Updating Your Will After Divorce: Essential UK Guide (2025)

Claire finalized her divorce in March 2023. She meant to update her will, but between sorting custody arrangements, selling the house, and rebuilding her life, it slipped down the priority list. When Claire died unexpectedly in September 2024, her estate went exactly where her old will specified—naming her ex-husband as executor.

Her two daughters watched helplessly as the man their mother had divorced managed the £280,000 estate, making decisions about their childhood home and their mother's possessions.

According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 102,678 divorces in England and Wales in 2023. For many of these people, updating their will is an urgent priority they keep postponing. Meanwhile, research shows that nearly 10,000 will disputes reached English and Welsh courts in 2021, with a 37% increase from 2019 in family disputes.

This guide explains exactly what happens to your will when you divorce in the UK, when you must update it, and how to protect your children—especially if you plan to remarry.

What Legally Happens to Your Will When You Divorce in the UK

Divorce does not automatically cancel your will in the UK. Your will remains legally valid after your decree absolute is granted.

However, Section 18A of the Wills Act 1837 treats your ex-spouse "as if they died on the date of your decree absolute." This automatic legal change only applies after your final order is granted, not during separation or divorce proceedings.

Here's what Section 18A actually does. Any gifts to your ex-spouse in your will automatically fail—they cannot inherit under your will. If you appointed your ex-spouse as executor or trustee, those appointments no longer take effect. Any property trusts involving your ex-spouse don't come into force.

But the rest of your will remains intact. Your other beneficiaries still inherit, your guardian appointments for children still stand, and your funeral wishes still apply.

The problem is that Section 18A creates gaps in your estate plan without filling them. If you left everything to your ex-spouse with no alternative beneficiaries named, your entire estate falls into intestacy—meaning the law decides who inherits, not you.

Sarah's will left £200,000 to her husband John and appointed him executor. After her decree absolute, Section 18A treated John as if he'd died on that date. The £200,000 gift failed, and Sarah's will attempted to pass the estate to alternative beneficiaries. Because Sarah hadn't named any, her estate fell into intestacy.

This is automatic. Your ex-spouse cannot claim under your old will even if you wanted them to, unless your will explicitly excludes Section 18A (which is rare). The good news is your ex-spouse can't inherit under your old will. The bad news is your will probably no longer reflects your actual wishes.

The Critical Gap: What Happens If You Die During Divorce Proceedings

Before your decree absolute is granted, you are still legally married. This creates a dangerous window where your estate remains vulnerable.

Your existing will stays 100% valid during separation and divorce proceedings, including all gifts and appointments to your spouse. Your spouse is still your "next of kin" under intestacy rules if you have no will.

According to Gov.uk Family Court Statistics, the mean average time from divorce application to final order was 70 weeks in the final quarter of 2024. That's over 16 months when your estranged spouse has full inheritance and control rights under your existing will.

Michael and Lisa separated in January 2024 and filed for divorce. Michael's will still named Lisa as executor and main beneficiary. When Michael died in a car accident in August 2024—before their decree absolute was granted in November—Lisa inherited his entire £340,000 estate and gained control of his digital assets, despite them living separately for 18 months.

Here's how your will status changes during divorce:

Divorce Stage	Will Status	Ex-Spouse Rights	Action Needed
Before Separation	Valid, spouse included	Full inheritance & executor rights	Review will now
Separated, No Application	Valid, spouse included	Full inheritance & executor rights	Update will urgently
Application Filed	Valid, spouse included	Full inheritance & executor rights	Update will urgently
Conditional Order Granted	Valid, spouse included	Full inheritance & executor rights	Update will urgently
Final Order (Decree Absolute)	Ex-spouse treated as deceased	No rights (Section 18A applies)	Update will to reflect wishes

This 12-18 month gap is why you should update your will immediately upon separation, not wait for your decree absolute. Even after decree absolute, simply relying on Section 18A isn't enough to protect your estate.

Why Section 18A Isn't Enough: The Risks of Not Updating Your Will

Section 18A removes your ex-spouse from your will automatically, but it creates serious gaps in your estate plan that you must address actively.

Risk 1: Intestacy by default. If your ex-spouse was your sole beneficiary, your estate falls to intestacy rules after Section 18A excludes them. You lose all control over who inherits.

Claire divorced in 2022. Her will left everything to her ex-husband with no alternative beneficiaries named. When Claire died in 2024, Section 18A excluded her ex-husband—but Claire's entire £280,000 estate fell into intestacy. Because Claire had no children, under intestacy rules, her estate was divided between her elderly parents (both in their 80s and in care homes) rather than going to her partner of two years, Emma, who received nothing.

Risk 2: Outdated beneficiaries. Your will might still benefit people from your married life—ex-in-laws, your ex-spouse's relatives, or people you no longer want to inherit.

Risk 3: No executor. If your ex-spouse was your sole executor, your estate has no one to administer it after Section 18A applies. The court must appoint an administrator, which delays probate by months and costs your beneficiaries thousands in additional legal fees.

David's will named his ex-wife Karen as sole executor. After decree absolute, Karen could no longer act. When David died, his estate had no executor, forcing the court to appoint an administrator—a process that delayed probate by 9 months and cost his beneficiaries thousands in additional legal fees.

Risk 4: Children's guardianship may be unclear or contested. Your guardian appointments might have involved your ex-spouse or their family members, creating confusion about who should care for your children.

Risk 5: New assets aren't addressed. Property, investments, or business interests you acquired since your divorce aren't covered by your old will.

Risk 6: Your new partner receives nothing. If you're cohabiting with someone new but not married, they inherit nothing under intestacy rules—even after years together. "Common law marriage" is a myth in UK law.

Currently, under UK intestacy rules updated in July 2023, if you die without a valid will or with gaps in your will, your estate is distributed by strict legal formulas. A surviving spouse receives the first £322,000 plus half the remainder, with children splitting the other half. Unmarried partners, stepchildren, and other loved ones get nothing.

Understanding when to update your will is crucial. Here's the timeline you should follow.

When to Update Your Will: A Divorce Timeline

Knowing exactly when to update your will at each stage of divorce can protect your estate and give you peace of mind during a chaotic time.

Stage 1: Upon separation (before filing for divorce). Update immediately if you don't want your estranged spouse to inherit. Legally, you're still married and your will remains fully valid. Don't wait for the divorce application.

Stage 2: Immediately after filing for divorce. You're still legally married. Your will remains 100% valid with your spouse included as beneficiary and executor. Section 18A doesn't apply yet.

Stage 3: After conditional order. Still married. No change to your will status. Your spouse retains all rights under your will.

Stage 4: Immediately after decree absolute. Section 18A now excludes your ex-spouse automatically, but your will has gaps. Update within one month to ensure your estate plan reflects your wishes.

Stage 5: Before remarrying. This is critical. Under Section 18 of the Wills Act 1837, marriage automatically revokes your will. You must create a new will or write one "in contemplation of marriage" to prevent automatic revocation.

Tom divorced in 2021 and updated his will to leave everything to his two daughters. In 2023, Tom remarried without updating his will. Under UK law, marriage automatically revoked Tom's 2021 will. When Tom died in 2024, he died intestate—his new wife inherited the first £322,000 plus half the remainder under intestacy rules, while his daughters received far less than Tom intended.

Stage 6: After remarriage. A new will is essential to protect children from your first marriage. Without proper estate planning, your children risk sideways disinheritance—losing their inheritance entirely if you die and your new spouse later remarries.

Here's your complete timeline:

Day 1 of Separation: Review your existing will. Decide if you want your estranged spouse to inherit if you die before decree absolute.
Within 2 Weeks of Separation: If the answer is no, update your will immediately to remove your spouse as beneficiary and executor.
Immediately After Decree Absolute: Update your will to fill gaps left by Section 18A. Name new beneficiaries, a new executor, and update guardian appointments.
Before New Relationship Becomes Serious: Review your will to consider whether your new partner should benefit. Remember, unmarried partners inherit nothing under intestacy.
Before Remarrying: Create a new will or write one "in contemplation of marriage" to prevent automatic revocation when you marry.
Immediately After Remarriage: Update your will to implement trust protections for children from your first marriage.

Now that you know when to update, let's look at what specific changes you need to make.

What to Change in Your Will After Divorce

Your post-divorce will update should be comprehensive and systematic. Here's what to change, organized by priority.

Priority 1 Changes (Do Immediately)

Remove your ex-spouse as beneficiary if they're still legally included during separation. Remove your ex-spouse as executor or executrix—they cannot manage your estate. Remove your ex-spouse as trustee of any trusts in your will.

Update guardian appointments for minor children. If your ex-spouse was named as sole guardian alongside you, consider whether this still makes sense or if you need backup guardians.

Update any "in case of simultaneous death" provisions that named your ex-spouse as alternative beneficiary.

Priority 2 Changes (Do Within 1 Month)

Name new primary beneficiaries. This might be your children, a new partner, other family members, or charities. Be specific with names and relationships.

Appoint a new executor. Consider a trusted friend, adult child, family member, or professional executor. Choose someone organized, trustworthy, and willing to serve.

Revise specific gifts. Jewellery, family heirlooms, or personal property that involved your ex-spouse's family should be redirected.

Angela's original will left her jewellery collection to "my husband's sister, Marie." After divorce, Angela wanted her jewellery to go to her own daughter, not her ex-sister-in-law. By updating her will, Angela ensured her family heirlooms stayed in her bloodline.

Update residuary beneficiaries—the people who inherit everything not specifically gifted elsewhere.

Priority 3 Changes (Do Within 3 Months)

Add new assets acquired since your original will. Property you've purchased since divorce, new investments, business interests, or inheritance you've received should all be addressed.

Consider trust provisions if remarriage is planned. Life Interest Trusts can protect children from first marriage while providing security for your new spouse.

Update funeral wishes if your ex-spouse was designated to make decisions about your funeral or the disposal of your body.

Review and update your letter of wishes—the informal document that guides your executors on matters not in your will.

Consider provision for a new partner if you're cohabiting. They inherit nothing under intestacy rules, so you must include them explicitly in your will.

Here's your complete checklist:

Ex-spouse removed as executor
Ex-spouse removed as trustee
Ex-spouse removed as beneficiary (all gifts)
New executor(s) appointed
Guardian appointments updated
New primary beneficiaries named
Residuary estate beneficiaries updated
Specific gifts revised (jewellery, personal property)
Funeral wishes updated
Trust provisions added if remarriage planned
Provision for new partner (if applicable)
Digital assets addressed (social media, cryptocurrency)
Business succession plan updated

Don't forget assets that pass outside your will. Jointly owned property may need updating from joint tenancy to tenants in common. Life insurance policies may still name your ex-spouse as beneficiary—update these separately with each insurer. Pension death benefits require updating expression of wish forms directly with pension providers. Bank accounts with payable-on-death designations need individual attention.

If you're planning to remarry or already have a new partner, there's a critical risk you need to understand: sideways disinheritance.

Remarriage and Sideways Disinheritance: Protecting Your Children

Sideways disinheritance is one of the most serious risks facing divorced parents who remarry. It's when children from a first marriage lose their inheritance entirely because their parent remarries.

Here's how it happens. Parent 1 dies, leaving everything to Parent 2 (their new spouse) in a standard mirror will. Parent 2 remarries, creating a new family. Parent 2 updates their will to benefit their new spouse and possibly that person's children. Children from Parent 1's first marriage inherit nothing—the money goes "sideways" to the new spouse's family instead of down to the deceased parent's children.

James and Helen divorced in 2015. James remarried Susan in 2017 and updated his will, leaving everything to Susan with the understanding she'd look after his two children, Tom (14) and Emma (12), from his first marriage.

When James died in 2020, Susan inherited his £450,000 estate, including his half of the family home. In 2022, Susan remarried and updated her will to leave everything to her new husband and his two children.

When Susan died in 2024, Tom and Emma—now adults—inherited nothing from their father's estate. The £450,000 James had built went "sideways" to Susan's new family, not down to his own children.

This isn't about bad intentions. Susan may have genuinely intended to provide for Tom and Emma when James died. But circumstances change. New relationships create new loyalties. And the law imposes no obligation on Susan to benefit her late husband's children.

According to research, those in blended families are more likely to have disputes about estate planning, with 40% of parents saying they disagreed about how assets should be passed on. In conventional families, only 30% had disagreements of this kind.

You can prevent sideways disinheritance with proper planning. Here are your options:

Strategy	How It Works	Protection Level	Best For
Life Interest Trust	New spouse has right to live in property or use assets during lifetime, but ownership passes to your children on their death	High	Property, significant assets
Absolute Gifts to Children	Leave specific amounts directly to children now	Medium	When children are adults, smaller estates
Discretionary Trust	Trustees decide distributions among beneficiaries (spouse, children) based on your guidance	High	Complex families, minor children, vulnerable beneficiaries
Mirror Wills Only	Both spouses leave everything to each other, then children	LOW—No protection after first death	Not recommended for divorced parents

A Life Interest Trust (also called a Property Protection Trust) is the most common solution. Your new spouse has the right to live in the family home for their lifetime and may receive income from your estate. But they don't own the assets outright—your children from your first marriage are the ultimate beneficiaries who inherit when your spouse dies or remarries.

This protects everyone. Your new spouse has security and won't be forced to sell the home. Your children's inheritance is legally protected and cannot be diverted to your spouse's new family. Everyone knows where they stand.

Life Interest Trusts and other complex trust structures typically require solicitor involvement. WUHLD's online service is designed for straightforward wills. For trust-based estate planning, we recommend consulting a specialist solicitor who can draft the appropriate trust provisions for your situation.

Your Will Options After Divorce: Simple vs. Trust-Based Wills

Understanding which type of will suits your post-divorce situation helps you make the right choice and avoid costly mistakes.

Simple (Standard) Will

A simple will makes direct gifts to named beneficiaries. Your executors administer your estate and distribute assets according to your instructions.

This works best for straightforward estates where you have no remarriage planned, your children are adults, and you have no blended family complications.

After her divorce, Sophie (52) had two adult daughters (28 and 30) and no plans to remarry. She created a simple will leaving her £180,000 estate equally to her daughters, appointing her sister as executor. This straightforward approach worked perfectly for Sophie's situation.

Advantages: Simple to create, quick to set up, lower cost (£49.99 with WUHLD vs £650+ for solicitor), easy for everyone to understand.

Limitations: No protection against sideways disinheritance, no asset protection if beneficiaries remarry, no control over when or how assets are distributed.

Trust-Based Will

A trust-based will places assets in trust with conditions on how and when they're distributed. Trustees manage assets according to your detailed instructions.

This works best when you're planning to remarry, you have blended families, you have minor children, you have vulnerable beneficiaries, or you have complex estates.

Types of trusts include Life Interest Trusts (protecting property while allowing spouse to live there), Discretionary Trusts (trustees decide distributions based on changing circumstances), and Age-Contingent Trusts (children inherit at specific ages, like 25 or 30).

After his divorce, Robert (47) planned to remarry. He had three children (14, 16, 18) from his first marriage. Robert created a will with a Life Interest Trust, ensuring his new wife could live in the family home for her lifetime, while guaranteeing the property would pass to his children when she died. This protected everyone's interests.

Advantages: Protects children's inheritance from sideways disinheritance, controls when and how assets are distributed, provides for spouse while securing children's future, can protect assets from beneficiaries' creditors or divorce.

Limitations: More complex to set up, typically requires professional legal advice (£650-£1,200 for solicitor involvement), trustees need to manage the trust ongoing.

Which Do You Need?

Ask yourself these questions. Are you planning to remarry? If yes, consider a trust-based will. Do you have children from your first marriage who need protection? If yes, consider a trust-based will.

Is your new partner significantly younger or older than you, creating different life expectancy scenarios? If yes, consider a Life Interest Trust. Are your children minors who shouldn't inherit large sums immediately? If yes, consider an Age-Contingent Trust.

If you have a straightforward estate, adult children, and no remarriage plans, a simple will is suitable.

WUHLD's online service provides straightforward will creation for £49.99, suitable for most post-divorce simple wills. For complex trust planning, we'll guide you to seek specialist advice while handling your basic estate planning needs. We'll be honest about whether your situation requires professional legal support.

Beyond the will itself, there are other assets and accounts that need your attention after divorce.

Beyond Your Will: Other Assets to Update After Divorce

Your will only controls assets in your estate. Many valuable assets pass outside your will through separate beneficiary designations, and forgetting to update them can completely undermine your estate plan.

Mark updated his will after divorce, leaving everything to his children. But he forgot to update his £250,000 life insurance policy, which still named his ex-wife Rebecca as beneficiary.

When Mark died, the life insurance paid directly to Rebecca—bypassing his will entirely. Mark's children received his remaining estate (£80,000) while his ex-wife received £250,000, the opposite of Mark's intentions.

Here are the assets that pass outside your will and require separate updates:

Life insurance policies. The beneficiary designation on your policy supersedes anything in your will. Contact each insurer directly to update beneficiary forms.

Pension death benefits. Most pensions ask you to complete an "expression of wish" form stating who should receive death benefits. While not legally binding, pension trustees usually follow your wishes. Contact each pension provider to submit new forms.

Jointly owned property. If you owned property with your ex-spouse as "joint tenants," your ex-spouse would automatically inherit your share on death—even if your will says otherwise. After divorce, consider "severing the joint tenancy" to become "tenants in common," allowing your will to control your share of the property.

Bank accounts with payable-on-death (POD) designations. Some bank accounts let you name a beneficiary who receives the funds directly on your death. Contact each bank to update these designations.

ISAs and investment accounts. Investment accounts may have beneficiary designations. Contact your providers to update them.

Trust assets. If you have assets in trust, they're controlled by the trust terms, not your will. Review trust documents with a solicitor.

Business interests. Partnership agreements or shareholder agreements may dictate what happens to your business share on death. Review these documents and update if necessary.

Here's your checklist of assets to update separately from your will:

Life insurance policies (contact each insurer)
Pension expression of wish forms (contact each provider)
Property ownership structure (solicitor or conveyancer)
Bank account designations (contact each bank)
ISA beneficiary designations (contact providers)
Investment account beneficiaries (contact brokers)
Business partnership or shareholder agreements (solicitor review)
Digital asset access (password managers, social media, cryptocurrency)

Update these assets within 30 days of your decree absolute. Don't assume your will covers everything—it doesn't.

If you have children, updating guardian appointments is one of your most important post-divorce decisions.

Special Considerations: Children, New Partners, and Digital Assets

Three critical post-divorce estate planning areas require special attention: children's guardianship, providing for unmarried new partners, and managing digital assets.

Guardian Appointments for Minor Children

After divorce, review and update guardian appointments immediately. If your ex-spouse has parental responsibility (which most do under the Children Act 1989), they automatically become sole guardian on your death unless a court removes them.

Your guardian appointment in your will provides backup if your ex-spouse can't or won't act, or it can name co-guardians who'll support your ex-spouse in raising your children.

Consider this: Do you want your ex-spouse's new partner involved in raising your children? Your testamentary guardian appointment can provide stability if circumstances change.

After divorce, Rachel updated her will to appoint her sister Emma as guardian for her son Jake (age 8). Rachel's ex-husband would remain Jake's primary guardian under parental responsibility law, but if anything happened to him as well, Emma would step in—not Rachel's ex-mother-in-law, as the original will had stated.

Appoint testamentary guardians who share your values, can work with your ex-spouse if needed, and genuinely want the responsibility. Discuss the appointment with proposed guardians beforehand—never surprise someone with this responsibility.

Providing for New Unmarried Partners

Unmarried partners (cohabitants) have no automatic inheritance rights under UK intestacy law. "Common law marriage" is a myth—it doesn't exist in UK law.

If you die without a will or don't include your partner in your will, they inherit nothing, even after decades together.

David and Lisa had lived together for 5 years after David's divorce. David assumed Lisa would inherit his home if he died. But because they weren't married, Lisa had no legal rights to the property under intestacy.

The home would have gone to David's adult children from his first marriage. By updating his will, David gave Lisa the right to live in the home for her lifetime, with the property passing to his children after her death. Everyone was protected.

Consider the balance between your new partner's needs and your children's inheritance from your first marriage. Options include leaving specific gifts to your partner, including them as a beneficiary with children, or providing a life interest in property.

Update your will as your relationship progresses. What makes sense when you're dating might be different from what's appropriate after years of committed partnership.

Digital Assets and Online Accounts

Digital assets include social media accounts, email, photos and videos stored in the cloud, cryptocurrency and NFTs, domain names, websites, online businesses, and digital media libraries.

Most platforms' terms of service restrict account access after death. Your executor needs your digital asset inventory and access instructions, or these assets may be lost forever.

After divorce, James had built a successful online business and cryptocurrency portfolio worth £85,000. When James died without a digital asset plan, his executor couldn't access his wallets—the cryptocurrency was lost forever because no one had the private keys.

Create a digital asset plan. List all your accounts, store passwords securely (use a password manager with executor access), and document your wishes for each account. Should your social media be memorialized or deleted? Who should receive your digital photos?

Here's your post-divorce special considerations checklist:

Guardian appointments reviewed and updated
Discussed guardianship with appointed individuals
Provision made for new partner (if applicable)
Digital asset inventory created
Secure password storage arranged (password manager with executor access)
Social media wishes documented (memorialize or delete)
Cryptocurrency and NFT access instructions stored securely

Ready to update your will? Here's how to do it quickly and affordably.

How to Update Your Will After Divorce: Your Options and Next Steps

You have several options for updating your will after divorce, each with different costs, timelines, and complexity levels.

Option 1: Traditional Solicitor

Cost: £650-£1,200+ for a standard will Timeline: 2-6 weeks from initial consultation to final will Best for: Very complex estates, significant trust planning, contested situations

The process involves an initial consultation, draft review, amendments, and final signing with witnesses. You'll get expert legal advice, bespoke solutions, and support for very complex situations.

The downsides are the expense, the time commitment, and the need for multiple appointments during an already stressful period.

Option 2: High-Street Will Writers

Cost: £200-£500 Timeline: 1-3 weeks Best for: Moderate complexity, those who prefer local in-person service

The process includes an in-person meeting, will drafting, and a signing appointment. It's more affordable than a solicitor and offers personal service.

However, quality varies widely depending on the will writer's qualifications, and it's still time-consuming with multiple appointments.

Option 3: Online Will Services (like WUHLD)

Cost: £49.99 (WUHLD) Timeline: 15 minutes online, receive documents immediately Best for: Straightforward post-divorce wills, clear wishes, uncomplicated estates

You answer questions online, preview your will free, pay £49.99 only if satisfied, and download instantly. It's fast, affordable, and convenient. You can update anytime, and you preview everything before paying.

Online services may not be suitable for very complex trust planning, though WUHLD will advise if you need a solicitor.

Option 4: DIY Will Kits

Cost: £10-£30 Best for: NOT RECOMMENDED for post-divorce situations

The risks are significant. DIY kits make it easy to make mistakes. Your will may be invalid. There's no guidance on complex issues like guardian appointments, sideways disinheritance, or assets outside your will.

Here's how the options compare:

Option	Cost	Timeline	Best For	Complexity Handled
Solicitor	£650-£1,200+	2-6 weeks	Very complex estates, contested situations	High
Will Writer	£200-£500	1-3 weeks	Moderate complexity, local service	Medium
WUHLD Online	£49.99	15 minutes	Straightforward post-divorce wills	Low to Medium
DIY Kit	£10-£30	1-2 hours	Not recommended for divorce situations	Low (High risk of errors)

Is WUHLD Right for Your Post-Divorce Will?

WUHLD works well if you have adult children, straightforward assets, and want to leave your estate to children, family, or a partner without complex trust requirements.

WUHLD is perfect if you want to remove your ex-spouse and name new beneficiaries, executors, and guardians. It's ideal if you're between separation and remarriage and need a simple update quickly.

If you're planning remarriage and want a Life Interest Trust, WUHLD will advise whether you need additional solicitor support for trust provisions.

WUHLD isn't suitable if you have extremely complex assets like multiple businesses, international property, or complicated tax planning requiring specialist trusts.

How to Update Your Will with WUHLD in 15 Minutes

Answer guided questions about your wishes—beneficiaries, executors, guardians, and assets.
Preview your complete will FREE. See exactly what you're getting before you pay anything.
Pay £49.99 only if you're happy. No credit card required to preview.
Download 4 documents instantly: your will, signing instructions, executor guidance, and asset inventory.
Print, sign with 2 witnesses, and store securely.
Your will is legally valid under UK law, compliant with the Wills Act 1837.

After divorce, you need clarity and control—fast. WUHLD gives you both. Update your will in your pajamas at midnight if you want. No appointments, no judgment, no £800 solicitor bill.

Preview your complete will free before paying a penny. If your situation is too complex, we'll tell you—and you've lost nothing but 10 minutes.

The end of your marriage doesn't have to mean uncertainty about your estate. Taking 15 minutes today gives you clarity, control, and peace of mind while you rebuild your life.

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Estate Today

Here's what you need to remember:

Divorce doesn't cancel your will—but Section 18A treats your ex-spouse as if they died on decree absolute, creating gaps in your estate plan that you must fill actively.
The most dangerous time is during divorce proceedings (average 70 weeks in late 2024) when your ex-spouse is still fully entitled under your will even though you're separated.
If you plan to remarry, marriage automatically revokes your will under UK law—update before remarriage or create a will "in contemplation of marriage."
Protect children from sideways disinheritance by using Life Interest Trusts if you remarry, ensuring your estate goes to your children, not your new spouse's future family.
Don't forget assets outside your will: life insurance, pensions, joint property, and digital assets all need separate updates within 30 days of decree absolute.

Divorce is emotionally exhausting. You've already navigated financial settlements, custody arrangements, and rebuilding your independence. But leaving your will unchanged puts everything you've fought for at risk.

You deserve peace of mind that your children are protected, your ex-spouse can't control your estate, and your wishes will be respected. Updating your will isn't about dwelling on the past—it's about protecting the future you're building.

Update your will today in 15 minutes with WUHLD. Our online will creator guides you through every decision, from removing your ex-spouse as executor to protecting your children's inheritance.

For just £49.99 (vs £650+ for a solicitor), you'll 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
A Complete Asset Inventory document

You can preview your entire will free before paying—no credit card required, no obligation. Only pay when you're 100% happy.

No appointments, no solicitor fees, no delays. Start your will now and get it done while you're thinking about it.

Takes 15 minutes. Legally valid. Change anytime. Protected for life.

Ready to Create Your Will?

WUHLD makes it simple to create a legally valid will online in just 15 minutes. Our guided process ensures your wishes are properly documented and your loved ones are protected.

Start creating your will now — it's quick, affordable, and backed by legal experts.

Legal Disclaimer: This article provides general information about UK will requirements after divorce 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 trusts or contested financial settlements may require professional legal advice. If your divorce financial settlement is ongoing or contested, consult your divorce solicitor before updating your will to ensure your estate plan doesn't conflict with settlement negotiations.

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