How to get a will written for free
There are several legitimate ways to get a will written at no cost. Each has conditions, and each has a month or a mechanism you need to know about.
The short answer
- Free Wills Month runs in March and October: participating solicitors write a simple will free for people over a qualifying age (usually 55+), hoping for a charity legacy.
- Will Aid runs in November: solicitors waive their fee and you make a voluntary donation to charity instead (suggested amounts are usually below normal fees).
- Some charities run their own year-round free will schemes, often through an online partner.
- Check your employee benefits, trade union membership or home insurance legal cover — free or discounted wills are a common perk people never use.
- None of these routes obliges you to leave anything to charity. Free schemes usually cover simple wills only.
What's on this page
Free wills are genuinely free — the cost is met by charities who hope you will remember them, or by solicitors donating their time. You are never obliged to leave a legacy, though the schemes exist because enough people do.
Free Wills Month — March and October#
Participating solicitors across the UK write a simple will at no charge for people aged over a qualifying threshold (commonly 55, sometimes 50). It runs twice a year, in March and October, and appointments in popular areas go quickly — book in the first week.
- Covers: a simple single will, or mirror wills for a couple where one partner qualifies.
- Expects: that you consider leaving a gift to one of the participating charities. Genuinely optional.
- Does not cover: complex estates, trusts, or tax planning — you would be quoted for those separately.
Will Aid — November#
Every November, participating solicitors waive their fee for writing a basic will and invite you to make a voluntary donation to a group of UK charities instead. The suggested donation is typically well under normal market rates.
- Covers: a basic will; mirror wills usually at a slightly higher suggested donation.
- Any age — unlike Free Wills Month, there is no age threshold.
- Book early: slots open in autumn and fill fast.
Charity free will schemes#
Many large charities run their own free will services year-round, usually through a partner solicitor network or an online provider. Cancer charities, hospices, air ambulances and animal charities all commonly offer them. The arrangement is the same: free will, no obligation, a hope for a legacy.
Benefits you may already have#
Look at your employee benefits package, your trade union membership, and the legal expenses cover attached to your home insurance or bank account. Free or heavily discounted will-writing is one of the most common unused perks in the UK.
Members of the armed forces can make a privileged will, and service personnel have access to free will-writing through their unit's legal services.
The honest catches#
- "Simple" means simple. If you need a property protection trust, have a business, own property abroad, or need inheritance tax planning, expect to be quoted normal rates for that part.
- Timing. Free Wills Month and Will Aid are fixed months. If your circumstances are urgent, do not wait — a will you have is worth more than a free one you are waiting for.
- Capacity. Appointments are limited and geographically uneven. Rural areas have fewer participating firms.
- Storage and updates may be charged for, even where the drafting was free.
How to make the appointment count#
Free scheme appointments are usually a fixed, fairly short slot, so preparation is the difference between leaving with a finished will and leaving with a to-do list. Before you go, write down:
- roughly what you own, including whether your home is held as joint tenants or tenants in common;
- the full names and addresses of your beneficiaries;
- who you want as executors, and a replacement;
- guardians for any children under 18, having asked them first;
- anything unusual — a previous marriage, a business, property abroad, a beneficiary on means-tested benefits — so the solicitor can tell you early whether it falls outside the free scheme.
Ask at the outset what happens if your circumstances turn out to be more complex than "simple", and what that would cost. A good firm will tell you plainly rather than discovering it halfway through.
If you do not qualify for any of these#
A low-cost online will starts around £90, and a straightforward solicitor will runs £150–£400. Set against what an intestacy costs a family in delay, tax and disputes, it is one of the better-value things you will ever buy. See our full breakdown of what a will costs.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I have to leave money to charity to use a free will scheme?
No. Both Free Wills Month and Will Aid are explicit that a gift is entirely voluntary — Will Aid asks for a donation to the charity partnership rather than a legacy, and Free Wills Month simply invites you to consider one. Solicitors participating in these schemes are used to people who do not, and it should not affect the service you receive.
When exactly is Free Wills Month?
It runs twice a year, in March and October. Participating firms and the qualifying age can vary by campaign and region, so check the official Free Wills Month site each time rather than assuming last year's details still apply. We refresh this page ahead of both windows.
Are free wills lower quality?
No — they are written by the same regulated solicitors who write paid wills, and carry the same professional standards and insurance. The limitation is scope, not quality: the schemes cover simple wills, and anything complex falls outside them.
Can a couple both get free wills?
Usually. Free Wills Month generally allows mirror wills for a couple where one partner meets the age requirement. Will Aid typically covers mirror wills for a somewhat higher suggested donation. Confirm with the individual firm when you book.
This is general information, not legal advice. Everyone's situation is different — speak to a qualified adviser before acting. KeepTheLot is an independent information service covering England & Wales. We are not a law firm.
Part of our guide to wills.