Yes. In England and Wales you can legally write your own will without ever speaking to a solicitor. The Wills Act 1837 doesn't require one. As long as the will is in writing, you have the mental capacity to make it, and you sign it in front of two witnesses who also sign, it's valid.
So the real question isn't can you. It's should you — and for whom the DIY route is genuinely fine versus quietly risky.
Around 59% of UK adults have no will (IRN Legal Reports, 2025), so if you're even reading this, you're ahead of most. Let's keep it that way and get it right.
When writing your own will is genuinely fine
A DIY will tends to work well when your situation is straightforward:
- One family unit — you're leaving things to a partner and/or your children, with no complicated history.
- UK-only assets.
- An estate that's simple to describe: a home, some savings, the usual accounts.
- No business to pass on, no trusts, no foreign property.
If that's you, a careful template or a reputable online will service can do the job properly. The law cares that the will is valid and clear, not that a solicitor was in the room.
When you should think twice
Some situations are exactly where homemade wills go wrong — and you usually can't tell until it's too late, because the problems only surface after death. Get proper advice if:
- You have a blended family — stepchildren, a second marriage, children from more than one relationship.
- You own a business or a share of one.
- You want to set up a trust (for young children, or someone who can't manage money themselves).
- You have assets abroad.
- You think someone might challenge the will.
In these cases a solicitor isn't adding validity — they're adding judgement on the edge cases that trip people up.
The four DIY routes, compared
- A printed or downloaded template — cheapest, often a few pounds. Fine for the simplest estates, unforgiving if you misword something.
- An online will service — a guided form that builds the will as you answer questions. More structure, more guardrails, still budget-friendly.
- A will-writer — not a solicitor, but a paid specialist. Useful middle ground; check they're a member of a recognised body.
- A solicitor — the most expensive, and worth it when your situation is genuinely complex.
Three questions to decide
Ask yourself, honestly:
- Could anyone be surprised or upset by how I'm dividing things? (If yes, lean professional.)
- Is anything I own hard to describe — a business, a trust, property overseas?
- Would I struggle to word my wishes precisely on my own?
Two or three "yes" answers point towards getting help. Mostly "no" means a careful DIY route is reasonable.
One thing to never put in your will
Whichever route you choose, keep account details and passwords out of the will itself. Once probate is granted, a will becomes a public document. Record where those things live separately — somewhere private your executor can actually find.
How Beqst helps you write and store your will
Beqst isn't a solicitor and isn't a will-writer. It's for the person who doesn't need a solicitor but doesn't want to face a blank page either — the guided structure of a professional process, without the professional price tag. It helps you see what your estate actually includes, record where everything is, and know what's still missing.
Writing the will is one piece. The other piece — the one almost everyone forgets — is making sure your family can actually find the signed will, and everything else, when the time comes.
That's what the free death-folder checklist is for: a simple, calm list of everything worth writing down and where to keep it. Get the free checklist →
Beqst is a UK estate-organisation tool. This is general information, not legal advice. For your own situation — especially anything involving blended families, businesses, trusts, or overseas assets — speak to a solicitor or regulated adviser.