How Much Does a Will Cost in the UK? (Full Price Range)
There isn't one "correct" price for a will, because the cost depends on who writes it, how complex your estate is, and what format you choose. Here's what each option actually costs in 2026:
| Option | Single Will | Mirror Wills (Couple) | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY template (stationer or download) | £0–£20 | £0–£30 | Same day |
| Charity will scheme (eligibility-based) | £0 (donation suggested) | £0 (donation suggested) | 2–6 weeks |
| Budget online service | £19–£60 | £29–£95 | 15 min–1 week |
| Clear Legacy (fixed fee) | £69 | £99 | 24 hours |
| Mid-market online service | £90–£180 | £150–£270 | 2–5 days |
| Regulated will writer (home visit) | £150–£300 | £250–£500 | 1–3 weeks |
| High-street solicitor (simple estate) | £400–£900 | £650–£1,400 | 2–6 weeks |
| High-street solicitor (complex estate) | £900–£1,500+ | £1,500–£2,500+ | 4–10 weeks |
Prices are typical 2026 market ranges for England & Wales. Scottish and Northern Irish wills differ.
What You Actually Pay For at Each Price Point
£0 — DIY and charity wills
A blank will template plus two witnesses is technically all the law requires. It is also where most will disputes begin. DIY wills get challenged in court more often than any other kind, usually because the wording is ambiguous, executors are missing, or the witnesses were also beneficiaries (which voids their gift). Charity schemes like Will Aid, Free Wills Month and the major hospice and medical research programmes are reliable because a qualified solicitor still drafts the document — but you're expected to make a donation (typically £100–£150) and the schemes are seasonal or eligibility-restricted (usually over 55 or over 60).
£19–£69 — budget and fixed-fee online
Services at this price either run a self-serve questionnaire with no human review (the risk tier) or offer a fixed-fee product with professional drafting included. Clear Legacy sits at the top of this band at £69 — a full questionnaire, a drafted document, and a compliance check against England & Wales requirements before it reaches you. No percentage fees, no upsells, no surprise storage charges.
£90–£300 — mid-market online and will writers
This is where most online services land. You typically get a longer questionnaire, the option to add a named solicitor review, and some form of document storage or aftercare included. Regulated will writers (members of the Society of Will Writers or Institute of Professional Willwriters) sit at the top of this band and will visit your home if needed.
£400–£1,500+ — solicitors
A solicitor is the right answer when your situation is genuinely complex: business assets, overseas property, trusts, non-dom tax questions, second marriages with children from a previous relationship, potential capacity challenges, or estates likely to exceed the inheritance tax threshold. For those cases, the extra cost buys real protection. For a standard single will with straightforward beneficiaries, you are paying mostly for the robes.
The Hidden Costs Most Price Lists Don't Mention
The sticker price is rarely the full price. Watch for these:
- Will storage fees — solicitors often charge £10–£30 per year to store the original. Over 20 years that is £200–£600 on top of the will itself.
- Amendment fees — every time you update a will through a solicitor, expect £75–£200 for a codicil or £200–£400 for a new will.
- Executor fees — if you name the solicitor as executor (many draft this in by default), their firm takes 1–5% of the estate on your death. On a £300,000 estate that is £3,000–£15,000. Always check who is named as executor before signing.
- "Percentage of estate" pricing — some will writers charge a low headline fee and then a percentage when the will is executed. Read the small print.
- Probate handling — a will is one document; probate is a separate process after death. Clear Legacy's fixed-fee probate starts at £195 rather than the 2–5% of estate value that solicitors typically charge.
- Witness requirements — a UK will must be signed in front of two independent adult witnesses who are not beneficiaries. If you forget this or use a beneficiary as a witness, the whole document can be void.
Single Will vs Mirror Wills vs Complex Wills
| Type | When you need it | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Single will | One person, straightforward estate, clear beneficiaries | £69–£400 |
| Mirror wills | Couple leaving everything to each other, then to shared beneficiaries | £99–£700 |
| Will with trust | Leaving assets to children under 18 or in a protective trust | £250–£1,200 |
| Life interest will | Second marriage, protecting inheritance for children from a prior relationship | £400–£1,500 |
| Business owner will | Limited company shares, sole trader assets, partnership interests | £500–£2,000+ |
Is It Worth Paying More for a More Expensive Will?
Only if your situation is complex. The legal effect of a £69 will and a £900 will is identical if both are drafted correctly and witnessed properly — a court doesn't care what you paid, only what the document says and how it was signed. The money buys one of three things: (1) a human to advise on complex estate structuring, (2) aftercare and storage, or (3) brand reassurance. For a typical single person or couple with a house, savings and named beneficiaries, a fixed-fee professional service covers everything the law needs.
What Happens If You Don't Have a Will?
If you die without a valid will, the rules of intestacy decide who inherits your estate. In England & Wales, that order is: spouse first (with a statutory limit), then children, then parents, then siblings, and so on. Unmarried partners inherit nothing automatically, regardless of how long you lived together. Stepchildren, close friends, and charities inherit nothing unless named. Probate also takes longer (often 9–18 months versus 4–8 with a will) and costs more because the estate has to be administered blind.
Your Will, Done Right. From £69.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average cost of a will in the UK?
For a standard single will in 2026, the UK average is £150–£300. That average is dragged up by solicitor pricing; if you use a fixed-fee online service, you can pay considerably less without any loss of legal validity.
Is a £69 will legally valid?
Yes — the price of a will has no bearing on its legal validity. Under the Wills Act 1837, a will in England & Wales is valid if it is (1) in writing, (2) signed by you, (3) in the presence of two adult independent witnesses who also sign, and (4) you had testamentary capacity when you signed it. Those four conditions are met whether the document cost £0 or £5,000.
Is it cheaper to write your own will?
Upfront, yes. Over a lifetime, often no. DIY wills are the single most common cause of will disputes, and a contested will can cost the estate £10,000–£50,000 in legal fees to resolve. A £69 professionally drafted will removes almost all of that risk.
Do I need a solicitor to write a will in the UK?
No. There is no legal requirement to use a solicitor. A will can be written by anyone — you, an online service, a regulated will writer, or a solicitor — and it has the same legal effect if drafted and signed correctly. Solicitors are worth paying for complex estates, not simple ones.
How much does it cost to update a will?
Through a solicitor: £75–£200 for a codicil (a small amendment) or £200–£400 for a new will. Through an online service, updates are often included free for 12 months or charged at a flat fee. Small changes (beneficiaries, executors) should always trigger a new will rather than a codicil — codicils get lost, misfiled, or ignored.
Are mirror wills cheaper than two single wills?
Yes. Mirror wills are two almost-identical documents written together for a couple, which lets the provider charge once for most of the work. Expect to pay roughly 1.4×–1.6× the single-will price rather than 2×. At Clear Legacy, mirror wills are £99 versus £69 for a single will.
Does Clear Legacy charge a percentage of my estate?
No. Every Clear Legacy price is a fixed fee: £69 for a will, £89 for a lasting power of attorney, £195 for probate. We do not take a percentage of the estate on death and we do not name ourselves as executor by default.
How long does it take to write a will?
The online questionnaire at Clear Legacy takes around 15 minutes. Your drafted will is returned within 24 hours. You then need to print it, sign it in front of two adult witnesses, and store the original somewhere safe. Your executors need to know where that is.
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