What can you download for free?
Download the free will preparation checklist as a text file, without giving an email address. It prompts you to consider people, property, executors, guardians and backup choices. It contains no legal wording and cannot be signed as a will. For a checklist tailored to your answers, use the free will planner.
If you want to see what a will looks like, read the annotated sample will or download its marked sample PDF. It uses fictional answers and is not for signing. SwiftWill does not offer a blank Word document or a fill-in PDF will template to complete yourself.
How do the checklist, sample and paid will differ?
The free resources help you prepare and understand the format. A paid document is generated from your own answers, but automated preparation does not assess every legal risk. Check when you need a solicitor before choosing a route.
| Resource and format | What it helps you do | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Free preparation checklist (.txt) | Gather decisions and questions to use with any suitable will-writing route. | No legal clauses; not a will or codicil. |
| Free sample will (web page and PDF) | See example wording and layout alongside separate explanations on the page. | Fictional circumstances; do not replace the names and sign it. |
| Paid personalised will (PDF) | Prepare a document from the interview answers after suitability screening and a preview. | No individual solicitor review. Correct preparation, signing and witnessing are still required. |
How should you use the free resources?
- Download the checklist, open it in a text editor or print it, and keep your preparation notes privately.
- Read the sample's explanations to understand the questions a will addresses. Record anything you do not understand rather than copying its clauses.
- Check which decisions remain unresolved, including who should act and what should happen if someone dies before you. GOV.UK's preparation guidance explains these choices and when advice is appropriate.
- Take your notes to your chosen provider, free scheme or suitable DIY process. Neither free download turns those notes into a completed will.
Is a will made from a template legally valid?
Using a template does not itself prevent a valid will. It must meet the legal requirements, including correct signing and witnessing, capacity and free choice. You must also know and approve its contents; signing a form does not resolve unsuitable or unclear wording. Read the will validity guide and follow GOV.UK's requirements.
Why can a blank template be risky?
A template gives you a structure but not judgement. Common gaps are:
- no residue clause, so anything not listed passes under the intestacy rules;
- no backup beneficiaries if someone dies before you;
- jointly owned property that cannot pass under a will at all (GOV.UK);
- clauses that do not fit a blended family, a dependant who cannot care for themselves, a business or property abroad;
- handwritten edits after signing, which have no effect unless witnessed (section 21).
GOV.UK recommends professional advice if your will is not straightforward. Read can I write my own will for the full list of common mistakes.
Are free will-writing services available?
Yes. The Competition and Markets Authority mentions Free Wills Month (March and October) and Will Aid (November), which usually cover simple wills and ask for a voluntary donation to charity. A fee may apply if your will is complex. Our free will options finder links to each scheme's own pages, and the provider comparison covers free and paid services.
What comes after preparation?
- Choose a route that fits your circumstances: yourself, a free scheme, an online service or a solicitor.
- Read the draft and check names, gifts, shares and backups.
- Print and sign it in front of two witnesses who inherit nothing.
- Store the original safely and tell your executors where it is.
SwiftWill prepares a will from guided questions for £35, with a preview before payment and no individual legal review. The steps are explained in how to make a will.
Sources
- Wills Act 1837, section 9 and section 21
- GOV.UK: Write your will
- GOV.UK: Make sure your will is legal
- GOV.UK: Joint property ownership
- Competition and Markets Authority: What to consider when buying will writing services (9 October 2024)
Sources checked 24 September 2026; validity explanation updated against GOV.UK and the linked validity guide on 30 September 2026. Resource formats and GOV.UK preparation and signing guidance rechecked 6 October 2026.