How much does a will cost in the UK?

A simple single will from a solicitor typically costs about £200 to £500. Costs rise when a will includes trusts or inheritance tax planning. Before you instruct anyone, ask what the fee covers and what it leaves out. You can write your own will, although you should get advice if it is not straightforward.

The short answer

The figure that matters most is the simple single will. Solicitors typically charge about £200 to £500 for one, so that range gives you a sensible starting point when you read a quote. However, the price depends on how complicated your wishes are. Trusts and inheritance tax planning add work, and as a result they add cost. This guide explains each route, what makes a will valid and which questions to ask first. For the wider picture, see our guide to wills and probate.

Three ways to make a will

You can write your will yourself. GOV.UK says this is possible, but you should get advice if your will is not straightforward. Our guide on whether you need a solicitor to make a will helps you weigh that choice.

You can also use a will writer. In law, no restrictions apply to who can write a will. Regulated will writers follow their regulator’s codes, however, so check the regulation yourself. A business may appear on a register only because it employs regulated staff, not because the person writing your will is regulated.

The third route is a solicitor, whose price the next section covers. Because each route suits different needs, match the route to how complicated your wishes are.

What a simple will costs

A simple single will from a solicitor typically costs about £200 to £500. A will with trusts or inheritance tax planning costs more. We have no figure for those wills, so we will not guess one.

Because prices vary with the work involved, ask for a written quote and read what it covers. Check whether the quote matches your situation, for example whether you want trusts. If you are also thinking about an executor’s costs after a death, our guide to solicitor costs for probate executors covers that separately.

Mirror wills

A pair of straightforward mirror wills typically costs a few hundred pounds. The cost rises where trusts are involved. We give no range here, because the price depends on what you want the wills to do.

Ask for a written quote before you agree to anything. That quote shows what the price covers and lets you check it against your plans. Each will in the pair still has to meet the signing rules described below.

What a valid will needs

GOV.UK sets out what makes a will valid. You must make it voluntarily, which means by your own free choice. You must be 18 or over and of sound mind, and the will must be in writing.

Signing follows strict rules. You sign the will in front of 2 witnesses, who must both be over 18. The witnesses then sign in your presence, although they do not need to sign at the same time as each other. You and both witnesses must sign the same document. Both witnesses must also have a clear view of you and of the act of signing.

Because these rules are exact, go through each step before anyone picks up a pen.

Who cannot benefit

GOV.UK says you cannot leave anything in your will to your witnesses or to their married partners. Therefore, choose witnesses who stand to gain nothing from the will. For example, ask a neighbour or colleague with no connection to your gifts, rather than someone you plan to name.

Changing a will later

Any change to a will needs the same signing and witnessing process as the original. GOV.UK describes two ways to update a will. You can make an official alteration called a codicil, or you can make a new will.

Because a change follows the same rules, treat it as seriously as the first will. Writing a note on the page yourself does not skip those steps. We give no cost for either route here, so ask for a written quote if you want help.

Why a will matters for Inheritance Tax

GOV.UK says making a will can help make sure you do not pay more Inheritance Tax than you need to. We give no tax figures here, since the amount depends on your own circumstances. However, the point is worth raising when you ask what a will could do for you.

Questions to ask before you instruct

Good questions help you understand a quote before you agree to it.

• What exactly does the written quote cover?
• Does the price change if my will includes trusts or inheritance tax planning?
• Who regulates you, and where can I check that myself?
• Who will arrange the signing and witnessing, and how will you make sure it follows the rules?
• What happens if I want to change the will later?

Write the answers down so you can read them again later. Finally, use the check-a-solicitor guide to confirm a firm’s details before you instruct it.