If you’re on a tight budget, you can grab a will-writing kit from the Post Office or WH Smith for about £10 to £20. Online services like Farewill or Which? Wills can do the job for roughly £50 to £100. You fill in a form, print it, and get it witnessed. It’s like assembling flat-pack furniture—doable, but one wrong move and your drawers might fall off.
Here’s the catch: if your situation is even slightly complicated—say you own a business, have children from a previous marriage, or want to leave a gift to your cat charity—DIY can backfire. I once met a man who used a £15 kit, forgot to sign it properly, and his family ended up paying £5,000 in court fees. Ouch. That’s the difference between a tenner and a headache the size of Wales.
What about a solicitor? Worth every penny
For most of us, a solicitor is the safest bet. Prices vary by region—a solicitor in London might charge £250, while one in Torquay might do it for £150. That’s roughly the cost of a nice dinner for two with wine. And unlike that dinner, this asset doesn’t disappear before dessert. Your will protects everything you’ve built: your home, your savings, and that vintage record collection you’ve been hoarding since 1985.
Think of it this way: you wouldn’t hire a teenager to rewire your house just to save a few quid. A will is the legal wiring of your life’s final instructions. A solicitor ensures it’s so watertight that even your estranged cousin Colin can’t argue over grandma’s china.
What is Probate? A Beginners' Guide to Wills and Probate Law – One
