Skip to main content
WUHLD
← Back to articles

Are Post Office Wills a Good Idea? An Alternative View

· 24 min

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

Margaret had seen the will kits at her local Post Office for months. At 68, with a modest £220,000 estate including her flat in Exeter, she thought a £12.99 kit would be perfect. "How hard can it be?" she thought. She filled it out carefully, had her neighbour and his wife witness it, and filed it away.

When Margaret died three years later, her family discovered two problems: her neighbour, whom she'd left £5,000 to, had witnessed the will, making that gift void under the Wills Act 1837. Worse, Margaret had used ambiguous language about her "personal belongings," causing a six-month dispute between her two daughters that cost the estate £8,500 in legal fees.

Margaret isn't alone. Research from the Money and Pensions Service shows 56% of UK adults don't have a will, and many who do have used DIY templates without understanding the risks.

This article examines whether Post Office will kits are a good idea, when they might work, when they definitely won't, and what modern alternatives offer better protection at affordable prices.

Table of Contents

What Exactly Is a Post Office Will Kit?

A Post Office will kit is a DIY template that you can buy at Post Office branches, stationery stores like WHSmith, and online for around £10-£15. It's essentially a blank will form with basic instructions on how to complete it.

Here's what many people don't realise: the Post Office doesn't provide a will-writing service or professional advice. They simply sell blank templates. You're entirely on your own when it comes to filling it out correctly, ensuring it's legally valid, and making sure it covers all your assets and wishes.

The term "Post Office will" is actually informal. Lots of people think it refers to a specific will-writing service at UK Post Offices, but it's simply a convenient place to buy DIY will templates—just like you'd buy envelopes or birthday cards.

A typical kit contains a will form, witnessing instructions, guidance on basic legal requirements, and sometimes an example of a completed will. Some include an envelope for storage. That's it. No professional review, no error checking, no legal advice, and no recourse if something goes wrong.

The Post Office became associated with wills because it's a trusted high-street brand that older generations have relied on for decades. If the Post Office sells it, it must be safe, right? Not necessarily.

How Much Do Post Office Will Kits Cost?

The upfront cost is remarkably low: £10-£15 for a basic will kit. That's less than a meal out. It's this affordability that makes them so appealing, especially compared to solicitor fees that average £328.

But here's the catch: the true cost of a will isn't just the upfront price. It's what happens after you're gone.

Consider Sarah, who saved £87 by using a Post Office kit instead of an online service like WUHLD (£99.99). When she died, her will was challenged due to ambiguous beneficiary language. Her estate spent £14,300 in legal fees resolving the dispute. Her "saving" cost her family 164 times what she saved.

The potential hidden costs of DIY wills include:

  • Storage solutions (fireproof safe, solicitor storage fees)
  • Legal advice when you realise mid-completion that you're out of your depth
  • Probate disputes if your will is ambiguous or invalid (£1,000s to £100,000s)
  • Family relationships damaged by unclear instructions
  • Assets distributed according to intestacy rules instead of your wishes

According to Which?, losses arising from an incorrectly drafted will could be £1,000s, £10,000s or even £100,000s.

Let's compare the real costs:

Post Office Kit: £12.99 upfront + high error risk + no professional support = potential £10,000s in family legal fees

Online Service (WUHLD): £99.99 one-time payment + professional guidance + error checking + legal compliance = peace of mind

Solicitor: £328 average + face-to-face advice + full legal review = comprehensive but expensive

The cheapest option isn't always the most affordable when you consider the true cost to your family.

Are Post Office Will Kits Legally Valid in the UK?

Yes, Post Office will kits can be legally valid in England and Wales—if you complete them correctly according to the Wills Act 1837.

The legal requirements in England and Wales are straightforward in theory:

  • Your will must be in writing
  • You must sign it in the presence of two witnesses
  • Your two witnesses must be independent adults who also sign
  • You must have testamentary capacity (mental capacity to make a will)

The problem is that "if" is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.

Most people make mistakes. According to Which?, typical mistakes include leaving out important assets, using vague or ambiguous language, and not having the will executed properly.

Here's where DIY wills commonly fail:

Beneficiary witnesses: If you leave a gift to someone in your will, they cannot witness it. Under Section 15 of the Wills Act 1837, if any person who witnesses your will (or their spouse) receives a gift in that will, the gift becomes "utterly null and void." This is exactly what happened to Margaret in our opening example.

Improper execution: Your witnesses must be present when you sign, and they must watch you sign. If you sign first, then ask people to witness later, the will is invalid. If your witnesses don't both sign in your presence, the will is invalid.

Lack of capacity documentation: DIY wills don't include any documentation that you had testamentary capacity when you made the will. If someone challenges it later claiming you lacked capacity, there's no professional evidence to support you.

Undue influence: Without a professional witness to confirm you made the will freely, it's easier for someone to claim you were pressured or manipulated.

The legal standard is clear. Meeting that standard without professional guidance is surprisingly difficult.

When Post Office Will Kits Might Be Appropriate

Let's be honest and fair: there are rare situations where a Post Office will kit might be adequate.

If you meet all of these criteria, a DIY kit could work:

  • You're single with no partner
  • You have no children
  • You don't own property (you rent)
  • Your total estate is worth less than £50,000
  • You have no business interests
  • You have no previous marriages or complex family relationships
  • Your beneficiaries are straightforward (siblings, parents, friends)
  • You're leaving everything to one or two people with no conditions
  • You have no inheritance tax concerns
  • You don't have significant digital assets

Let's create an example: Tom, 28, single, rents a flat, has £8,000 in savings, wants everything to go to his sister Jane. No property, no children, no complexity. This is the only scenario where a Post Office kit might be appropriate.

Even then, Tom would still face risks:

  • No error checking to catch mistakes
  • No professional review to spot ambiguities
  • No recourse if problems arise after his death
  • No guidance on updating the will as his life changes

And here's the uncomfortable truth: even for Tom's simple estate, professional guidance costs so little (£99.99 vs £12.99—a difference of £87) that the protection is worth it. For the price of two or three takeaway meals, Tom could have professional guidance, error checking, and peace of mind.

The scenario where DIY wills are truly appropriate is vanishingly rare. Most people own more than £50,000 in assets when you add up everything: property, pensions, savings, life insurance, personal belongings. Most people have family relationships that benefit from professional clarity.

When You Should Avoid Post Office Will Kits

For most people, DIY will kits are risky to downright reckless. You should definitely avoid Post Office will kits if you:

Own property: Whether you own outright or have a mortgage, property adds complexity. You need to consider:

  • Joint ownership vs tenants in common
  • What happens if you die before your partner
  • How to protect children from previous relationships
  • Inheritance tax implications on property worth over £325,000

Have children under 18: You need to appoint guardians, set up trusts for their inheritance, specify at what age they receive money, and ensure proper financial protection until adulthood. DIY kits don't guide you through these critical decisions.

Have a blended family: Children from previous relationships create distribution challenges. You need to balance providing for your current partner while protecting your children's inheritance. This requires professional structuring.

Aren't married to your partner: Unmarried partners have no automatic inheritance rights under UK intestacy rules. Your will must be absolutely precise to protect your partner, and DIY mistakes could leave them with nothing.

Run a business: Business succession involves partnership agreements, shares, intellectual property, business property relief for inheritance tax, and continuity planning. This is far too complex for a template.

Need inheritance tax planning: If your estate is worth more than £325,000 (the nil-rate band), you need professional tax planning. The residence nil-rate band, spousal exemptions, and trust structures can save your family tens of thousands of pounds.

Have digital assets: Cryptocurrency, online accounts, domains, digital intellectual property, and social media all need specific provision in your will. DIY templates rarely cover these modern assets.

Own property abroad: International property brings cross-border tax issues, foreign succession laws, and jurisdictional complications. You absolutely need professional advice.

Have vulnerable beneficiaries: If you're leaving assets to someone with disabilities, mental health conditions, or anyone lacking capacity, you need special trust provisions to protect their benefits and ensure proper care.

Want to make conditional gifts: Leaving money on condition that someone reaches a certain age, completes education, or achieves milestones requires precise legal language. Ambiguous conditions cause disputes.

As one will-writing expert notes, using a DIY will kit is "risky to downright reckless" if you own property, have children under 18, have a blended family, aren't married to your partner, or run a business.

Most people fall into at least one of these categories. That means most people need more than a Post Office will kit.

The Hidden Risks of DIY Will Kits

Beyond the obvious scenarios where DIY wills are inappropriate, there are hidden risks that catch people out even when they think their situation is simple.

Risk 1: Ambiguous language

Margaret's will said "personal belongings to my children." What counts as personal? Her jewellery? Her car? Her furniture? Her daughters spent six months and £8,500 fighting over what she meant. Professional will services use precise legal language that prevents these disputes.

Risk 2: Improper execution

You sign the will, then ask your neighbour to witness it the next day. Invalid. Your witnesses sign in different rooms. Invalid. One witness leaves before the other signs. Invalid. You don't realise these mistakes until after you're gone, when it's too late to fix them.

Risk 3: Failure to account for all assets

You list your house and savings but forget about:

  • Life insurance policies
  • Pension benefits
  • Premium bonds
  • Shares in your employer's scheme
  • That old bank account you rarely use

Assets not mentioned in your will fall into your "residuary estate." If you don't have a clear residuary clause, they're distributed according to intestacy rules—not your wishes.

Risk 4: No residuary clause

Many DIY will makers list specific gifts but forget to include a residuary clause covering "everything else." This means any unlisted assets pass according to intestacy rules, potentially going to people you never intended.

Risk 5: Life changes not reflected

You make a DIY will at 35. At 45, you've remarried, had another child, bought a second property, and started a business. Your will is now dangerously out of date. DIY will makers rarely update their wills because it means buying another kit and starting from scratch.

Risk 6: Tax inefficiency

You leave everything to your spouse without considering inheritance tax exemptions, residence nil-rate bands, or business property relief. Your estate pays £100,000 in unnecessary tax that proper planning could have avoided.

Risk 7: No professional review

Mistakes, ambiguities, and legal errors go completely undetected until after your death, when your family discovers them the hard way. There's no safety net.

Risk 8: No legal recourse

If something goes wrong with a DIY will, you have no one to turn to. Post Office sold you a blank form—they have no liability for how you fill it out. As Which? notes, writing your own will could leave you with problems that won't be evident until after your death.

According to research, common mistakes include not knowing the formal requirements for making a will legally valid, failure to account for all available money and property, not taking into account the possibility of a beneficiary dying before you, not considering the impact of marriage or divorce on a will, and not understanding the rules that allow dependents to claim from the estate.

The tragedy is that these mistakes are entirely preventable with professional guidance that costs less than £100.

How Post Office Wills Compare to Other Options

Let's compare Post Office will kits to the other will-writing options available in the UK:

Feature Post Office DIY Kit Online Service (WUHLD) Solicitor Charity Will Aid
Cost £10-£15 £99.99 £328+ average £100-£180 donation
Professional guidance None Yes, guided questionnaire Yes, face-to-face Yes, solicitor
Error checking None Yes, automated + review Yes, solicitor review Yes, solicitor review
Legal compliance Your responsibility Guaranteed Guaranteed Guaranteed
Time to complete Hours to days (confusing) 15 minutes Weeks (appointments) Depends on availability
Suitable for Very simple estates only Most people Complex estates Simple-moderate estates
Legal recourse None Professional indemnity SRA protection SRA protection
Updates Buy new kit Preview free, £10/year updates Pay solicitor again Annual Will Aid campaign

Important context: Will writing is an unregulated industry in the UK. This means anyone can set up as a will writer without qualifications or oversight. According to Which?, concerns over hidden costs, unfair contract terms and pressure selling led the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to launch an investigation in July 2023.

When choosing any will-writing service, look for:

  • SRA regulation or oversight
  • Professional indemnity insurance
  • Clear pricing with no hidden fees
  • The ability to preview your will before payment
  • Transparent terms and conditions

Let's see how this works in practice:

Sarah needs a basic will. She owns a flat, is married, and has two adult children. Let's compare her options:

Post Office kit: £12.99 upfront, but Sarah gets confused about how to handle joint property ownership. She uses ambiguous language. High error risk. No professional review. Her executors discover problems after her death.

WUHLD: £99.99 one-time payment. Sarah completes a guided questionnaire in 17 minutes. The system asks clear questions about her property, automatically structures joint ownership correctly, and lets her preview the entire will before paying. Professional guidance, error checking, and legal compliance built in.

Solicitor: £328 for a basic will. Sarah books an appointment for three weeks away, takes time off work, travels to the office, and spends an hour in consultation. The will is professionally drafted, but the cost and inconvenience are significant for her straightforward estate.

For Sarah, WUHLD offers the best balance: affordable like DIY, protected like a solicitor.

The key insight: the cheapest option (DIY) carries the highest risk. The middle option (online service) provides professional protection at reasonable cost. The most expensive option (solicitor) is comprehensive but unnecessary for straightforward estates.

Modern Alternatives: Online Will Services

Technology has created a middle ground that didn't exist a generation ago: professional online will services that combine DIY affordability with solicitor-level protection.

Here's how they work:

Instead of a blank template, you answer a series of guided questions. The platform asks about your assets, beneficiaries, guardians, executors, and wishes. Based on your answers, it builds a legally compliant will using professional language and structure.

The key differences from DIY kits:

Active guidance vs blank template: Online services ask questions and guide you through every decision. DIY kits give you a blank form and say "good luck."

Error prevention vs error detection: Online platforms won't let you make common mistakes (like naming a beneficiary as a witness). DIY kits have no error checking at all.

Legal compliance built in: Online services ensure your will meets all legal requirements. With DIY, compliance is entirely your responsibility.

Professional review: Many online services include review by legal professionals. DIY kits offer no review.

Update capability: Online services let you update your will as your life changes, often for a small annual fee. DIY kits require buying a new template and starting over.

Technology benefits: 24/7 access, completion in 15 minutes instead of weeks, no appointments needed, instant digital storage.

Let's look at a real example:

James, 42, owns a £310,000 house with his wife and has two children aged 8 and 11. He tried a Post Office kit and got completely confused about guardian appointments and property trusts. He couldn't figure out how to ensure his children's inheritance was protected if both he and his wife died.

He switched to WUHLD. The guided questionnaire walked him through:

  • Appointing guardians with specific questions about who would raise his children
  • Setting up trust provisions automatically so his children's inheritance would be managed until adulthood
  • Structuring property ownership to protect his wife while ensuring his children ultimately inherit
  • Including inheritance tax-efficient spousal transfers

James completed his will in 17 minutes. He previewed the entire document free before paying anything. When he was satisfied, he paid £99.99 and received:

  • His complete will
  • A testator guide explaining how to execute the will properly
  • A witness guide to give to his witnesses
  • A complete asset inventory document

All automated, all legally compliant, all with professional guidance built in.

WUHLD specific advantages:

  • £99.99 one-time payment (no subscriptions or hidden fees)
  • 15 minutes to complete (vs weeks of solicitor appointments)
  • Preview your entire will free before paying (no credit card required)
  • Four documents included: will, testator guide, witness guide, asset inventory
  • Guided questionnaire that ensures you don't miss anything
  • Professional legal compliance and error checking
  • No pressure selling or upselling (in contrast to some unregulated providers)

Other UK online will services include:

The online will market offers something Post Office kits can't: professional guidance at DIY prices.

It's important to note that online services aren't right for everyone. Very complex estates—those worth over £2 million, with international property, complex business structures, or expected family disputes—still benefit from specialist solicitor advice. But for the vast majority of people, online services provide the ideal balance of affordability, convenience, and professional protection.

Making the Right Choice for Your Estate

How do you decide which option is right for you? Here's a practical decision framework:

Start with these questions:

Do you own property (house, flat, land)? If yes → Not DIY

Do you have children under 18? If yes → Not DIY

Are you unmarried but living with a partner? If yes → Not DIY

Do you have more than £50,000 in total assets (including property, savings, pensions, life insurance)? If yes → Not DIY

Do you have a blended family or children from previous relationships? If yes → Not DIY

Do you run a business or have complex assets? If yes → Not DIY

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, a Post Office will kit is not appropriate for your situation.

When you need a solicitor (beyond online services):

  • Estate worth more than £2 million
  • Property or trusts in multiple countries
  • Complex business succession with multiple partners
  • Expected family disputes or will challenges
  • Special needs trusts for disabled dependents requiring ongoing care
  • Complex tax planning across multiple jurisdictions

When WUHLD is ideal (most people):

  • Estate worth £50,000 to £2 million
  • You own residential property
  • You have children and need to appoint guardians
  • You're married or unmarried partners
  • You need basic inheritance tax planning
  • You have digital assets or straightforward business interests
  • You want professional guidance at affordable cost
  • You value convenience and want to complete your will quickly

When charity Will Aid works:

Three real scenarios to illustrate:

Emma, 29, single, rents, £12,000 savings: Emma could technically use a Post Office kit because her estate is very simple. But even for Emma, WUHLD at £99.99 provides peace of mind, error checking, and professional guidance. For £87 more than a DIY kit, she gets protection that could save her family thousands.

David, 52, owns house, married, two children: David is exactly who Post Office kits are risky for. He owns property, has children, and needs proper planning. A DIY kit is genuinely dangerous for his situation. WUHLD is ideal—affordable professional guidance that covers all his needs. A solicitor would work but costs £328+ for the same outcome.

Rajesh, 61, owns three rental properties, business owner, blended family: Rajesh has too much complexity for a DIY kit or standard online service. His business succession needs specialist advice, his rental properties require tax planning, and his blended family needs careful estate structuring. A specialist solicitor is the right choice, even at £328+.

The pattern is clear: very few people should use DIY will kits. Most people benefit enormously from professional online services. A smaller group with genuine complexity needs specialist solicitor advice.

According to Which? research, people spend an average of £287 to write their will. This suggests most people recognise that professional guidance is worth paying for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a Post Office will kit and how much does it cost?

A: A Post Office will kit is a DIY template available at Post Offices and stationery stores for around £10-£15. It provides forms and basic instructions for writing your own will, but offers no legal advice, error checking, or professional support. You're entirely responsible for ensuring the will is legally valid.

Q: Are Post Office will kits legally valid in the UK?

A: Yes, if completed correctly according to the Wills Act 1837 requirements (signed by you, witnessed by two independent adults who aren't beneficiaries). However, common mistakes in DIY wills can make them invalid, and there's no professional checking for errors that could cost your estate thousands.

Q: When should I avoid using a Post Office will kit?

A: Avoid DIY will kits if you own property, have children under 18, have a blended family, aren't married to your partner, run a business, have digital assets, or need inheritance tax planning. These situations require professional guidance that DIY kits cannot provide.

Q: What are the main risks of using a Post Office will kit?

A: Key risks include making mistakes that invalidate the will, using ambiguous language that causes disputes, failing to account for all assets, not understanding tax implications, improper witnessing, and having no legal recourse if problems arise. A simple mistake can cost your estate tens of thousands of pounds.

Q: Is a Post Office will cheaper than an online will service?

A: Initially yes—Post Office kits cost £10-£15 vs £99.99 for WUHLD. However, DIY will mistakes can cost estates £10,000s-£100,000s in legal disputes. Online services like WUHLD include professional guidance, error checking, and legal compliance for a one-time fee with no hidden costs.

Q: Who should consider using a Post Office will kit?

A: Only people with very simple estates: single, no children, minimal assets, no property, and straightforward wishes. Even then, professional services offer better protection for minimal additional cost. Most people benefit from professional guidance to avoid costly mistakes.

Q: What's the difference between a Post Office will kit and an online will service like WUHLD?

A: Post Office kits are blank templates with no guidance, error checking, or legal support. WUHLD guides you through every question, checks for common errors, ensures legal compliance, includes three expert guides, and costs £99.99 with no hidden fees. You can preview your complete will free before paying.

Conclusion

Key takeaways:

  • Post Office will kits are legitimate DIY templates costing £10-£15, but they provide no professional service, legal advice, or error checking
  • DIY wills are legally valid only if completed correctly—but common mistakes often invalidate them or cause costly disputes costing £10,000s
  • They're appropriate only for very simple estates (no property, no children, minimal assets)—which describes very few people
  • Modern online will services like WUHLD combine DIY affordability with professional guidance for £99.99 vs £328+ for solicitors
  • For genuinely complex estates (over £2 million, international assets, expected disputes), specialist solicitors remain the best choice

Your will is one of the most important documents you'll ever create. While Post Office will kits seem like a budget-friendly option, the risks to your family far outweigh the £87 saving compared to professional services. Peace of mind for your loved ones is worth more than the price of a meal out.

Need Help with Your Will?

If you've been considering a Post Office will kit but recognise the need for professional guidance, WUHLD bridges the gap between DIY affordability and solicitor-level protection for your family's future.

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.

Sources: