The Short Answer
To write a legally valid will in England and Wales:
- List your assets and any debts
- Decide who inherits each part of your estate
- Choose one or two executors
- Name guardians for children under 18
- Draft the document — DIY, online, or with a solicitor
- Sign it in front of two adult witnesses (not beneficiaries)
- Store the original somewhere safe and tell your executors where it is
That's the entire process. The detail below walks through what each step actually involves.
What to Include in a UK Will
A complete UK will normally contains the following elements, in roughly this order:
1. Your full name and address
Stated at the top of the document so there is no question who the will belongs to.
2. A revocation clause
A short clause stating that this will revokes all previous wills and codicils. Without it, an older will could remain partially in force.
3. Your executor
The person (or up to four people) who will administer your estate after you die. They apply for probate, pay any debts and inheritance tax, and distribute what's left.
4. Guardians for children
If you have children under 18, the will is the only place to appoint guardians. Without this, the courts decide.
5. Specific and pecuniary gifts
Specific gifts are named items — "my engagement ring to my daughter Emma." Pecuniary gifts are fixed cash sums — "£5,000 to my brother."
6. The residuary estate
This is everything else — usually the largest part of your estate. The residuary clause says who gets what's left after specific gifts and debts are dealt with. If you forget the residuary clause, that part of your estate passes under the intestacy rules — exactly the outcome a will is supposed to prevent.
7. Funeral wishes (optional)
Burial or cremation, religious preferences. Not legally binding but useful guidance for the family.
8. Your signature and witnesses
You sign at the end. Two adult witnesses, present at the same time, then sign in your presence.
Step-by-Step: 7 Steps to Writing Your Will
Step 1 — List your assets and debts
Property, savings, ISAs, pensions, life insurance, investments, vehicles, jewellery, business interests, digital assets. Then list debts: mortgage, loans, credit cards. The estate is what's left after debts and any inheritance tax.
Step 2 — Decide who inherits
Specific gifts, pecuniary gifts, residuary estate. Always include a residuary clause — this is the single most common DIY drafting failure.
Step 3 — Choose your executors
Up to four. Most people pick one or two — a spouse, an adult child, a sibling, a trusted friend. Tell them they've been appointed.
Step 4 — Name guardians for children under 18
Discuss it with the proposed guardians first. Make sure they're willing and financially able. Consider a Letter of Wishes for non-binding instructions about how you want your children raised.
Step 5 — Draft the document
Use a guided online service for most cases, a solicitor for complex estates with trusts or business succession, or DIY only for the very simplest cases (and even then, with care).
Step 6 — Sign and witness
Sign at the end in ink. Two adult witnesses must be present at the same time and watch you sign, then sign themselves while you watch. Witnesses cannot be beneficiaries or married to a beneficiary.
Step 7 — Store the will safely
A fireproof safe at home, with a solicitor, the Probate Service in London (£20), or a bank safe deposit box. Tell your executors where it is. A will no one can find is the same as no will at all.
Legal Requirements — Wills Act 1837
Wills in England and Wales are governed by the Wills Act 1837. To be valid, a will must:
- Be in writing (typed or handwritten — not video, audio or oral)
- Be signed by you (or by someone at your direction, in your presence)
- Be witnessed by two adults present at the same time
- Be signed by those witnesses in your presence
You must also be 18 or over and have the mental capacity to understand what you're doing — knowing the nature of a will, the extent of your estate, and who might reasonably expect to inherit.
Witness rule: a beneficiary cannot witness the will, and a beneficiary's spouse or civil partner cannot witness the will. If they do, the will itself is still valid — but the gift to that beneficiary is void. They get nothing.
Your Three Options for Writing a Will
| Option | Cost | Time | Risk of error | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIY (template/handwritten) | £10–£30 | Variable | High | Very simple cases only |
| Online will service | £69 single · £99 mirror | Under 30 min | Low (guided) | Most UK estates |
| High street solicitor | £300–£1,000 | 1–3 weeks | Low | Complex estates, trusts, business assets |
For most people, the online route is the right middle ground: cheaper and faster than a solicitor, far safer than DIY. ClearLegacy walks you through every required clause, flags missing details, and produces a print-ready PDF within 24 hours.
Common Mistakes
- Missing residuary clause — the largest part of your estate then passes under intestacy
- Beneficiary witnesses — voids the gift to that beneficiary
- Ambiguous wording — "my belongings to the children" without naming who or specifying which children
- Outdated wills — never updated after marriage, divorce, or new children
- Marriage revokes a will — unless it was specifically made in contemplation of that marriage
- Lost original — photocopies are not accepted by probate
Write Your Will Today — From £69
Under 30 minutes online. Fixed fee. Legally valid in England & Wales. Delivered within 24 hours.
Start My Will — £69 →Frequently Asked Questions
How do I write a will in the UK?
List your assets and debts, decide who inherits, choose one or two executors, name guardians for any children under 18, draft the document, then sign it in front of two adult witnesses who are not beneficiaries. The simplest route for most people is a guided online will service.
What must be included in a will?
Your full name and address, a clause revoking previous wills, the executor(s), guardians for children under 18, specific gifts, the residuary estate, optional funeral wishes, and your signature plus the signatures of two adult witnesses.
Can I write my own will in the UK?
Yes — there is no legal requirement to use a solicitor in England and Wales. A handwritten or DIY will is valid as long as it is signed and witnessed correctly. See our guide on writing a will without a solicitor.
What are the legal requirements for a will in the UK?
Under the Wills Act 1837 a will must be in writing, signed by you, and witnessed by two adults present at the same time who then sign in your presence. You must be 18 or over with mental capacity. Read more on what makes a legally valid will in the UK.
What are the most common mistakes when writing a will?
Using a beneficiary or their spouse as a witness, missing a residuary clause, ambiguous wording, failing to update after marriage or divorce, and storing the original somewhere the executors can't find it.