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The term post office DIY will kit is a bit misleading. Lots of people think it refers to a specific will writing pack or will writing service at UK Post Offices. However, a ‘Post Office will’ is actually an informal term for will templates. They can be used to help write your own will so that you’re not starting from scratch.
In the UK you’ll find will kits at your local post office as well as stationary shops and online. A will kit, or a post office will kit, as they’re often called, provides a template to help you write your will from scratch. Wills in the UK follow set rules, in order to remove any confusion or ambiguity about the plan you lay out in your will. Will kits help you to keep to those established formats, although they're not always 100% effective.
Post Office DIY will kits tend to be free or very cheap to purchase, but they are less reliable and more one-size-fits-all. This makes them harder to personalise and more open to challenges or confusion later down the line.
Want to avoid the risk of your will being invalid? Check out our online will writing service. It gives you the structure and expert support you need to avoid any errors, without the bank-breaking bill of a solicitor.
In the UK home will kits are legally binding when they are:
In theory, you could write your will on a napkin and it would be legally binding if signed with two witnesses. However, in practice, a DIY wills aren’t suitable for everyone. Using unconventional wording or your own layout can cause issues and, in serious cases it can mean that your will isn’t valid.
Post Office wills or DIY will kits are only recommended for the simplest of cases. They’re not recommended if any of the following apply to you:
There are pros and cons of DIY Post Office Will Kits:
The pros to post office DIY will kits are:
The cons to DIY will kits mean they’re not for everyone.
WHEN SHOULD I USE THIS? If you like that post office wills are affordable and easy to do, but are worried that writing it yourself could leave you with more problems in the future.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? As little as 15 minutes
EXPERT SUPPORT: Yes. The process is built by legal experts to avoid any issues later down the line. You get live on-hand legal support when you're writing your will in case you have any questions. Finally, once you’re done our team of will experts will review your will to check everything is ship-shape.
COST: Only £90.
CAN I CHANGE MY WILL ONCE IT’S DONE? Yes. You can edit your will online anytime. This is free for the first year and only £10 per year after that.
IS IT LEGALLY BINDING:* Yes. When signed by you with 2 adult witnesses.
PROS:
- On-hand expert legal support - The assurance your will is ship-shape and that your wishes will be followed - Personalised to you and your wishes - An easy step-by-step process that only takes 15 minutes - Sort-from-the-sofa-friendly - Much cheaper than a solicitor. Octopus Legacy’s [online will](https://octopuslegacy.com/online-will) is only £90. 50% cheaper than going to a solicitor - Make updates any timeCONS:
- Doesn’t cover assets outside of England and Wales - Online will writing isn’t made for complex wills or estatesWHEN SHOULD I USE THIS? If you have a very large and/or complicated estate or if you have foreign assets outside of England and Wales.
COST: Tends to be between £130-1,000 depending on how complex your will is.
CAN I CHANGE MY WILL ONCE IT’S DONE? Yes but any amends tend to cost up to £100.
IS IT LEGALLY BINDING: Yes. When signed by you with 2 adult witnesses.
PROS:
- Expert legal support - The assurance your will is ship-shape and that your wishes will be followed - Personalised to you and your wishes - Especially good for complex willsCONS:
- Expensive. This usually costs between £130 and £1000 - This process can take longer, involving meetings and lots of back and forth - If you think you need a complex will you can call Octopus Legacy’s wills team on 020 4525 3605 for more guidance.SIMPLE WILL:
This is a will that states your wishes, explains how your estate can be divided, names an executor(s), and nominates guardians for your pets and children in the event of your death.
COMPLEX WILL:
Is generally for very large and/or complicated estate or for those with foreign assets. This type of will often includes setting up trusts which take steps to reduce inheritance tax and covers multiple generations. If you think you need a complex will you can call Octopus Legacy’s wills team on 020 4525 3605 for more guidance.
If post office wills or DIY will writing kits aren’t quite what you’re looking for, but going to a solicitor feels too expensive, you can get a happy medium by writing your will online in as little as 15 minutes, for only £90. You get on-hand expert legal support, at over half the cost. Win win.
Creating your will with our online will writing service allows you to easily protect your loved ones. Our online service is for creating a simple will: this is a will that states your wishes, explains how your estate can be divided, names an executor(s), and nominates guardians for your pets and children in the event of your death.
A complex will is generally for very large and/or complicated estate or for those with foreign assets. This type of will often includes setting up trusts which take steps to reduce inheritance tax and covers multiple generations. If you think you need a complex will, you can call our wills team on 020 4525 3605 for guidance.
Here we lay out the steps you will have to go through.
To make your will online, we need to know about your family and your wishes. This process is straightforward and takes about 15 minutes.
We are here for you every step of the way. If you have any questions then you can call our expert team or chat with us online.
No phone calls or endless form-filling. Just submit your information online. Our team of experts will check it over and make sure everything is as it should be.
We will send you your will within 7 days so you can print it and then you can just use our easy-to-follow instructions to make it legally binding.
Life changes and wills should too. The government recommends we update our will every 5 years, or when we have any big life changes. Online will writing makes that easy. You can update your information at any time. This is free for the first year, and only £10 a year after that.
On-hand support. We are here to answer all your questions. Just call or message our team for live support. Our chat is the best way to reach us if you have any queries.
A legally binding will. Our online will kit was created by trained solicitors to ensure that our will has met the highest standard in the UK. We’ve spent a lot of time removing confusing and unnecessary jargon, and developed an easy-to-use step-by-step process to help you write your will right. Our tool gives you all of the ease of a DIY will kit, but with the personalisation and support of a solicitor. It is legally binding once signed and witnessed.
Every will is checked. Not only do we provide on-hand support when you’re writing your will, but our in-house will experts will read over it once it’s done. They check that everything is correct. We will return your will within 7 days. If we have any questions, we will contact you via email.
Start your will online today.
