Can I Write My Own Will? DIY Wills Explained (2025 UK Guide)

James thought writing his own will would be straightforward. At 42, with a £320,000 house and two children, he bought a £15 DIY will kit from WHSmith and spent an evening filling it out at his kitchen table. He asked his wife and adult son to witness his signature—after all, they were right there.

Three years later, when James died unexpectedly from a heart attack, his family discovered the will was invalid. His wife and son, both beneficiaries, couldn't legally act as witnesses. Under UK intestacy rules, his estate was distributed differently than he'd intended, and his teenage daughter from a previous relationship—whom he'd carefully provided for in his DIY will—received nothing because he hadn't explicitly named her.

James's story isn't unique. With 41% of UK adults now having a will, and over one in ten writing their own wills, DIY wills are on the rise. But so are probate disputes—up 60% in just three years, largely due to DIY will mistakes.

So can you write your own will in the UK? The answer is yes—but whether you should depends on your situation, and getting it wrong can cost your family far more than any money you save.

Yes, You Can Legally Write Your Own Will in the UK (But There's a Catch)

You can absolutely write your own will in the UK without a solicitor. The Wills Act 1837 allows any adult aged 18 or over with mental capacity to make a will, and there's no legal requirement to use a solicitor or will-writing service.

According to official gov.uk guidance, DIY wills are perfectly legal, and thousands of people create them every year. The research shows that over one in ten UK adults are attempting to write their own wills, with 21% of wills being handwritten or containing handwritten amendments.

Here's the catch: your DIY will is only valid if it meets the specific requirements of Section 9 of the Wills Act 1837 precisely. "Legal to write" does not mean "guaranteed to be valid." A technically flawed will—even one that clearly expresses your intentions—can be ruled partially or entirely invalid by the courts.

The consequences of an invalid will are serious. Under intestacy rules, your estate is distributed according to strict legal formulas that may not reflect your wishes at all. Unmarried partners receive nothing. Stepchildren receive nothing. Specific bequests are ignored.

The question isn't whether you're allowed to write your own will—you are. The question is whether you can execute it correctly, avoid common mistakes, and create a document that stands up to legal scrutiny after you're gone.

Legal Requirements: What Section 9 of the Wills Act 1837 Actually Says

For a will to be valid in England and Wales, it must meet every requirement set out in Section 9 of the Wills Act 1837, as amended by Section 17 of the Administration of Justice Act 1982. Miss just one requirement, and your entire will may be invalid.

Here are the five absolute requirements:

1. The will must be in writing. This can be typed, handwritten, or even printed from a computer. It can be on any material—paper, card, or even fabric—but it must be written down.

2. The will must be signed by you (the testator). You must personally sign the will, or someone else can sign it in your presence and at your direction if you're physically unable to sign.

3. You must intend your signature to give effect to the will. This means you must sign with the intention that this signature creates your legal will. Signing a draft or "for practice" doesn't count.

4. You must sign or acknowledge your signature in the presence of two or more witnesses present at the same time. All three people—you and both witnesses—must be physically present together in the same room. Remote witnessing is no longer permitted since the temporary COVID-19 provisions expired in January 2024.

5. Each witness must attest and sign the will in your presence. "Attest" means the witnesses confirm they saw you sign. Each witness must then sign the will while you watch. They don't need to sign in each other's presence, but they must sign while you're present.

These requirements are strict. Courts interpret them literally. If your will doesn't meet all five requirements exactly, it's invalid.

Here's what the law actually means in plain English:

Legal Requirement	What This Means in Practice	Common DIY Mistake
"In writing"	Typed, handwritten, or printed—any format	Relying on video or audio recordings
"Signed by testator"	You must sign with your usual signature	Using initials or nicknames
"In presence of two witnesses present at the same time"	All three people in same room together	Witnesses signing on different days
"Witnesses attest and sign"	Witnesses watch you sign, then sign themselves in your presence	Witnesses signing without watching you
Must be 18+ with mental capacity	You must understand what you're doing	Making a will when seriously ill without capacity assessment

It's worth noting that while the law seems straightforward, execution errors are remarkably common. Even small mistakes—like witnesses stepping out of the room briefly during signing—can invalidate the entire will.

For more detailed guidance on meeting these requirements, read our article on UK will requirements.

The Three Types of DIY Wills (And Which Are Actually Legal)

When people talk about writing their own will, they typically mean one of three approaches. Understanding which is legal—and which is a myth—is crucial.

Type 1: Handwritten Will (Holographic Will)

A handwritten will is one you write entirely in your own handwriting. In some countries like the United States and Australia, these "holographic wills" can be valid without witnesses. In the UK, that's not the case.

UK legal status: A handwritten will is valid in England and Wales, but ONLY if it's properly witnessed according to Section 9 requirements. You still need two independent witnesses who watch you sign and then sign the will themselves in your presence.

This is one of the most dangerous misconceptions about UK wills. Many people believe that "because I wrote it in my own handwriting, it doesn't need witnesses." That's completely false. An unwitnessed handwritten will is just as invalid as an unwitnessed typed will.

You can use plain paper, lined paper, or any writing surface. But you absolutely must have it properly witnessed, just like any other will.

Type 2: Printed or Typed Will from a Template

These are the commercial DIY will kits you find in stationery shops—brands like Lawpack available at WHSmith for around £20-£25. You can also download templates from the internet, fill in the blanks on your computer, and print them out.

UK legal status: Valid if completed correctly and properly witnessed.

These templates typically provide fill-in-the-blank forms with standard legal language. The advantage is that the legal wording is pre-written. The risk is that templates are one-size-fits-all and may not address your specific situation.

Common problems with template wills include unclear instructions, ambiguous language when you adapt the template to your situation, and missing provisions because the template didn't prompt you to think about certain scenarios.

Type 3: Online Guided DIY Services

Digital platforms guide you through will creation with step-by-step questions, then generate a completed will document ready for printing and signing. These services (like WUHLD) don't require you to understand legal terminology—you answer questions in plain English, and the system creates the legal document.

UK legal status: Valid if completed correctly and properly witnessed per Section 9.

The key difference from paper templates is that online services adapt based on your answers, include validation to catch common errors, and often provide more comprehensive guidance on execution and witnessing.

However, even with guided online services, you still need to print, sign, and witness the will correctly. No online service can eliminate the need for proper execution.

Here's how these three methods compare:

DIY Method	Typical Cost	Legal if Witnessed?	Risk Level	Best For
Handwritten (holographic)	£0	Yes, but only if properly witnessed	High - easy to make mistakes in wording	Very simple estates where clarity of handwriting is good
Printed/typed from template	£10-£25	Yes	Medium-High - one-size-fits-all doesn't fit everyone	Simple estates with very straightforward wishes
Online guided service	£49.99+	Yes	Low-Medium - validation reduces errors	Straightforward estates with moderate complexity
Solicitor	£200-£650+	Yes	Very Low	Complex estates, business ownership, tax planning

Regardless of which method you choose, the witnessing requirements remain the same. A perfectly worded will is worthless if the execution is flawed.

For detailed guidance on proper execution, see our article on how to sign a will in the UK.

The 7 Most Common DIY Will Mistakes (And How They Invalidate Your Will)

DIY will mistakes aren't just theoretical risks—they're the primary driver behind the 60% increase in High Court probate disputes from 227 cases in 2016 to 368 in 2018. Here are the seven most common errors that invalidate DIY wills.

Mistake 1: Invalid Witnesses (The #1 DIY Mistake)

According to Section 15 of the Wills Act 1837, if a beneficiary or their spouse witnesses your will, they lose their entire inheritance. The will remains valid, but their gift is void.

This is by far the most common DIY will mistake. You're sitting at your kitchen table, ready to sign your will, and you naturally ask the people around you—often family members who are also beneficiaries—to witness it.

Sarah named her brother as both executor and beneficiary of her £180,000 estate. When she signed her will, she asked her brother to be one of the witnesses. He lost his entire inheritance because he witnessed the will.

Mistake 2: Incorrect Signing and Execution

Even if your witnesses are appropriate, execution errors can invalidate the will:

You sign but the witnesses don't sign (or vice versa)
Witnesses sign first, then you sign (wrong order—you must sign first)
One witness signs while the other is out of the room (all parties must be present together)
You sign on Monday and witnesses sign on Tuesday (must happen in one session)
Pages of a multi-page will aren't signed (sign every page)

Michael completed his will carefully, with two appropriate witnesses. But he signed on Tuesday, and his witnesses came by on Wednesday to add their signatures. When Michael died, the will was challenged. Because all three parties weren't present together during signing, the court ruled it invalid.

Mistake 3: Ambiguous or Unclear Language

Legal precision matters. Ambiguous language leads to disputes because the courts must interpret what you meant—and may get it wrong.

Common ambiguity problems:

"My children" when you have both biological and stepchildren (which did you mean?)
"My house" when you own two properties
Percentages that don't add up to 100%
"My blue Ford" when you might sell that car and buy a different one
"Split equally" without naming specific individuals

Emma wrote "I leave my estate to my children equally." She had two adult children from her first marriage and two stepchildren she'd raised since they were toddlers. After Emma died, her biological children argued that "my children" legally meant only biological children. The court agreed. Her stepchildren, whom she'd loved as her own, received nothing.

Mistake 4: Missing Critical Provisions

DIY will makers often forget essential elements:

No executor named: If you don't name an executor, the court must appoint one. This costs time and money, and the court might appoint someone you wouldn't have chosen.

No guardians for minor children: If you have children under 18 and don't name guardians, the courts decide who raises them if you die.

No residuary clause: This is the "everything else" provision that covers any assets you didn't specifically mention. Without it, those assets pass under intestacy rules.

No alternate beneficiaries: If your beneficiary dies before you and you haven't named an alternate, that gift fails.

Mistake 5: Attempting to Make Changes After Signing

You cannot amend a will after it's been signed and witnessed. Any changes—crossing out sections, adding notes, stapling additional pages—are assumed to be invalid and don't form part of your will.

David decided after signing his will that he wanted to leave £5,000 to his nephew. He wrote this addition on the will and initialed it. When David died, the £5,000 gift was ignored—it wasn't part of the validly executed will.

To change your will, you must either execute an entirely new will (which revokes the old one) or create a formal codicil—a legal amendment that must be signed and witnessed exactly like the original will.

Mistake 6: Not Revoking Previous Wills Properly

If you've made multiple wills over your lifetime, you must clearly revoke the old ones. Your current will should include a revocation clause: "I revoke all previous wills and codicils."

If you have wills in other countries or old wills you've forgotten about, these can create confusion and disputes after your death.

Important note: Marriage automatically revokes any previous will you made before getting married (unless the will explicitly states it's made "in contemplation of marriage" to a named person). Many people don't realize this, and their pre-marriage wills become invalid the moment they marry.

Mistake 7: Storing Only Photocopies or Losing the Original

After probate, executors must submit the original signed will to the Probate Registry. Photocopies are not accepted.

If your original will cannot be found after your death, the law presumes you destroyed it intentionally—meaning you revoked it. Even if photocopies exist showing your clear intentions, without the original, those intentions may not be honored.

Claire stored her original will in a safety deposit box but told no one where it was. She kept a photocopy at home. When Claire died, her family found the photocopy but couldn't locate the original. The bank had destroyed the contents of the safety deposit box after years of unpaid fees. Despite having a photocopy, Claire's estate was distributed under intestacy rules.

For a comprehensive look at what makes a will invalid, read our detailed article on what makes a will invalid in the UK.

The Real Cost of DIY Will Mistakes (What Happens When It Goes Wrong)

The £15 you save on a DIY will kit can cost your family thousands—or tens of thousands—when things go wrong. Here's what happens when a DIY will fails.

Financial Costs

Probate disputes are expensive. When a will is challenged in court, legal fees quickly mount. Family members often spend £5,000 to £25,000 or more fighting over an estate, with these costs typically paid from the estate itself—reducing what beneficiaries ultimately inherit.

Inheritance Tax planning opportunities are lost. The current Inheritance Tax threshold is £325,000, rising to £500,000 if you leave your home to direct descendants. DIY wills rarely include tax-efficient provisions. Estates above these thresholds pay 40% tax on everything over the threshold. For a £600,000 estate, poor planning could cost £40,000 or more in unnecessary tax.

Intestacy overrides your wishes. If your will is invalid, intestacy rules determine who inherits. Under these rules, unmarried partners get nothing, stepchildren get nothing, and assets are distributed by formula rather than your wishes. If you wanted to leave your £200,000 estate to your unmarried partner of 20 years, but your will is invalid, your estranged parents inherit everything and your partner gets nothing.

Time Delays

Standard probate with a valid will: 6 to 9 months on average

Probate with disputes over a DIY will: Often 2 to 5 years

During this time, assets remain frozen. Your family can't access bank accounts, can't sell property, and can't distribute assets. They still need to pay mortgages, utility bills, and funeral costs—often out of their own pockets—while waiting for the estate to be resolved.

Family Conflict

Research shows that almost half of UK wills could be out of date, creating disputes when circumstances have changed. DIY wills amplify this problem because ambiguous wording leaves room for interpretation and disagreement.

Michael and the Stepchildren

Michael, 51, handwrote his will carefully, leaving his £280,000 house "to my children equally." He had two adult children from his first marriage and two stepchildren he'd raised since they were toddlers—ages 6 and 8 when he married their mother.

When Michael died, his biological children argued that "my children" meant only them—legal children by blood. The stepchildren argued that Michael had raised them as his own and clearly meant to include them.

The dispute went to court and lasted three years. Legal fees cost £38,000, paid from the estate. The court ultimately ruled in favor of the biological children—legal interpretation prevailed over Michael's obvious intentions. The stepchildren received nothing, and their relationship with their half-siblings was destroyed.

All of this could have been prevented if Michael had written "my children John, Emma, Claire, and David" or "my two children and two stepchildren, specifically..." Precision costs nothing but saves everything.

For more on what happens when you die without a valid will, see our article on what happens if you die without a will in the UK.

When DIY Wills Are Safe vs. When You Need Professional Help

Let's be honest: DIY wills can work for very simple estates. The key word is "can." Whether DIY is right for you depends entirely on your specific situation.

DIY Might Be Safe If ALL of These Apply

Consider a DIY approach only if every single one of these criteria applies to you:

You're single with no children and no dependents
Your estate is under £100,000
You're leaving everything to one person OR dividing equally between 2-3 people with no conditions
You don't own property (no house, flat, or land)
You have no business interests or share in a business
You have no assets abroad
You've never been married before and have no children from previous relationships
You have no complicated family dynamics or estranged relatives
You're confident in your attention to detail and ability to follow legal instructions precisely
You're comfortable with legal language and requirements

If you answered "no" to even one of these, a DIY will becomes significantly riskier.

You Need Professional Help If ANY of These Apply

Seek professional guidance—either through an online guided service or a solicitor—if any of these situations describe you:

You're married or in a civil partnership with children from previous relationships (blended family)
You're an unmarried couple living together and want to provide for your partner
You own property, especially if it's jointly owned or you own multiple properties
Your estate is likely to exceed the Inheritance Tax threshold (£325,000, or £500,000 if leaving home to children)
You own a business or own shares in a business
You have assets held in other countries
You want to set up a trust for children or vulnerable beneficiaries
You have complex family situations (estranged relatives, dependents with special needs, children you want to exclude)
You own agricultural property or significant land holdings
You have valuable collections, intellectual property, or unusual assets

These situations require precise legal wording that goes beyond what paper templates can provide.

The Middle Ground: Online Guided Services

For estates between £100,000 and £500,000 with straightforward wishes—but more complexity than "leave everything to one person"—online guided services offer a practical middle ground.

You get the affordability and convenience of DIY with professional structure and validation. The service asks clear questions, adapts to your answers, and generates legally compliant documents with the same level of precision as a solicitor would use.

Here's a practical comparison:

Your Situation	Paper DIY Kit	Online Guided Service (WUHLD)	Solicitor
Single, simple estate under £50,000, one beneficiary	Possible (if you're very careful)	Better - reduces execution errors	Expensive and unnecessary
Married with 2 children, own home, standard wishes	Risky - too many ways to make mistakes	Recommended - best balance of safety and cost	Safe but expensive for straightforward situation
Blended family, multiple properties, business ownership	Dangerous - almost certain to have errors	Need specialist - too complex for standard service	Essential - requires bespoke legal advice
Unmarried couple, joint property ownership	Very risky - requires specific legal wording	Recommended - handles property ownership questions	Ideal but guided service acceptable

The message is simple: DIY isn't about your budget—it's about your situation. Even estates with modest assets benefit from professional guidance if the family circumstances are complex.

For a detailed comparison of all your options, read our article comparing online will services vs solicitors.

Step-by-Step: How to Write Your Own Will Properly (If You're Sure DIY Is Right)

If you've carefully considered the risks and determined that DIY is appropriate for your simple estate, here's exactly how to do it properly. Follow every step precisely—skipping even one can invalidate your will.

Important disclaimer: The following guidance is for informational purposes only. We cannot guarantee that following these steps will result in a legally valid will, as validity depends on proper execution and your specific circumstances. If you have any uncertainty at any step, seek professional guidance.

Step 1: Gather Your Information

Before you write a single word, collect all the information you'll need:

Full legal names and addresses of all beneficiaries (the people who inherit)
Full legal names and addresses of your executor(s) and backup executor(s)
Full legal names and addresses of guardians for children under 18, if applicable, and backup guardians
Complete list of your assets with estimated values (property, savings, investments, pensions, vehicles, valuable items)
List of any specific items going to specific people, with backup plans if they die before you
List of your debts and liabilities
Your funeral wishes (optional but helpful for your family)

Use full legal names exactly as they appear on official documents—not nicknames or informal names.

Step 2: Choose Your Method

You have three DIY options:

Option A: Buy a commercial DIY will kit like Lawpack from WHSmith (approximately £20-£25)

Option B: Use a free online template (ensure it's UK-specific for England and Wales, and recently updated)

Option C: Write entirely by hand on plain paper

Whichever method you choose, verify it includes proper execution instructions for Section 9 compliance. A template without clear witnessing instructions is dangerous.

Step 3: Write or Complete Your Will

Use clear, unambiguous language. Here are the key principles:

Be specific and precise:

Use full legal names, not relationships: "John David Smith of 123 High Street, Manchester M1 1AA" not "my son"
Use exact addresses for all people
Specify exact percentages or amounts: "50% of my estate" not "half my estate"
Describe specific items clearly: "my 2020 Honda Civic, registration YP20 ABC" not "my car"

Include essential provisions:

Revocation clause: "I revoke all previous wills and codicils made by me."
Executor clause: "I appoint [name and address] as executor of this will. If they cannot act, I appoint [name and address] as substitute executor."
Guardian clause (if you have children under 18): "I appoint [name and address] as guardian of my children under 18. If they cannot act, I appoint [name and address] as substitute guardian."
Specific gifts: "I give [specific item or amount] to [full name and address]."
Residuary clause: "I give all the rest of my estate to [name and address]. If they do not survive me, I give all the rest of my estate to [alternate beneficiary]."
Date: Date the will with the day you sign it.

Avoid ambiguity:

Define any terms that could be unclear: "By 'my children' I mean my three children: John Smith, Emma Jones, and Claire Brown, and I do not intend to include my stepchildren."
Include backup beneficiaries for every gift: "If [beneficiary] does not survive me, I give this gift to [alternate]."
Address what happens if percentages fail: "If any beneficiary does not survive me, their share shall pass to [alternate]."

Step 4: Find Two Appropriate Witnesses

Your witnesses must meet all these requirements:

Must be 18 years of age or older
Must NOT be beneficiaries named in the will
Must NOT be married to or in a civil partnership with any beneficiary
Should NOT be executors (it's legally allowed but not recommended)
Should be people likely to be available in the future (not elderly or seriously ill)
Ideally, people who know you well enough to confirm your mental capacity if it's ever questioned

Friends, neighbors, or colleagues make good witnesses. Do not use family members who might benefit from your will.

Step 5: Execute the Will Properly

This is where most DIY wills fail. Follow this process exactly:

Gather all three people (you and both witnesses) in the same room at the same time
Ensure no one is on video call or in a separate room—all must be physically present together
Tell your witnesses: "This is my will, and I need you to watch me sign it and then sign it yourselves."
You sign the will first while both witnesses watch
Sign at the end of the will, and if it's multi-page, sign every page
Each witness then signs the will in your presence (and each other's presence, though this isn't strictly required)
Each witness should write their full name, address, and occupation next to their signature
Do not attach anything to the will with staples or paperclips until after all signing is complete

All of this must happen in one continuous session. Don't let anyone leave the room between steps.

Step 6: Store It Safely

Store the original signed will in a fireproof, secure location:

Fireproof safe at home
With your solicitor (even if you didn't use one to draft it, many will store it for a small fee)
With your bank in a safety deposit box (but inform your executor of this)

Tell your executor exactly where the original will is stored. Make photocopies for your records but mark them clearly "COPY—NOT ORIGINAL."

Consider registering the location of your will with the National Will Register (Certainty) for £35.99, so your executor can find it after your death.

Step 7: Review and Update Regularly

Your will should not be a "write once and forget" document:

Review your will every 3 to 5 years
Update immediately after major life events: marriage, divorce, birth of children, death of a beneficiary or executor, significant change in assets (buying or selling property), or moving abroad
Remember: Marriage automatically revokes any will made before the marriage unless the will explicitly states it's made in contemplation of that specific marriage
Divorce does not revoke a will, but it does revoke any gifts or appointments to your ex-spouse

Never amend the original will. If you need to make changes, execute a new will or create a formal codicil (which must be signed and witnessed exactly like the original will).

⚠️ Warning: If you find yourself confused at any step, or if your situation doesn't fit neatly into the template, STOP. The cost of getting it wrong far exceeds the cost of professional guidance. WUHLD offers guided online will creation from £49.99 with free preview—the same price as many DIY kits, with significantly lower risk of errors.

For more detailed guidance on executing your will correctly, read our comprehensive article on how to sign a will in the UK.

Red Flags: 5 Signs Your Estate Is Too Complex for DIY

Even if you're determined to write your own will, certain warning signs indicate you need professional help. Here are five red flags that your situation is too complex for a DIY approach.

Red Flag 1: You Paused While Reading the Step-by-Step Guide

If any step in the instructions made you think "I'm not sure about this" or "Does this apply to me?" or "What if...?" then your situation requires more help than a DIY kit can provide.

Uncertainty in will writing translates directly to ambiguity in the document. Ambiguity leads to disputes. If you're not 100% confident at every step, seek guided help.

Red Flag 2: Your Family Situation Needs More Than One Sentence to Explain

Simple: "I'm married with two children."

Complex: "I'm married with two children from my first marriage, and my husband has three children from his first marriage, plus we have one child together."

Blended families are the number-one situation where DIY wills fail catastrophically. The legal wording required to ensure stepchildren, biological children, and children from multiple relationships are all treated according to your wishes is precise and nuanced.

If you have stepchildren, adopted children, children from previous relationships, or any family structure more complex than "first marriage with biological children," you need professional guidance.

Red Flag 3: You Own Property

Property is the most valuable asset most people own, and it's also one of the most complex to leave in a will. Here's why:

Joint ownership matters: If you own property jointly with someone, the type of ownership determines whether you can even leave it in your will. "Joint tenants" pass automatically to the surviving owner by survivorship, while "tenants in common" can be left in your will. Many people don't know which they have.

Mortgages add complexity: Leaving a mortgaged property requires clear wording about whether the beneficiary receives it "subject to mortgage" or whether the mortgage should be paid from the estate first.

Multiple properties: If you own your home plus a buy-to-let, holiday cottage, or inherited property, describing which property goes to whom requires precision.

Inheritance Tax implications: Property often pushes estates above the £325,000 threshold, triggering Inheritance Tax considerations.

Red Flag 4: You Want to Include Conditions on Gifts

Maybe you want your daughter to inherit only if she graduates from university. Or you want your grandson to receive money when he turns 25, not now at age 18. Perhaps you want to include a provision that beneficiaries who contest the will lose their inheritance.

Conditional gifts require extremely precise legal wording or they fail entirely. Courts interpret conditions strictly. Ambiguous conditions are either ignored or interpreted in ways you didn't intend.

If any gift in your will includes "only if," "when," "provided that," or similar conditional language, you need professional help to word it correctly.

Red Flag 5: You Found Yourself Googling Legal Terms

If you're Googling things like:

"What is a residuary clause?"
"Difference between executor and trustee"
"What does 'per stirpes' mean?"
"Do I need a codicil or a new will?"

...then your will needs professional help.

Legal precision requires legal knowledge. There's no shame in not understanding legal terminology—most people don't. But trying to create a legal document when you don't understand the terminology is dangerous.

Claire's Story

Claire, 38, bought a DIY will kit to leave her £275,000 house to her unmarried partner of 12 years. She didn't realize that she and her partner owned the house as "joint tenants," meaning the property would pass to him automatically by survivorship regardless of what her will said.

She also didn't realize that without specific provisions, her estranged parents could make a claim against her estate under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.

After spending an hour confused by the template's legal terminology and contradictory instructions, Claire gave up on the DIY kit and used WUHLD instead. The guided service asked clear questions about her property ownership, her partner's status, and her family situation, then generated legally precise wording that accomplished exactly what she intended.

"I wish I'd started with WUHLD," Claire said. "The DIY kit cost £20, but I wasted two evenings on it and still didn't have a will. For £49.99, WUHLD took 15 minutes and I had peace of mind."

Not sure if your situation is simple or complex? Preview your will for free with WUHLD and see how a guided service handles your specific situation. No credit card required, no obligation—just see what you'll get. Preview your will free today.

The Smarter Alternative: Online Guided Will Services vs. Paper DIY Kits

There's a better option than risky paper DIY kits and expensive solicitors: online guided will services. Here's why they're the smart middle ground.

The Problem with Paper DIY Kits

Paper DIY kits seem appealing. For £10 to £25, you get a template with fill-in-the-blank forms and basic instructions. But they have serious drawbacks:

Static templates can't adapt to your situation. The template is the same for everyone, whether you're single with no children or married with a blended family.
Legal language confuses non-lawyers. Terms like "residuary estate," "per stirpes," and "attestation" leave most people guessing.
No feedback if you make mistakes. There's no one checking your work or flagging potential problems.
No validation of witness requirements. The kit tells you to "get witnesses" but doesn't validate whether your chosen witnesses are appropriate.
Ambiguous wording is common. When you adapt template language to your situation, you often create ambiguity without realizing it.

The cost seems low: £10-£25 for the kit. But the hidden risk is enormous: £5,000 to £25,000 in legal fees if the will is disputed, or complete invalidity meaning your estate is distributed under intestacy rules, not your wishes.

Research shows that 61% of people who write their own DIY wills never seek any professional advice—they trust the template, fill it out, and hope for the best.

The Problem with Solicitors

Solicitors are appropriate for complex estates, but they have drawbacks for straightforward situations:

Expensive: Average cost £200-£300 for a simple will, £500+ for complex wills
Time-consuming: Requires multiple appointments over several weeks
Can feel intimidating: Formal office visits and legal jargon can be off-putting
Overkill for simple situations: If your estate is straightforward, paying £300+ might feel excessive

Solicitors are essential for business ownership, significant Inheritance Tax planning, trusts, and very complex family situations. But for a married couple with children wanting to leave everything to each other and then to their children—the most common scenario—solicitor fees can feel disproportionate.

The Smart Middle Ground: Online Guided Services (WUHLD)

Online guided services eliminate the risks of DIY while keeping the cost affordable and the process convenient:

How it works:

You answer questions in plain English (no legal jargon)
The system adapts based on your answers, asking follow-up questions relevant to your situation
Automatic validation flags potential issues (like insufficient witnesses or ambiguous beneficiary descriptions)
The system generates a professionally formatted, legally compliant will document
You receive clear instructions on printing, signing, and witnessing
Preview the complete document free before paying anything

Cost: £49.99 one-time payment (no subscriptions, no hidden fees)

Time: 15 minutes to complete

What you get:

Your complete, legally binding will
A 12-page Testator Guide explaining how to execute your will properly
A Witness Guide to give to your witnesses with clear instructions
A Complete Asset Inventory document to help your executors

Here's how the three options compare:

Feature	Paper DIY Kit	WUHLD Online Guided	Solicitor
Cost	£10-£25	£49.99	£200-£650+
Time to Complete	1-3 hours (often longer with confusion)	15 minutes	2-6 weeks (multiple appointments)
Legal Validation	None - you're on your own	Automatic - system flags issues	Manual review by qualified solicitor
Adapts to Your Situation	No - one size fits all	Yes - questions adapt to your answers	Yes - bespoke advice
Plain English	No - full of legal jargon	Yes - questions in everyday language	Usually, but still formal
Witness Instructions	Basic - usually one paragraph	Comprehensive guide document included	Provided and explained
Preview Before Paying	No - you buy the kit blind	Yes - see entire will free	No - you pay for consultation time
Risk of Invalid Will	High - no validation, easy mistakes	Low - validation and clear guidance	Very Low - professional review
Changes/Updates	Buy entirely new kit (£10-£25 each time)	Currently: new document needed. Updates in development.	£50-£150+ per update appointment
Best For	Very rare: truly simple estates with confident, detail-oriented individuals	Straightforward estates with standard wishes and moderate complexity	Complex estates, business ownership, significant tax planning

Real User Story: David's Experience

David, 47, tried a £15 paper kit first. "After two hours of confusion and three crossed-out mistakes, I gave up. The legal language didn't make sense, and I wasn't sure if I was filling it out correctly."

He used WUHLD instead. "I answered clear questions for 15 minutes, previewed my professionally formatted will for free, and paid £49.99 for the final documents. I wish I'd started with WUHLD—the paper kit felt like a false economy. For £35 more, I got certainty and peace of mind."

The key message: For the price of two cinema tickets, you eliminate the risk that your DIY will is invalid.

That's less than most people spend on a Friday night out, but it protects your family from years of disputes and tens of thousands in legal fees.

For a comprehensive comparison of all your will-writing options, read our detailed article comparing online wills vs solicitors.

Create Your Will the Smarter Way

Preview your complete will for free—no credit card required. See exactly what you'll get before paying anything.

✓ 15 minutes to complete ✓ Plain English questions ✓ 4 professional documents included ✓ £49.99 one-time payment (no subscriptions)

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Frequently Asked Questions About DIY Wills

Q: Is a handwritten will legal in the UK?

A: Yes, a handwritten will is legal in the UK, but ONLY if it's properly witnessed according to Section 9 of the Wills Act 1837. You need two independent witnesses (not beneficiaries or their spouses) to watch you sign and then sign themselves in your presence. Unlike in some other countries like the US, unwitnessed handwritten wills are not valid in the UK.

Q: Can I write a will on plain paper?

A: Yes, you can write a will on plain paper, lined paper, or any writing material. The law doesn't specify what type of paper you must use. However, the will must still meet all Section 9 requirements: it must be signed by you and properly witnessed by two independent witnesses. Using plain paper doesn't reduce any of the legal requirements for validity.

Q: Do I need a solicitor to write a will?

A: No, you are not legally required to use a solicitor to write a will in the UK. However, solicitors are recommended for complex estates involving blended families, business ownership, Inheritance Tax planning, or property abroad. For straightforward estates, online guided services like WUHLD offer a cost-effective alternative with legal compliance built in, reducing the risk of DIY mistakes while keeping costs low.

Q: How much does a DIY will kit cost?

A: Paper DIY will kits like Lawpack from WHSmith typically cost £20-£25. However, the hidden cost is the risk: a 60% increase in probate disputes is partly attributed to DIY will mistakes, which can cost families £5,000 to £25,000 to resolve. Online guided services like WUHLD cost £49.99 but significantly reduce this risk through validation and clear guidance.

Q: Can I change my will after I've written it?

A: Never amend a will after it has been signed and witnessed. Any changes written on the will—crossing out sections, adding notes, writing in margins—are assumed to be invalid and don't form part of the legal will. To change your will, you must either execute an entirely new will (which revokes the old one) or create a formal codicil (a legal amendment) that must also be properly signed and witnessed according to Section 9 requirements.

Q: What happens if I make a mistake on a DIY will?

A: If the mistake affects essential elements like witness signatures, beneficiary names, or executor appointments, the will may be ruled partially or entirely invalid. If invalid, your estate will be distributed according to intestacy rules, not your wishes. Small mistakes like typos that don't change the meaning may be acceptable, but there's no guarantee. This is why professional guidance—even affordable online guided services—is worth the small extra cost over risky DIY kits.

Q: Can I use a free online will template?

A: You can use free online will templates, but ensure they are UK-specific (England and Wales law differs from Scotland and Northern Ireland) and recently updated. Many free templates lack proper guidance on execution and witnessing, may not cover common scenarios like backup beneficiaries, and provide no validation of your answers. A guided online service for £49.99 offers far better value than risking an invalid free template that could cost your family thousands in disputes.

Q: Who can witness my will?

A: Witnesses must be 18 or older, must NOT be beneficiaries or married to beneficiaries, and must NOT be executors (legally allowed but not recommended). All parties must be present in the same room together when signing—the testator signs first while both witnesses watch, then both witnesses sign in the testator's presence. Ideally, choose witnesses who know you well enough to confirm your mental capacity if ever questioned. For detailed guidance, see our article on who can witness a will in the UK.

Q: Is a DIY will better than no will at all?

A: A properly executed DIY will is better than no will at all—dying intestate (without a will) means your estate is distributed by strict legal rules that may not match your wishes at all. However, an improperly executed DIY will is effectively the same as having no will: your estate will still go through intestacy. The real question isn't "DIY vs nothing," it's "risky DIY vs safe guided service." For only £30-£40 more than a DIY kit, you can use a guided service that dramatically reduces the risk of invalidity.

Conclusion: Can You Write Your Own Will? Yes—But Should You?

Key takeaways:

You can legally write your own will in the UK without a solicitor, but it must meet every requirement of Section 9 of the Wills Act 1837 exactly
The 60% increase in probate disputes is partly driven by DIY will mistakes, costing families £5,000-£25,000+ in legal fees
The most common DIY mistake is using beneficiaries as witnesses, which voids their inheritance entirely under Section 15
DIY might work for truly simple estates (single, under £100k, no property, one beneficiary), but most people underestimate their estate's complexity
Online guided services like WUHLD offer the control and affordability of DIY with professional validation, for the same price as paper DIY kits

The question isn't whether you're capable of writing your own will—it's whether the savings are worth the risk to your family.

A £20 paper kit might save you money today, but if it's invalid or ambiguous, your family will spend years and thousands of pounds resolving the mess you've left behind. The legal precision required for wills is not something most people can achieve without guidance, no matter how careful they are.

For less than the cost of a meal out, you can use a professional guided service that eliminates the risk while preserving the convenience and affordability you want.

Create Your Will with WUHLD Today

Don't gamble with your family's future using a risky DIY kit. Create your will the smart way with WUHLD's guided online service.

For just £49.99 (vs £650+ for a solicitor), you'll get:

Your complete, legally binding will with precise legal wording
A 12-page Testator Guide explaining exactly how to execute your will
A Witness Guide to give your witnesses with clear instructions
A Complete Asset Inventory document to help your executors

You can preview your entire will free before paying anything—no credit card required, no obligation.

Preview Your Will Free – No Payment Required

Legal Disclaimer: This article provides general information about writing your own will in the UK and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your individual situation, please consult a qualified solicitor. WUHLD's online will service is suitable for straightforward UK estates; complex situations involving business ownership, assets abroad, or significant Inheritance Tax liabilities may require professional legal advice from a solicitor.

This article focuses on will law in England and Wales. If you are resident in Scotland or Northern Ireland, different rules may apply. Please consult local legal guidance for your jurisdiction.

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