All guides
Every guide, grouped by topic. Start wherever is most relevant to you — nothing assumes you have read anything else first.
Writing a will
How to Write a Will in the UK
Writing a will does not have to be complicated. Here is what it actually needs to include, and the main routes for making it legally valid.
Updating or Changing Your Will: When and How
A will is not a one-time document — life changes, and your will should be updated to match. Here is when to update it, and the two proper ways to do it.
Mirror Wills: How Couples Usually Write Their Wills
Most couples make mirror wills — two near-identical wills leaving everything to each other, then to the children. They are simple and cheap, but they have one catch worth understanding.
Trusts in Wills: What They Are and When They Actually Help
Trusts sound like something for the very rich. In wills, they are mostly a practical tool for ordinary situations — second marriages, young children, vulnerable beneficiaries.
Appointing Guardians for Your Children in Your Will
For parents of young children, the guardian clause matters more than anything about money. Here is what happens with one, without one, and how to choose well.
Joint Property: Why Your Will May Not Control Your House
The most common surprise in UK estates: the house was never governed by the will at all. How you co-own decides everything, and checking takes two minutes.
Digital Assets: What Happens to Your Online Life When You Die
Half your life is behind passwords your executors do not have. Some of it is property your will can pass on; much of it is not — and the difference surprises people.
Funeral Wishes: What Your Will Can and Cannot Decide
Your will can state your funeral wishes — but they are not legally binding, and the will is often read too late anyway. Here is how to make wishes actually happen.
Write Your Own Will in the UK: Step-by-Step (No Solicitor)
You can write a legally valid will yourself in the UK without paying a solicitor. Follow these steps to make a DIY will that covers your estate, appoint executors, and protects your wishes.
Who Can Witness a Will in the UK? Rules and Common Mistakes
Your will must be witnessed by two adults who see you sign it and then sign it themselves. If the wrong people witness your will, it can be invalid — even if everything else is correct.
Living Will UK Explained: What It Is and What It Actually Does
A living will is not a will at all—it's an advance decision to refuse specific medical treatments if you lose capacity. It has no effect on who inherits your estate or how your property is distributed after death.
How to Update a Will After Divorce: UK Rules and Steps
When your divorce is finalised in England and Wales, any gifts to your ex-spouse are automatically revoked in your existing will. You should still update your will properly to appoint new executors, guardians, and beneficiaries to reflect your current wishes.
How to Store a Will Safely in the UK
Your will must be found when you die and proven authentic. Storing it safely means picking a location executors can access without delay, with backups where appropriate.
Dying without a will
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in the UK?
Without a will, your estate is shared out according to fixed intestacy rules — not your own wishes. Here is how those rules actually work.
What Happens to Your House If You Die Without a Will?
Property is often the most valuable and most misunderstood part of an estate when someone dies without a will — especially for unmarried couples. Here is what actually happens.
Intestacy Rules for Married Couples in the UK
When a married person dies without a will in England and Wales, intestacy rules decide who inherits. The surviving spouse gets the first £322,000 plus personal belongings and half the remaining estate, but children or other relatives can inherit too, creating complications many couples never intended.
Probate
What Is Probate in the UK?
Probate is the legal process of dealing with someone's estate after they die. Here is what it actually involves, step by step.
How Long Does Probate Take in the UK?
There is no fixed length for probate, but there is a realistic typical range — and some very common reasons it takes longer than people expect.
What Does an Executor of a Will Actually Do?
Being named an executor is a bigger job than most people expect. Here is the full list of what you are actually signing up for, in the order it happens.
Contesting a Will: Who Can Challenge and On What Grounds
Most people who feel wronged by a will cannot challenge it — and most who can, should think hard first. Here is how contesting actually works.
Deeds of Variation: Rewriting a Will After Death
Few people know inheritances can be legally redirected after death — with the tax treated as if the will had always said so. The two-year window makes it one of the most useful tools in estate planning.
Executor Responsibilities UK Checklist: Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Being an executor means handling the deceased's estate from registering the death to distributing assets. This checklist covers every legal duty, from applying for probate to filing tax returns and paying creditors.
Inheritance tax
Inheritance Tax Explained Simply
Inheritance tax sounds intimidating, but the underlying logic is fairly simple once you strip away the jargon. Here is how it actually works.
How to Reduce Inheritance Tax Legally
There are several long-established, entirely legal ways to reduce a future inheritance tax bill. Here is what they are and roughly how they work.
The 7-Year Rule: How Gifting Before You Die Actually Works
Give money away, survive seven years, and it escapes inheritance tax. The rule is real — but taper relief is widely misunderstood, and the annual allowances do more work than people think.
Leaving Money to Charity in Your Will
Charitable gifts in wills are completely tax-free — and a big enough gift cuts the tax rate on everything else. Here is how the maths and the wording work.
Inheritance Tax Threshold UK 2026: What You'll Actually Pay
The inheritance tax nil-rate band remains frozen at £325,000 until April 2030, meaning estates above this threshold face a 40% charge. The residence nil-rate band adds up to £175,000 if you leave your home to direct descendants, giving some families a combined threshold of £500,000 per person or £1 million for married couples.
Costs and solicitors
How Much Does a Will Cost in the UK?
Will costs vary a lot depending on the route you take. Here is what actually drives the price difference, not just the headline numbers.
Do I Need a Solicitor for a Will?
Not every will needs a solicitor — but some situations genuinely do. Here is how to work out which camp your situation falls into.
What Probate Actually Costs in 2026
Probate costs range from the court fee alone to tens of thousands for the same estate, depending on who does the work. Here is where the money goes and how to keep it.