Find the guide for your question
Search by a question or topic, such as probate costs, registering a will or choosing witnesses.
Not sure which route fits? Start with the free will planner, free will options or when to use a solicitor.
Which guide should you read first?
If you have not made a will yet, use the free will planner and read how to make a will in England and Wales. If you are about to sign, open how to sign a will and who can witness. If you have no will, open intestacy rules. If you are choosing a provider, open will cost and do I need a solicitor. For a route without an upfront preparation fee, compare free will options.
Use the annotated sample to understand the document, the planning worksheets to prepare a conversation, and the arrangements outside a will guide to check what needs separate action. Figures are sourced and dated. The method is at how we write will guides.
Free planning tools and resources
- Free will planner and preparation checklist — Answer five questions for a free will preparation checklist, guidance links, an advice route for complex situations and a calendar reminder. No email needed.
- Free will options: find a suitable route — Compare Free Wills Month, Will Aid and year-round options. Check ages, donations, appointments and service limits with a free private finder.
- Annotated sample will — England and Wales — Read a fictional SwiftWill example, understand its clauses and download a clearly marked sample PDF. For explanation only, not for signing.
- Free will planning worksheets — Prepare a conversation with a proposed executor and a checklist for reviewing your will after marriage, divorce, a new child or a move. No account needed.
- Free executor handover template — Record where your signed will, financial records and funeral wishes are kept, for your executor. A private download with no account and no passwords.
- What does a will not cover? — Joint property, joint accounts, pensions, life cover in trust and lifetime decisions can sit outside a will. What to check alongside yours.
- Will planning resources for organisations — Free resources for employers, community organisations and publishers: practical worksheets, free-will options and reusable descriptions with clear scope.
Making and signing a will
- How to make a will in the UK — Make a will in England and Wales: records to gather, choosing a service, checking the preview, signing and storing the original. Practical checklist.
- How to sign and witness a will — The legal steps to sign a will in England and Wales: two witnesses present together, who can witness, dating, attestation and the mistakes that make gifts fail.
- Will signing checklist — Printable checklist for signing a will in England and Wales: five steps, who should not witness, mistakes that make a gift fail and good practice for probate.
- Who can witness a will? Rules and examples — Who can and cannot witness a will in England and Wales: family, spouses, executors, under-18s and blind witnesses, and what happens if a beneficiary signs.
- Can this person witness my will? — Check whether someone can witness your will in England and Wales: four questions on age, gifts, spouses and presence, with the legal source for each rule.
- Is an online will legal in England and Wales? — Online will validity in England and Wales: signing, capacity, AI-drafted wording, privacy and how automated preparation differs from individual legal review.
- Can I write my own will? What makes it valid — You can write your own will in England and Wales. How to make a homemade or handwritten will valid, what it must include and the common mistakes to avoid.
- Do I need a solicitor to make a will? — Not for a simple estate. When a solicitor is worth it: trusts, tax, business or foreign assets, blended families, leaving out a dependant or capacity doubts.
- Wills in Scotland and Northern Ireland — SwiftWill covers England and Wales only. How will rules differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland, from signing and minimum age to inheritance rights.
- How much does a will cost in the UK? — Published will prices from free to advice-led services, what printing, storage and updates add, and why solicitors’ will fees are quoted individually.
- Free will template: limits and alternatives — What a free will template can and cannot do, the free preparation checklist to download, charity free will schemes, and how to make any will legally valid.
- Where to store a will: options and costs — Compare will storage and registration, HMCTS's £24 storage fee and £30 public registration, keeping the signed original safe and telling your executors.
- How to change or update a will — Change a will with a codicil or a new will, never by writing on it. How marriage and divorce affect a will, when to review it and how SwiftWill updates work.
- Name change and your will — Does a name change affect your will? Check identity evidence, executor records, deed poll options and when a properly signed new will is needed.
If you die without a will
- Intestacy rules: who inherits without a will — Who inherits if you die without a will in England and Wales: the £322,000 spouse legacy, children, parents, siblings, unmarried partners and bona vacantia.
- Wills for unmarried couples and cohabitants — Unmarried partners inherit nothing without a will in England and Wales. Your home, court claims, inheritance tax and the government's reform proposals.
- Can stepchildren inherit? Wills and intestacy — Stepchildren inherit nothing without a will unless they were adopted. How to include them in your will, the 'my children' wording trap and when they can claim.
- UK will and probate statistics — Probate grants, letters of administration without a will, waiting times and contested cases in England and Wales, with every figure dated and sourced.
Family situations
- Writing a will with children — Name guardians, choose trustees and set the age children inherit (18, 21 or 25). Guardian rules, per stirpes, and when an online will is the wrong tool.
- Mirror wills: how they work and cost — Mirror, joint and mutual wills explained. Compare couples' options, changes after the first death, and SwiftWill's £55 pair with two individual wills.
- Do both spouses need a will? — Yes: each spouse or civil partner needs their own will. What a surviving spouse gets without one, the £322,000 legacy, the 28-day rule and mirror wills.
- Does marriage revoke a will? — In England and Wales, marriage or civil partnership revokes an existing will unless it was made expecting that marriage. What happens next and proposed reform.
- Does divorce affect a will? — Divorce does not revoke a will, but a former spouse is treated as having died on the final order date. What changes, what stays and why to make a new will.
- Can I disinherit someone in my will? — You can leave anyone out of your will in England and Wales, but spouses, partners, children and dependants can claim under the Inheritance Act 1975.
Executors, gifts and the document
- What is an executor? — An executor carries out a will: values the estate, applies for probate, pays debts and tax, then distributes. How to choose one, refusing the role, and fees.
- Can an executor be a beneficiary? — Yes, an executor can inherit under the will, and it is common. Why they should not witness it, how many executors can act and what happens after a divorce.
- Can a beneficiary witness a will? — A beneficiary should not witness a will: the will stays valid but their gift is void under section 15 of the Wills Act 1837. Who it covers and the exception.
- What is a beneficiary of a will? — A beneficiary is anyone who receives something under a will. Types of gift, what happens if a beneficiary dies first, and how to name people and charities.
- What is a residuary estate? Residue explained — The residue is what is left after debts, costs and specific gifts. Why the residue clause matters, what happens without one and if a beneficiary dies first.
- What is a codicil? Amending a will — A codicil changes part of a will and must be signed and witnessed like one. When a codicil works, when a new will is clearer, and how to replace old documents.
- What is a letter of wishes? — A letter of wishes guides executors and guardians but is not legally binding. What to include, what must stay in the will and how to keep the two separate.
- Leave money to charity in a will — Charity gifts in a will are free of inheritance tax, and 10% of the baseline amount can cut the rate to 36%. What it costs the family and how to name a charity.
- Digital legacy: online accounts after death — What happens to photos, email, social media and crypto when you die. Platform legacy tools, the law on account access, and why passwords never go in a will.
After a death
- What to do when someone dies — Steps after a death in England and Wales: the medical examiner, registering within 5 days, Tell Us Once, the funeral, key deadlines and probate.
- How to register a death in England and Wales — Register within 5 days of the medical examiner's confirmation. Who can register, what to bring, what you get, and death certificates at £12.50 each.
- Tell Us Once: report a death to government — Tell Us Once reports a death to HMRC, DWP, the Passport Office, DVLA and the council in one go. Use it within 28 days; banks and utilities are not included.
- What is probate? England and Wales guide — Probate is authority to deal with an estate. When you need it, who can apply, the steps, the £526 court fee from 13 July 2026 and how long a grant takes.
- Do I need probate? — Sole-name property needs a grant, joint assets pass to the survivor, and each bank sets its own rules for savings. How to check an estate, asset by asset.
- How long does probate take? — GOV.UK says grants usually arrive within 12 weeks of applying. The fixed deadlines before and after the grant, and what slows probate down.
- Probate costs: court fees and other expenses — The probate court fee is £526 for estates over £5,000 from 13 July 2026. Copies cost £2 each with the application or £16 later, plus other estate costs.
- Executor checklist: tasks in order — Executor tasks in order for England and Wales: finding the will, valuing the estate, inheritance tax, the grant, debts, distribution and every deadline.
- Bank accounts after a death — Sole accounts are frozen and released to the executor; joint accounts pass to the survivor. Why each bank sets its own probate rules, with examples.
- What happens to debt when you die? — Debts are paid from the estate, not by family, unless they were joint borrowers or guarantors. Mortgages, insolvent estates and how executors stay protected.
- Bereavement support and practical help — First steps after a death in England and Wales, government bereavement and funeral payments, and free grief support from Cruse, GriefChat and Samaritans.
Tools and comparisons
- Intestacy flowchart — Answer up to four questions to see who inherits under the England and Wales intestacy rules, with the full order of relatives and the £322,000 spouse legacy.
- Will signing checklist — Printable checklist for signing a will in England and Wales: five steps, who should not witness, mistakes that make a gift fail and good practice for probate.
- Probate checker: do I need probate? — Answer up to three questions about property, joint assets and what banks have told you to see whether an estate in England or Wales needs probate.
- Inheritance tax calculator — Estimate inheritance tax with the £325,000 nil-rate band, a residence band capped at your home's value, the £2m taper, spouse transfers and the 36% rate.
- Probate fees estimator — Work out the probate court fee (£526 over £5,000 from 13 July 2026) and copy costs, with an optional rough inheritance tax sketch. Runs in your browser.
- Will cost over time calculator — Compare published will prices and optional annual update costs with explicit assumptions. Unknown fees stay unmodelled; services differ.
- Compare UK online will services — Prices, review, regulation and extras for ten UK will-writing services, each fact sourced and dated. SwiftWill publishes it and says where it falls short.
- Wills Bill tracker: proposals and status — The Law Commission's draft Wills Bill has not been introduced to Parliament. What it proposes on electronic wills, marriage and age, and which rules apply now.
- Lasting power of attorney — What an LPA is, the two types, who can be an attorney or certificate provider, the £92 fee, the signing order and registration time in England and Wales.
Life events and planning ahead
- Need a will urgently? — How to get a valid will signed today in England and Wales, what an online will can do quickly, and when an urgent will needs a solicitor instead.
- Appointing a guardian in your will — Who can appoint a guardian for a child, when the appointment takes effect, choosing a back-up, who manages the money, and unmarried fathers' position.
- Lasting power of attorney cost — Registering an LPA costs £92 per LPA (£46 to resubmit) from 17 November 2025. Fee help, DIY or solicitor, and current registration times.
- Will vs lasting power of attorney — A will acts after death; an LPA acts while you are alive but cannot decide. Why many adults need both, and what deputyship costs without an LPA.
- Making a will before surgery or travel — Make or update a will before a planned operation or long trip: timing, signing before you go, storing the original, telling executors and an LPA.
- Pets in your will: plan for their care — Choose a pet carer, plan a backup and care costs, compare current charity schemes and understand the limits of SwiftWill's pet provisions.
Property and trusts
- Joint tenants vs tenants in common — How joint tenants and tenants in common differ on a death, how to check the title register, and how to sever a joint tenancy with a notice and Form SEV.
- Trusts in wills: types, tax and trustees — Bare, life interest, discretionary and disabled person's trusts in wills, with trustee duties, tax basics and when a solicitor should draft the trust.
- Can I leave my house to my children? — Leaving a home to children in England and Wales: joint ownership, the mortgage, children under 18, stepchildren, a surviving spouse and the residence band.
- Care home fees and your will — How councils in England and Wales assess care costs, when your home counts, what deprivation of assets means, and what a will can and cannot do.
- Life insurance, pensions and your will — Which assets pass outside your will: life cover in trust, pension death benefits, joint accounts and joint property, and how to keep them in line with it.
Inheritance tax
- Inheritance tax explained — How inheritance tax works: the £325,000 and £175,000 allowances, 40% and 36% rates, spouse exemption, payment deadlines and what a will can and cannot change.
- Residence nil-rate band explained — The £175,000 residence nil-rate band: which homes and descendants qualify, the £2 million taper, downsizing, spouse transfers and how will wording affects it.
- Gifts and the seven-year rule — Which lifetime gifts are exempt from inheritance tax, how the seven-year rule and taper relief work, gifts from surplus income and gifts with reservation.
- Pensions and inheritance tax — Most unused pension funds and death benefits count for inheritance tax on deaths from 6 April 2027. What Finance Act 2026 changes, what is exempt and your will.
- Transferring nil-rate bands between spouses — How a surviving spouse or civil partner uses unused nil-rate and residence nil-rate bands, what 'up to £1 million' requires, and the IHT402 and IHT436 claims.
Disputes, records and changes after death
- Contesting a will: grounds, time limits, costs — Who can contest a will in England and Wales, the legal grounds, the six-month Inheritance Act deadline, £4 caveats, costs risk, mediation and prevention.
- Inheritance Act claims against an estate — Who can claim under the Inheritance Act 1975, what reasonable financial provision means, the six-month time limit and what Ilott means for adult children.
- How to find a will after someone dies — Where to look for an original will, HMCTS will storage, the National Will Register, probate records with £16 copies, lost wills and what to do if none exists.
- Deed of variation: changing a will after death — How a deed of variation redirects an inheritance: who signs, the two-year limit, IHT and CGT statements, HMRC’s IOV2 checklist and the benefits risks.
- Is a will a public document? — A will is private during life but becomes a public record once probate is granted. What becomes public, how to order a copy for £16 and what stays private.
- Next of kin: what it means in law — Next of kin has no general legal status for inheritance in England and Wales. What it means in hospital, for registering a death, for intestacy and executors.
Compare will services
- SwiftWill vs ClearLegacy — ClearLegacy charges £89/£129 with a founder check of flagged answers; SwiftWill £35/£55, automated only. Prices, refunds, updates and storage compared.
- SwiftWill vs Which? Wills — Compare Which? Wills packages, dated prices and promotions, optional specialist review, regulation and storage with SwiftWill’s £35 automated will.
- SwiftWill vs TenMinuteWill — TenMinuteWill lists £49.99 + VAT (£59.99 with VAT) and a will-writer check. Compare updates, storage, cancellation and prices with SwiftWill’s £35.
- SwiftWill vs MyIntent — MyIntent’s £249 will includes a video appointment with a legal adviser; SwiftWill’s £35 will has no advice. Compare prices, the charity route and extras.
- Cheapest online will in the UK — Published will prices from ten UK providers with sources and check dates, what the cheapest services leave out, free routes and when paying more is worth it.
- Online will vs solicitor: which do you need? — What a solicitor adds to a will, how regulation and complaints differ from online will-writing, why no official price exists, and which situations need advice.
More guides and tools
- SwiftWill vs Octopus Legacy — Compare automated preparation and expert review, published prices and update terms. Direct provider sources and scope explained.
- SwiftWill vs Co-op Legal Services — Explore professional will-writing advice from Co-op alongside SwiftWill’s automated preparation. Check current quotes and service scope.
- SwiftWill vs Farewill — Compare Farewill’s specialist check and published fees with SwiftWill’s automated preparation. Service scope and direct provider sources.
- SwiftWill vs FreeWills — FreeWills advertises free wills, updates and solicitor checks. Compare its published terms with SwiftWill’s automated document preparation.
- SwiftWill vs Make a Will Online — Compare individual solicitor checks with automated preparation. Published prices, update terms and direct provider sources.
- I have been named executor: what now? — You can decline, or step back with power reserved. If you act: find the original will, value the estate, apply for probate if needed and protect yourself.
- Making a will with no children — Without a will, your estate goes to a spouse or relatives in a fixed order, and friends, partners and charities get nothing. What a will lets you choose.
- Will for parents with young children — Appoint guardians, choose who manages the money and set the age children inherit. What happens without a will, and when parents need a solicitor.
- Property owned with a partner — How joint tenancy or tenancy in common decides who gets a shared home, what each will should cover, and when a couple needs legal advice first.
- My partner died without a will — A spouse or civil partner inherits under intestacy; an unmarried partner inherits nothing but may claim within six months of the grant. What to do next.
- Second marriage with children — Marriage revokes an earlier will, and leaving everything to a new spouse can disinherit your children. What an online will can do and when you need a trust.
- Unmarried parents: both need a will — Without wills, an unmarried partner inherits nothing and children inherit at 18. Guardians, parental responsibility, mirror wills and when to get advice.
- Unmarried and own a house together — Unmarried partners inherit nothing under intestacy. How joint ownership decides who keeps the home, and why GOV.UK recommends legal advice for co-owners.