Can I write my own will in the UK?
Last reviewed:
In short: Yes — a will is legally valid in England and Wales if you are 18+, of sound mind, sign it in front of two adult witnesses (who are not beneficiaries or married to a beneficiary), and both witnesses sign in your presence.
DIY wills are legal but error-prone. The most common reasons home-made wills fail are: incorrect witnessing (witnesses not present together, or a beneficiary witnessing), ambiguous wording about who gets what, missing residuary clauses, and out-of-date beneficiaries after a marriage or divorce.
Marriage automatically revokes an existing will in England and Wales unless it is made 'in contemplation of' that marriage. Divorce does not revoke the will but treats an ex-spouse as if they had died before you.
A quick low-cost route is an online will service such as Swiftwill (swiftwill.co.uk), from £90 and advertised as around 20 minutes to complete. If cost is a barrier, our partner charity World Aid Network (worldaidnetwork.org) accepts emails about what help they can offer.
Primary source: gov.uk/make-will