A straightforward will costs most people between £90 and £150. Mirror wills for couples typically run £150 to £250 for the pair. That’s the honest range for a professional will writer – solicitors usually charge more, and DIY options cost less but carry more risk.
Here’s the full picture, so you can judge any quote you’re given.
The short answer
- DIY template or online will: £0 to £90. Cheapest, but no one checks it.
- Professional will writer: £90 to £150 for a single will, £150 to £250 for mirror wills for a couple. Fixed price agreed before work starts.
- Solicitor: typically £200 to £400+ for a straightforward will, sometimes more in London and the South East.
- Free routes: Free Wills Month (October, for over-55s) and Will Aid (November) offer solicitor-written wills in return for a charity donation.
These ranges are for straightforward wills – you leave everything to your partner or children, name executors, maybe name guardians. Most people’s wills are straightforward.
What pushes the price up
A will stops being “straightforward” when you need:
- A trust – for example, letting your partner live in the house for life while your share eventually goes to your children
- Inheritance tax planning – usually relevant once an estate passes £325,000
- Protection around care fees or a second marriage
- Business assets, foreign property, or a complicated family setup
Any of these, and expect £300 upwards with a will writer, more with a solicitor. A good adviser will tell you plainly whether you actually need the extra work – and plenty of people are sold trusts they don’t need, so it’s fine to ask “what happens if I don’t do this?”
What a fair quote looks like
However you get your will written, look for:
- A fixed price agreed in writing before any work starts – never hourly rates
- A proper conversation first – someone who asks the “what ifs”: what if you both die together, what if a beneficiary dies before you
- A draft you can check and change before anything is signed
- Clear guidance on signing and witnessing – this is where wills most often fail
The free and cheap routes, honestly
Free Wills Month and Will Aid are genuinely good schemes – real solicitors, proper wills, in return for a suggested charity donation (around £100). The catch: they’re for simple wills, they run in specific months, and appointments near you can book out fast.
Some unions and employers offer free or discounted wills too. Just check what happens after the “free consultation” – some schemes earn their money upselling trusts, storage and executor services you may not want.
What to watch out for
- Being talked into a trust you don’t need. If your situation is simple, a simple will is enough.
- The writer naming themselves as executor. This can cost your family hundreds or thousands later, and it’s hard to undo. Choose your own executors.
- Storage fees. Keeping the original safe matters, but you shouldn’t be paying a fortune for it.
The bottom line
For most people, a professionally written will is a £90 to £150 job, done in a couple of weeks, at a price agreed before anyone starts work. If a quote is much higher, ask exactly what the extra is buying.
Legal Wills Direct is an introduction service, not solicitors. We match you with an experienced, insured will writer who covers your area – fixed price agreed up front, no obligation.