What is SwiftWill, legally?
SwiftWill provides legal information and document-preparation software for England and Wales. We do not provide legal advice, and nothing on this site, in the interview, in generated documents, or in our emails should be read as advice on your specific circumstances. Will writing is not a reserved legal activity under the Legal Services Act 2007; no solicitor or notary is required for a will to be valid.
Which countries does SwiftWill cover?
Our document-preparation service is intended for straightforward circumstances in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different will law, and our suitability screening excludes addresses there before payment.
When is a SwiftWill actually valid?
A will is only valid once it has been printed and signed in the presence of two witnesses in accordance with section 9 of the Wills Act 1837. Execution must be physical — wet ink on paper; electronic signatures are not valid for wills. Every SwiftWill includes a step-by-step signing card, but the signing itself happens offline and is your responsibility.
When should you consult a solicitor instead?
If your situation involves tax planning, trusts, business or foreign assets, or a possible dispute, you should consult a solicitor. The full list — nine specific situations — is published at do I need a solicitor for a will?, and the same checklist runs inside our interview before any payment is taken.
How are figures on this site checked?
Reference sources for legal guidance include — gov.uk/make-will, gov.uk/inherits-someone-dies-without-will, legislation.gov.uk and Law Commission publications — and sources are linked in our guides. Pages show a content update date. This is not a claim that a solicitor has reviewed your circumstances. If you believe anything on this site is inaccurate, tell us at wills@swiftwill.co.uk and we will check and correct it.
Are external links endorsements?
Links to gov.uk, legislation.gov.uk, the Law Society and other external sites are provided for reference; we are not responsible for their content.