How to write a will online in the UK

A plain-English walkthrough of everything you need to know to write a valid UK will online in 2026 — from the Wills Act 1837 through to where to store your signed will once it's done.

Why write a will at all

Roughly two out of three UK adults don't have a valid will. That's been true for decades. Most of the people in that statistic aren't avoiding the task on purpose — they've just never got round to it, or they assume their estate will "sort itself out". It doesn't.

If you die without a valid will in England or Wales, the Intestacy Rules take over. These rules are a fixed sequence, written into the Administration of Estates Act 1925 and updated periodically since. They decide who inherits from you in a strict order — spouse, then children, then parents, then siblings, then more distant relatives. They don't care who you loved, who needed the money, or what you promised. Four things they get particularly wrong:

• Unmarried partners get nothing. You can have lived together for 30 years and raised three children, and if you die without a will your partner is not your legal heir.
• Stepchildren get nothing. Intestacy only recognises biological and legally adopted children.
• Your spouse may not get everything. If you have children and your estate is over £322,000, your spouse gets the first £322k and half of the remainder. Your children take the other half.
• No one gets to choose the executor. The court appoints administrators, which typically means whichever relative applies first.

A will is how you override the default. It doesn't need to be long or complicated, but it does need to exist.

The legal requirements: the Wills Act 1837

Every UK will in England and Wales is governed by the Wills Act 1837. That statute is nearly two hundred years old and has been tweaked only lightly since. For a will to be valid, four things need to be true at the moment you sign it:

1. You are 18 or over. (Soldiers on active service and sailors at sea can make wills from 17, but the exception is rarely relevant.)
2. You have testamentary capacity. You understand what a will is, what your estate contains, and who you are choosing to benefit. You are not being coerced.
3. The will is in writing. Paper. Printed or handwritten. Not a voice note, not a text message, not an email — in England and Wales, electronic wills are not yet legally valid.
4. You sign in the presence of two independent witnesses, who then sign in your presence. Both witnesses must be adults of sound mind. They cannot be beneficiaries under the will, and they cannot be married to or in a civil partnership with a beneficiary.

That's the whole legal test. Whatever is written between "I, your name here" and the signature line can be as simple or as detailed as you need, so long as those four conditions are met.

Online, solicitor, or DIY kit?

There are three routes to a UK will, and the right choice depends on your estate.

Online will services (£69–£165)

A service like ClearLegacy, Farewill or Co-op Legal Services uses structured questions to capture your wishes, produces a draft that follows the Wills Act 1837, and then has a trained reviewer check it. You print, sign in front of two witnesses, and you're done. The process takes 20–30 minutes of form-filling and a few days of back-and-forth on any amendments.

Best for: straightforward estates. Single property, one partner, children under 18 or adult, standard "everything to my partner, then to my children" pattern, or any variation on that theme where the decisions are clear.

High-street solicitor (£150–£400)

A solicitor takes instructions in an hour-long meeting, drafts the will, and sends it to you for signing. The process typically takes two to four weeks. You're paying for two things: the solicitor's time, and their office overhead. You're not necessarily paying for a technically better will.

Best for: genuinely complex estates. Discretionary trusts for vulnerable beneficiaries, business succession planning, overseas assets, second marriages with children from both sides, or inheritance tax planning above the £325,000 nil-rate band.

DIY kit (£20–£40)

A stationery shop or supermarket sells will kits — essentially a printed template you fill in by hand. These meet the Wills Act requirements if signed correctly, but they have no review step. The most common failures: ambiguous wording, missing residuary clauses, and witness errors.

The seven decisions every will maker faces

Every UK will, whether drafted by a solicitor or an online service, answers the same seven questions.

1. Who are your executors?

The people responsible for carrying out your wishes after you die. You can name one, but two is better (in case one is unavailable), and four is the legal maximum that can apply for probate together.

2. Who inherits what?

Break this into three layers. First, specific gifts: "my wedding ring to my daughter Sarah, £500 to Cancer Research UK." Second, pecuniary legacies: fixed cash amounts to named beneficiaries. Third, the residue: everything left over, and who receives it.

3. What if a beneficiary dies before you do?

Most wills include a substitutional clause — if your main beneficiary predeceases you, the gift passes to their children, or to a named substitute.

4. Are there minor children to protect?

If you have children under 18, you need to appoint guardians. You may also want to consider a simple trust so that any inheritance is held on the child's behalf until they reach 18 (or a later age you specify — 21 or 25 are common).

5. What are your funeral wishes?

Burial or cremation. A particular hymn or reading. A preferred funeral director. These wishes aren't legally binding on your executors, but they're almost always followed.

6. Who should receive the will's original?

Your executors need access to the signed original to apply for probate. A photocopy is not enough.

7. Have you considered charitable giving?

Gifts to registered UK charities are exempt from inheritance tax. If you leave 10% or more of your estate to charity, the IHT rate on the rest of your estate drops from 40% to 36%.

Choosing your executors

Your executors are the most important people in your will. They'll apply for probate, collect your assets, pay your debts and taxes, and distribute what's left to your beneficiaries. The job takes six to twelve months of paperwork and meetings.

Who should you choose?

• Someone organised. This is the key trait. The role is bureaucratic, not emotional.
• Someone younger than you, or at least likely to outlive you. A 90-year-old executor is a planning risk.
• Someone you trust with your beneficiaries' money. Executors hold your estate on trust until distribution.
• Preferably two people, so there's redundancy and a second pair of eyes.

Beneficiaries can be executors. In fact they often should be — your spouse or adult children are the people most motivated to get the job done. The only thing executors cannot do is witness the will.

What about professional executors? A solicitor or bank will act as a paid executor, and their fees come out of your estate. Typical professional executor fees are 1–5% of the estate, plus hourly charges. For a £400,000 estate that's £4,000–£20,000. For most families a trusted relative is free and does the same job.

Appointing guardians for children under 18

If you have children under 18 and you're their only surviving parent — or if both parents are making wills together — you can appoint guardians. These are the people who would take legal responsibility for your children if you died before the children reached adulthood.

Two things to know:

• Appointing a guardian takes effect only when there is no surviving parent with parental responsibility. Your guardian clause only activates if both parents have died.
• Talk to your proposed guardians first. This is a significant ask. Most people say yes, but they deserve the conversation before they find out in your will.

Mirror wills for couples

Mirror wills are two separate wills drafted to match each other. They're the standard choice for married couples, civil partners, and long-term unmarried partners with joint finances. Typical structure: everything to the surviving partner, then on the second death, to the children (or to named beneficiaries).

• They're separate wills, not one joint document. Mirror wills are two independent instruments that happen to mirror each other.
• Either partner can change their will later. After the first death, the survivor is free to rewrite their will however they choose.
• They're cheaper than two single wills. We charge £99 for mirror wills versus £138 for two singles.

More on mirror wills →

Signing and witnessing: where most wills go wrong

The signing stage is the single biggest point of failure for UK wills. Not the drafting — the execution.

Step 1: Choose your witnesses

You need two. Both must be 18 or over, of sound mind, physically present with you (and each other) when you sign, not beneficiaries, and not married to any beneficiary.

Good options: neighbours, colleagues, friends who don't inherit, your GP. Avoid: your children, your spouse, your business partner who's named in the will.

Step 2: Sign in the presence of both witnesses

All three of you in the same room at the same time. You sign first. The witnesses watch you sign. Then each witness signs, while you and the other witness watch.

Step 3: Date the will

Once signed, write the full date on the will. If you later make a new will, the date matters.

The ten most common will mistakes

1. Using a beneficiary as a witness. The witness's gift fails.
2. Forgetting the residuary clause. You list specific gifts but don't say who gets "everything else".
3. Out-of-date wills after major life events. Marriage automatically revokes an earlier will in England and Wales.
4. Naming a single executor who has since died. Always name a substitute.
5. Ambiguous beneficiary descriptions. "My brother" is fine if you have one brother. Less fine if you have three.
6. Not updating for new children or grandchildren.
7. Gifting specific items that no longer exist. If you leave your car to your nephew, and you've since sold the car, the gift simply fails.
8. Storing the original somewhere no one can find.
9. Assuming a joint bank account passes outside the estate to a partner. Don't assume — account terms vary.
10. Not talking to your executors. Naming someone without telling them creates unwelcome surprises.

Where to store your will

The signed, witnessed original is the legal will. Copies — digital or paper — are not. Your executors need the original to apply for probate.

• A home safe, fireproof if possible. Your executors need to know the combination.
• A bank safety deposit box. Reliable, but access after death requires proof of authority.
• With your solicitor or a professional will storage service. Most firms store wills free of charge.

When to update your will

Review your will every five years, or whenever one of the following happens:

• You marry, divorce, or enter a civil partnership. Marriage and civil partnership automatically revoke an existing will.
• You have a new child or grandchild you want to provide for.
• A named beneficiary dies.
• A named executor dies or becomes unsuitable.
• You move house — particularly if the will refers to a specific property.
• A major asset changes — you sell a business, inherit significantly, or buy a second home.
• Your chosen charity changes name or merges with another.

Small changes can be made by a codicil. Larger changes are better handled by writing a fresh will that explicitly revokes the old one.

Frequently asked questions

Is an online will legal in the UK?

Yes. An online will is every bit as legal as one drafted by a solicitor, provided it complies with the Wills Act 1837.

How much does it cost to write a will online?

Typical UK prices: £69–£165. ClearLegacy charges £69 for a single will and £99 for mirror wills. Farewill is £100 / £165. Co-op Legal Services starts around £150.

How long does the process take?

Drafting: 15–25 minutes. Review: a few days. Signing: 10 minutes once witnesses are present.

Do I need a solicitor?

No. Use a solicitor only if your estate is genuinely complex — trusts, business assets, overseas property, second marriages with children from both sides.

What happens if I die without a will?

The Intestacy Rules distribute your estate according to a fixed order. Unmarried partners inherit nothing. Stepchildren inherit nothing. Spouses inherit first up to £322,000 and half of any excess.

This guide is for general information about writing a will in England and Wales. It is not legal advice. For complex estates we recommend consulting a solicitor.