Wills for England and Wales
Make a will online, one plain-English question at a time
Tell WillBot about your family, who you trust and what you want to happen. It turns your answers into a will, you read a summary of everything in plain English, and a will writer at Jackson Giles Legal Services reviews it before it is finalised.
- Single will £40, mirror wills £80
- About 15 minutes
- Save and come back any time
- Reviewed by a person before it is finalised
Your complete journey
A will is step two. Step one protects you while you are alive.
A will only takes effect after you die. If you lose the ability to make decisions earlier, it does nothing. Lasting Powers of Attorney cover that gap, and your answers carry over so you do not start from scratch.
- Lasting Powers of Attorney
Who can act for you on money, or on health and care, if you cannot.
- Your will
You are here. Who gets what, who looks after your children, who deals with your estate.
- Keep it up to date
Look again after marriage, children, a move or a big change in your finances.
How it works
From first question to a will you can sign
Answer questions
One at a time, in a chat. Each has a short reason for asking. Ramble if you like. We tidy it up and read it back before anything is saved.
Read your summary
At the end you see everything in plain English: who gets what, who your executors and guardians are, and what happens if someone cannot inherit. You confirm it is right.
A person reviews it
A will writer at Jackson Giles Legal Services looks over your answers before your will is finalised, and gets in touch if something needs a conversation.
Sign it properly
You get a signing guide that says who can witness and exactly what to do. This is where most home-made wills go wrong.
Price
Fixed prices, shown before you start
Mirror wills
£80 for the couple
Two matching wills for you and your partner, made from one set of answers.
Start our willsWills are for England and Wales. If your situation needs a trust or advice, we will say so and put you in touch with a person before you pay for anything that is not right for you.
What your will covers
The decisions that matter, asked in the right order
Executors
The people who carry out your wishes. We suggest two, and for couples we ask first whether you want to be each other's executor. For the second death we can offer your grown-up children, with their details filled in for you.
Guardians for children
If you have children under 18, we use their ages to ask who should look after them if neither parent could.
Who gets what
Gifts, shares of your estate and who receives the rest. If a person on your list could not inherit, we ask what should happen instead.
Age of inheritance
If children are young, you choose the age they inherit. Otherwise the default of 18 applies, and our team checks for young grandchildren, nieces or nephews.
Funeral wishes
Record what you would like, so your family are not left guessing.
Clear wording
Includes a 30-day survival clause and up-to-date witnessing wording, and the document stays marked as a draft until it has been reviewed.
For couples
Mirror wills from one set of answers
Mirror wills are two separate wills with matching wishes, usually leaving everything to each other first and then to the same people afterwards. Make them together and you answer shared questions, such as your children, only once. Each will still belongs to one person, and the survivor is normally free to change theirs after the first death. If that matters to you, talk to us before you start.
Is it right for you?
Honest about when you need a person
Usually a good fit
- You live in England or Wales
- You want to leave your estate to family, friends or charities
- You want to name executors and guardians
- You are a couple wanting matching wills
Talk to a person first
- You live outside England and Wales, or own property abroad
- You want a trust, including a life interest for a partner
- You own a business or farm
- Your estate might owe inheritance tax
- There is a disabled or vulnerable beneficiary, or a risk of a family dispute
Good to know
The basics of making a valid will
In England and Wales a will is valid when it is in writing, you are 18 or over with mental capacity, and you sign it in front of two witnesses who then sign in your presence. Nothing else, such as a stamp or a lawyer, is legally required.
Choosing witnesses
Use two adults who are not beneficiaries and not married to, or in a civil partnership with, a beneficiary. A gift to a witness or their spouse can be lost.
What happens with no will
Your estate follows the intestacy rules, which share it between relatives in a fixed order. Unmarried partners do not inherit automatically, however long you have lived together. Step-children are also left out.
Keeping it up to date
Look at your will again after marriage or civil partnership, divorce, a new child or grandchild, a death in the family, a move or a big change in what you own. Marriage cancels an earlier will unless it was made expecting that marriage. After a divorce your ex-partner is treated as if they had died, which can leave gaps, so update it.
Done your will? Cover yourself while you are alive too.
Lasting Powers of Attorney let someone you trust deal with your money, or your health and care, if you ever cannot. We reuse the details you have already given us.
Questions
Will questions, answered
How much does it cost to make a will?
A single will costs £40 and a pair of mirror wills costs £80 for the two of you. Prices across the market vary widely, so compare what is included, such as whether a person reviews the will and whether storage or later updates cost extra.
Is an online will legally valid?
Yes, if it is signed correctly. In England and Wales a will must be in writing, made by someone aged 18 or over with mental capacity, and signed by you in front of two witnesses who then sign in your presence. How the will was prepared does not matter. Mistakes at signing are the most common reason home-made wills fail.
Do I need a solicitor to make a will?
No, the law does not require one. For a straightforward estate an online service can be enough. Advice from a solicitor or will writer is worth having if your estate might owe inheritance tax, you have a complicated family situation, you own a business or overseas property, or you want to set up a trust.
What is a mirror will?
Mirror wills are two separate wills, usually for a couple, with matching wishes, typically leaving everything to each other first and then to the same people afterwards. They are not legally binding on each other, so after the first death the survivor is normally free to change their own will.
What happens if I die without a will?
Your estate is shared under the intestacy rules, which follow a fixed order of relatives. Unmarried partners do not inherit automatically under these rules, however long you have lived together. A will lets you decide instead.
Who can witness my will?
Two adults who watch you sign, and then sign themselves in your presence. They should not be beneficiaries or married to or in a civil partnership with a beneficiary, because a gift to a witness or their spouse can be lost.
Who looks after my children if something happens to me?
A parent with parental responsibility can name guardians in their will. WillBot asks about your children and their ages and helps you appoint guardians, so there is a plan if neither parent can care for them.
How often should I update my will?
Look at it after any big change: marriage or civil partnership, divorce, a new child or grandchild, a death in the family, a house move, or a big change in what you own. Marriage cancels an earlier will unless it was made expecting that marriage.
Does WillBot cover Scotland and Northern Ireland?
No. WillBot is for England and Wales. If you live elsewhere, or own property abroad, tell us and we will pass your details to our team.