How much does a solicitor charge to write a will?

Solicitor will fees: published flat fees compared

We read the published wills price lists of seven firms of solicitors in England and Wales on 29 October 2026. All prices below include VAT at 20%. Where a firm quotes "+ VAT", we added it.

"Middle" is the median: half the firms charged less and half more. "With a trust" uses each firm's entry-level trust will, usually a life interest trust. Discretionary trusts and wills with several trusts cost more.

Seven firms is a small sample, not a survey of the market, and prices vary by firm and area. Use these as a guide to what is normal, then get two or three written quotes, as Citizens Advice suggests.¹¹

Estimate your will fee

Pick what you need. The estimate uses the lowest, middle and highest published prices above, plus the extras you tick.

What a flat fee for a will normally covers

The price lists we read describe much the same core service for a standard will:¹⁵

• a meeting (in person or by video) to take your instructions and advise on your situation;
• a draft will for you to check, and changes after your review;
• appointing executors and guardians for children under 18;
• gifts to people or charities, who gets the rest, and who inherits if a beneficiary dies before you;
• making sure the will is signed and witnessed properly, often with the firm providing the two witnesses;
• storing the original, at many firms (Stewart & Bennett and Levi include it).

GOV.UK sets the legal rules: you must be 18 or over, sign in the presence of 2 witnesses who are both over 18, and your witnesses (or their married partners) cannot inherit under the will.¹³

What usually costs extra

These are listed separately on at least one published price list (inc VAT).

Firms also say the fixed fee can go up for delays, several redrafts, foreign assets, business interests, disinheriting someone, or where a capacity assessment is needed.⁵⁷ Ask what would take you over the quoted price.

Questions to ask before you instruct a firm

• Is the price fixed, and does it include VAT?
• What exactly is included: meetings, the draft, changes, signing, storage?
• Is there a separate charge for ID checks, registering the will or storage?
• If I need a trust or a letter of wishes, what does that add?
• Who will write the will, and is the firm regulated? Citizens Advice notes most will writers are not.¹¹

Free and cheaper ways to make a will

GOV.UK says to get advice if your will is not straightforward: if you share a property with someone you are not married to or in a civil partnership with, want to provide for a dependant who cannot care for themselves, have family who may make a claim (such as a second spouse or children from another marriage), live outside the UK, own property overseas or have a business.¹²

What to have ready before your appointment

Having this ready keeps the meeting short and the quote accurate. Print it or tick it off on screen.

After the will is signed

Tell your executor, a close friend or relative where the will is kept.¹² GOV.UK suggests reviewing your will every 5 years and after a big change: separation or divorce, marriage (which cancels an earlier will), a new child, moving house, or if an executor dies. You cannot change a signed will by writing on it: you need a codicil, signed and witnessed in the same way, or a new will.¹⁴

Making a Lasting Power of Attorney at the same time

A will deals with your estate after you die. A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) lets people you trust make decisions for you while you are alive, if you cannot. Several of the firms above sell the two together. You can also make an LPA yourself on GOV.UK: the forms are free and registration costs £92 per LPA, paid to the Office of the Public Guardian. See making an LPA without a solicitor and LPA cost and fee help.

Frequently asked questions

Is a solicitor's flat fee for a will really fixed?

Usually for the work the firm lists, and no more. The price lists we read say the fee can rise if the will turns out to be more complex, needs several redrafts, or needs extra work such as a trust, a letter of wishes or tax advice. Ask for the quote in writing and ask what would make it go up.

Do I need a solicitor to make a will?

No. GOV.UK says you can write your will yourself, but should get advice if it is not straightforward: for example if you share a property with someone you are not married to, have a dependant who cannot care for themselves, have children from another relationship, live abroad, own property overseas or have a business.

Can I get a will written for free?

Sometimes. Free Wills Month runs in March and October for people aged 55 and over, and covers simple wills. In November, solicitors taking part in Will Aid waive their fee for a suggested donation of £120 for a single basic will or £200 for a pair of mirror wills. Citizens Advice notes that some trade unions offer free wills to members.

Are solicitors' will prices quoted with VAT?

Some are and some are not. Six of the seven lists we read show prices before VAT, so a £350 + VAT will costs £420. Every price on this page includes VAT at 20% so you can compare like with like.

Is a will writer cheaper than a solicitor?

Usually. In the Which? survey people who used a will-writing firm paid £234 on average, against £328 for a lawyer. Citizens Advice warns that most will writers are not regulated, so if something goes wrong you cannot make a legal complaint or claim compensation in the same way.