How to Make a Will Online UK 2026 — What It Costs, What to Include and Traps to Avoid

Updated April 2026 | Kaeltripton.com

Around 35–40% of UK adults have a will (source: Macfarlanes, 2023 data on intestacy), which means the majority of people are leaving their families to deal with the rigid rules of intestacy instead of their own wishes. If you're unmarried, have children from a previous relationship, own property jointly as tenants in common, or simply want to choose who inherits what, a will is non-negotiable.

Making a will online is now cheap, fast, and for straightforward estates, legitimately good enough. Here's what's involved, what it costs, and what to avoid.

Three ways to make a UK will in 2026

• DIY paper or basic form. Free or £10–£20 for a stationer's template. Cheapest but highest error risk — invalidly executed wills are the most common form. Not recommended for anything beyond the simplest estates.
• Online will service. Typically £30–£150 for a professionally drafted, self-completed will. Suitable for most estates without trusts or complex arrangements. Best balance of cost and quality for most people.
• Solicitor-drafted will. £150–£500+ depending on complexity. Needed for blended families, business interests, trust arrangements or very large estates. Includes personalised advice.

Who needs more than an online will?

• Estates likely to exceed IHT thresholds (£325,000 NRB + £175,000 RNRB if passing main home to direct descendants; thresholds frozen to April 2031)
• Business owners, particularly with qualifying Business Property Relief assets (APR/BPR rules changing from April 2026 — 100% relief limited to first £1m, 50% above)
• Blended families with step-children (step-children do not inherit under intestacy unless legally adopted)
• Anyone wanting to set up a trust (for minor children, disabled beneficiaries, or control over when beneficiaries receive funds)
• Overseas assets or non-UK domicile status
• Previous divorce or separation where the will must deal with former spouse/partner claims

What every UK will must contain

• Declaration that this is your last will and revokes earlier wills.
• Appointment of executors. Normally 2 (max 4). Must be over 18; cannot be witnesses to the will.
• Guardianship for minor children. Essential if you have dependants under 18.
• Specific gifts (legacies). Named items or amounts to specific beneficiaries.
• Residuary estate clause. Who gets everything that's left after debts, tax and specific gifts. This usually accounts for most of the estate.
• Signing and witnessing. You must sign in the presence of two adult witnesses who then sign in your presence. Witnesses cannot be beneficiaries or their spouses — or they forfeit their inheritance.

What it costs — online will services 2026

Typical online-will pricing:

Will Aid (November) and Free Wills Month (March and October) offer free solicitor-drafted wills each year in exchange for a suggested charitable donation.

Executors — who to choose

Executors handle the probate process and estate administration. Key considerations:

• Choose someone trustworthy, organised and likely to outlive you.
• Two executors is the practical standard — a single executor can be overwhelmed, and up to four is allowed by law.
• A professional executor (solicitor or bank) is usually an expensive choice. Professional fees can run into several percent of the estate. Use a family member or trusted friend as executor wherever possible — they can still instruct a solicitor to handle probate on a fixed-fee basis.
• Age and location matter. An executor aged 80+ or living overseas may struggle to carry out the role.
• Executors can also be beneficiaries. A spouse, adult child, or sibling is a perfectly valid executor.

Guardianship for minor children

If you have children under 18, naming a guardian in your will is one of the single most important decisions you'll ever make. Without a named guardian, the family courts decide where your children go. Key points:

• Talk to your chosen guardian first. Don't spring this on someone in your will.
• Consider financial provision. Many wills set up a simple trust so the guardian has funds to raise the children without tapping their own resources.
• Review when circumstances change. A guardian chosen when your child is an infant may no longer be right when the child is 14. Review every 3–5 years.

What happens if you die without a will (intestacy rules, England & Wales)

If you die intestate in England or Wales, your estate is distributed under the Administration of Estates Act 1925 (as amended by the Inheritance and Trustees' Powers Act 2014 and the 2023 Fixed Net Sum Order). Key rules:

• Married/civil partner + no children. Spouse/civil partner inherits everything.
• Married/civil partner + children. Spouse gets all personal chattels + statutory legacy of £322,000 (increased 26 July 2023, previously £270,000) + half of anything remaining. The other half is split between children equally.
• Unmarried partner. Inherits nothing under intestacy, however long you have cohabited. Must bring a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 to get anything — which is costly and uncertain.
• No spouse/children. The estate passes up a fixed order: parents, siblings, nieces/nephews, and so on. If no living relative in the order, the estate passes to the Crown (bona vacantia).

Step-by-step — making your will online

• Step 1: List your assets and debts. Property, savings, pensions, life insurance, investments, valuables, digital assets. Note debts: mortgages, loans, credit cards.
• Step 2: Decide who gets what. Specific gifts first. Then think about who gets the residuary estate (what's left after debts, tax, and specific gifts).
• Step 3: Choose executors. Two adults you trust, ideally not both the same age/generation. Ask them first.
• Step 4: Name guardians (if you have minor children).
• Step 5: Complete the online form and review carefully. Most online services generate a printable will once you've answered their questions.
• Step 6: Sign and witness correctly. Sign in front of two independent adult witnesses (not beneficiaries or their spouses) who then sign in your presence. All three sign the same copy at the same time.
• Step 7: Store safely and tell your executors where to find it. Keep the original safe (fireproof box, bank, or professional storage). Give your executors a copy or a clear instruction on where to find the original.

Tell your executors. Now.

The single most common problem at probate time is not knowing where the will is. A signed will tucked into a drawer nobody knows about is no better than no will. Make sure your executors know:

• That they are named as executor
• Where the original will is kept
• The outline of what you have (bank accounts, investments, property, insurance) and where records are kept — a one-page 'what to do when I die' summary is invaluable
• The contact details of any professional advisers (solicitor, accountant, financial adviser)

When to update your will

Review your will at least every 5 years, and immediately after any of:

• Marriage or civil partnership (existing wills are automatically revoked by marriage in England and Wales, unless the will was specifically made in contemplation of that marriage)
• Divorce or dissolution of civil partnership (gifts to former spouse are treated as if they had predeceased you, but the rest of the will usually remains valid)
• Birth or adoption of a child or grandchild
• Death of a beneficiary or executor
• Significant change in wealth (house sale/purchase, inheritance received, business sale)
• Move to or from Scotland or Northern Ireland (different laws apply)

A will is not enough on its own

Consider these companion documents:

• Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs). A will only operates after death. An LPA lets someone act for you if you lose mental capacity. Property & Financial Affairs LPA and Health & Welfare LPA are separate documents — most people need both. Registration fee from the Office of the Public Guardian is £92 per LPA from 17 November 2025 (up from £82), so £184 for both. Fee reduction or exemption may be available for lower-income applicants.
• Letter of wishes. A non-binding letter to your executors explaining your thinking — particularly useful with trust arrangements or discretionary gifts.
• Digital asset list. Passwords, account locations, social media wishes.
• Funeral wishes. Usually better as a separate note than in the will, as wills may not be read until after the funeral.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always verify rates with official sources before making any financial decision.

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