Press and media
WillSafe UK provides plain-English DIY will kits and estate-planning tools for England and Wales. We are happy to give expert comment, data and background for journalists covering wills, probate and inheritance tax.
About WillSafe UK
WillSafe UK sells downloadable, fillable will kits and estate-planning templates for England and Wales, each drafted in accordance with the Wills Act 1837 and written in plain English. It is run by Richard Wood, trading as WillSafe UK. We provide self-help templates and educational guidance, not legal advice, and we are not a firm of solicitors.
Spokesperson
Richard Wood, founder of WillSafe UK, writes and reviews every kit and guide against current England and Wales legislation, including the Wills Act 1837 and the Administration of Estates Act 1925. He can comment on wills, intestacy, probate and inheritance tax. Richard is not a solicitor, and WillSafe provides self-help templates, not legal advice.
Story angles and expert comment
The frozen inheritance-tax threshold
The nil-rate band is frozen to April 2031, so rising property and investment values pull more ordinary estates into inheritance tax each year. We can quantify it with our free calculator.
Probate delays and costs
How long probate now takes and what it costs, and where families get caught out. Practical, plain-English comment.
Dying without a will
What the intestacy rules actually decide, and the common myths (for example that an unmarried partner inherits automatically, which they do not).
DIY wills: valid or risky?
Will-writing is not a reserved legal activity in England and Wales. We can explain what makes a DIY will valid and where people go wrong.
Free tools and data for journalists
Our free tools are open for anyone to use or cite. We are also happy to provide the underlying figures or a tailored data cut for a story, just ask.
- Inheritance-tax calculator · whether an estate is liable, and the likely bill
- Intestacy calculator · who inherits when there is no will
- Probate-cost calculator · the likely cost of obtaining probate
- Will-cost calculator · DIY vs solicitor will costs compared
- Will health check · whether an existing will still does its job
Press contact
For comment, data or interviews, email richard@willsafe.org.uk. We aim to respond the same working day. Logo and brand assets are available on request. WillSafe UK is run by Richard Wood, trading as WillSafe UK, Bromborough, Wirral, and is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office.