There’s no denying the peace of mind a will can bring – but when money is a concern, the cost of making a will can seem like a huge roadblock. It’s one of the reasons why two-thirds of Brits don’t have a will. Luckily, there are plenty of options to suit different budgets and situations, whether you’re planning to use a solicitor or write your will yourself.

In this guide, we’ll answer all your questions about will writing costs:

How much does it cost to make a will with a solicitor?

The cost of writing a will with a solicitor is usually around £100-200 for a simple will. If you’re thinking about a couple’s will, or joint will, you might pay in the region of £150-300.

Generally, the more complex your financial situation, the greater the cost of drawing up a will. For example, if you want to set up a trust, or if your estate is large enough to draw inheritance tax, you will be paying at least £500-600 to make a will.

 

How much does it cost to make changes to a will?

As time goes on, you might need to make changes to your will. For instance, if a beneficiary dies or if your family situation changes.

Rather than rewrite the will, a cheaper alternative is to draw up a ‘codicil’: a document that amends an existing will. However, this option is only really suitable for very small changes, like changing the named executor or trustee, or increasing the size of a cash gift.

If you want to set up a trust, remove a living beneficiary, or make more than one or two changes, you will need to write a new will.

The cost of drawing up a new will is likely to be a similar cost to the original will. However, if you are making very small changes, a codicil is your best bet, and will cost £20-50.

 

Can a solicitor help me draw up a will for free?

If you’re looking to avoid the cost of making a will, there are some opportunities to work with a solicitor for free:

  • Free Wills Month happens every March and October. During this time, anyone over 55 can apply for a free will written by a participating solicitor. For more details and to apply, visit the Free Wills Month website.
  • Will Aid is a charitable organisation that works with over 900 solicitors to create free wills. There’s no minimum age on who can participate, although there is an expectation to donate if you can. They recommend £95 for a single will, or £150 for a couple’s will.
  • Charity-run schemes are another option. If you are thinking about donating to a charity in your will, ask the charity if they offer a will writing service. Charities like Cancer Research UK and the Stroke Association will work with you to write your will in the hope that you will include them in it.

If these schemes aren’t a good fit for you, then another low-cost option is to write your will yourself.

 

How much does it cost to make a will yourself?

You don’t need a solicitor to make a legally binding will. If your wishes are simple, you can make your own. However, it’s a really good idea to make sure you’re using the standard legal phrases and formats in your ‘DIY’ will to avoid any misunderstandings.

A few online and offline will writing services now exist to help with DIY wills. These offer tools and templates to help you build a legally binding will that uses all the right words and phrases.

Beyond’s online will writing service allows you to write a legally binding will from the comfort of home for just £90 for a single will and £135 for a mirror will. It’s peace of mind, in minutes.

Remember! If you’re making your own will, it’s important to:

  • Get your will witnessed and signed by two people (who are adults, and not beneficiaries) to make it valid.
  • Check the spelling of names and items.

Once you’ve written the will, you might consider having it checked over by a solicitor to make sure it is legally binding. This would cost around £50.

 

When is it best to use a solicitor, and when can you DIY?

The cost of making a will with a solicitor might be worth it if your estate is complicated. It’s a good idea to go to a solicitor if:

  • There are many beneficiaries in the will
  • You share a property with someone who isn’t your spouse
  • You want to leave money or property to someone who can’t care for themselves
  • You have family members who might make a claim on your will, such as children from a previous marriage
  • Your permanent home is outside the UK
  • You own a business
  • You have property, funds or assets held overseas

You can write a will yourself in straightforward cases. An example of this might be if you are married and want to leave everything to your partner, and when they die, you want to leave everything to your children.

 

Write your will in less than 10 minutes with Beyond

If you’re thinking about writing a simple or ‘basic’ will yourself, we can help. It takes just ten minutes. Simply answer a few quick questions and record your wishes. It costs just £90, and you can update the will at any time at no extra cost. Click here to begin.

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