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Expat Wills: UK Citizens Living Abroad

· 25 min

James thought he had it all figured out. After moving to Spain in 2019, the 47-year-old software consultant created a Spanish will to cover his villa in Marbella. When he died unexpectedly in 2024, his UK-based sister discovered he still owned a £380,000 flat in Manchester and a £120,000 pension fund.

Without a UK will, his Spanish will wasn't recognized by UK courts. His estate took 22 months to settle, cost £14,000 in legal fees, and his two children lost £38,000 to unnecessary inheritance tax because proper nil-rate band planning wasn't in place.

James isn't alone. An estimated 5.5 million British citizens live abroad, and less than half have any will at all—let alone the coordinated estate plan they actually need.

With major inheritance tax changes from April 2025 affecting how your worldwide assets are taxed, getting your expat will strategy right has never been more critical.

This guide explains exactly what UK expats need to know about wills, when you need one will versus two, and how to protect your family across borders without paying solicitors thousands of pounds.

Do UK Expats Need a UK Will?

Yes, if you have any UK assets—property, pensions, savings, investments—you need a UK will regardless of where you live.

Many expats assume that moving abroad means UK laws no longer apply. This is false. Your UK assets remain subject to UK probate law, and without a valid UK will, intestacy rules apply exactly as they would for someone living in Britain.

What counts as UK assets:

  • Property (family home if retained, buy-to-let, inherited property)
  • UK bank accounts and savings
  • UK investments, ISAs, and premium bonds
  • Workplace and personal pensions
  • Life insurance policies issued by UK providers
  • UK business interests
  • Even vehicles registered in the UK

Moving abroad doesn't make these assets disappear from UK jurisdiction. If you die without a UK will, your UK assets pass according to intestacy rules—not according to your wishes. Your spouse might not inherit what you assume. Your children's inheritance could be distributed in ways you never intended. Your partner, if you're unmarried, could receive nothing at all.

Consider Sarah, a British expat living in Australia with a buy-to-let property worth £265,000 in Leeds. She created an Australian will covering her Melbourne home but never made a UK will. When she died, her Australian will wasn't automatically recognized by UK courts. Her property sat in legal limbo for 19 months while her family paid ongoing mortgage payments and couldn't access rental income.

According to the Office for National Statistics, approximately 98,000 British citizens emigrated in the year ending December 2023. Most leave thinking they've left UK legal obligations behind. They haven't.

HMRC doesn't forget about you either. UK inheritance tax can still apply even if you've been non-resident for years. We'll cover the critical April 2025 tax changes shortly.

The truth: Moving abroad increases your need for proper will planning, not decreases it.

One Will or Two? The Dual Will Strategy Explained

Most expats with assets in multiple countries benefit from dual wills—one UK will covering UK assets, one local will covering foreign assets.

This isn't legal complexity for its own sake. Dual wills solve practical problems that a single international will cannot.

Why dual wills work better:

  • Faster probate: Both estates can be administered in parallel rather than waiting for one jurisdiction to recognize a foreign will
  • Local court recognition: Each will is drafted to meet that country's specific legal formalities
  • Simpler for executors: UK executor handles UK assets under UK law; local executor handles foreign assets under local law
  • Compliance with local requirements: Some countries won't recognize foreign wills without expensive legalization (apostille stamps, certified translations, notarization)

The alternative—a single international will—sounds elegant but faces significant obstacles. The 1973 Washington Convention created a framework for international wills, but only 12 countries have fully implemented it. The UK enacted provisions in the Administration of Justice Act 1982 but never fully ratified the Convention. For most expats, a single international will creates more problems than it solves.

Here's your decision framework:

Your Situation Will Strategy
No foreign assets, temporary posting abroad (2-5 years) Single UK will only
Own property in both UK and host country, plan to stay long-term UK will + Foreign will (dual strategy)
Significant assets in 3+ countries Multiple wills (requires professional coordination)
Only UK property/pensions, permanent expat but no foreign property Single UK will only

The critical mistake to avoid: Creating a second will that accidentally revokes your first.

Standard will wording states: "I revoke all previous wills and codicils." If your Spanish will includes this clause without qualification, it cancels your UK will. If your UK will includes this clause without qualification, it cancels your Spanish will. You've just created a legal nightmare.

The solution: Each will must include a specific non-revocation clause and jurisdictional scope.

Your UK will should state: "This will applies to my property and assets situated in England and Wales only. This will does not revoke any will or codicil I have made regarding property situated outside the United Kingdom."

Your foreign will should include equivalent wording specifying it covers only assets in that jurisdiction and doesn't revoke your UK will.

David and Sarah moved to Spain in 2018 after David took early retirement at 55. They own a £425,000 villa in Costa del Sol and retained their £310,000 UK home as a rental property. They have UK pensions totaling £340,000 and two adult children.

They created two coordinated wills: a UK will covering their UK house, pensions, and UK savings, and a Spanish will covering their Spanish property. Both wills explicitly reference each other and include non-revocation clauses. When they eventually die, their executors can process both estates simultaneously without legal conflicts.

Cost for this coordinated approach? £49.99 for the UK will with WUHLD, plus approximately €150-300 for a straightforward Spanish will with a local notary. Total: under £400.

Cost for a solicitor to draft coordinated international wills? £1,500-3,000 or more.

Before you can finalize your will strategy, you need to understand how UK inheritance tax applies to you as an expat—especially given the fundamental changes from April 2025.

Major Alert: April 2025 Inheritance Tax Changes for UK Expats

From 6 April 2025, the UK inheritance tax system fundamentally changes for expats. If you've been living abroad or plan to leave the UK, these changes directly affect you.

The old system (pre-April 2025): Inheritance tax was based on domicile—a complex legal concept of your permanent home. If you were UK domiciled, your worldwide assets were subject to 40% inheritance tax. If you lost UK domicile (very difficult), only your UK assets were taxed.

The new system (from 6 April 2025): Inheritance tax is now based on residence—a much clearer test.

You become a "long-term resident" if you've been UK tax resident for at least 10 out of the last 20 tax years. Once you're a long-term resident, your worldwide assets fall within the inheritance tax scope.

What this means practically:

If you recently left the UK (within last 10 years): Your non-UK assets may still be caught by inheritance tax even though you're now non-resident. The new rules include "tail provisions"—you remain within the IHT net for up to 10 years after leaving, depending on how long you were UK resident.

The tail works like this: If you were UK resident for 10-13 years, you remain in the IHT net for 3 tax years after leaving. For each additional year of residence, add one more year to the tail, up to a maximum of 10 years for those resident 20 years or more.

If you left the UK 10+ years ago: Your non-UK assets likely escape inheritance tax entirely. Only your UK assets remain taxable (UK property, UK bank accounts, UK investments always remain within IHT scope regardless of where you live or how long you've been gone).

If you're planning to leave the UK: Understanding the new residence test and tail provisions is critical for inheritance tax planning.

Example scenarios:

Profile IHT Position Under New Rules
Expat in Spain 15 years, left UK in 2010 Non-UK assets outside IHT scope; UK property still taxable at 40% over £325,000 threshold
Expat in Dubai 3 years, left UK in 2022 Non-UK assets still in IHT scope under tail provisions; full IHT on worldwide estate over threshold
Expat returning to UK after 20 years abroad Residence clock resets when you become UK resident again; 10-year count starts fresh

The nil-rate band still applies: £325,000 per person, plus an additional residence nil-rate band of £175,000 if leaving a UK home to direct descendants. For married couples, that's a combined threshold of £1 million before inheritance tax applies.

The IHT rate remains unchanged: 40% on amounts above the threshold.

Important exemptions for expats: UK government bonds (gilts) are inheritance tax-free for non-UK residents regardless of domicile. Foreign currency accounts held in UK banks are also exempt from IHT for non-residents.

Critical action point: If the April 2025 changes affect your tax position, your will may need updating to reflect new tax planning opportunities. Consider whether you should make lifetime gifts, whether assets should be restructured, or whether UK property should be held differently.

This is complex territory. For personalized tax advice specific to your situation, consult a qualified tax advisor experienced in expat taxation. Learn more about how UK inheritance tax works.

Inheritance tax is one challenge. Forced heirship rules in your host country create another layer of complexity that catches many UK expats completely by surprise.

Forced Heirship Rules: When You Can't Choose Your Beneficiaries

UK citizens enjoy complete testamentary freedom—you can leave your estate to anyone you choose. Most civil law countries don't give you that freedom.

Forced heirship means certain family members (usually children and sometimes spouses) must inherit a fixed percentage of your estate by law, regardless of what your will says.

Where forced heirship applies:

  • France: 50-75% must go to children (50% for one child, 66.7% for two children, 75% for three or more children)
  • Spain: Two-thirds of your estate must go to children (one-third divided equally, one-third distributed according to your wishes among them)
  • Germany: Children entitled to 50% of their intestate share as a compulsory portion (Pflichtteil)
  • Italy, Portugal, much of Latin America, and parts of the Middle East: Similar forced heirship provisions

This shocks British expats who assume they can distribute their estate as they wish.

Emma, a British expat, owns a villa in Provence worth €450,000. She has an adult daughter from her first marriage but wants to leave everything to her current partner of 15 years, whom she never married. Her will states exactly that.

Under French law, her daughter is entitled to 50% of the villa's value—€225,000—regardless of what Emma's will says. The forced heirship provision overrides Emma's testamentary wishes. Her partner faces either buying out the daughter's share, selling the property, or co-owning it with someone Emma wanted to exclude.

Can you avoid forced heirship?

The Brussels IV Regulation (EU Regulation 650/2012) offers partial relief. This EU law, which came into force in 2015, allows you to elect for the law of your nationality to govern your succession instead of your residence.

By including a "choice of law" clause in your will—"I elect for the law of England and Wales to govern my succession"—you may be able to apply UK's testamentary freedom to your EU assets.

However—and this is critical—recent legal challenges have created uncertainty. In 2022, the German Federal Court ruled that an election of English law was ineffective because completely excluding a child violated German public policy. France amended Article 913 of its Civil Code to preserve children's forced heirship rights in certain circumstances even when foreign law is elected.

The bottom line: Brussels IV may help reduce forced heirship's impact, but it's not a guaranteed escape route. If you own significant property in a forced heirship country, you need specialist legal advice from a lawyer qualified in that jurisdiction.

Common law countries (Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA, Singapore) generally respect testamentary freedom, though they allow family provision claims where dependents were inadequately provided for.

Practical strategies to navigate forced heirship:

  • Structure your will knowing certain assets must legally go to certain people
  • Consider lifetime gifts (though these may be "clawed back" under forced heirship rules)
  • Use life insurance to provide for your preferred beneficiaries
  • In some cases, holding property through corporate structures may help (requires specialist advice)
  • Include a Brussels IV choice of law election in your foreign will, but understand its limitations

Your UK will gives you full freedom over your UK assets. Your host country may restrict your freedom over local assets. This is why the dual will strategy matters—you control what you can control.

UK Will Requirements for Expats: Can You Make It From Abroad?

Good news: You absolutely can create a valid UK will while living abroad. Your physical location makes no difference to the will's validity.

The same UK legal formalities apply whether you're in Manchester or Marbella, Leeds or Lisbon.

UK will requirements:

  • Will must be in writing
  • You must sign it
  • Two independent witnesses must watch you sign
  • Both witnesses must then sign in your presence
  • All signatures must be on the same document

Witness requirements for expats—this is important:

  • Witnesses do NOT need to be UK citizens
  • Witnesses do NOT need to be in the UK
  • They can be friends, colleagues, or neighbors in your host country
  • They cannot be beneficiaries of your will or married to beneficiaries (same rule as in UK)
  • They should be over 18 and of sound mind

You could witness your UK will with two French colleagues in Paris, two Australian friends in Sydney, or two Spanish neighbors in Barcelona. Completely valid.

Can you use online will services from abroad?

Yes. WUHLD's online service is accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. You complete the questionnaire (15 minutes), preview your will free, pay £49.99 only when satisfied, then download, print, and sign it with two witnesses wherever you are in the world.

No apostille required. No legalization needed. No certified translation for a UK will (though if you're creating a foreign will, you may need it translated into the local language).

What information you'll need:

  • Your full legal name and current address (use your foreign address—it's fine and doesn't affect validity)
  • Executors' details (consider appointing at least one UK-based executor for UK assets)
  • Guardians for minor children if applicable
  • Beneficiaries' full names and their relationship to you
  • Details of specific gifts and how you want your residuary estate distributed

Address considerations: Use your current foreign address on your will. Some expats prefer to use their UK executor's address as a contact point, but your actual foreign address is perfectly acceptable and legally valid.

Storage: Keep the original in a safe place—with a solicitor, in a home safe, or with a secure document storage service. Send a copy to your executors. Some expats keep their UK will with their UK-based executor for security and accessibility.

Legal recognition: Under the Wills Act 1963, UK law recognizes foreign wills that meet the formalities of the country where executed, the testator's domicile, the testator's habitual residence, or the testator's nationality. Conversely, a UK will properly executed according to UK law is valid for UK probate regardless of where you executed it.

Don't let being abroad stop you from creating your UK will. The process is actually very simple. If you own property in multiple countries, discover how to handle property portfolios in your will.

What to Include in Your UK Expat Will

Your UK will needs specific clauses that standard templates may not include.

1. Jurisdictional Scope Clause (CRITICAL)

Your UK will must clearly state what it covers:

"This will applies to my property and assets situated in England and Wales only."

Or: "This will applies to all my property in the United Kingdom."

This prevents accidentally covering foreign assets and creating conflicts with your foreign will.

2. Non-Revocation Clause (if you have or plan a foreign will)

"This will does not revoke any will or codicil I have made regarding property situated outside the United Kingdom."

This protects your foreign will from automatic revocation. Without this clause, your UK will's standard revocation wording ("I revoke all previous wills") would cancel your Spanish, French, or Australian will.

3. Standard UK Will Components

  • Revocation of previous UK wills and codicils: "I revoke all previous wills and codicils concerning my property in the United Kingdom"
  • Appointment of executors: Consider UK-based executors for UK assets (makes probate simpler); you can appoint co-executors (one local to you, one UK-based)
  • Guardians for minor children: If you have children and both parents die, who raises them? This decision is even more complex for expats—should guardians be UK-based family or friends local to where you currently live?
  • Specific legacies: Personal items, cash gifts, specific assets left to named individuals
  • Residuary estate distribution: Who inherits everything else after specific gifts

4. What UK Assets to Address

Be specific about what UK assets your will covers:

  • UK property (family home if retained, buy-to-let properties, inherited property)
  • UK bank accounts and savings
  • UK pensions (though most pass outside the will via nomination)
  • UK investments, ISAs, premium bonds
  • UK business interests
  • Personal possessions still in the UK

5. Guardian Provisions (critical for expat parents)

If you die while living abroad and you have minor children, who raises them?

Guardian provisions must be in a valid will to be legally recognized. Consider carefully:

  • Should guardians be UK-based family or local to where you live?
  • Have you discussed this with the proposed guardians?
  • Do they understand they may need to relocate or the children may need to move countries?
  • What if you and your partner are temporarily in different countries when death occurs?

This deserves serious thought and explicit conversation with your chosen guardians. Learn more about choosing guardians for your children.

6. Expression of Wishes (optional but valuable)

While not legally binding, an expression of wishes letter can guide your executors on:

  • Where you want to be buried or cremated (UK or host country?)
  • Funeral preferences
  • Cultural or religious requirements
  • Distribution of personal items with sentimental value

7. What NOT to Include in Your UK Will

Do not attempt to dispose of foreign property or foreign assets in your UK will. These should be covered in your local will for that jurisdiction. Including them creates confusion, potential conflicts, and may make your will partially invalid or unenforceable.

Michael is 58, works in the oil industry, and has lived in Norway, Singapore, and now the UAE. He owns a London flat worth £380,000, a rental property in Singapore kept after his posting there, and UAE investments. He's divorced and remarried with children from both marriages.

His UK will covers only his UK property with clear jurisdictional scope. His Singapore will covers his Singapore property. His UAE will covers UAE assets. Each will includes explicit non-revocation clauses and cross-references the others. His executors know all three wills exist and where they're stored.

Complex? Yes. But far simpler than trying to create one international will that three different countries' courts would need to interpret.

UK Pensions for Expats: A Common Gap in Estate Planning

If you have UK pensions from previous employment, don't assume your will automatically controls where they go when you die.

Most UK pensions pass via "expression of wishes" or beneficiary nomination, NOT via your will.

This creates a critical gap in many expats' estate planning. You carefully draft your will, then forget about pension beneficiary forms you completed years ago—or never completed at all.

What happens if you haven't nominated beneficiaries:

The pension provider has discretion over where death benefits go. They typically follow intestacy principles, which may not match your wishes. Worse, without proper nomination, your pension may become part of your taxable estate when it could have passed tax-efficiently outside it.

Types of UK pensions expats commonly retain:

  • Workplace pensions (defined contribution schemes)
  • Personal pensions and SIPPs (Self-Invested Personal Pensions)
  • Defined benefit pensions (final salary schemes)
  • State pension (dies with you but may provide survivor benefits to spouse)

What you must do:

  1. Contact each UK pension provider
  2. Request and complete their "expression of wishes" or "beneficiary nomination" form
  3. Name specific beneficiaries (can be foreign residents—no problem)
  4. Review and update these nominations every 2-3 years or after major life events (marriage, divorce, children, moving countries)

Why mention pensions in your will anyway?

Include a clause stating: "I express the wish that my pension providers pay death benefits to [named beneficiaries] in accordance with the beneficiary nominations I have filed with each provider."

This isn't legally binding (pensions pass outside your will), but it provides clear guidance and creates a record of your intentions.

Expat-specific pension considerations:

  • You can nominate beneficiaries who live abroad
  • Consider currency conversion issues (UK pension paying to a foreign bank account)
  • Check if your pension provider has restrictions on overseas payments
  • Some expats transfer UK pensions to QROPS (Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes)—different rules and tax treatment apply

Inheritance tax on pensions:

Death before age 75: Usually inheritance tax-free if proper nomination in place. Death after 75: May be subject to income tax in the beneficiary's hands but not inheritance tax if nomination completed correctly.

Real consequence of failing to update:

Robert, a British expat in Canada for 15 years, still has a £180,000 workplace pension from his previous UK employer. He completed the beneficiary form 20 years ago naming his ex-wife (divorced 18 years ago). He never updated it.

When Robert dies, his pension death benefits—£180,000—go to his ex-wife as nominated, not to his current partner and their two children. His will is irrelevant. The beneficiary form controls.

Your will plans your UK assets. Your pension nominations plan your pension death benefits. You need both updated and coordinated.

Common Mistakes UK Expats Make With Wills

Learning from others' expensive errors can save you thousands of pounds and spare your family significant stress.

Mistake 1: Assuming No Will Needed After Moving Abroad

Reality: If you have UK assets (property, pensions, savings), you need a UK will regardless of where you live.

Consequence: Intestacy rules apply, family gets nothing or wrong people inherit, probate delays of 18-24 months, legal fees of £10,000+.

Fix: Create UK will covering UK assets even if you've lived abroad for decades.

Mistake 2: Creating Second Will That Accidentally Revokes First

Reality: Standard will wording "I revoke all previous wills" cancels ALL wills including your foreign one.

Consequence: One will invalidates the other, creating legal chaos across two jurisdictions and forcing your family into complex litigation.

Fix: Include explicit non-revocation clause specifying each will covers only assets in that jurisdiction.

Mistake 3: Not Telling Executors About Multiple Wills

Reality: UK executor finds UK will, doesn't know about Spanish will. Probate proceeds without considering Spanish assets or coordinating with Spanish executor.

Consequence: Incomplete estate administration, assets missed, conflicts between jurisdictions, family disputes over what you really intended.

Fix: Each will should reference the other. Give copies of both wills to all executors. Keep a master list of where all wills are stored.

Mistake 4: Using UK Will to Cover Foreign Property

Reality: UK will attempting to dispose of French villa may not be recognized by French courts, which apply French succession law to French real property.

Consequence: Foreign property goes through intestacy despite having a will. Your UK will's provisions about that property are simply ignored.

Fix: Separate will for each jurisdiction's assets, drafted according to that jurisdiction's legal requirements.

Mistake 5: Forgetting to Update After Major Life Changes

Reality: You divorce, remarry, have children, buy property in new country. Your will created 10 years ago no longer reflects your situation.

Consequence: Wrong beneficiaries inherit. Ex-spouse receives assets meant for current partner. Children from second marriage receive nothing. Unintended disinheritance and family disputes.

Fix: Review your will every 2-3 years minimum and immediately after marriage, divorce, birth, death, property purchase, significant wealth change, or moving countries. Learn when to update your will.

Mistake 6: Not Understanding Host Country Forced Heirship

Reality: Your will leaves everything to your spouse. Host country law requires 67% go to children.

Consequence: Will partially invalid in that jurisdiction. Family disputes over conflicting provisions. Expensive litigation to resolve.

Fix: Research host country succession law before finalizing your will. Consult local lawyer if you own significant foreign property. Structure your will to work within forced heirship constraints rather than fight them.

Mistake 7: Choosing Wrong Executors

Reality: Appointing only foreign-resident executors for UK assets creates practical difficulties. They must deal with UK probate system, UK property sales, UK banks—all from abroad.

Consequence: Significant delays, extra legal costs, communication challenges across time zones, requirement for UK-based legal representative anyway.

Fix: Appoint at least one UK-based executor for your UK will. They can handle UK probate, property, and financial institutions efficiently. Can work alongside a foreign executor for coordination.

Mistake 8: Assuming Brexit Changed Everything

Reality: UK will validity rules unchanged post-Brexit. Brussels IV affects UK expats with EU assets (UK was never part of Brussels IV anyway—we opted out).

Consequence: Unnecessary worry, delayed action, or incorrect estate planning decisions based on misunderstanding.

Fix: Focus on actual legal requirements. Brexit didn't change UK will formalities or UK expats' need for coordinated estate planning.

The scenarios below show how these principles apply to real-world situations.

Four Expat Scenarios: What Will Strategy Do You Need?

Pattern-match your situation to one of these profiles to determine your ideal will strategy.

Scenario 1: The Short-Term Posting (Dubai, 2-5 Years)

Profile:

Emma, 34, is a marketing director on a temporary contract in Dubai (2 years initially, likely extending to 5). She owns a £275,000 flat in London which she's renting out. She has a UK pension worth £85,000 and UK savings of £32,000. She rents her Dubai accommodation and has no UAE assets. She's single with no children.

What Emma Needs:

  • UK will only covering her London flat, pension, and savings
  • No UAE will needed (no UAE assets, temporary resident status)
  • Update UK will to reflect current Dubai address
  • Review situation if she buys UAE property or decides to stay permanently
  • Update UK pension beneficiary nomination

Why This Works:

Temporary expat with only UK assets needs simple UK will. No complexity of dual wills required. When Emma returns to UK, her will remains fully valid and appropriate.

Scenario 2: The Permanent Relocator (Spain, Long-Term)

Profile:

David and Sarah, both 52, moved to Spain in 2018 after David took early retirement. They obtained Spanish residency and plan to stay permanently. They own a £425,000 villa in Costa del Sol and retained their £310,000 UK home as a rental property. They have UK pensions totaling £340,000, UK savings of £85,000, and Spanish savings of €45,000. They have two adult children.

What David and Sarah Need:

  • UK will covering UK house, pensions, and UK bank accounts
  • Spanish will covering Spanish villa and Spanish bank accounts
  • Both wills must include non-revocation clauses stating they cover only assets in that specific jurisdiction
  • Both wills should reference each other
  • Consider Brussels IV choice of law election in Spanish will (though be aware of recent legal challenges regarding forced heirship)
  • Ideally, same executors named in both wills, or coordinating executors who know both wills exist

Why This Works:

Substantial assets in two countries require coordinated dual will strategy. Each will covers assets in its jurisdiction using that jurisdiction's legal formalities. If David and Sarah die, UK executor handles UK estate through UK probate, Spanish executor handles Spanish estate through Spanish succession law—in parallel, not sequentially.

Scenario 3: The Serial Expat (Multiple Countries, Complex Assets)

Profile:

Michael, 58, is an oil industry consultant. He's a UK citizen who lived in Norway (5 years), Singapore (4 years), and now the UAE (3 years). He owns a flat in London (£380,000) and a rental property in Singapore kept as an investment after his posting (value SGD 950,000). He has UAE investments and savings. He's divorced and remarried with a blended family (2 children from first marriage, 1 child from second marriage).

What Michael Needs:

  • UK will for London flat and any UK pensions/savings (with clear jurisdictional scope limited to UK)
  • Singapore will for Singapore rental property
  • UAE will for UAE assets
  • All three wills carefully coordinated with explicit non-revocation clauses
  • Each will must cross-reference the others
  • Clear beneficiary provisions addressing blended family (how is estate divided between children from two marriages?)
  • Professional legal review recommended due to complexity
  • Regular reviews (every 2 years minimum) as his situation evolves

Why This Works:

Multi-jurisdictional assets require multiple wills. Attempting a single will creates recognition problems in all three countries. Complexity of blended family plus three countries means professional legal coordination is worth the cost. Michael needs estate planning advice, not just will templates.

Scenario 4: The Returning Expat (Coming Back to UK)

Profile:

Lisa, 45, is a project manager who lived in Australia for 12 years. She's returning to the UK permanently next year. She owns property in Melbourne (value AUD 680,000) which she's selling before her return. She will inherit UK property from her elderly parents. She has Australian superannuation (pension) of AUD 280,000 and UK savings of £45,000. She has two teenage children.

What Lisa Needs:

  • Update Australian will NOW before leaving to cover Australian assets until disposed of
  • Create new UK will upon return to UK
  • Deal with superannuation beneficiary nomination separately (Australian pensions pass outside will)
  • Once Melbourne property sold and superannuation transferred/drawn down, revoke Australian will
  • New UK will becomes primary estate planning document covering all UK assets
  • Consider inheritance tax implications of returning (10-year residence clock resets under April 2025 rules)

Why This Works:

Transition period requires temporary dual wills until Australian assets are fully dealt with. Once Lisa has liquidated all Australian assets and moved wealth to UK, she can simplify to UK will only. No need to maintain complex multi-jurisdictional estate plan once she's genuinely mono-jurisdictional again.

Key Takeaway:

Your expat will strategy depends on where you live, how long you're staying, and where your assets are located. Start with a UK will if you have UK assets. Add local will when you acquire local property. Keep it simple where possible, but coordinate carefully where necessary.

How WUHLD Makes UK Expat Wills Simple

Solicitors typically quote £800-1,500 for expat wills, citing complexity and cross-border considerations. They usually require in-person UK appointments—impossible when you're living abroad. The process takes weeks of back-and-forth emails across time zones.

There's a better way for the UK component of your estate plan.

WUHLD creates legally valid UK wills for £49.99—accessible from anywhere in the world.

You complete our online questionnaire in 15 minutes, preview your complete will free before paying anything, and download your finished will only when you're satisfied. No subscriptions. No hidden fees. No ongoing costs.

What's included:

  • Legally valid UK will meeting all UK formalities
  • Guidance at every step of the process
  • Ability to specify jurisdictional scope (UK assets only)
  • Option to add non-revocation clause if you have or plan a foreign will
  • Clear executor appointment with option for multiple executors
  • Guardian provisions for minor children
  • 4 complete documents: your will, 12-page Testator Guide, Witness Guide, and Complete Asset Inventory

Perfect for the UK component of expat estate planning:

WUHLD covers your UK assets—UK property, pensions, savings, investments. You arrange your local will separately for foreign assets with a lawyer in your host country. By handling the UK component yourself, you save £750-1,450 compared to using an international solicitor for everything.

How it works for expats:

  1. Complete the online questionnaire (15 minutes from anywhere with internet)
  2. Review your personalized will (preview completely free, no payment required)
  3. Pay £49.99 only when you're satisfied with your will
  4. Download, print, and sign with two witnesses (any nationality, wherever you are)
  5. Store securely and send a copy to your executors

When to use a solicitor instead:

  • Very complex estates (£1m+ with multiple trusts, business interests, agricultural property)
  • Need for sophisticated inheritance tax planning across multiple jurisdictions
  • Complex claims likely against your estate
  • Significant uncertainty about forced heirship or Brussels IV implications requiring specialist cross-border legal advice

For most expats:

A straightforward UK will covering UK property, pensions, and savings is a perfect use case for WUHLD. You handle the UK part quickly and affordably online. You handle the foreign part with a local lawyer who understands local succession law. Total cost: under £500 vs £2,000-3,000+ for coordinated international wills from a UK solicitor.

Life changes?

Update your will easily. Buy more UK property, return to the UK, have children, divorce, remarry—create an updated will in 15 minutes whenever your circumstances change.

Get started today:

Create your UK expat will in 15 minutes for £49.99. Preview your complete will free before paying anything—no credit card required.

Conclusion

Key takeaways:

  • If you have UK assets, you need a UK will—regardless of where in the world you live or how long you've been gone
  • Dual wills (UK + local) work better than a single international will for most expats with property in multiple countries
  • April 2025 inheritance tax changes fundamentally altered how worldwide assets are taxed based on new residence test (10 out of 20 years) rather than domicile
  • Forced heirship rules in many countries override your testamentary freedom for local assets—research your host country's succession law
  • Creating a UK will from abroad is straightforward—witnesses don't need to be UK citizens or in the UK; online services like WUHLD work internationally
  • Update UK pension beneficiary nominations separately—pensions pass outside your will via expression of wishes forms
  • Avoid the critical mistake of creating a second will that accidentally revokes your first—use non-revocation clauses and jurisdictional scope provisions

5.5 million British citizens live abroad. Most haven't updated their estate planning. With April 2025 tax changes and increasing international mobility, coordinating your UK and foreign wills has never been more important.

Don't leave your family with a cross-border legal mess, contested probate, and unnecessary inheritance tax bills.

Create your UK will today and name your guardians, protect your UK assets, and ensure your UK property and pensions go where you intend. With WUHLD, it takes just 15 minutes online from anywhere in the world.

For £49.99 (vs £800-1,500+ for a solicitor), you'll get:

  • Your complete, legally binding UK will
  • A 12-page Testator Guide explaining exactly how to execute your will properly
  • A Witness Guide to give to your witnesses
  • A Complete Asset Inventory document to record all your UK and foreign assets

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Legal Disclaimer: This article provides general information about UK will requirements for expats and does not constitute legal advice. UK inheritance law and international estate planning involve complex rules that vary by country. For advice specific to your individual situation, please consult a qualified solicitor with expertise in cross-border estates. WUHLD's online will service is suitable for straightforward UK estates and UK assets; complex situations involving multiple jurisdictions, trusts, business interests, or high-value estates may require professional legal advice.

Tax Disclaimer: Tax laws change frequently and depend on individual circumstances. The April 2025 inheritance tax changes described here are based on current legislation as enacted. For tax advice specific to your situation, consult a qualified tax advisor or accountant with expertise in expat taxation.

Foreign Law Disclaimer: Information about foreign law (including forced heirship rules and Brussels IV) is provided for general awareness only. We are not qualified to advise on the laws of countries outside England and Wales. Always consult a local lawyer qualified in your host country for advice on local succession law.

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