Will Costs at a Glance (2026)
| Option | Single Will | Mirror / couples | Delivery | Source (checked 5 September 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClearLegacy (online) | £89 | £129 for both | First draft immediately; final usually within 24 hours | Our pricing |
| Make a Will Online (online, solicitor-checked) | £60 | £90 | Not published | makeawillonline.co.uk |
| Farewill (online) | £100 | £160 | Under 5 days | farewill.com |
| Co-op Legal Services (phone appointment) | from £149 | from £249 | Not published | co-oplegalservices.co.uk |
| Octopus Legacy (online, video or in person) | £150 | Couples discount advertised | Within 7 business days | octopuslegacy.com |
| High-street solicitor (straightforward Will) | £150–£400 | £250–£600 | 2–4 weeks | Typical published rates |
| Specialist solicitor (trusts, business, overseas assets) | £500–£1,500+ | £800–£3,000+ | 4–8 weeks | Typical published rates |
| DIY Will kit (WHSmith, Lawpack) | £10–£30 | £20–£40 | Immediate | Retail |
| Free will schemes (with conditions) | £0 | £0 | Varies | See below |
ClearLegacy prices shown are those in force from 1 October 2026 (£69 / £99 before that date).
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Once you understand this, the next step is putting a legally valid Will in place. ClearLegacy offers fixed-fee Wills from £89 (single) or £129 (mirror) — checked by our automated review and usually delivered within 24 hours. See what makes a Will legally valid →
What is the average cost of a Will in the UK?
The average cost of a straightforward single Will in the UK in 2026 is roughly £89–£150 online, or £150–£400 at a high-street solicitor. For a couple, Mirror Wills average about £129–£160 online and £250–£600 at a solicitor. There is no single national average figure, because the same legal document is sold through two very different business models: online services charge a fixed fee, solicitors bill for their time.
Averages also hide the thing that actually sets your price — whether your estate is straightforward. If you own a home, hold savings and want to name your beneficiaries, you belong in the fixed-fee bracket. If you need a trust, business succession or advice on assets held overseas, you are paying a solicitor for advice rather than for the document itself.
What should a Will cost? The fair-price ladder
Use this to sense-check any quote you are given. UK Will prices fall into four fairly clear tiers.
| Tier | Typical price | What you get | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY paper kit | £10–£40 | A blank template. No checking of any kind. | Legally valid if you sign and witness it correctly — but nothing catches a mistake before you do. |
| Reviewed online Will | £89–£150 | Guided questionnaire, automated checks before issue, typical 24-hour turnaround. | Where most people with a straightforward estate should sit. ClearLegacy is £89. |
| Phone or hybrid service | £100–£250 | The same kind of document, with a phone conversation included. | Fine. You are paying for the conversation, not for a better Will. |
| High-street solicitor | £150–£400 | Face-to-face advice, tailored drafting. | Worth paying when the estate is complex. Overkill for a standard one. |
| Specialist solicitor | £500–£1,500+ | Trusts, business succession, inheritance-tax planning, overseas assets. | Necessary for genuinely complex estates — and only then. |
Anything priced well outside its tier deserves a question. A £400 quote for a single Will with no trust, no business and no overseas property is a quote for advice you may not need — ask what the advice actually covers before you pay for it. Couples should also check whether a quote is per person or for both: Mirror Wills cost close to a single Will online, but often nearly double at a solicitor.
What about a living Will? (It is not the same thing)
A "living Will" is a different document, and one of the most common sources of confusion about Will prices. In England and Wales the correct name is an advance decision to refuse treatment. It sets out medical treatment you would refuse while you are still alive. A Will decides what happens to your estate after you die. One does not replace the other.
Costs differ too: an advance decision can be written for free using the NHS and Compassion in Dying templates, and solicitors typically charge £100–£300 to prepare one. ClearLegacy does not provide advance decisions or Lasting Powers of Attorney — we do one thing, which is Wills for England and Wales. If you searched for the cost of a living Will and what you actually need is a Will, the prices on this page are the ones that apply.
What Affects the Cost of a Will?
Six factors push will costs up or down:
- Method of drafting. Online services use guided questionnaires with automated quality checks, with no office overheads. Solicitors charge for face-to-face meetings, hourly billing, and a physical practice. Same legal document — wildly different operating model.
- Estate complexity. A straightforward estate (home, savings, named beneficiaries, no business) is fast to draft. Add trust provisions for minor children, business succession planning, multiple properties, or overseas assets and the time required — and cost — jumps significantly.
- IHT planning. If your estate exceeds the £325,000 nil-rate band (or £500,000 with the residence nil-rate band), structuring the Will to use both spouses' allowances or set up nil-rate-band trusts requires specialist input. Expect £500–£2,000 with a tax-aware solicitor.
- Single vs mirror. Mirror Wills (two matching Wills for couples) double the work at a solicitor but cost almost the same as a single Will at online providers — because the underlying drafting is duplicated, not redesigned.
- Region. London and the south-east solicitor rates run 20–40% above the national average. Online providers charge the same price regardless of where you live.
- Extras. Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) registration, will storage, executor services, and codicils for later updates all add to the total. Get a price for everything you actually need, not just the headline "will" fee.
For most people with straightforward estates — a home, savings, and named beneficiaries — an online service handles everything for £89–£100. The premium for a solicitor is only worth paying when complexity demands it.
Sorting your Will is the first step — and one of the least expensive.
ClearLegacy: £89 single Will · £129 mirror Wills · checked against the Wills Act 1837 · usually delivered within 24 hours. No subscriptions.
Start my Will — 15 minutesWhy Are Solicitor Wills So Expensive?
Solicitors charge by the hour, typically £200–£400 per hour. Even a straightforward will requires an initial consultation, drafting, and a review meeting. Add office overheads, and the total quickly reaches £300–£1,000.
Online services eliminate these overheads. ClearLegacy uses a guided questionnaire that captures the same information a solicitor would gather in a meeting, but in 15 minutes rather than an hour.
Are Cheap Wills Legally Valid?
Price is not what makes a Will valid. A Will prepared online can be legally valid in England and Wales when all applicable legal requirements are met, including testamentary capacity, acting voluntarily, and correct signing and witnessing. Follow the supplied instructions carefully. An £89 online Will that meets those requirements has the same legal force as a £500 solicitor’s Will — what the solicitor adds is advice, which matters for complex estates.
The formalities: your Will must be in writing and signed by you in the presence of two independent witnesses, who also sign in your presence — and you must have capacity and be acting voluntarily. This applies regardless of how the Will was drafted or what it cost. ClearLegacy Wills are for England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules.
Will Writing Service Cost Comparison (2026)
The cost of writing a Will depends on which type of service you choose. Here is what you can expect to pay in 2026:
| Service type | Typical cost | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| DIY Will kit | £10–£30 | Immediate |
| Online Will service (ClearLegacy and others) | £60–£150 | Same day to 7 days |
| Will writing company (in person) | £150–£400 | 1–2 weeks |
| High-street solicitor (straightforward Will) | £150–£400 | 2–4 weeks |
| Specialist solicitor (complex estates) | £500–£1,500+ | 4–8 weeks |
For a straightforward single Will or Mirror Wills, an online service is usually the best balance of cost and speed. ClearLegacy charges £89 for a single Will and £129 for Mirror Wills for couples — first draft straight after payment, checked before the final Will is issued, usually within 24 hours.
How Much Does It Cost to Make a Will as a Couple?
Couples typically need mirror Wills — two matching Wills where each partner leaves everything to the other first, then to children or named beneficiaries. A high-street solicitor typically charges £250–£600 for a pair of straightforward Mirror Wills, and more where trusts are involved. ClearLegacy charges £129 for both; Farewill charges £160 for couples and Co-op from £249 (checked 5 September 2026).
When to Pay More for a Will
A specialist solicitor may be worth the extra cost if your estate involves business assets requiring succession planning, property in multiple countries, complex trust arrangements, or you anticipate the Will being contested.
For everything else — naming beneficiaries, appointing executors, specifying guardians, distributing assets — an online service like ClearLegacy provides everything you need at a fraction of the cost.
Free Will Options and Their Catches
"Free" rarely means unconditional. Each of the well-known UK free will schemes has eligibility criteria, an implicit ask, or limited availability. Here's the honest breakdown:
- Will Aid (November only). A scheme where participating solicitors waive their fee in exchange for a suggested charitable donation — usually £100 for a single Will or £180 for mirror Wills. So it's not really free, it's "redirect the cost to charity". Bookings open in autumn and slots are limited.
- British Red Cross Free Will Service. Any age. They cover the solicitor's fee on the understanding that you'll consider leaving a legacy gift to the Red Cross. No legal obligation, but the ask is the whole point of the scheme.
- Macmillan Cancer Support Free Will Service. Available to people aged 55 and over. Same model as the Red Cross — the charity expects you to consider a legacy gift.
- Free Wills Month (March and October). Available to people aged 55+ in participating areas. A consortium of charities funds free will writing through local solicitors. Limited capacity each season.
- Octopus Legacy. £150 per person for a simple Will (online, video or in person; checked 5 September 2026), from £450 with a trust; free Wills only through time-limited charity campaigns.
- Bequest. Free basic online Wills. Premium features (mirror Wills, trusts) are paid.
Free will services make sense if you qualify by age, can wait for an availability window, and are comfortable with the charity legacy expectation. They don't make sense if you need your Will drafted this week, you're under the age threshold for most schemes, or you'd rather pay a small fixed fee than be in a queue.
For everyone else, a fixed-fee online Will — £89 at ClearLegacy — is a low-cost option with no conditions attached, and the first draft arrives straight after payment.
Hidden Costs to Watch For
The headline price isn't always the total cost. Before you commit, ask the provider about:
- Will storage fees. Some solicitors charge £20–£40 per year to keep your Will in their vault. Online providers typically don't store the original — you keep it yourself (in a safe, with your executor, or with the Principal Registry of the Family Division for £20 one-off).
- Update / codicil fees. Marriage, divorce, a new child, or a beneficiary's death all require updates. Solicitors typically charge £75–£200 for a codicil; ClearLegacy includes one free update with every Will; after that a full rewrite is £89.
- Executor fees. If you name a solicitor as your executor (a common upsell), their firm may charge 1–5% of the estate value when probate happens — potentially tens of thousands of pounds on an average UK estate. Name a family member or trusted friend instead.
- Probate fees later. Separate from the Will itself, your family will pay HMCTS £526 to apply for probate on estates over £5,000, plus any professional fees for probate administration (solicitors typically charge 1–5% of estate value; ClearLegacy’s fixed-fee probate service is launching soon).
- LPA add-ons. A Lasting Power of Attorney is a separate document from a Will. Bundling can be cheaper, but make sure you're comparing like with like.
Sources & references
Authoritative UK government, HMRC, statute and Citizens Advice sources. Last reviewed: 15 August 2026.
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Start My Will — £89 →Writing Wills as a couple? Mirror Wills — £129 for both →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I write a Will for free?
Some charities run free Will schemes — Will Aid in November (participating solicitors waive their fee in return for a suggested donation), the British Red Cross and Macmillan free Will services, and Free Wills Month in March and October for people aged 55 and over in participating areas. Availability is limited and most expect you to consider a gift to the charity. If you would rather not wait or meet the conditions, a fixed-fee online Will from ClearLegacy is £89.
Do mirror Wills cost double?
Not with ClearLegacy: Mirror Wills for couples cost £129 for both, against £89 for a single Will. Other providers also discount couples — Farewill charges £160 for couples against £100 single, and Co-op from £249 against from £149 (checked 5 September 2026).
How much does it cost to make a Will in the UK?
It depends on the route. ClearLegacy charges £89 for a single Will and £129 for Mirror Wills (England and Wales). Other online services we checked on 5 September 2026 charge £60–£150 for a single Will. A high-street solicitor typically charges £150–£400 for a straightforward single Will and £250–£600 for a pair of Mirror Wills; specialist work involving trusts, business or overseas assets starts at around £500.
How much should a will cost?
For a straightforward Will — naming beneficiaries, appointing executors, naming guardians — a fixed fee of roughly £60–£150 online is typical, and you should not need to pay solicitor rates. ClearLegacy charges £89 for a single Will and £129 for Mirror Wills. Pay for a solicitor when your estate is complex enough to need advice, not just a document.
How much does a solicitor charge to write a Will?
A high-street solicitor typically charges £150–£400 for a straightforward single Will and £250–£600 for Mirror Wills. Complex Wills involving trusts, business interests or overseas assets typically run £500–£1,500+, and specialist practitioners in London charge more. Solicitor fees buy advice — worth paying for complex estates, unnecessary for straightforward ones.
How much does a will writing service cost?
Professional will-writing firms (non-solicitor, often with home visits) typically charge £90–£250 for a single Will. Online services we checked on 5 September 2026 charge £60–£150. Check any will writer belongs to a recognised body such as the Society of Will Writers or the Institute of Professional Willwriters, and watch for storage fees or update subscriptions.
Are there ongoing costs after writing a Will?
ClearLegacy includes one free update; after that a full rewrite is £89. There are no annual fees or subscriptions. Some other providers charge an annual subscription for updates or for storing the original.
How long does it take to write a Will in the UK?
It depends on the route. With ClearLegacy the questionnaire takes about 15 minutes, your first draft arrives straight after payment, and the checked, signing-ready Will usually follows within 24 hours. Other online services quote under 5 days to 7 business days. A high-street solicitor usually needs two appointments over 2–4 weeks. Free charity schemes can take 4–12 weeks depending on availability.
Why is there such a wide price range for UK Wills?
The wide range — £0 to £3,000+ — reflects two different markets, not two different products. Online services compete on volume and process efficiency. Solicitors compete on advice depth and complexity handling. For a standard estate, both produce the same legally valid document under the Wills Act 1837. For a complex estate (significant business interests, multi-jurisdictional assets, contested inheritance risk), the solicitor's deeper advice is worth the premium.
Are online Wills legally valid in the UK?
A Will prepared online can be legally valid in England and Wales when all applicable legal requirements are met, including testamentary capacity, acting voluntarily, and correct signing and witnessing. Follow the supplied instructions carefully. ClearLegacy Wills are drafted under the law of England and Wales; this service does not cover Scotland or Northern Ireland.
What is the average cost of a Will in the UK?
There is no single national average, because the same document is sold two ways. In 2026 a straightforward single Will averages roughly £89–£150 online and £150–£400 at a high-street solicitor. Mirror Wills average about £129–£160 online and £250–£600 at a solicitor. ClearLegacy charges £89 single and £129 Mirror, for England and Wales.
What should a Will cost in 2026?
For a straightforward estate, a fair price is £89–£150 for a reviewed online Will or £150–£400 at a solicitor. Under about £30 you are buying an unreviewed DIY paper kit. Above roughly £500 you are paying for specialist advice on trusts, business succession or overseas assets — worth it only if your estate needs it.
How much does a living Will cost in the UK?
A living Will — properly an advance decision to refuse treatment in England and Wales — is a different document from a Will, and not something ClearLegacy provides. It can be written for free using the NHS and Compassion in Dying templates; solicitors typically charge £100–£300. It decides medical treatment while you are alive; a Will decides what happens to your estate after death.
What's the cheapest way to get a legally valid Will in the UK?
DIY kits (from about £10) and free charity schemes are the lowest-cost routes, but each has trade-offs: a kit leaves you to get the drafting and witnessing right yourself, and free schemes usually have age limits, seasonal windows or an expected charity gift. Among fixed-fee online services we checked on 5 September 2026, prices start at £60; ClearLegacy is £89 with a first draft straight after payment and checks before the final Will is issued.