Wills Solicitors

It is thought that up to half of the UK adult population either do not have a Will, or the one that they do have is no longer valid. It is often the case that this task will sit on a ‘to do’ list for a long time, however, at David Gray Solicitors we can help you tick it off with expert legal advice from our Will specialists.

Passing away without a Will can not only can create a lot of stress for your loved ones, who are likely already dealing with grief and shock, it can also result in your assets and money being distributed in a way that may not align with your wishes.

Preparing and signing a Will allows you to take control. You can appoint friends or family members you trust to handle your estate. If you are concerned you do not have anyone to appoint, for example if you have lost contact with family or they live far away, we can discuss the possibility of appointing professionals for this role such as solicitors. We are happy to take on this role should a client wish to appoint us and we can discuss with them any specific wishes about how they would like their estate to be handled. If you have children, you can also appoint legal Guardians for them should you leave minor children behind.

Whether your circumstances and wishes are straightforward or more complex, our dedicated Wills team can assist with the preparation of a Will. If appropriate, they can also provide advice about Inheritance Tax planning, local authority care fees and long term care planning and Trust creation. Our Wills team are dedicated to making the process of creating a Will as stress-free as possible, giving you the peace of mind that your affairs will be in order after your death. Once a Will is signed, we offer storage in our safe free of charge.

Even if you already have a Will, it would be advisable to review this if you have had any change in personal circumstances such as:

moving house
divorce/separation
re-marriage
having children
have children or beneficiaries reaching the age of 18
experienced a bereavement within the family
a change of financial circumstances
moving in with a new partner

Urgent Will

We understand that sometimes life can take an unexpected turn and people can find themselves in need of a lawyer who can complete a Will for them urgently. We are able to visit clients in their own home, in care homes, hospices and hospitals where required. If you or a loved one needs a Will completing urgently, please contact us by telephone and advise that the matter is urgent. We will assess if we have a member of the team available to assist within the timescale and if so, we will arrange to take instructions. Where a Will is urgent, we would be looking to meet the client to take instructions either same day or next day.

Living Will

A Living Will is a statement that expresses your views on how you would or would not like to be treated if you are unable to make decisions about any potential treatment you may receive in the future. The term ‘Living Will’ doesn’t have a legal meaning but it can be used to refer to either an ‘advance decision’ or an ‘advance statement’:

An advance decision is made if you are concerned about something that could arise in the future. The ‘advance decision’ means this decision should be abided by, and
An ‘advance statement’ is any other decision you make about how you would like to be treated.

What are the costs?

We understand that price is a key factor for clients and we therefore offer fixed fees for Wills or Living Wills. Please see below for a schedule of our fixed fees.

Wills services	Suitable for:	Cost
Simple will	Clients with estates under Inheritance Tax Thresholds (£325,000 if an individual or £650,000 if spouses/civil partners)- IHT advice and care fees and long term care planning advice are NOT included	£250 plus VAT = £300 Single £425 plus VAT = £510 Couple
Complex will	Clients needing any of the following: Inheritance Tax advice Care fees and long term care planning advice Trusts advice/Trusts within their Will (including right of occupation)	£425 plus VAT = £510 Single £600 plus VAT = £720 Couple
Urgent Will	Someone wishing to make an urgent Will while terminally ill or before an operation, or before an extended holiday etc	£500 plus VAT = £600
Home visit	Someone wishing to make a Will at home	Starting from £400 plus VAT = £480 depending on complexity and distance from our offices

It is often the case that clients will consider setting up Lasting Powers of Attorney at the same time as making a Will and we offer packages when clients proceed with Wills and LPAs at the same time. Please see below for our fixed fee packages. If you are looking for our LPA pricing without Wills, this can be found here.

Simple Will/ LPA packages

*Every LPA attracts a registration fee of £82 per LPA payable to the Office of the Public Guardian

Individual Person Packages	Price	Savings (inc. VAT)
Simple Will & 1 LPA	£600 plus VAT* = £720	Includes saving of £60
Simple Will & 2 LPAs	£925 plus VAT* = £1,110	Includes savings of £150

Couples Packages	Price	Savings
Simple Mirror Wills & 1 LPA each	£1,050 plus VAT* = £1,260	Includes savings of £210
Simple Mirror Wills & 2 LPAs each	£1,600 plus VAT* =£1,920	Includes savings of £510

Complex Wills/ LPA packages

*Every LPA attracts a registration fee of £82 per LPA payable to the Office of the Public Guardian.

Individual Person Packages	Price	Savings (inc VAT)
Complex Will & 1 LPA	£775 plus VAT* = £930	Includes saving of £60
Complex Will & 2 LPAs	£1,100 plus VAT* = £1320	Includes saving of £150

Couples Packages	Price	Savings (inc VAT)
Complex Mirror Wills & 1 LPA each	£1,225 plus VAT* = £1,470	Includes saving of £210
Complex Mirror Wills & 2 LPAs each	£1,775 plus VAT* = £2,130	Includes savings of £510

If you are looking for further help with life planning, including estate planning and estate administration, our team can help:

Glossary of Terms

Making sense of the terms used in Wills can be difficult. At David Gray we strive to make the process of creating a Will as easy to understand as possible. Although our Wills are written in plain language, some terms may require further explanation. Our A to Z of Wills may be useful when researching Wills to understand more about the terminology used.

Contact Our Wills Solicitors

For more information or expert advice, please contact our specialist Wills solicitors on 0191 232 9547 and ask to speak to a member of our team.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Will?

If you don’t have a Will then the rules of intestacy decide where your estate will go and this may not be in line with your wishes. Often people will say they are only young or do not have many assets so do not think they need a Will. However, no one knows what is around the corner and people often underestimate their assets. For example, you may have death in service benefits through your employer or a life insurance policy. It is therefore important for all adults to consider a Will to ensure their wishes are followed. It is a common misconception that if you have a partner but are not married or in a civil partnership, they would inherit from your estate even if you do not have a Will. Unfortunately, this is not the case and to ensure provision was made for them, you would need to make a Will.

Can I write my own Will?

Yes it is possible to write your own Will in the UK however, it is very important to receive full advice and ensure your Will is correctly drafted, signed and witnessed. If any aspect of your Will is not done properly, it may be invalid and your wishes may not be followed on your death. Even if a homemade Will is valid, sometimes issues need to be rectified once you have died and this can end up costing more to fix than it would have cost to make a Will.

A person must have capacity to make a Will and not be unduly influenced by anyone as to the contents. It is possible for people to challenge Wills based on lack of capacity or coercion and this process would be very stressful for your loved ones. As part of our service, we check for these issues before a Will is drafted and signed to ensure your Will is as watertight as possible to give clients peace of mind. Our team have the specialist knowledge to guide you through the process and ensure that the ill you complete is valid and is appropriate for your circumstances.