Will writing cost UK: what you'll really pay in 2026

Will writing cost in the UK varies enormously depending on which route you choose, from a free DIY template through to a solicitor-drafted estate plan running into four figures. This guide breaks down what you'll actually pay across every option in 2026, plus the hidden costs that catch people out, so you can budget with confidence before you start writing a will.

Whatever your budget, a correctly signed and witnessed will is legally just as valid as an expensive one, and having one means your estate is distributed according to your wishes rather than a fixed set of rules - see what happens if you die without a will for what you'd be leaving to chance. The table below sets out typical prices by route, so you can see where your budget is likely to land.

Prices vary between providers and can change, so these figures are a guide rather than a quote - always confirm current pricing directly with a provider before you commit. Will writing itself is not regulated in England and Wales, so a higher price doesn't automatically mean a better service. Financial advisors who discuss wills alongside your wider estate plan are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, but the will writer or solicitor who actually drafts your will sits outside that regulation unless they're a qualified solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Estate complexity

The simpler your estate, the less you'll typically pay. Multiple properties, overseas assets, business interests, or trusts all add legal complexity, and each one tends to push the price up. A straightforward estate - one home, a handful of savings accounts, and clear beneficiaries - usually sits at the cheaper end of the range.

Type of will

A single will for one person costs less than a mirror will for a couple, though mirror wills are usually cheaper per person than two entirely separate wills. Adding a trust - for example, to protect assets for children from a previous relationship or to plan around care costs - typically adds several hundred pounds on top of the base price.

Who writes it

DIY kits are the cheapest option because there's no professional input at all. Online services sit in the middle, usually with some guided questions but limited personal advice. Will writers and solicitors cost more because you're paying for time, expertise, and, for solicitors, regulation by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Because will writing is unregulated, prices for the same type of will can vary widely between providers with no correlation to quality, so it's worth checking a provider's credentials rather than assuming the higher price is automatically the safer choice.

Where you live

Location makes a real difference too. Will writing services in London and the South East typically charge more than the national average, reflecting higher overheads. If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, the legal requirements for wills differ from England and Wales, so it's worth using a local provider familiar with the relevant rules.

Solicitors typically charge £300-£750 for a single will and £500-£1,200 for mirror wills, depending on how complex your estate is and where in the UK the firm is based. Complex estates involving trusts, business assets, or significant inheritance tax planning can cost £1,500 or more.

Solicitor pricing varies by firm and region, and many offer a fixed fee once they understand your circumstances, while others charge by the hour for more complex work. Because there's no standard rate, it's worth getting at least two quotes before you commit. If you're weighing up whether a solicitor is worth the extra cost compared with a will writing service, our guide to will writing service vs a solicitor covers the decision in more detail than we can here.

No, not by law. Any adult of sound mind can write their own will in England and Wales, provided it's correctly signed and witnessed. In practice, though, a solicitor is worth the extra cost once your estate becomes anything other than straightforward, such as a blended family, assets overseas, a business, or an estate approaching the inheritance tax threshold.

For a full breakdown of when a solicitor makes sense and when it doesn't, see our guide on do I need a solicitor to write a will. Money Saving Advisors doesn't write wills directly - for the will itself, you'll need a solicitor, a regulated will-writing service, or a trade body member. Our advisors can help with the wider financial picture around your estate instead, such as inheritance tax planning and later-life financial decisions.

For a basic will - one property, a straightforward set of beneficiaries, no trusts - expect to pay £20-£99 through an online service, £150-£350 through a specialist will writer, or £300-£750 through a high-street solicitor. Charity schemes such as Will Aid and Free Wills Month can bring this down to no direct cost, subject to eligibility.

The word "basic" matters here. These prices only apply to genuinely simple estates. If you own a business, have property overseas, or want to set up a trust, expect to pay more, whichever route you choose, because the extra time and legal complexity involved pushes the price up regardless of provider.

If cost is the main barrier to writing a will, several genuinely free and low-cost routes exist. They're not a gimmick, but availability is seasonal and usually depends on your age or which charity you support, so it's worth checking eligibility before you rely on one.

The headline price of a will rarely covers everything you'll spend getting your affairs in order. Common extra costs include:

• Storage fees: keeping your will somewhere safe, such as with a solicitor or a specialist storage service, sometimes carries a one-off or annual fee.
• Codicil or amendment costs: making a small change to an existing will with a codicil, rather than writing a new one, typically costs less than starting from scratch, though prices vary by provider.
• Executor fees: professional executors, such as a solicitor or bank, typically charge 1-5% of the estate's value for administering it after you die. Naming a trusted friend or family member as executor instead avoids this fee, though it puts more administrative responsibility on them.

Will writing cost and probate cost are separate things. Probate is the legal process of dealing with someone's estate after they've died, and it comes with its own set of fees, entirely independent of how much the original will cost to write. For the full breakdown, see our guide to the probate process and costs.

It's also worth thinking about your will alongside Lasting Power of Attorney, which covers decisions made on your behalf while you're still alive but unable to make them yourself - our guide to lasting power of attorney costs covers this in more detail. Some people also look at releasing equity from their home as part of wider inheritance tax or later-life planning. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or any other debt secured on it. If that's part of your picture, it's worth getting advice on the full financial picture rather than looking at your will in isolation.

The right route depends on how complicated your estate is and how much reassurance you want along the way. The table below is a starting point, matching common situations to a sensible option.

DIY wills are the cheapest option, but they carry the highest risk of errors. Something as simple as an incorrectly witnessed signature can invalidate the whole document, and mistakes are often only discovered after death, when it's too late to fix them. DIY is best reserved for very simple, low-value estates with no dependants who might need extra protection.

Online services are more convenient than a DIY kit and usually include some guidance, but they still offer limited personalisation compared with a will writer or solicitor who can ask about your specific circumstances. If you'd like to compare specific options, our guide to comparing the best will writing services looks at named providers in more detail.

Mirror wills - a matching pair of wills usually written for couples - typically cost less per person than two entirely separate wills, because the two documents are so similar. Expect to pay £50-£150 through an online service or £200-£500 through a specialist will writer, rising to £500-£1,200 through a solicitor for more complex estates.

One important limitation: a mirror will isn't legally binding on the surviving partner, who remains free to change their own will after the first partner dies. For the full picture, including when a mutual will might suit you better, see our guide to mirror wills for couples.

Once you know roughly what you're likely to pay, getting good value comes down to a handful of practical checks rather than simply picking the cheapest option on the page. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the choice, MoneyHelper (moneyhelper.org.uk, 0800 138 7777) offers independent, government-backed guidance.