Can I write a will by hand?

Yes. In England and Wales a handwritten (holographic) will is valid as long as it meets the same formalities as a typed one: it must be in writing, signed by you, and witnessed by two people who both sign in your presence (Wills Act 1837, section 9). Handwriting changes nothing about the witnessing requirement. Scotland is different: a handwritten will signed by you at the end is formally valid even without any witness, though adding one witness makes it self-proving. Northern Ireland follows the same two-witness rule as England and Wales. Whichever route you take, clear and unambiguous wording matters more than whether the will is handwritten or typed.

What makes a will invalid?

The most common reasons a will fails are: it was not signed, or not signed in front of two witnesses who were present at the same time (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland); the person making it lacked testamentary capacity, meaning they did not understand what a will is, the extent of their estate, or who might have a claim on it; or it was made under undue influence, meaning someone pressured or coerced them. A later valid will or a deliberate destruction also revokes an earlier one. In England and Wales, getting married revokes any existing will unless it was made in contemplation of that specific marriage.

Can I change a will after it has been signed?

Yes. You can change a will at any time while you have mental capacity. For small changes you can add a codicil, a short supplementary document that amends specific clauses and must be signed and witnessed using the same rules as the will itself. For anything more than a minor tweak it is cleaner to write a new will, which should contain a clause revoking all previous wills and codicils. Never amend a signed will by crossing things out or writing in the margin: unwitnessed alterations are usually ignored and can cast doubt on the whole document.

No. A validly executed will has no expiry date and remains in force until you revoke it, replace it with a new will, or (in England and Wales) marry or enter a civil partnership, which revokes it automatically. That said, a will can become outdated as your life and finances change, so reviewing it every three to five years, and after any major life event, is sensible even though the document never lapses on its own.

What happens to a will when the executor dies?

If an executor dies before you do, the will still stands and any substitute or co-executor you named takes over. This is why naming a backup executor is wise. If your sole executor dies before you and you do not update the will, the court will appoint an administrator after your death (usually a main beneficiary) under a grant of letters of administration with the will annexed. If an executor dies after you but before finishing the estate, the rules on who continues depend on whether probate had already been granted.

Do I need to register a will?

There is no legal requirement to register a will in the UK, and a will is fully valid whether or not it is registered. Registration simply records where the original is stored so your family can find it. You can register the existence and location of your will with the National Will Register for a one-off fee, or deposit the original with a solicitor, with HM Courts and Tribunals Service in England and Wales, or with the relevant probate office. The important thing is that your executor knows the will exists and where to find the original.

Can a witness to a will also be a beneficiary?

No, not without losing their gift. In England and Wales, if a witness (or the husband, wife or civil partner of a witness) is left anything in the will, that gift is void under section 15 of the Wills Act 1837. The will itself stays valid; only that person's inheritance is lost. Northern Ireland applies the same rule under Article 8 of the Wills and Administration Proceedings (Northern Ireland) Order 1994. In Scotland a beneficiary should not act as a witness either. Always choose independent witnesses who are not mentioned in the will and are not married to anyone who is.

Is a will written in Scotland valid in England?

Generally yes. A will validly made under the law of the country where it was executed is usually recognised elsewhere in the UK, and the Wills Act 1963 supports the validity of wills executed in line with the local law. A Scottish will dealing with assets in England and Wales would normally be accepted, though the way the estate is administered, and any property law issues, can differ across the borders. If you own property in more than one UK jurisdiction, or you move between them, it is worth having a solicitor review the will so nothing falls through the gap.

A codicil is a separate legal document that makes a specific change or addition to an existing will without replacing it, for example adding a new gift, changing an executor, or updating a beneficiary's details. It must be signed and witnessed with exactly the same formalities as the will. Codicils suit small, isolated changes. For anything substantial, or if you already have one or two codicils, a fresh will is usually clearer and less likely to cause confusion after your death.

How much does it cost to write a will?

A DIY or template will costs from nothing up to around £50. An online will-writing service typically costs £50 to £150. A solicitor charges roughly £150 to £500 for a simple will, and £500 to £1,500 or more where trusts or inheritance tax planning are involved. Free options exist too: Free Wills Month (March and October) and Will Aid (November) arrange free or donation-based solicitor wills, and some charities offer free will-writing year round. Cost ranges are based on Law Society and MoneyHelper guidance, last verified June 2026.

How to write a will in the UK

A will is a legal document that says who gets your money, property, and possessions after you die. Without one, the law decides for you, and the intestacy rules rarely match what most people would choose. Writing a will is simpler than most people expect. A straightforward will can be drafted in an afternoon, and once it is signed and witnessed correctly it is legally binding.

This guide walks you through every step: what to include, how to make it legally valid, whether you need a solicitor, and what it costs. Most of the detail below applies to England and Wales, but the rules differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland, so this guide covers all three. The differences mainly affect how a will is signed and witnessed and the minimum age for making one, which we set out in full further down.

What a will can (and can’t) do

A will lets you:

Choose who inherits your assets – property, savings, investments, personal possessions, and digital assets
Name an executor – the person who will administer your estate after you die
Appoint guardians for children under 18
Leave specific gifts – a piece of jewellery to a friend, a donation to a charity
Set out your funeral wishes – burial or cremation, type of service, location

There are some things a will cannot control:

Jointly owned property held as joint tenants passes automatically to the surviving owner by right of survivorship, so it does not form part of the estate the will distributes
Pensions with a nominated beneficiary – most pension schemes pay death benefits to whoever you nominated with the scheme, regardless of what the will says
Life insurance written in trust – the policy proceeds go to the trust beneficiaries, outside the estate
Assets already placed in a trust during your lifetime are governed by the trust deed

Understanding these boundaries helps you plan properly. If most of your wealth sits in a pension or a jointly owned home, the will may have less to distribute than you expect.

Do you need a solicitor?

You are not legally required to use a solicitor. For a simple estate, one property, savings, clear beneficiaries and no complications, a DIY will or online will-writing service is a reasonable option.

A solicitor is strongly recommended if your situation involves any of the following:

Property in more than one country
Business interests or agricultural land
A blended family (children from previous relationships)
An estranged spouse or ex-partner who might contest the will
A beneficiary with a disability who receives means-tested benefits (a discretionary trust may be needed)
Inheritance tax planning (if your estate exceeds the £325,000 nil-rate band)

A solicitor who specialises in wills can draft the document, advise on tax-efficient structures, and store the original safely. You can find a solicitor through the Law Society’s Find a Solicitor service in England and Wales, the Law Society of Scotland in Scotland, or the Law Society of Northern Ireland in Northern Ireland.

Will-writing services are a cheaper alternative to solicitors, with one important caveat: will writers are not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and you have no recourse to the Legal Ombudsman if something goes wrong. If you use a will writer, check whether they are a member of the Institute of Professional Willwriters or the Society of Will Writers, both of which have complaints procedures and insurance requirements.

How to write a will: step by step

Step 1: List your assets

Start by making a full list of everything you own and its approximate value. Include:

Property (your home, any buy-to-let or holiday properties)
Bank accounts and savings
Investments – ISAs, shares, Premium Bonds (bonds cannot be left to a named beneficiary – they are cashed in and the proceeds pass through your estate)
Pensions (note: most pension death benefits pass outside the will via your nomination)
Vehicles
Personal possessions of value – jewellery, art, collections
Digital assets – cryptocurrency, online accounts with monetary value

Also list your debts: mortgages, loans, credit cards. Your executor will need to settle these from the estate before distributing anything.

Step 2: Decide who gets what

These are your beneficiaries. You can leave assets in several ways:

Specific gifts – a named item or a fixed sum of money to a particular person or charity
Shares of the residue – “the rest of my estate split equally between my children”
Conditional gifts – “to my daughter if she reaches 25”

Make sure you include a residuary clause, an instruction covering everything not specifically mentioned. Without one, any unallocated assets pass under the intestacy rules as if you had no will for those assets.

Step 3: Name your executor(s)

Your executor is responsible for carrying out the instructions in your will: collecting assets, paying debts and taxes, and distributing what remains to your beneficiaries. You can name up to four executors, though one or two is typical. It is wise to name at least one substitute in case your first choice dies before you or is unable to act.

Choose someone you trust who is organised and willing to take on the role. An executor can also be a beneficiary. If your estate is complex, you might name a solicitor as a professional executor (they will charge a fee from the estate).

Step 4: Name guardians for children under 18

If you have children under 18, your will is the place to name who should look after them if both parents die. Without a named guardian, the court decides, and the court’s choice may differ from yours.

Talk to your chosen guardians before naming them. Guardianship is a significant commitment, and people should agree to it in advance.

Step 5: Write or have the will drafted

You have three main options:

DIY – write it yourself or use a template (free or low-cost)
Online will-writing service – guided questionnaire that produces a finished will (typically £50–£150)
Solicitor – face-to-face or remote drafting with legal advice included (typically £150–£500 for a simple will)

Whichever route you choose, the language must be clear and unambiguous. Vague phrases like “my things to be divided fairly” create disputes. Be specific: name people in full, describe assets clearly, and spell out percentages.

Step 6: Sign it correctly

This is where most DIY wills fail. The signing rules differ across the UK, so the exact steps depend on where you live. The sections below set out the requirements for England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. In all three, one rule holds firm: never let a beneficiary, or the spouse or civil partner of a beneficiary, act as a witness, because doing so voids their gift.

Step 7: Store it safely

Once signed, keep the original will somewhere secure and make sure your executor can find it. See storing your will safely below for the main options, from a fireproof box at home to the National Will Register.

Signing a will in England and Wales

The signing requirements are set out in Section 9 of the Wills Act 1837 and they are strict:

The will must be in writing
You (the testator) must sign it, or direct someone else to sign on your behalf in your presence
Your signature must be made or acknowledged in the presence of two witnesses, both present at the same time
Both witnesses must then sign the will in your presence

You must be at least 18 years old to make a will in England and Wales. Witnesses must also be 18 or over, of sound mind, and able to see you sign.

Critical rule about witnesses: a witness, or the spouse or civil partner of a witness, cannot be a beneficiary under the will. If they are, the will remains valid but that person’s gift is voided under Section 15 of the Wills Act 1837, and they lose their inheritance. This is one of the most common mistakes in homemade wills. Choose witnesses with no connection to the estate: neighbours, work colleagues, or friends who are not mentioned in the will.

Signing a will in Scotland

Scotland has its own, more relaxed, formalities under the Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995.

You can make a will in Scotland from the age of 12 (Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991, section 2(2))
The will must be in writing and signed (subscribed) by you at the end of the document. Under section 2 of the 1995 Act, your signature alone makes the will formally valid – a witness is not required for the will to be legally effective
To make the will self-proving, it should also be signed by one witness aged 16 or over who sees you sign or hears you acknowledge your signature (section 3 of the 1995 Act)

A self-proving will carries a presumption that it was validly signed, which means the executor does not have to prove the signature separately when applying for confirmation (the Scottish equivalent of probate). A will without a witness is still valid, but the executor may have to take extra steps to prove it, so witnessing is strongly recommended in practice.

As in the rest of the UK, a witness in Scotland should not be a beneficiary. The witness must be at least 16, mentally capable, and not named as a granter of the document.

Signing a will in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland follows essentially the same formalities as England and Wales, set out in the Wills and Administration Proceedings (Northern Ireland) Order 1994.

You must be at least 18 years old, unless you are or have been married or in a civil partnership (Article 4 of the 1994 Order)
The will must be in writing and signed by you (or by someone else at your direction and in your presence)
Your signature must be made or acknowledged in the presence of two witnesses present at the same time, and each witness must then sign in your presence (Article 5 of the 1994 Order)

The witness-beneficiary rule applies here too: a gift to a witness, or to the spouse or civil partner of a witness, is void under Article 8 of the 1994 Order, although the rest of the will stands. Choose independent witnesses who take nothing under the will.

What makes a will legally valid

Across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a valid will needs the same four ingredients (Scotland is more relaxed, as set out above):

In writing – handwritten or typed, on paper
Signed by the testator – or by another person in the testator’s presence and at their direction
Witnessed by two people – both present at the same time when the testator signs or acknowledges their signature
Signed by both witnesses – each witness signs in the presence of the testator

Beyond the formalities, the person making the will must have testamentary capacity: they must understand what a will is, the extent of their estate, and the claims that people might have on it. They must also be acting free from undue influence, meaning pressure or coercion from someone else.

Wills for someone who lacks mental capacity

If a person no longer has the mental capacity to make a will, nobody can make one on their behalf informally. Instead, the Court of Protection can authorise a statutory will under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. A family member, attorney, deputy or other interested person applies to the court, which decides what is in the person’s best interests and approves a will accordingly. This is a formal court process and almost always needs a solicitor. It is the only way to make or change a will for someone who has lost capacity.

Digital wills: where the law stands

A “digital will” usually means a will created, signed or stored entirely electronically, with no paper original. Under the law of England and Wales, an electronic signature does not satisfy the signing requirements of the Wills Act 1837, and there is no recognised exception for fully digital wills. A will still needs a physical document signed in wet ink and witnessed in person.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, temporary legislation (The Wills Act 1837 (Electronic Communications) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Order 2020) allowed witnessing via video call for wills made between 31 January 2020 and 31 January 2024. That provision has now expired, and in-person witnessing is required once again.

The Law Commission has reviewed the law on wills and recommended reforms that could eventually allow electronic wills, but no such law is in force yet. For now, treat any service that promises a fully digital, paperless will with caution: you still need to print, sign and witness the document in the traditional way. Online will-writing services that produce a document for you to print and sign in person are fine – it is the signing and witnessing that must remain physical.

Codicils and making changes to your will

You can change your will at any time while you have mental capacity. There are two ways to do it.

A codicil is a short supplementary document that amends specific parts of an existing will, for example to change an executor, add a gift, or update a beneficiary’s details. A codicil must be signed and witnessed using exactly the same formalities as the will itself. It suits small, isolated changes.

A new will is the better route for anything substantial, or where you already have a codicil or two. A new will should open with a clause revoking all previous wills and codicils, so there is no ambiguity about which document governs.

One thing to avoid: never amend a signed will by crossing out words, writing in the margin, or attaching notes. Unwitnessed alterations are generally disregarded, and obvious tampering can cast doubt over the validity of the whole document. If you want to change something, do it properly with a codicil or a fresh will.

Mutual wills: a binding agreement not to change

A mutual will is a special arrangement, usually between a couple, where each agrees not to revoke or change their will after the other has died. Unlike ordinary mirror wills (which simply match each other but can be freely changed later), mutual wills create a binding obligation enforced in equity through a constructive trust once the first person dies.

Mutual wills are uncommon and can have serious unintended consequences, because the survivor is locked into the agreement and cannot adapt to changed circumstances. The courts require “certain and unequivocal” evidence of the agreement before they will enforce it, so any genuine mutual will should contain an express clause confirming the binding intention. If you are considering this, take legal advice first.

Storing your will safely

A will that nobody can find is as good as no will at all. Once it is signed, keep the original somewhere secure and make sure your executor knows where it is. The main options are:

At home – in a fireproof safe or strongbox. Cheap and accessible, but vulnerable to fire, flood, loss or accidental destruction, and your executor must know where to look
With your solicitor – most will store the original for free or a small annual charge, which keeps it safe and professionally catalogued
The National Will Register – you can register the existence and location of your will (a one-off fee, sometimes free during their annual Free Registration Month). The register does not store the will itself; it records where it is held so it can be found after your death, and it lets executors search for a will they cannot locate
HM Courts and Tribunals Service – in England and Wales you can deposit a will for safekeeping with the Probate Service for a £20 fee. In Scotland a will can be registered in the Books of Council and Session, and in Northern Ireland the original can be lodged with the Probate Office
A bank safety deposit box – secure, but executors may struggle to access it before probate is granted, which can create a circular problem, so this is rarely the best choice for the original

Whatever you choose, tell your executor and a close family member that a will exists and where the original is kept. See our guide on how to find a will for what happens when families cannot locate one.

Common mistakes to avoid

Witnesses who are beneficiaries. If a witness, or their spouse or civil partner, is named as a beneficiary, their gift is automatically void under Section 15 of the Wills Act 1837 in England and Wales, and under Article 8 of the 1994 Order in Northern Ireland. The will itself remains valid; they just lose their inheritance.

Forgetting that marriage revokes a will. In England and Wales, getting married or entering a civil partnership automatically revokes any existing will (Section 18, Wills Act 1837). If you made a will before your wedding and did not make a new one afterward, you are currently intestate. The only exception is a will made expressly in contemplation of a specific marriage.

Assuming divorce revokes a will. Divorce does not revoke the will. What it does is treat the former spouse as having died on the date of the decree absolute, so any gifts to them fail and any appointment as executor does not take effect (Section 18A, Wills Act 1837). The rest of the will stands. This can produce unintended results if no residuary beneficiary is named or if substitute gifts are not in place.

Vague language. Phrases like “divide everything equally among my family” invite disputes. Who counts as family? Does it include stepchildren? In-laws? Be precise: name each beneficiary in full and state their share.

No residuary clause. If you leave specific gifts but do not include a clause covering everything else, any unallocated assets pass under intestacy. This can mean people you would never have chosen end up inheriting.

Not updating the will after having children. A child born after the will is signed is not automatically included unless the will’s residuary clause covers them. Review and update.

Amending a signed will by hand. Crossing things out or writing in the margin after signing does not make a valid change. Use a codicil or a new will instead.

How much does it cost?

Option	Typical cost	Best for
DIY (write it yourself or use a template)	Free – £50	Very simple estates with no property or complications
Online will-writing service	£50 – £150	Straightforward estates where guidance is helpful
Solicitor (simple will)	£150 – £500	Most people – includes legal advice
Solicitor (complex will with trusts or tax planning)	£500 – £1,500+	Blended families, business owners, IHT planning
Mirror wills (two matching wills for a couple)	£200 – £600	Couples with shared wishes

Cost ranges based on Law Society and MoneyHelper guidance (last verified June 2026). Source: MoneyHelper – Using a solicitor to write your will.

Free and low-cost options worth knowing about:

Free Wills Month (freewillsmonth.org.uk) – runs in March and October each year; participating solicitors draft simple wills for free on behalf of partner charities
Will Aid (willaid.org.uk) – every November, solicitors draft wills in exchange for a donation to charity (suggested donation £100 for a single will, £200 for mirror wills)
Age UK and other charities – some offer free will-writing services year-round in partnership with solicitors

Keeping your will up to date

A will is not a one-off document. Review it every three to five years, and sooner if any of the following happen:

Marriage or civil partnership – this revokes your existing will entirely (in England and Wales)
Divorce or dissolution – the will is not revoked, but gifts to your ex-spouse fail; you should still make a new will to ensure your wishes are clear
Birth or adoption of a child – update the will to include them and name guardians
Death of a beneficiary or executor – you may need to name replacements
Significant change in assets – buying or selling property, receiving an inheritance, starting a business
Change in the law – tax thresholds and rules change; a will drafted years ago may no longer be tax-efficient

To make small changes, you can add a codicil, a supplementary document that amends specific parts of the will. A codicil must be signed and witnessed using the same rules as the will itself. For larger changes, it is usually cleaner to write an entirely new will, which automatically revokes the previous one.

While you are thinking about planning ahead, it is also worth considering whether you need a lasting power of attorney, a separate legal document that lets someone make decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity during your lifetime. A will only takes effect after death; an LPA covers you while you are still alive.

Summary

Writing a will gives you control over what happens to your estate and who looks after your children. The core requirements are straightforward: put it in writing, sign it in front of two independent witnesses (one witness, or none, in Scotland), and store the original safely. For simple estates a DIY approach or online service can work well, but anyone with property, children from different relationships, or inheritance tax concerns should use a solicitor.

The most important step is starting. A basic will that covers the essentials is far better than a perfect will that never gets written. And once it is done, come back to it every few years, because your life changes and your will should change with it.

Key sources

gov.uk – Make a will – official government guidance on making a will
Wills Act 1837, Section 9 – legal requirements for a valid will (England and Wales)
Wills Act 1837, Section 15 – witnesses who are beneficiaries
Wills Act 1837, Section 18 – revocation of a will by marriage
Wills Act 1837, Section 18A – effect of divorce on a will
Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995, sections 2 and 3 – signing and self-proving wills in Scotland
Wills and Administration Proceedings (Northern Ireland) Order 1994 – will formalities in Northern Ireland (Articles 4, 5 and 8)
Mental Capacity Act 2005 – statutory wills via the Court of Protection
MoneyHelper – Using a solicitor to write your will – cost guidance
The Law Society – Find a Solicitor
The National Will Register – will registration and search service
gov.uk – Wills, probate and inheritance

This guide covers the law in England and Wales, with the main differences for Scotland and Northern Ireland noted throughout. It is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. If your circumstances are complex, speak to a solicitor.