You’ve got a lot of options available to you for writing a Will in 2020, all of which are easily
accessible, some even from the comfort of your own home. There are many different
professionals for you to choose from such as members of The Society of Will Writers,
Solicitors, IFAs or the plethora of other Will Writing firms that are out there. You also
have online services, or you could even write your Will yourself using a DIY kit. However,
there are still some two thirds of the UK’s adult population which don’t have a valid Will
so with so many options available why doesn’t everybody have one, and which is the
best route to choose?
R E G U L AT E D VS . U N R E G U L AT E D
It’s necessary to point out at this point that the Will Writing profession isn’t regulated
by statute which means that anyone can advertise themselves as a Will Writer and they
don’t have to be a part of any governing body. This doesn’t mean to say that no Will
Writers are regulated and that’s where we come in.
No longer are solicitors your only option when looking for a professional to write your
Will. The Society of Will Writers was formed in 1994 and has been instrumental in the
development of the Will Writing profession. Our form of regulation is entirely voluntary
and this means that anyone who wants to become, or is already a Will Writer (solicitors
and other professionals included), can join our Society so that we can provide them
with the necessary training and support, as well as enforcing our own mandatory
requirements such as Professional Indemnity Insurance and adherence to our Code of
Practice. It also means that if in the unfortunate event that something does go wrong,
the consumer is protected and has access to redress through our own complaints
handling procedure. The Society is always on hand to provide support and assistance
not only to our members, but the wider public as well through our free public helpline.
We currently have over 1,600 members who have willingly signed up to self-regulation
based across England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and even further afield in Central
Europe, Asia and the Middle East, taking the Society’s values truly global. Members of
the Society are experts in what they do as being Will Writers and Professional Estate
Planners means for the most part, it’s all they do. Our members can offer the most
current advice, often from the comfort of your own home, no matter where you’re based.
DIY WILLS
We’ve looked at DIY Wills in depth a few times before and truthfully, we’d strongly
advise against this option. If you make any mistakes whilst writing your Will and you
don’t realise before you’re able to write a new one, there could be questions regarding
your intentions or problems executing your Will when you’ve died. This may result in
your estate not being distributed how you would have liked which could easily cause
unnecessary problems and upset for your loved ones during what will undoubtedly be
a difficult time.
Given the complexity of modern families, a simple or DIY Will may not be suitable. We
always say there is no one-size fits-all when it comes to Wills so we recommend in all
cases to seek the advice and the services of a professional to ensure that your wishes
are correctly recorded.
To speak to a member of the Society near to you, visit our find a member page or call
us on 01522 687888.
the society of will writers
7