--- title: "UK will guides" description: "Plain-English England and Wales will guides: signing, intestacy, costs, unmarried couples, probate and when to use a solicitor." url: "https://swiftwill.co.uk/guides/" author: "Marcus Kaiser" date_modified: "2026-08-12" --- # UK will guides Start with how to make a will in the UK, then how to sign, who can witness, and whether an online will is legal. Then read intestacy if you have no will, or the solicitor check if your estate is not straightforward. Skip this hub if you already know the URL you need. > SwiftWill provides legal information and software for England & Wales under Section 9 of the Wills Act 1837. Figures are taken from gov.uk, legislation.gov.uk and HMCTS, checked 12 August 2026. We have not given you legal advice — this is general information. ## Which guide should you read first? If you have not made a will yet, start with [how to make a will in the UK](/how-to-make-a-will/). If you are about to sign, open [how to sign a will](/how-to-sign-a-will/) and [who can witness](/who-can-witness-a-will/). If you have no will, open [intestacy rules](/intestacy-rules/). If you are choosing a provider, open [will cost](/will-cost/) and [do I need a solicitor](/do-i-need-a-solicitor-for-a-will/). Skip the rest until those are settled. Every guide reaches a verdict and names who should skip it. Figures are sourced and dated. The method is at [how we write will guides](/method/guides/). ## ## Making and signing a will - [/how-to-make-a-will/](/how-to-make-a-will/) - [/how-to-sign-a-will/](/how-to-sign-a-will/) - [/tools/signing-checklist/](/tools/signing-checklist/) - [/who-can-witness-a-will/](/who-can-witness-a-will/) - [/tools/witness-checker/](/tools/witness-checker/) - [/is-an-online-will-legal/](/is-an-online-will-legal/) - [/can-i-write-my-own-will/](/can-i-write-my-own-will/) - [/do-i-need-a-solicitor-for-a-will/](/do-i-need-a-solicitor-for-a-will/) - [/scotland/](/scotland/) - [/will-cost/](/will-cost/) - [/free-will-template/](/free-will-template/) - [/where-to-store-a-will/](/where-to-store-a-will/) - [/changing-your-will/](/changing-your-will/) - [/changing-your-name/](/changing-your-name/) ## If you die without a will - [/intestacy-rules/](/intestacy-rules/) - [/will-for-unmarried-couples/](/will-for-unmarried-couples/) - [/can-stepchildren-inherit/](/can-stepchildren-inherit/) - [/uk-will-statistics/](/uk-will-statistics/) ## Family situations - [/writing-a-will-with-children/](/writing-a-will-with-children/) - [/mirror-wills/](/mirror-wills/) - [/do-both-spouses-need-a-will/](/do-both-spouses-need-a-will/) - [/does-marriage-revoke-a-will/](/does-marriage-revoke-a-will/) - [/does-divorce-affect-a-will/](/does-divorce-affect-a-will/) - [/can-i-disinherit-someone/](/can-i-disinherit-someone/) ## Executors, gifts and the document - [/what-is-an-executor/](/what-is-an-executor/) - [/can-an-executor-be-a-beneficiary/](/can-an-executor-be-a-beneficiary/) - [/can-a-beneficiary-witness-a-will/](/can-a-beneficiary-witness-a-will/) - [/what-is-a-beneficiary/](/what-is-a-beneficiary/) - [/what-is-a-residuary-estate/](/what-is-a-residuary-estate/) - [/what-is-a-codicil/](/what-is-a-codicil/) - [/what-is-a-letter-of-wishes/](/what-is-a-letter-of-wishes/) - [/can-i-leave-money-to-charity-in-my-will/](/can-i-leave-money-to-charity-in-my-will/) - [/digital-legacy/](/digital-legacy/) ## After a death - [/what-to-do-when-someone-dies/](/what-to-do-when-someone-dies/) - [/register-a-death/](/register-a-death/) - [/tell-us-once/](/tell-us-once/) - [/probate/](/probate/) - [/probate/do-i-need-probate/](/probate/do-i-need-probate/) - [/probate/how-long-does-probate-take/](/probate/how-long-does-probate-take/) - [/probate/probate-costs/](/probate/probate-costs/) - [/executor-checklist/](/executor-checklist/) - [/bank-accounts-after-death/](/bank-accounts-after-death/) - [/what-happens-to-debt-when-you-die/](/what-happens-to-debt-when-you-die/) - [/bereavement-support/](/bereavement-support/) ## Tools and comparisons - [/tools/intestacy-flowchart/](/tools/intestacy-flowchart/) - [/tools/signing-checklist/](/tools/signing-checklist/) - [/tools/probate-checker/](/tools/probate-checker/) - [/tools/inheritance-tax-calculator/](/tools/inheritance-tax-calculator/) - [/tools/probate-fees-estimator/](/tools/probate-fees-estimator/) - [/tools/solicitor-cost-calculator/](/tools/solicitor-cost-calculator/) - [/compare/](/compare/) - [/wills-bill-tracker/](/wills-bill-tracker/) - [/lasting-power-of-attorney/](/lasting-power-of-attorney/) ## Frequently asked questions ### Where should I start if I have not made a will? Read how to make a will in the UK, then whether an online will is legal, then the solicitor honesty check. If your estate is straightforward, make the will for £35 and follow the signing guide. If you are unmarried, start with the unmarried-couples guide instead — intestacy leaves your partner nothing. ### Are these guides legal advice? No. They are general information for England and Wales, checked against gov.uk and legislation.gov.uk. Situation-specific advice is a solicitor. We say so on every page. Canonical HTML: https://swiftwill.co.uk/guides/ Markdown: https://swiftwill.co.uk/guides.md Last modified: 2026-08-12 Author: Marcus Kaiser (https://swiftwill.co.uk/author/marcus-kaiser/)