Free Wills Month: How to Get Your Will Written for Free
By Al Baker - Last checked: the 30th of September 2026.
Free Wills Month can help you write or update a simple will without paying the usual solicitor’s fee, which is useful if the cost has been putting you off. The campaign is for people aged 55 and over, but you don’t have to wait until that age to look for help, as some charity services are available to younger adults throughout the year. Before booking, check that the offer covers your circumstances and whether there are any charges for work beyond a basic will.
The next Free Wills Month campaign runs from the 1st to the 31st of October 2026, and this guide provides general information; will-writing rules and available services differ across the UK, so use a provider that covers your circumstances and location.
What is Free Wills Month?
Free Wills Month runs in March and October and connects eligible people with solicitors in participating areas. The charities help pay for simple wills in the hope that some people will remember them in their wills, but leaving a gift is your choice. The campaign is organised by Capacity Marketing for Charities, and places depend on local availability.
For couples making mirror wills, only one partner needs to be 55 or over. Mirror wills are two separate documents with similar wishes, often leaving assets to each other and then to the same beneficiaries, the people or organisations who inherit. They aren’t one shared will, and you should tell the solicitor if your individual wishes or family circumstances differ.
Why having a will matters
A will records what you want to happen to your money, property and belongings after you die, together known as your estate. It also names your executors, the people who will deal with the estate and carry out your instructions, and can include arrangements for children. Without a valid will, inheritance rules decide who receives the estate, which might not match what you would have chosen.
For example, in England and Wales, a partner you aren’t married to or in a civil partnership with doesn’t automatically inherit under the intestacy rules. Stepchildren who haven’t been legally adopted don’t automatically inherit as your children under those rules either. Joint ownership and possible legal claims can affect the outcome, so don’t assume that a long relationship alone gives someone the same inheritance rights as a spouse.
How Free Wills Month works and how to book
Start with the Free Wills Month website and check participating firms using your details and postcode. Before the campaign opens, you can register for a reminder; once it opens, contact a listed solicitor and say you want an appointment through Free Wills Month. Ask whether your circumstances fit the free offer, what information to bring and whether the appointment will be in person or remotely.
Appointments are limited, so getting in touch early gives you a better chance of finding a space. The campaign can close once the available appointments have been taken, rather than staying open until the last day of the month. If your postcode isn’t covered or local firms are full, try one of the year-round services below instead of assuming you have to wait until the next campaign.
Other free will-writing services and charity schemes
The age limit and campaign dates aren’t the same for every service. Some charities fund wills throughout the year, while Will Aid uses a suggested upfront donation to support its work. Use this comparison to find a possible route, then check the provider’s terms before giving instructions.
Oxfam’s year-round free will writing service.
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Oxfam pays for standard single or mirror wills through its partners and doesn’t require you to leave it a gift. In England and Wales, the options are online, over the phone, a home visit or a participating local solicitor. Scotland has the local solicitor option and a phone service through Farewill, so the available routes aren’t identical across the country.
If you choose the solicitor route, Oxfam sends an information pack so you can contact a participating firm. Northern Ireland residents should check Oxfam Ireland’s service and confirm that the chosen route covers Northern Ireland before starting. Ask about any charge for solicitor review or work outside the basic offer, as a free drafting option doesn’t necessarily include every additional service.
Cancer Research UK’s will-writing service
Cancer Research UK’s service is available from age 18 and can cover a simple will, mirror wills or simple changes to an existing will. It offers participating solicitors and other options that vary by location, including online services in England and Wales and a phone service in Scotland. Its terms confirm that leaving a gift is optional, although the charity hopes you’ll consider supporting its work.
Check that the provider will charge the work to the charity before proceeding. You’re responsible for costs above the amount covered, and the charity limits its funding to a maximum of three occasions per person, including updates. Register through the charity’s service rather than booking an ordinary paid appointment and assuming it will reimburse you afterwards.
Will Aid in November
Will Aid runs each November, and bookings for this year are already open. Participating solicitors waive their normal fee for a basic will and invite an upfront donation, with £120 suggested for one will or £200 for a pair of basic mirror wills. The donation is voluntary, but this is a different arrangement from a service funded in the hope of a gift being left after your death.
Use the Will Aid solicitor finder to check available appointments. Its donor guidance says extra work can cost more, and some firms may charge separately for an identity check. Ask for those details when booking so you know what you could pay overall.
What type of will is included, and could there be extra costs?
A simple will generally covers direct gifts to family, friends or charities, names executors and may include appropriate guardianship arrangements. The solicitor or will writer decides whether your instructions fit their basic service, so “simple” doesn’t just mean that you consider your wishes easy to explain. Tell them about previous relationships, dependants, business ownership, property abroad or any trust you want to create before they quote or start work.
If extra advice is needed, ask for a written explanation of what the free offer covers and what you’d pay for the rest. Also check any charges for storing the will, later updates, subscriptions or having the firm act as executor after your death. You don’t have to appoint the will-writing firm as executor simply because it prepared the document, so choose someone suitable and understand any professional fees involved.
You can also ask your employer or trade union whether will writing is already included among your benefits. That could be another route to a basic will without a separate drafting bill. Check who provides the service and the limits of the offer, just as you would with a charity scheme.
Are wills only for older people?
You don’t need to own a house or have a large amount of savings for a will to be useful. You might want to provide for an unmarried partner, make particular gifts or discuss who should care for your children if you die. Guardianship depends on your circumstances and existing parental responsibility, so get advice about what a clause in your will would actually do.
A will deals with what happens after your death, and it doesn’t give someone authority to manage your money or care while you’re alive. Our lasting power of attorney guide explains that separate part of planning. It’s worth considering both when you’re organising your affairs, because they do different jobs.
Finish the paperwork and keep your will up to date.
Getting a draft written is only part of the process. In England and Wales, you normally need to sign your will with two adult witnesses present, and they must sign it in your presence too. Don’t use someone who benefits under the will, or their spouse or civil partner, as a witness, and follow the provider’s instructions rather than assuming an online form is already a completed legal document.
Use the correct signing instructions for your country, as Scotland has different requirements. Keep the completed original safe and tell your executor where it is. If someone offers paid storage, ask about the cost and how you or your executors would retrieve it before agreeing.
GOV.UK recommends reviewing your will every five years and after major life changes, such as a marriage, separation, new child or death of an executor. Some events can affect the will’s legal effect as well as your wishes, so don’t assume the old document still does what you need. Changes should be made through the proper process, such as a new will or a formal amendment, rather than handwritten edits to the signed original.
If the cost has been your reason for putting this off, checking a suitable free service is a practical place to start. Think about whom you want to provide for, who could act as executor and whether your circumstances need specialist advice, then ask what the offer covers. Getting those details clear gives you a better basis for choosing than the word “free” on its own.
Frequently asked questions
When is Free Wills Month?
Free Wills Month runs in March and October, and the next campaign starts on the 1st of October 2026. Availability depends on your area and participating solicitors, and appointments can fill up before the month ends.
Who qualifies for Free Wills Month?
The campaign is for people aged 55 and over who can access a participating solicitor. For a couple making mirror wills, only one partner needs to be 55 or over.
How do I find Free Wills Month solicitors near me?
Enter your details and postcode on the official Free Wills Month website during the campaign to see the participating firms available to you. Contact your chosen solicitor directly and say you want an appointment through the scheme.
Do I have to leave money to charity to get a free will?
Free Wills Month, Oxfam and Cancer Research UK don’t require you to leave a gift in your will under the terms checked for this guide. Other schemes can have different arrangements, including Will Aid’s suggested voluntary upfront donation, so check before booking.
Can I get a free will if I’m under 55?
Yes, some charity schemes are available to younger adults, including Cancer Research UK’s service for people aged 18 and over. Eligibility, the type of will covered and the available appointment methods depend on the scheme and where you live.
What does a simple will include?
A simple will usually sets out who should inherit your estate, names executors and can include suitable guardianship arrangements for children. Trusts, overseas assets, complicated family circumstances or detailed tax planning may require extra advice and charges.
Can a couple get free mirror wills?
Some schemes cover mirror wills, which are two separate wills with similar provisions for a couple. Ask the provider to confirm that both documents are included and that the arrangement suits your individual wishes.
Is a free will legally valid?
A will can be legally valid whether you pay for it or use a free service, provided it meets the relevant legal requirements. Completing an online questionnaire isn’t enough on its own, so follow the provider’s signing and witnessing instructions for your country.
Is Free Wills Month available everywhere in the UK?
The campaign operates through solicitors in selected locations, so availability isn’t guaranteed in every town or postcode. If it isn’t offered near you, check year-round charity services and make sure the chosen provider covers the country where you live.
