Do I Need a Solicitor to Make a Will?

What does the law actually require for a valid will?

The Wills Act requires writing, your signature, and two independent witnesses present together. It says nothing about solicitors. A will you write at your kitchen table meets the law if it is executed correctly.

You must be 18 or over and have testamentary capacity, meaning you understand what a will does, roughly what you own, and who might expect to benefit, as gov.uk’s wills and probate guidance sets out. The signing rules are where homemade wills usually fail, not the drafting: the witnessing requirements are strict, and a beneficiary who witnesses loses their own gift. The legal validity of the finished document is identical whoever drafted it.

When is a will without a solicitor perfectly fine?

A straightforward estate, meaning a home, some savings, and clear beneficiaries, works without a full solicitor appointment. The real risk in going completely alone is drafting errors nobody catches until after death.

If you are leaving everything to a spouse and then children, with no trusts, no business, and no property abroad, the content of your will, and the distribution of your estate at probate, is simple. What still needs care is precision: full names, what happens if a beneficiary dies before you, a backup executor. A solicitor-checked online will covers exactly this ground, guided questions plus a qualified solicitor’s review, for £19.99 rather than a few hundred pounds.

When should you genuinely use a solicitor?

Use a full solicitor for genuine legal complexity: trusts, business assets, foreign property, or a likely dispute over the estate. These are the cases where a tailored consultation and drafting genuinely earn the fee.

Blended families often sit in this category too, since providing for a partner while protecting children from a previous relationship usually needs a trust structure rather than a simple gift. The same applies if you expect someone to challenge the will, or you are excluding a close family member who might claim an inheritance from the estate. Estate planning at this level carries obligations a guided questionnaire cannot weigh for you. A solicitor’s advice, and their file notes, become evidence that the will was made properly if it is ever contested.

How do the costs compare?

Making a will yourself costs almost nothing, a solicitor-checked online will is £19.99, and a full solicitor typically charges £200 to £650. The middle option is what most straightforward estates actually need.

The cheapest route carries the highest risk of an invalid or ambiguous document, and the most expensive buys tailoring most people do not need. The full comparison of online, free, and solicitor wills weighs all three routes in detail, including the catches with free wills. Gov.uk’s guidance on making a will confirms the legal position: using a solicitor is a choice, not a requirement.

Frequently asked questions

Can I write my own will without a solicitor?

Yes, entirely legally. The will must be in writing, signed by you, and witnessed by two independent adults present together. The risk is not validity but errors: unclear wording, missed assets, or witnessing mistakes that nobody spots until the will is needed, when it is too late to fix.

How much does a will cost without a solicitor?

A fully DIY will can cost nothing beyond a template. A solicitor-checked online will is £19.99 including VAT, with a qualified solicitor reviewing the finished document before you sign. Both are far below the £200 to £650 a traditional solicitor appointment typically costs in England and Wales.

Is it best to do a will through a solicitor?

For complex estates, yes: trusts, business assets, foreign property, and blended families justify tailored advice. For a straightforward estate, a solicitor-checked online service achieves the same legal result at a fraction of the cost, which is why the routes are worth comparing before paying solicitor rates.

What is the biggest mistake in a will made without a solicitor?

Witnessing errors: only one witness, witnesses not present together, or a beneficiary acting as a witness, which cancels that person’s gift. Vague wording about who gets what comes a close second. Both are exactly what a solicitor check is designed to catch before signing.