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Making and updating your Will

Published on 27 July 2026 11:40 AM

Making a Will is the only way to ensure your wishes are met after you die.  

Making your Will can feel daunting and for that reason you may not have gotten round to making yours yet. You might already have a Will and haven’t thought about it for some time. It’s important to review and update your Will at least every 5 years to make sure it still reflects your wishes – or sooner if there’s a major event in your life, such as the marriage of a child or the birth of a grandchild. 

Why should I make a Will? 

It can be really difficult to talk about what will happen when someone dies, but having an open discussion about Wills and inheritance can make things easier down the line. 

Here are some reasons why making a Will is important, both for you and for your loved ones:  

  • Your Will can reassure your loved ones thatthey’re respecting your wishes after your die.  
  • A properly written Will can help avoid disputes among your family and friends. Badly drafted or outdated Wills can lead to disagreements – and these disagreements might need to be resolved through a solicitor or court. Your Will should remove any doubt about who you want to benefit from your estate.  
  • Wills protect the assets that make up your estate for future generations. A well-structured Will can ensure that assets are kept within the family and passed on. 
  • You can also use yourWill to record your funeral preferences. It might not be an easy thing to think about – but making it clear how you’d like things done can really help your loved ones make decisions when the time comes 

What happens if I don’t make a Will?  

If you die without making a Will, you’re said to have died ‘intestate’. In this situation, your estate is divided up according to the statutory rules of intestacy – which might not reflect your wishes about who does and doesn’t benefit from your estate, and who deals with your possessions. Your assets are distributed after all debts, funeral and administration expenses, and taxes have been paid. 

More detail about intestacy rules and how they would apply to your circumstances can be found on GOV.UK 

How to make a Will 

There are a number of ways you can make a Will, you might already have an idea of which would suit you best, but it’s a good idea to look at all your options. However you proceed, it’s important to seek professional advice.  

  • Lawyers: When you’re writing a Will, it’s best to get advice from a lawyer who specialises in Wills and Probate. Lawyers charge either a fixed fee or an hourly rate for this work, depending on the complexity of your Will. An extra benefit of using a lawyer is that they can advise you on any Inheritance Tax issues that may arise.  
  • Free Wills Month: runs every March and October. A group of charities, including Age UK, offer people over 55 the opportunity to have a simple Will written or updated free of charge by a participating solicitor. Visit the Free Wills Month website to find out more.  
  • Will Aid: runs every November. Unlike Free Wills Month, there’s no age restriction, but you’ll be asked to make a donation to support the work of the charities that take part in the scheme, including Age UK. The Will Aid website has more information.  
  • Banks: Some banks offer Will-writing services. Contact your local branch to book an appointment with an adviser, who’ll explain things. It’s important to read the small print and be clear on costs, as some banks charge high fees for these services.  
  • Make your own Will: There are do-it-yourself will kits and forms available to buy from stationery shops or online. However, it’s easy to make mistakes, miss out important details, or not be absolutely clear when filling them in. While it can seem like the easiest option now, it can cause costly legal problems for your beneficiaries and executors after your death.  

A Will is a legal document and needs to be written and signed correctly – so it’s best to get professional advice. 

Changing a will 

If you don’t keep your Will up to date, it might lead to complications when your estate is dealt with. For example, your Will might refer to a house you no longer own or mention older grandchildren but not younger ones. You can change your Will at any time, as long as you have mental capacity to do so. In fact, it’s a good idea to review your Will every 5 years in case your circumstances are different. 

Supporting your favourite causes 

When making a Will, it’s natural to want to make sure that your loved ones are cared for. But you can also leave something to the causes that mean the most to you. There are different types of gifts you can leave in your Will:  

  • residuary – a proportion of your estate given when all other costs and gifts have been paid 
  • pecuniary – a fixed sum of money
  • specific – a named item, such as a house, item of jewellery or piece of furniture. 

If you plan to leave a gift to a charity in your Will, make sure you include its full name, address and registered charity number. 

A gift in your Will could provide a lifeline for someone who’s struggling. At Age UK Cambridgeshire and Peterborough we rely on gifts left to us in Wills to ensure we can continue to be here to offer services for older people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. To find out more how to leave a gift for our charity in your Will please visit our website.