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Legal Documents You Can Make Online vs. Those You Can't (UK)

· 14 min

Note: The following scenario is fictional and used for illustration.

When Emma, 38, needed to update her will after her second child was born, she hesitated before booking a £650 solicitor appointment. She'd seen online will services advertised for under £100 but wondered: "Are online legal documents actually legal? Which ones can I make myself, and which ones need a solicitor?"

Emma's confusion is common. In 2026, the UK legal services landscape has transformed dramatically. You can now create many essential legal documents entirely online—from wills to Lasting Powers of Attorney—without ever meeting a solicitor. But other documents, like prenuptial agreements or property transfers, still require professional involvement by law or practical necessity.

The distinction isn't always obvious. This complete guide explains exactly which UK legal documents you can confidently create online, which require solicitor involvement, and why.

Table of Contents

Legal validity means a document is legally enforceable and recognized by courts and institutions. Three pillars underpin validity:

Proper execution means following specific legal requirements for signing, witnessing, and dating. Wills must be signed with two independent witnesses. LPAs require signatures in a specific order. Miss one requirement, the document fails.

Legal capacity requires being 18 or older, mentally capable, and acting voluntarily without pressure.

Correct form and content means the document must follow statutory requirements for that document type.

Here's the crucial distinction: online creation is separate from physical execution. Most online legal documents must still be printed and physically signed with proper witnesses.

James, 42, created his will online, printed it, and signed it with two independent witnesses present. Fully valid under the Wills Act 1837 Section 9. Sarah completed an online will but signed alone without witnesses. Invalid regardless of how well drafted.

Online services help you draft legally sound documents, but you're responsible for executing them correctly.

These documents can be created entirely through online services without solicitor involvement, though they must be executed correctly.

Wills remain the most popular online legal document. Services like WUHLD (£99.99), Farewill (£192), Which? Wills (£99-£169), and Co-op Legal (£150) provide step-by-step guidance. The legal basis is the Wills Act 1837. Online wills work best for straightforward estates with clear beneficiaries and standard asset distribution.

Lasting Powers of Attorney can be created free using the government's online service at lastingpowerofattorney.service.gov.uk. The registration fee is £92 per LPA from November 2025, with reductions available for low-income applicants. Processing takes 8-10 weeks.

Letters of Wishes are non-binding guidance documents that accompany your will, explaining your reasoning. You can type or handwrite them with no witnessing required.

Divorce applications moved almost entirely online. Apply via gov.uk/apply-for-divorce using Form D8. The court fee is £612, with fee help available for qualifying applicants.

David applied for divorce online in under an hour. The £612 fee seemed steep until he learned a solicitor-handled divorce would cost £1,500-£3,000+. His divorce was finalized in 6 months without court attendance.

Probate applications for estates under £5,000 or with one asset can be handled online. Basic cohabitation agreements using templates work for simple situations when no property is jointly owned. Simple contractor agreements for standard freelance terms can use template-based services.

Emma, 52, used the free government LPA service to appoint her daughter. The online form took 45 minutes. After printing, signing, and posting to the OPG, her LPA was registered in 9 weeks. Total cost: £92. A solicitor-assisted LPA would have cost £300-£500+.

The Office of the Public Guardian reports two million LPAs have been added to the online Use an LPA service since July 2020, demonstrating widespread adoption.

Online Wills: Requirements, Costs & Process

Wills are ideal for online creation. The legal format is standardized, services guide you through decisions, execution is straightforward, and you save £550+ compared to solicitors.

Five essential requirements create a valid will:

  1. Be 18 or older in England and Wales
  2. Will must be in writing
  3. Have testamentary capacity—understand what you're doing, your assets, and potential claims
  4. Sign voluntarily without pressure
  5. Sign with two independent witnesses present (18+, not beneficiaries)

How it works: Create an account. Answer questions about family, assets, beneficiaries, executors, and guardians. Review and download. Sign with two witnesses present. Witnesses sign immediately after you. Store safely.

Sarah, 36, and Tom, 38, have two children and own their £380,000 home. They used WUHLD to create mirror wills in 20 minutes, appointing each other as executors, naming Tom's sister as guardian, leaving everything to surviving partner then children at age 25.

Cost: £199.98 for both. Solicitor quote: £750. Savings: £550.

Their wills are legally identical to solicitor-drafted versions because they met all Wills Act 1837 Section 9 requirements.

Online wills work when your estate is under £2 million, assets are mainly in UK, beneficiaries are straightforward, and no complex trusts are needed.

Consider solicitor input for inheritance tax concerns, overseas property, business ownership, complex family situations, or disabled beneficiaries needing specialist trusts.

Lasting Powers of Attorney: The Free Government Service

The UK government provides a completely free online LPA creation service—one of the best-kept secrets in UK legal services.

An LPA lets you appoint someone to make decisions if you lose mental capacity. Without one, family must apply to the Court of Protection—expensive and lengthy.

Two types: Property and Financial Affairs LPA covers bank accounts, property, and bills. Can be used when registered or only when you lack capacity. Health and Welfare LPA covers medical treatment and care. Only usable once you lack capacity.

How to create: Visit lastingpowerofattorney.service.gov.uk. Choose type. Answer questions about attorneys, certificate provider, and preferences. Print. Get signatures in order: you (Section 9), certificate provider (Section 10), attorneys (Section 11). Post to OPG with £92 fee (reduced for low income). Wait 8-10 weeks.

Claire, 58, used the free service to appoint her son. Took 50 minutes online. Her GP was certificate provider. Posted in March, registered in May. Saved £300-£400 compared to solicitor.

Common mistakes: signing out of order invalidates it, choosing beneficiaries as certificate providers isn't allowed, forgetting to register means it can't be used.

Documents You Can Start Online (But Need Professional Completion)

Some documents benefit from online preparation but require solicitor involvement for final drafting or execution.

Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements require both parties to have independent legal advice for enforceability. You can research standard clauses online and complete preliminary questionnaires, but each party needs a separate solicitor. Costs: £1,200-£3,000+ total.

James and Rebecca wanted a prenup. They used an online questionnaire to identify assets, discuss expectations, and prepare terms. They then engaged separate solicitors. Because they'd prepared thoroughly, each appointment took 90 minutes instead of 3-4 hours. Final cost: £2,400. They estimate their preparation saved £600-£800.

Property Conveyancing must be registered with HM Land Registry, requiring solicitor or licensed conveyancer certification. You can compare quotes and gather documents online, but professionals must conduct searches, draft contracts, and handle registration. Costs: £1,000-£2,500+. HM Land Registry strongly advises against DIY conveyancing due to complexity.

Complex Cohabitation Agreements involving property ownership need solicitor drafting as deeds. Basic templates work for simple bill-sharing agreements. Costs: £1,200-£2,500+.

Complex Trust Deeds beyond basic will trusts require specialist solicitors. Costs: £1,500-£5,000+. Needed for protecting assets from care fees, disabled beneficiaries, significant wealth, or business succession.

Complex Commercial Contracts and Immigration Applications benefit from online research and preparation, but need professional completion for high-stakes or complex situations.

Some documents carry such high stakes that professional legal advice is mandatory or strongly advisable.

Certified Document Copies for International Use require UK solicitors or notaries public for international validity. Costs: £5-£50 per document for solicitor certification.

Court Representation in criminal and serious civil matters requires qualified solicitors or barristers. Small claims up to £10,000 can be DIY. Professional representation is necessary for criminal charges, family court disputes, employment tribunals, and appeals.

Business Sale or Purchase involves specialist knowledge of due diligence, warranties, and completion mechanics. DIY risks missing liabilities and unfavorable terms. Costs: £3,000-£15,000+.

Defending or Contesting a Will involves complex legal tests around reasonable provision and testamentary capacity. Margaret, 72, prepared a court application herself. The court rejected it because she missed the 6-month limitation deadline, her evidence didn't meet legal tests, and she hadn't served documents correctly. She was ordered to pay £18,000 in legal costs. Initial solicitor advice (£500-£1,000) would have revealed her claim had little merit.

Child Arrangement Orders, Contentious Probate, Regulatory Proceedings, and Immigration Appeals all require professional representation due to high stakes and complexity.

Recognizing when you need professional help is wisdom, not weakness. For high-stakes documents where errors cost thousands, professional fees are insurance against devastating mistakes.

How to Decide: Online vs Solicitor Decision Framework

Use this framework to determine the right approach.

Stakes: Low (letter of wishes) = DIY safe. Medium (will under £500k) = online with careful execution. High (£1M+ estate, prenup) = professional review. Critical (business sale, will dispute) = professional essential.

Rule: If error costs more than 10x the professional fee, use a professional.

Complexity: Simple situations (straightforward family, UK assets, no tax concerns) = online works. Complex (blended family, overseas property, business ownership, estate exceeding tax thresholds) = professional input.

Legal Requirement: Mandatory professional: prenups, certified documents for international use, court representation, property conveyancing. No requirement: wills (simple estates), LPAs, divorce applications.

Confidence: Ask yourself: Do I understand the concepts? Can I articulate my wishes? Am I comfortable with execution requirements?

Cost-Benefit Analysis: Calculate Professional Cost ÷ Potential Loss = Risk Ratio. If < 0.1, use professional. If > 0.3, consider online.

Examples: Will for £250k estate (solicitor £650, potential loss £10k-£50k, ratio 1.3%-6.5%) = online reasonable. Business sale £500k (solicitor £8,000, loss £50k-£200k+, ratio 4%-16%) = professional essential.

Red Flags: If two or more apply, seek professional advice: estate over £1M, writing someone out, previous marriages with children, business ownership, overseas property, capacity questioned, family pressure, disabled dependent, seriously ill.

Universal Mistakes:

Not reading instructions. David completed his will in 10 minutes, skipped the guide, and signed with one witness instead of two. Invalid when he died—estate went through intestacy.

Treating electronic completion as final. Documents must be printed, signed, witnessed, and sometimes registered. Online = drafting help only.

Using beneficiaries as witnesses. If a beneficiary witnesses your will, their gift becomes void. Robert's daughter witnessed. Her £150,000 inheritance became void—law is absolute.

Storing improperly. If executor can't find your will, intestacy applies. Store in fireproof safe or bank deposit box. Tell executors where.

Will Mistakes:

Not updating after major life changes. Marriage revokes wills. Divorce removes ex-spouse. Review after marriage, divorce, birth, death, or asset changes.

Vague bequests like "most of my estate" cause disputes. Be specific: full legal names, exact amounts.

Signing pages wrong order. Sign every page with witnesses present.

LPA Mistakes:

Signing sections out of order invalidates entire LPA. Must be: donor (Section 9), certificate provider (Section 10), attorneys (Section 11), replacement attorneys (Section 12).

Paul's attorney signed before certificate provider. OPG rejected. Paul completed new LPA, paid £92 again. Delay: 12 weeks.

Choosing inappropriate certificate providers. Your attorney, certain family members, business partners, or anyone under 18 cannot be certificate providers.

Not discussing role with attorneys. Attorneys can refuse. Have frank conversations first.

Most failures are execution errors, not drafting errors. Treat guidance as seriously as solicitor instructions.

Online legal services represent the mainstream future. By 2026, major providers handle thousands of wills annually. Legal services exports reached £9.02bn in 2024, with 40% of global business governed by English law.

The Law Commission examined electronic execution of wills. Electronic signatures are legal for contracts but wills still require physical signatures and witnesses. It may be some time before any amendment to will execution. COVID-19 remote witnessing provisions expired January 2024.

Draft Online Procedure Rules anticipated for early 2026 will make court processes faster and cheaper.

AI-assisted drafting includes intelligent questionnaires, clause libraries, and plain-English explanations. AI spots inconsistencies and suggests clauses but doesn't replace complex advice, tax planning, or legal judgment on contentious matters.

Digital storage services include the National Will Register and online vaults. Future vision: centralized registries, automatic executor notification, secure sharing.

Some principles won't change. Physical execution protects against fraud. Prenups need independent advice. Will disputes require human legal expertise.

Short term (2026-2028): Print, sign, and witness physically. Use online services confidently for straightforward situations. More government services moving online.

Medium/long term (2028+): Possible electronic wills. More sophisticated AI. Integration between legal, financial, and healthcare services.

Online legal services aren't a fad—they're the mainstream future. But fundamentals remain: you're responsible for execution, and complex situations benefit from professionals.

Conclusion

Key takeaways:

  • Many legal documents can be made online safely—wills, LPAs, divorce applications don't require solicitor involvement for straightforward situations, saving hundreds of pounds
  • Physical execution is essential—even online documents must be properly signed, witnessed, and registered where applicable
  • Know when you need professional help—significant assets (£1M+), complex family dynamics, business succession, or overseas property require professional advice
  • Cost-benefit analysis matters—use the 10% rule: if professional fees cost less than 10% of potential loss from DIY mistakes, use a professional
  • The future is digital—UK legal services are moving online rapidly, though for now you must print and sign physically

Understanding which legal documents you can confidently make online—and which require professional help—gives you control over both your legal protection and your budget. For most people with straightforward situations, online services provide legally identical documents at a fraction of solicitor costs.

Need Help with Your Will?

Creating a valid will doesn't have to mean expensive solicitor appointments or weeks of delays. If your situation is straightforward, online will creation offers the same legal validity at a fraction of the cost.

Create your will with confidence using WUHLD's guided platform. For just £99.99, you'll get your complete will (legally binding when properly executed and witnessed) plus three expert guides. Preview your will free before paying anything—no credit card required.

Legal Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. WUHLD is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Laws and guidance change and their application depends on your circumstances. For advice about your situation, consult a qualified solicitor or regulated professional. Unless stated otherwise, information relates to England and Wales.

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