Yes, you can legally write your own will in England and Wales. There’s no rule saying a solicitor or will writer has to do it. The real question is whether doing it yourself is likely to get the result you want – because a will that goes wrong is worse than no will at all, and you won’t be around to fix it.
Here’s an honest look at when DIY is fine and when it isn’t.
When writing your own will can work
A DIY will can be reasonable if all of these are true:
- Your estate is small and simple – no property, modest savings
- You’re leaving everything to one or two obvious people
- You have no children under 18, no previous marriage, no dependants with special needs
- Nobody is likely to challenge it
Template wills from stationers, or online will services, exist for exactly this situation. Used carefully, they do the job.
Where DIY wills go wrong
Most homemade wills that fail don’t fail because of one big mistake. They fail on small technicalities that nobody checked:
Witnessing. Your will must be signed in front of two independent witnesses, both present at the same time, and neither witness (nor their spouse) can inherit anything under it. Get this wrong and the will is invalid – full stop. This is the single most common DIY failure.
Vague wording. Everyday sentences can mean more than one thing in law. “My nieces and nephews” doesn’t automatically include your spouse’s nieces and nephews, for example. Professional drafters use wording that’s been tested over decades precisely so there’s nothing to argue about.
No backup plan. What happens if your main beneficiary dies before you? If the will doesn’t say, that gift can fail and the law decides instead. DIY wills often forget the “what ifs” – dying together, a beneficiary dying first, an executor who can’t act.
Unmarried partners. If you’re not married or in a civil partnership, the law gives your partner nothing automatically. A DIY will that gets this wrong – or no will at all – can leave a partner of thirty years with no legal claim at all.
Missing the bigger picture. Pensions and life insurance usually sit outside your will. Your home might pass automatically to a joint owner. A proper will writer checks how everything fits together; a template can’t.
The middle ground
Online will services with a human review step sit between DIY and a full professional service – typically £30 to £90. Better than a pure template, but the review is usually limited to spotting obvious errors rather than advising on your situation.
What getting it done properly costs
A professional will writer charges £90 to £150 for a straightforward single will, or £150 to £250 for mirror wills for a couple – fixed price, agreed before work starts. For that you get someone who asks the questions you didn’t think of, drafts wording that means exactly what you intend, and makes sure it’s signed and witnessed correctly.
If your will would be genuinely simple, DIY might serve you fine. But if you own a home, have children, aren’t married to your partner, or have any “what if” in your situation – the £100 or so for a professional is usually the best money you’ll spend on your family.
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.