Free Wills Month: how to get a will written for free - My Local Will Writer

Twice a year, participating solicitors write simple wills at no charge for people aged 55 and over, funded by a group of national charities. If you’ve been putting off sorting your will, this is the moment to get it done properly without paying for it.

Coverage is strongest in England and Wales. Scotland has its own arrangements through participating solicitors, and if you’re in Northern Ireland you’ll usually go through Oxfam Ireland’s free will service rather than the main network, so check what’s available in your nation before you get your hopes up about a specific firm.

What Free Wills Month actually is

A consortium of charities pays participating solicitors to write simple wills for free during two windows a year, one in March and one in October. The charities hope some participants choose to leave them a gift, but that’s entirely your decision. You can use Free Wills Month and leave nothing to charity at all.

Coverage isn’t universal. Free Wills Month runs through participating firms in selected areas, so availability depends on your postcode, particularly if you’re outside a major town or city.

Who qualifies

You need to be 55 or over. If you’re married or in a civil partnership, only one of you has to meet that age threshold, so a younger partner can still take part alongside an older one. Your will also needs to fall into the “simple” category, and your estate normally needs to sit under £325,000, since anything above that usually needs the kind of tax planning Free Wills Month doesn’t cover.

What counts as simple

Most people’s wills are simple wills, even if their life feels complicated. Leaving everything to a spouse or partner and then to your children counts, as does splitting an estate evenly between children if you’re single. So does making a few specific gifts to named people or charities, appointing guardians for children under 18, or naming your executors. If your situation matches any of that, you’re very likely eligible.

When you’ll need to pay for something more

Free Wills Month won’t stretch to cases that need proper legal structuring. That includes business assets or property abroad, trusts set up to protect assets or provide for a vulnerable beneficiary, blended families with stepchildren or a previous marriage, and planning around care home fees. None of this rules you out of the appointment. The solicitor will look at your situation, explain what’s involved, and quote you for the extra work if you need it.

When Free Wills Month runs and how booking works

Free Wills Month happens in March and October each year. The October 2026 window typically opens on 1 October, though solicitors confirm exact dates closer to the time. You need to make contact with a participating firm during that month itself, but the actual appointment can often take place at a later date that suits you both, so don’t assume you’ve missed out if October is nearly over.

Appointments go on a first come, first served basis. Being ready to search for a local solicitor and get in touch the moment the window opens matters more than anything else here.

What to bring to your appointment

Have these ready before you sit down with the solicitor: photo ID such as a passport or driving licence, a recent utility bill or similar for proof of address, the full names and addresses of everyone you want to benefit, details of your property, savings and investments, a note of any digital assets like online accounts or cryptocurrency, and your choice of executor, usually a close family member or friend. Ask the firm in advance what they need before you visit, since requirements can vary slightly. Turning up prepared means you’re less likely to need a second visit.

Do you have to leave anything to charity

No. The charities behind Free Wills Month fund it in the hope that some people choose to include them, but there’s no obligation and no pressure at the appointment. It’s worth knowing, though, that if you decide to leave 10% or more of your estate to charity, the inheritance tax rate on the rest of your estate drops from 40% to 36%, which can make a charitable gift more affordable than it first looks. The calculation isn’t always as simple as it sounds, so ask the solicitor to check the figures against your own estate rather than assuming.

Why it’s worth having a will at all

Die without one and the law decides who gets what, following a fixed order that often doesn’t match what you’d actually want. Unmarried partners can end up with nothing even after decades together. Children can inherit a lump sum at 18 regardless of whether they’re ready for it. Estates can pass to relatives you barely know instead of the people who were actually there for you. A will written properly avoids all of that, and it spares your family a legal process that’s often slow and sometimes contested.

Already have a will? Check whether it still holds up

A will written years ago can quietly stop matching your actual wishes. It’s worth reviewing yours roughly every five years, and after any major life change such as a move, a new child, a separation, or the death of an executor. Check that the people named, the gifts you intended, and the person handling your estate are all still right. Never write changes directly onto a signed will. If anything needs updating, that has to go through a formal amendment or a new will.

If you miss the window

Free Wills Month appointments run out. If that happens to you, Will Aid runs a similar scheme every November, where solicitors write your will in exchange for a suggested donation, recently around £120 for a single will or £200 for a pair of mirror wills, rather than a fixed fee. A few charities also run their own free will services for supporters year round. [Space for your own paid will-writing service as an alternative, once you confirm current pricing and process.]

Book anyway if you’re not sure

Even if you’re not sure whether your circumstances count as simple, get in touch with a participating solicitor. You’ll come away with proper advice either way, and if your case turns out to need more than Free Wills Month covers, you’ll know exactly what that involves and what it costs.