If you have decided to make a Will, the next question is usually who should write it. Most people assume the answer is a solicitor. In fact, in England and Wales you have three realistic options: a solicitor, a professional will writer, or doing it yourself. This guide compares the first two honestly.
Do you legally need a solicitor to write a Will?
No. There is no legal requirement to use a solicitor to make a Will in England and Wales. A Will is legally valid if it meets the requirements of the Wills Act 1837: it must be in writing, signed by you, and witnessed by two people who are present at the same time. Who drafted it makes no difference to its validity.
What matters is that the Will is drafted correctly: that it actually does what you intend, uses precise wording, appoints executors and guardians properly, and does not create ambiguity that causes problems later. That is what you are paying a professional for, whichever kind you choose.
What does each typically cost?
A solicitor typically charges £250–£650 for a simple single Will, and more for anything involving trusts. Many charge hourly rates, so the final bill depends on how long your affairs take to work through. Couples’ Wills usually run £400–£900.
A professional will writer usually charges a fixed fee. At Make My Will Today, a single Will starts at £150 and mirror Wills for couples at £240. The price is agreed before you start, with no hourly rates and no surprises.
The gap exists because a solicitor’s overheads are built into their prices, and because Will drafting is often a small sideline for a general practice rather than the thing they do all day.
Expertise: who actually writes more Wills?
Here is the part most comparison articles get wrong. They assume a solicitor always brings deeper expertise. It depends entirely on the individual.
In many high street firms, Wills are drafted by a junior fee earner as one task among conveyancing, disputes and everything else. A specialist will writer drafts Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney every working day.
At Make My Will Today, our advisers have many years of experience in Wills and estate planning, including leading private client departments within solicitors’ firms. The same work, done by the same calibre of specialist, without the hourly rate.
What about complex situations?
People are often told that anything beyond a simple Will needs a solicitor: tax planning, trusts, blended families, assets abroad, or concerns about capacity. In our experience that advice usually says more about who is giving it than about the law.
These situations need experience and care, not a particular job title. Inheritance tax planning, trust structures, provision for vulnerable beneficiaries, second marriages and foreign assets are all part of day to day private client work, and they are exactly the work our advisers have spent their careers doing. If your circumstances raise something we think needs a different specialist, such as a dispute that is already heading to court, we will tell you so plainly.
That is the honest standard to hold any adviser to: not “are you a solicitor?”, but “do you do this work all the time, will you tell me when something is outside your lane, and is your advice insured?”
Protection: what to check before you choose anyone
Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Will writing as an activity is not regulated in the same way, which means the credentials of the individual firm matter. Before choosing any will writer, check:
- Professional indemnity insurance. A reputable will writer carries it, just as a solicitor does. We do.
- Genuine specialisation. Ask how much of their work is Wills and estate planning. For us the answer is all of it.
- Plain answers. A good adviser will tell you when something is unnecessary rather than sell it to you. We would rather tell you that a trust is unnecessary than sell you one for the sake of it.
What the process looks like with a will writer
With Make My Will Today, making your Will takes one 45-minute consultation, by video call anywhere in England and Wales, or a home visit at no extra charge if you are in Yorkshire, the North West or North Wales. We cover your beneficiaries, executors, guardians and any specific wishes in plain English, then your Will is drafted and ready to sign within a week.
If you would rather meet face to face, our advisers offer home visits across the region. See our pages on will writing in Leeds, making a will in Manchester, will writers in Liverpool, or all the areas we cover.
The bottom line
| Will writer | Solicitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal validity of the Will | Identical | Identical |
| Typical cost (single Will) | From £150 fixed | £250–£650, often hourly |
| Day to day focus | Wills and LPAs, all day | Often one service among many |
| Complex estates and trusts | Yes, with the right experience | Yes, with the right experience |
| Insurance | Check for it (we carry it) | Required |
Both routes produce an equally valid Will. What matters is the experience and honesty of the person doing the work. Choose someone who writes Wills every day, carries insurance, and tells you the truth about what you do and do not need.
Ready to get started? Book a free consultation or read more about our Wills service.
