Fairer Finance Launches Online Will-Writing Ratings Amid Rising Concerns Over DIY Wills
By Lauren Hinton · 10 June 2025
Fairer Finance, the independent consumer group and ratings provider, has launched a new set of product ratings for online will-writing services amid growing concerns that the rise in DIY wills could lead to future disputes or even render wills invalid.
With only 53% of UK adults having made a will¹ and 3.7 million wills written each year², the rise of online and DIY services has transformed how people plan for the future. Almost one in four (23%) consumers now opt for digital, DIY, or non-professional methods to create their wills³. While these platforms offer speed and affordability - some costing under £20 and completed in less than 15 minutes - they also come with significant risks.
The rise in DIY wills has corresponded with a 37% increase in attempts to block probate processes between 2019 and 2021. Approximately 10,000 individuals contest wills annually in England and Wales4.
Key risks identified by Fairer Finance:
- Lack of regulation: Unlike solicitors, many online will-writing services are unregulated, potentially leading to improperly drafted wills that may not reflect the testator's intentions.
- Incorrect execution: A will is not valid unless it is signed and witnessed properly. Many users fail to follow the strict legal witnessing rules, especially during Covid when remote witnessing increased, leading to invalid wills.
- Storage and security risks: Some providers don’t offer secure or accessible long-term storage. Wills stored at home risk being lost or not found after death.
- Ambiguous wording: Poorly drafted clauses can lead to confusion or misinterpretation. Ambiguities may require court interpretation, delaying probate and increasing costs.
- Complex family structures: Modern family dynamics, including blended families, second marriages, and cohabitation, have contributed to the complexity of estate planning, often leading to disputes when wills are not clearly defined.
- In nearly every case where legal advice is not provided, it is not made clear during the customer journey; this is the case; only Irwin Mitchell clearly discloses this on their main page.
- Only three providers (Bequeathed, Co-op Legal Services, and Hugh James) offer regulated legal advice as part of their service.
- Six providers do not clearly communicate when a will might be unsuitable for customers with complex needs, failing to warn users or stop the journey when complexity is detected.
- Only eight providers provide a clear warning about testamentary capacity. If it’s not possible to prove that a customer was of sound mind when they made their will, it could invalidate it.
- Seven providers limit their liability to the price paid for the will, and another two cap their liability at £1,000.
- Five out of 11 providers offering professional executor services fail to disclose the fees for it at the point of selection.
- Two providers charge customers to retrieve their will, with one fee as high as £49.98.
Companies in this story: Fairer Finance
People in this story: James Daley