicitors carry PII) |
| Will storage | You arrange (fireproof safe, HMCTS storage) | Often offered free or low cost |
When a DIY will kit is the right choice
A DIY will kit is ideal if your estate is straightforward. That means:
- ✓You are domiciled in England or Wales
- ✓Your assets are mainly a home, savings, pension, and personal belongings
- ✓You know who you want to inherit and there are no likely disputes
- ✓You do not need trusts (for tax planning, asset protection, or vulnerable beneficiaries)
- ✓You do not own a business or shares in a private company
- ✓You do not own property outside England and Wales
- ✓Your family situation is clear (not a blended family with potential competing claims)
This describes the majority of adults in England and Wales. According to the Law Society, most people have a straightforward estate that a well-drafted template can handle perfectly well. The key is using a quality template with proper signing and witnessing instructions, which is exactly what our kits provide.
When you should use a solicitor
We believe in being honest about this. Some situations genuinely need a solicitor, and no template can substitute for tailored legal advice. Use a solicitor if:
- •You want to create a trust in your will (discretionary trust, life interest trust, disabled person's trust). Trusts are powerful but must be drafted precisely to achieve the intended tax and legal effect
- •You own a business or shares in a private company. The will needs to interact with shareholders' agreements, partnership deeds, and potentially agricultural or business property relief
- •You own property abroad. Different countries have different succession laws. Some have forced heirship rules that override your will. You may need wills in multiple jurisdictions
- •You have a blended family and there is a realistic risk of disputes between a surviving spouse and children from a previous relationship
- •You want to disinherit someone who might have a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, such as a spouse, child, or financial dependant
- •Your estate is above the inheritance tax threshold and you want to use tax-planning structures (nil-rate band trusts, gifts with reservation, potentially exempt transfers)
- •There are concerns about mental capacity. A solicitor can arrange a medical assessment and keep a file note, which provides strong evidence if the will is later challenged
- •You are not domiciled in England or Wales. Domicile determines which country's succession laws apply to your movable property
In these cases, the cost of a solicitor is an investment that protects your family from far greater costs later. A contested will can easily cost £50,000 to £100,000+ in legal fees to resolve at trial.
The middle ground: DIY will with a solicitor review
If your estate is broadly straightforward but you want extra peace of mind, consider a hybrid approach: use a DIY will kit to draft your will, then pay a solicitor to review it. A will review typically costs £75 to £150, compared to £200 to £500+ for drafting from scratch.
This gives you the best of both worlds: the convenience and low cost of a DIY approach, plus professional oversight to catch any issues. Many high-street solicitors and online legal services offer fixed-fee will reviews.
Real cost comparison: three scenarios
Scenario 1: Single person, straightforward estate
Sarah, 45, owns a flat, has savings and a pension. She wants everything to go to her sister. No trusts, no business assets, no foreign property.
Scenario 2: Married couple, children, family home
James and Claire, both 50, married, two children, own their home jointly. They want everything to pass to each other, then equally to the children. No trusts needed, estate below the IHT threshold.
Scenario 3: Business owner, blended family, estate above IHT threshold
David, 60, owns a limited company, remarried with children from both marriages, estate worth £1.2m. He wants to protect the children from his first marriage while providing for his current wife.
Frequently asked questions
Is a DIY will as legally valid as a solicitor-drafted will?+
Yes. The law does not distinguish between a will drafted by a solicitor and one you write yourself. Under the Wills Act 1837, a will is valid if the testator is 18 or over, has mental capacity, the will is in writing, and it is signed in the presence of two independent witnesses who also sign. How the will was drafted does not affect its legal validity.
How much does a solicitor charge to write a will?+
Solicitor fees for a straightforward single will typically range from £200 to £500. Mirror wills for couples usually cost £300 to £750. Complex wills involving trusts, business assets, or inheritance tax planning can cost £1,000 to £3,000 or more. Prices vary significantly by location and firm. A DIY will kit from WillSafe UK costs £39.99 for a single will or £59.99 for mirror wills.
Can I use a DIY will kit if I own a house?+
Yes, provided the property is in England or Wales and your estate is straightforward. Most homeowners with a single property, a spouse or partner, and children can use a DIY will kit perfectly well. The key factor is not whether you own a house, but whether your estate involves complexities like trusts, business interests, or potential disputes.
What if I make a mistake on my DIY will?+
If you notice a mistake before signing, simply correct the template and reprint it. If you notice after signing, you can either write a new will (usually the safest option) or add a codicil (a formal amendment). Our will kits include clear instructions to help you avoid common errors. If you are worried about a mistake, consider having a solicitor review your completed will for a much lower fee than drafting one from scratch.
Are online will-writing services a good middle ground?+
Online will-writing services typically charge £90 to £200 and guide you through questions to generate a will document. They can work well for simple estates. However, they are still a templated product. They cannot give you tailored legal advice about trusts, tax planning, or unusual family situations. For straightforward estates, a DIY kit gives you the same result at a lower price. For complex estates, nothing substitutes for a one-to-one meeting with a solicitor.
Should I get a solicitor to review my DIY will?+
If you have any doubt, it is worth asking a solicitor to review your completed will. A review is much cheaper than drafting from scratch, often costing £75 to £150. This gives you the cost saving of a DIY approach with the peace of mind of professional oversight. Many solicitors offer a fixed-fee will review service.
Straightforward estate? A DIY kit is all you need
Our will kits are drafted in accordance with the Wills Act 1837 and include step-by-step signing and witnessing instructions. Download instantly and complete in an afternoon. For complex estates, we recommend speaking to a solicitor.
Self-help information only. WillSafe UK is a trading name of WSC Group Ltd. We are not solicitors and we do not provide legal advice. This guide is for general informational purposes only and covers the law in England & Wales. Will-writing is not a reserved legal activity under the Legal Services Act 2007. For complex estates, blended families, business assets or foreign property, please speak to a qualified solicitor. See our full disclaimer.