How to update or change a will
You cannot change a will by crossing something out. Here is how to do it properly, and the life events that should trigger a review.
The short answer
- Never write on a signed will. Crossings-out, notes and even staple holes cast doubt on it.
- Small changes: a codicil, signed and witnessed with the same formalities as a will.
- Anything substantial: a new will that expressly revokes all previous ones. Usually cheaper than several codicils, and clearer.
- Marriage automatically revokes an existing will. Divorce does not — it treats your ex as having died first.
- Review every five years, and immediately after a marriage, divorce, birth, death or property purchase.
What's on this page
The two proper ways to change a will#
A codicil, for small changes#
A codicil is a short supplementary document that amends part of an existing will. It must be signed and witnessed with exactly the same formalities — two witnesses, present together, neither of them a beneficiary. The witnesses do not have to be the same people who witnessed the original.
Codicils suit genuinely small amendments: swapping an executor, changing a specific legacy, adding a gift.
They stop being sensible when they pile up. Two or three codicils on one will make the document confusing, increase the chance of a mistake, and give a disappointed beneficiary something to argue about.
A new will, for anything else#
A new will starts with a clause revoking all previous wills and codicils. It is cleaner, and with typical prices at £150–£400 it often costs little more than a professionally drafted codicil.
When the new will is signed, destroy the old one — physically, by burning or shredding — so it cannot cause confusion later.
Do not cross out a name. Do not write in a new figure. Do not add a sticky note, staple anything to it, or remove and replace a page. Any alteration made after signing is generally invalid, and marks on the document raise questions about whether something was attached and taken off. In the worst cases the whole will is thrown into doubt.
When you should review your will#
- You marry or enter a civil partnership. This automatically revokes your existing will unless it was expressly made in expectation of that marriage. People die intestate every year without realising.
- You divorce. The will is not revoked, but your former spouse is treated as having died before you. If they were your sole beneficiary and executor, that can leave a gap or an unintended outcome.
- You separate but do not divorce. Nothing changes legally — your spouse still inherits. This is the single most urgent reason to rewrite a will.
- A child or grandchild is born.
- An executor or beneficiary dies, or becomes unable to act.
- You buy or sell property, or your estate changes shape significantly.
- You move country, or acquire assets abroad.
- Tax rules change in a way that affects your planning.
Absent any of those, read it through every five years. Circumstances drift.
Changing a will after someone has died#
Beneficiaries can redirect what they inherit using a deed of variation, provided it is executed within two years of the death and everyone affected agrees. It is used to:
- Pass an inheritance down a generation to children or grandchildren;
- Provide for someone the will or intestacy left out — an unmarried partner, for instance;
- Improve the inheritance tax position, since the variation can be treated as though the deceased made the gift.
Every beneficiary whose share is affected must agree, and they must be an adult with capacity. It cannot be used to take from a beneficiary who does not consent.
Practical points#
- Keep the original safe and tell your executors where it is. A copy is not a substitute — if the original cannot be found, the law presumes you destroyed it to revoke it.
- Update your letter of wishes at the same time. It is not binding, but it is what trustees and executors read.
- Check your beneficiary nominations separately. Pensions and death-in-service benefits usually pass outside the will under a nomination form — updating the will does not update those.
- Review your LPAs at the same time. The people you trust to be attorneys and executors often change together.
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Frequently asked questions
Does divorce cancel my will?
No. The will stays valid, but your former spouse is treated as having died before you for the purposes of any gift or appointment. If they were the sole beneficiary and executor, that can leave your estate falling into a partial intestacy. Rewrite it — and note that until the divorce is finalised, your spouse still inherits in full.
How much does a codicil cost?
Typically £50–£150 from a solicitor for a simple change. Because a fresh will often costs only a little more at £150–£400, and leaves a single clean document, most advisers suggest a new will unless the change is genuinely trivial.
Can I write a new will myself if the old one was done by a solicitor?
Yes — there is no requirement to go back to the same person, or to use anyone at all. Make sure the new will expressly revokes all previous wills and codicils, and destroy the old original once the new one is signed.
What happens if I have two wills?
The later one governs, to the extent it revokes or contradicts the earlier one. If it contains no revocation clause the two may be read together, which is a recipe for confusion and dispute. Always include an express revocation clause, and destroy superseded originals.
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.