5 questions to ask before choosing a free Will

Free Will schemes exist for good reasons, and they genuinely suit some people. But "free" is worth understanding properly before you commit, especially if your situation isn't entirely straightforward.

Book a Free Consultation

Why free Wills exist in the first place

Quick summary: Many charities run free or suggested-donation Will schemes, hoping some participants will choose to leave them a gift, and some banks or insurers offer a free basic Will alongside other products. Neither is inherently a bad thing. But it's worth asking a few honest questions before you commit, particularly if your family or finances aren't entirely simple.

There's nothing wrong with a free Will scheme suiting your needs perfectly well. The point of this page isn't to talk you out of one, it's to help you check it's genuinely right for your situation before you sign anything.

Ask before you commit

The five questions worth asking

1. Is it actually free, or is there a suggested donation?Many charity schemes describe a "suggested donation" rather than a fee. There's no legal obligation to pay it, but it's worth knowing upfront exactly what's being asked of you, and being comfortable with that, rather than discovering it partway through.

2. Does it cover your full situation, or just a basic Will?Free schemes are usually built around straightforward, low-value estates. If you own property, have children from a previous relationship, run a business, or want to include a trust, it's worth checking honestly whether the scheme is actually set up to handle that.

3. Who's actually drafting it, and what's their experience?Ask who will actually be preparing your Will, their qualifications, and how much experience they have with situations like yours. This varies significantly between schemes, and it's a completely reasonable question to ask before you commit.

4. What happens if your circumstances are more complex than expected?Sometimes a conversation reveals that a straightforward-seeming situation actually needs more thought, a property to protect, a vulnerable beneficiary, or an unmarried partner with no automatic rights. Ask what the scheme does if that turns out to be true for you.

5. Is storage and future updates included?A Will needs to be kept safe and kept current as your life changes, marriage, divorce, a new grandchild, a house move. Ask whether secure storage and future updates are included, or whether you'll need to arrange and pay for these separately later.

A fair word about free Will schemes

We'd rather be straightforward about this than simply tell you to avoid free Wills altogether, because that wouldn't be honest. If your estate is genuinely simple, you have no dependents or complications, and the scheme is run by a cause you want to support, it can be a perfectly sensible choice, and your donation supports a charity that matters to you.

Where it tends to go wrong is when someone's situation is more complicated than the scheme was really designed for, and a generic document gets produced that doesn't quite reflect what they actually wanted. That's not usually anyone's fault, it's simply a mismatch between a free, high-volume service and a more involved set of circumstances.

What we include as standard

We're not free, we're upfront about that. But our fees are fixed and quoted before any work begins, and every Will includes a proper conversation about your circumstances, not just a form to fill in. If a Simple Will genuinely covers what you need, that's exactly what we'll recommend, we won't sell you more than your situation calls for.

Every Will we prepare comes with secure storage and unlimited future updates under our fair use policy, and we're full members of the Society of Willwriters, your guarantee of a regulated, accountable service.

Not sure which option fits your situation?

We're happy to have an honest conversation about whether your circumstances are straightforward or need more care, no pressure either way.

Book a Free Consultation

Yes, a Will produced through a free scheme is just as legally valid as one prepared any other way, provided it's correctly signed and witnessed. The question isn't validity, it's whether the document actually reflects your full circumstances and wishes.

No, there's no legal obligation to do so, even where a suggested donation is mentioned. That said, it's worth being clear in your own mind about what's being asked before you take part, so there are no surprises.

When your estate is straightforward, you don't have dependents with complex needs, no property to protect, no blended family considerations, and the scheme supports a cause you care about. For many people in that position, it works out perfectly well.

As a rough guide, property ownership, children from a previous relationship, a business, concerns about care costs, or wanting to include a trust are all signs it's worth a proper conversation rather than a generic template. If you're unsure, asking is free.

Yes, there's nothing stopping you updating or replacing a Will at any time, provided you still have mental capacity. Many people start with something simple and revisit it as their circumstances change.

Not sure which route is right for you?

Call 01934 442030 for a free, no-obligation conversation, we'll tell you honestly what we think you need.

Book an appointment Call 01934 442030

Home visits across Somerset, or online anywhere in England and Wales.

Keep exploring

Our other services

Friendly, professional guidance across everything estate planning, always personal and always in plain English.