Does a couple share one will?
A will can only ever dispose of the estate of the person who signs it. There is no practical "joint will" covering two people — so yes, both spouses (and both civil partners) each need their own. Each will deals with that person's own assets and their own wishes: who acts as executor, who would care for the children, and where everything goes.
Does a surviving spouse automatically inherit everything?
Many couples assume everything automatically passes to the survivor. Jointly owned assets often do — but anything in your sole name follows the intestacy rules if you die without a will, and those rules hold a surprise. With no children, a surviving spouse or civil partner does inherit everything. With children, the spouse receives the personal belongings, the first £322,000, and only half of what remains — the children share the other half, which can force a house sale or leave a spouse cash-poor at the worst possible moment.
Are mirror wills the usual answer for couples?
Most couples solve this with mirror wills— two near-identical wills, typically leaving everything to each other first, then to the children. Each person signs their own document, and each keeps the freedom to change their own will later; the "mirror" is a choice, not a lock.
How long does it take for both spouses to make a will?
Two wills, one evening. You can each make your will in about 15 minutes with SwiftWill — a one-time £35 per will, with free updates for life and no subscriptions or upsells.