A will is a legal document through a person can decide the manner in which his or her personal assets (financial assets, real estate properties and other goods) will be divided amongst the person’s heirs, after the passing of the said person. Such assets will be, however, divided in accordance with the inheritance legislation applicable in the United Kingdom (UK).
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| What is a will? | A will is a legal document through which an individual states the manner in which his/ her personal assets will be divided among heirs and other beneficiaries after the his/ her death. |
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Applicable law |
Wills Act 1837 |
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Legal services offered by our will solicitors in Manchester |
Our will solicitors in Manchester provide the following: – advice on the legislation, – help clients draw up and sign a will following the legal formalities, – assist in reviewing wills, – offer information on the legal and financial consequences the heirs/ beneficiaries will face upon inheriting certain assets, – assist at signing a lasting power of attorney, etc. |
| Situations in which it is recommended to sign a will |
At any given moment in time, after a person reaches the age of 18 and owns certain assets. However, it is highly recommended to draw up this document in the case of seniors or of persons who face life-threating situations due to medical or work-related situation, etc. |
| Main provisions to be included in the document |
– the assets, – the beneficiaries, – the executors, – guardianship (required for children under the age of 18), – trustees (appointed for those who want to set up a trust through which their financial assets can be secured until their children can reach a certain age and benefit from the respective funds), – funeral wishes etc. |
| Witnesses |
2 adult witnesses (at least 18 years old) |
| Minimum requirements to be met by the testator (the person drawing up the will) |
– sign the document on a voluntary basis, – be of sound mind, – have an age of at least 18 years old, – draw up the document in writing, – have 2 witnesses who are present at the moment when the document is signed |
| Assets that can be left to beneficiaries |
– real estate property, – life insurance, – pension funds, – savings, – corporate assets (stocks, bonds, etc.), – vehicles, – jewellery, – antiques, – personal belongings |
| Can witnesses become beneficiaries of the will? |
No, the witnesses and their spouses can’t become the beneficiaries of a will. |
| Who can be the beneficiary of a will? |
– spouses, – civil partners, – children (minor, adults, adopted), – former spouses, – former civil partners, – dependents, – extended family members (nieces, nephews, siblings, etc.), – friends, – pets, – organizations, – charities, etc. |
| Legal procedures when reviewing a will |
The same procedures must be followed as when signing the first will. |
| Is it possible to sign a will remotely? |
Yes, the procedure is available only in England and Wales. |
| What happens if a person signing a will has debts? |
The debts have to be included in the will (mortage, credit, loans, etc.) |
| Suitable locations for storing a will |
Our will solicitors in Manchester can store the wills signed by their clients. It is also possible to store them in banks, with the Probate Services or at home. |
| Cost of signing a will | In general, it varies from GBP 150 to GBP 500. |
It is recommended to sign a will, especially in the case of couples who did not get married, as in this case, there aren’t numerous rights to secure the benefits of the surviving partner. Our will solicitors in Manchester can help you with in-depth advice on how to draw a will and can present you the types of taxes that might be involved when the ownership of various goods is modified.
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How can our will solicitors in Manchester help you?
Our will solicitors in Manchester have in-depth expertise in any matter related to the inheritance legislation and can help clients who want to draw a will or those who are the legal heirs of a person who has signed a will.
Also, we can easily represent heirs of persons who haven’t signed a will and here, various situations can occur, including litigation cases, usually heard in front of a court. You can easily rely on our team for the following services:
- our lawyer in Manchester can help you prepare a will and sign it;
- you can also address our team in the case in which you want to review your current will, by including new provisions and wishes;
- you can also receive legal representation in preparing a lasting power of attorney, through which you can decide how your estate and welfare will be taken care of, as well as the person who has received this right from you;
- you can also receive legal advice on the manner in which your estate will be transferred to your heirs, as well as the financial consequences involved in this case (the inheritance tax can apply based on the value of your assets and the type of assets);
- legal advice and legal representation for various legal situations which are regulated by the Inheritance Act.
What are the main clauses to be added into a will?
The will is the main legal document through which an individual, who is known as a testator when signing this document, decides on how to divide his/her assets after his/her death. In order to establish these conditions, a set of clauses have to be mentioned in the document, the most important being the clause concerning the distribution of assets.
This clause must contain all the individuals (family members, friends, etc.), organizations, that will inherit various assets, and the manner in which these assets are assigned to each party. A valid will must also mention who the executors of the will are, and, in the case minor children are involved, the testator must appoint legal guardians.
The will can also include special conditions – for instance, the testator can stipulate that a person can inherit specific assets only when reaching a certain age. It can also stipulate the testator’s personal wishes concerning the manner in which his/her burial should take place.
Of course, these are just some of the basic principles that should be taken into consideration when drafting a will – they can vary in accordance with the personal situation of the testator. Therefore, we recommend you to request further advice from our Manchester solicitors.
The infographic below presents the main steps on signing a will in Manchester:
Why is a will necessary?
A will is an important tool, as it can reflect your wishes for the goods and assets you have obtained throughout your life. It is a suitable way to decide on how you want those assets to be shared and, if you do not have any relatives, you can still establish who will inherit your assets. Depending on your circumstances, our will solicitors in Manchester can offer more details.
If you do not have a will and you are married, your spouse is entitled to obtaining most of the inheritance, and if you have children, through a will, you can make sure that they will receive more than what is established as a general rule under the Inheritance Act.
In the case of couples who are not married, the surviving spouse may end up with no inheritance at all, even in the case in which the couple has spent their entire adult life together.
One should also know that in the case in which there aren’t any living heirs and if there isn’t a will to stipulate how the assets should be divided, they will automatically enter in the property of the Crown.
If you need additional advice, we invite you to contact our will solicitors in Manchester. With the assistance of our lawyer in Manchester, you can draw a valid will, recognized by the applicable law and you can also receive additional legal services that can be of interest to you. Please refer to our Manchester law firms for more details.
What are the highlights of the will industry in the UK?
The interest in signing wills has slightly increased in the last years (for instance, in 2025, 53% of the British population did not have a will, while recently (in 2024), it has been observed that more 53% of the population has signed this document. It was also observed that individuals interested in signing wills want to have their document overlooked by a professional in the field. Some of the highlights are:
- according to the National Wills Report 2024, 53% of the British population has signed a will;
- the regions with the largest share of concluded wills are in London (57%), the South West region (also 57%) and East Anglia (53%);
- it must be noted that the vast majority of the wills signed in the UK are concluded with the assistance of a professional, such as our lawyer in Manchester (77% of the documents), which marks an increase of 8% compared to the previous year, showing a growing interest in being legally advised by a specialist;
- the assistance of will solicitors in Manchester has been requested the most in the case of individuals older than 45 years (81% of the wills have been drafted and signed with the assistance of a professional);
- however, most of the individuals who have signed a will prefer to store the document in their own homes or in a private safe (42%), while only 30% opt to leave the document stored with the professional who has participated in signing the document.
Our lawyers can provide legal services for a variety of legal matters. If you need immigration services, you can always address to our immigration lawyers in Manchester, who can help you navigate through the latest immigration policies available here.
Since most of the foreigners arrive here for employment opportunities, we can put you in contact with our employment lawyers in Manchester, who can present the main work visas suitable to your work experience and study levels.
You can contact us for inheritance matters, such as the ones presented in this article, inheriting a real estate property as a foreigner, tax obligations after inheriting various assets and other obligations if you want to relocate here. Please address our solicitors in Manchester city centre for more details on the ways in which you can be represented in front of various British institutions.
