How to Book a Free Wills Month Appointment (Step-by-Step) - My Local Will Writer

There’s no central booking system for Free Wills Month — no online form, no confirmation email, no waiting room. You find a participating solicitor, call them, and mention the scheme. That’s it. But plenty of people get stuck because the process isn’t explained clearly anywhere, and because slots fill faster than most people expect. Here’s exactly how to book your appointment for March 2026, what you’ll need, and what to do if you hit a dead end.

Step-by-Step: How to Book Your Free Wills Month Appointment

1. Check you’re eligible. You need to be 55 or over to use the scheme. For couples, only one partner typically needs to meet the age requirement — but check with your chosen firm, as participating solicitors can set their own terms. Your will also needs to be relatively straightforward: the scheme is generally not designed to cover trusts, business assets, or overseas property. If your situation is complex, it’s worth knowing this before you call, as the solicitor will need to assess whether your will falls within scope.
2. Visit freewillsmonth.org.uk. The postcode search tool usually goes live when the campaign opens. For March 2026, check the site from 2 March onwards. Enter your postcode to see which participating solicitors are nearby.
3. Choose a solicitor. Results show each firm’s name, address, and contact details. Pick one that’s convenient. If your nearest office looks fully booked, try a neighbouring postcode — a firm one town over may have more availability.
4. Call them directly. Phone the solicitor and say you’d like to book a Free Wills Month appointment. That’s the whole process. You deal directly with the firm — there’s no portal to go through.
5. Prepare for the appointment. Having your details ready makes the session quicker and smoother. That means: full names and addresses for yourself and your partner (if applicable), who you’d like to benefit from your estate, your chosen executor, and any guardianship wishes if relevant. The more prepared you are, the more of the appointment you can spend on the decisions that matter.

What to Expect at the Appointment

If you haven’t made a will before, here’s a general sense of what most appointments involve — though the experience can vary between firms:

• Most appointments take place face-to-face at the solicitor’s office. Some firms also offer phone or video appointments, so it’s worth asking when you call.
• For a simple will, you’d typically expect to be there for around 30 to 45 minutes.
• The solicitor will ask about your assets, who you want to benefit, who you’re appointing as executor, and any guardianship wishes.
• They’ll draft the will after the appointment and send it to you for review and signing.
• If your situation turns out to be more involved than the scheme covers, the solicitor will tell you at this stage. You’re not committed to anything.

What If You Can’t Get an Appointment?

Free Wills Month is popular, and availability can be limited — particularly in cities and in the first week of the campaign. Here are the three most common situations people run into:

All local slots are taken. This happens quickly in busy areas. Try widening your postcode search and calling a few firms rather than just the closest one. If availability genuinely isn’t there, you can also make your will online with My Local Will Writer — there’s no campaign window to wait for and no queue.

You’re under 55. The scheme has a firm age requirement, and there’s no workaround. My Local Will Writer has no age limit, so if you want to get your will sorted now, you can get a quote and start the process online regardless of where you are in life.

Your estate is more complex than the scheme covers. Trusts, business interests, overseas assets, and blended family arrangements typically fall outside the scope of Free Wills Month. If that’s your situation, My Local Will Writer can help — wills are solicitor-checked, and pricing is set out clearly before you commit. You can start with a quote here.

Three Things That’ll Help You Get a Slot

If you’re set on using the scheme, these steps improve your chances:

• Search on opening day. Most slots go in the first week. For March 2026, get online on 2 March and don’t leave it to the weekend.
• Try postcodes beyond your immediate area. Don’t limit the search to your home postcode. Firms in a neighbouring town often have more availability, especially early in the month.
• Have your details ready before you call. Solicitors’ phone lines can be busy during the campaign. If you’re prepared when you get through — name, address, who you want to benefit — you’re less likely to need a callback and more likely to lock in a time on the spot.

Whether you book through the scheme or decide to sort your will online, the important thing is making a decision and following through. Lots of people mean to get around to it — the ones who actually do are usually the ones who made it easy for themselves.