6 things to know before taking advantage of Free Wills Month

If you’ve been putting off writing or updating your will due to the cost, you’re not alone. 

In fact, one in six people without a will say they don’t have one because they’re unable to afford it, according to financial services provider Canada Life.

With Free Wills Month running in March, now could be a good opportunity to write a simple will for free. 

Here, Which? explains six things to know about using Free Wills Month and how else you can keep costs down.

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1. It runs twice a year

Free Wills Month runs twice a year in March and October and gives those aged over 55 the chance to have a simple will drawn up or updated by a solicitor for free in exchange for a charitable donation.

The scheme has been running since 2005 and raises around £15m of future income for sponsoring charities per campaign. 

• Find out more: reasons for making a will

2. Over 20 charities take part

Some of the national charities taking part include Age UK, British Heart Foundation, Guide Dogs, Mind, NSPCC, Samaritans and Shelter. A full list can be found on the Free Wills Month website. 

The charity sponsoring the scheme near you will depend on your location, however it's worth remembering you can leave a gift to any charity in your will. 

If you use Free Wills Month, you are under no obligation to leave a donation, but most charities taking part hope you will, as many depend on legacies for up to half of their income.

Whatever you do leave will remain confidential and the charity will not get a copy of your will. 

• Find out more: how to make a will 

3. Different areas participate in different months

Hundreds of solicitor firms and charities take part, but different areas participate in different months. 

In March the following areas will take part: Aberdeen, Barry, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Cardiff, Chesterfield, Chichester, Coventry, Crawley, Darlington, Dundee, Eastbourne, Edinburgh, Essex, Fife, Glasgow, Harrogate, Hastings, Hertfordshire, Horsham, Inverness, Kent, Kilmarnock, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Mid Wales, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Wales, Northamptonshire, Norwich, Perth, Peterborough, Sheffield, Sunderland, Surrey, Swansea, Wirral, Wolverhampton and Worthing.

You can put your postcode into the Free Wills Month website to find out which solicitors near you are taking part.

• Find out more: what to put in your will 

4. Appointments book up fast

Appointments with participating solicitors are limited and arranged on a first-come, first-served basis from 1 March. 

Once all the available appointments are booked, the campaign will close - which may be before the end of March.

To sign up you'll need to enter your postcode on the Free Wills Month website to find your nearest participating solicitor. 

You'll then need to contact the solicitor to arrange the appointment and mention the Free Wills Month scheme. 

5. Couples can get mirror wills

As well as simple wills for individuals, Free Wills Month also includes couples making ‘mirror’ wills. 

In this case, only one of the couple needs to be over the age of 55. 

Mirror wills are almost entirely identical wills created by married couples or partners.

• Find out more: will writing for new parents 

6. It may not suit complex cases

The solicitor will define whether your will is considered simple based on your particular requirements.

If your will is considered to be more complex, the solicitor may ask you to pay the difference yourself. 

It's a good idea to seek a few quotes to compare prices.

• Find out more: will and lifetime trusts

What if you're not eligible to use Free Wills Month?

If you're not eligible to use Free Wills Month, you may want to consider some of your other options for getting a free or low-cost will.

1. Wait for Will Aid 

Will Aid is a partnership between solicitors and nine UK charities, which allows you to get a basic will for a voluntary donation. It usually runs in November.

The suggested donation to Will Aid is £100 for a single basic will and £180 for a pair of mirror wills.

Donations support the work of the British Red Cross, Age UK, Action Aid, Christian Aid, NSPCC, Save the Children, SCIAF, Sightsavers and Trócaire.

A list of participating solicitors can be found on the Will Aid website. It’s recommended you book an appointment early to secure a place.

2. All-year-round charity schemes 

Many charities provide free will-writing services all year round, although it's recommended you leave a gift to the charity in your will in exchange for the service. 

Participating charities include Marie Curie, Cancer Research, Macmillan Cancer Support, The Children’s Hospital and The Stroke Association. 

Bear in mind that some have criteria for who can use the service, so it's best to check their website first. For example, at The Stroke Association you need to be over the age of 60 or a stroke survivor over the age of 18. 

3. Through your employer or trade union  

If you're a member of a trade union, you could get your will written for free or for a low cost. 

Unison and the Public and Commercial Services Union are among those that partner with solicitors to provide members with a free will-writing service.

It’s possible your employer may offer you a free will as an employee benefit, so it’s worth checking with your HR department as part of your research. 

• Are you making a will? If you want support, you can make your will and have it reviewed by Which?.

4. Use a will-writing service 

Using a will-writing service is typically cheaper than using a solicitor, with prices starting from around £80.

You’ll also get more guidance than doing it yourself, and it can be ideal if your circumstances are relatively straightforward but you want some support.

However, not all will writers are qualified or regulated, because will writing itself is not a regulated market. 

To give yourself extra protection, you should make sure your will writer is recognised by a professional body within the industry, or by a regulated individual, like a solicitor. 

The wills team at Which? is supervised by a solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

5. Do it yourself 

Templates for DIY wills can be downloaded online from as little as £10, but you should only use one of these if your estate is very simple. If you have more complex circumstances, you risk making a mistake that could make your will invalid or ambiguous.

Should you go down the DIY route, it’s crucial that the will covers all the major assets you own and that the document is witnessed correctly.

We’ve got some more advice in our guide on creating a will for free.