During someone's lifetime, a will is private. Only they, and anyone they choose to show it to, can see it. It becomes public once probate is granted. From that point anyone can order a copy from GOV.UK for a small fee, family or not. Private in life, public after probate.
A will's privacy, before and after probate
During their lifetime — private
- Only the person (and anyone they choose) can see it
- Being named in it gives no right to read it
- It can be changed or replaced at any time
After probate — public record
- Anyone can order a copy from GOV.UK for a small fee
- They don't need to be family
- So keep passwords and account details out of it
That one fact has a quiet knock-on effect most people miss. It shapes what you should, and shouldn't, write into your will in the first place. Here's how it works.
When exactly does a will become public?
While the person is alive, their will is a private document. Being named in it gives you no right to see it. They can show it to whoever they like, or to nobody at all. That's their call, no one else's.
The will becomes public at one specific moment: when a grant of probate is issued. Probate is the legal process of proving the will and giving the executor authority to deal with the estate. GOV.UK's overview of how probate works explains the process.
Up to that point, the will stays private. After it, the will and the grant are part of the public record.
Who can see a will once probate is granted?
This catches a lot of people off guard. Once probate is granted, anyone can see the will. Not just the family, not just the people who inherit. A neighbour, a journalist, a curious stranger. Any of them can order a copy.
They do it through GOV.UK's Find a will service. For a small fee of around £1.50, anyone can order a copy of:
- The will itself
- The grant of probate
No proof of relationship is needed. That's just how the public record works once a grant has been issued.
Why this matters: what to keep out of your will
This is the reason the question matters when you're planning. Because a will can become a public document, it is the wrong place for anything sensitive.
Keep these out of your will:
- Passwords and PINs
- Full bank or account numbers
- Private or sensitive personal messages, the things you'd only want certain people to read
Write these into the will and you're effectively putting them on the public record the moment probate is granted. A will should say who gets what, the legal instructions, and nothing you'd be uncomfortable a stranger reading.
This guide is about getting organised, not about what makes a will valid. For the wording and witnessing rules, see our plain-English guide to writing a will in the UK, or speak to a regulated solicitor or will-writer.
Where the private stuff should go instead
If the sensitive detail can't live in the will, where does it go? In two private places that sit alongside the will.
A death folder. This is where the practical "where everything is" detail belongs: which bank, which pension, where the deeds are, and where your passwords live (in a password manager, never the passwords themselves). It stays private, shared only with the people you choose. Our guide to what goes in a death folder walks through it.
A letter of wishes. This is a private document that sits beside the will. It is not legally binding, but it can guide your executors on personal matters: how you'd like certain things handled, the thinking behind a decision, a few words for the people you love. A letter of wishes does not become public. It's the right home for the personal notes you don't want on the record.
Between them, the will carries the legal instructions, the death folder carries the map, and the letter of wishes carries the personal guidance. Only the will ever risks becoming public.
When a will may never become public
A will doesn't always become public. It only does so when a grant of probate is issued.
Sometimes no grant is needed. For example:
- A small estate, where the assets are modest enough that probate isn't required
- Assets that pass automatically, such as a property owned as joint tenants, which goes straight to the surviving owner
In those cases the will may never go through probate, so it may never become public at all. Whether probate is required depends on the size and make-up of the estate, not on what the will says. If you're unsure whether an estate needs probate, a regulated solicitor can tell you.
How Beqst keeps the private details private
A death folder is the natural home for everything you don't want in your will. It keeps the private "where everything is" detail (accounts, pensions, passwords, the location of the signed will and any letter of wishes) in one calm, secure place, shared only with the people you choose. Your will can stay lean and legal, while the sensitive detail stays private and genuinely useful to the people sorting things out. Beqst helps you build that record and keep it current as life changes.
Beqst helps you get organised. It isn't a legal or financial adviser, and for any decision about your will, probate or estate, you should speak to a regulated professional.
Start your free death folder →
Related reading: What to Do When Someone Dies in the UK · What Is a Death Folder? · Where Do I Find Someone's Will?