Free Wills Month 2026: How It Works and Who Qualifies - My Local Will Writer

Free Wills Month is a national will-writing campaign run by the Remember A Charity consortium. Twice a year – in March and October – participating solicitors write simple wills free of charge for people aged 55 and over. The solicitor is paid directly by the charity partnership, so there’s no cost to you.

It’s a genuinely useful initiative. But it comes with eligibility criteria, limited availability, and restrictions on what’s covered – and those limitations catch people out more often than you’d expect.

Here’s how Free Wills Month 2026 works, who qualifies, and what to do if it’s not right for you.

Who Can Take Part in Free Wills Month?

The eligibility rules for Free Wills Month are simple on paper, but they rule out a significant number of people.

First, there’s the free wills month age requirement: you must be 55 or over. If you’re making mirror wills with a partner, only one of you needs to meet the age threshold – which is worth knowing if one of you falls just under. But if you’re under 55 and single, or both under 55 as a couple, the campaign simply isn’t available to you regardless of your circumstances. That’s probably the biggest restriction, and it rules out a large portion of adults who could benefit from having a will in place.

If you’re under 55 and looking to get your will sorted, you don’t need to wait. You can start your will online here with My Local Will Writer and complete it in around 15–20 minutes, with no age restriction.

Second, you need to book with a participating solicitor. Not every solicitor takes part, and the number of firms involved varies significantly depending on where you live. You can search for Free Wills Month solicitors near you through the official campaign website by entering your postcode – but in some areas, particularly more rural ones, the options may be limited.

Third, your will must be classed as “simple.” The campaign is designed to cover straightforward wills only. If your estate involves anything beyond the basics – multiple properties, overseas assets, business interests, trusts – you may not be eligible for the free service. We’ll cover exactly what is and isn’t included further down.

How the Process Works

The process for Free Wills Month follows a fairly traditional route. During the campaign window – either March or October – you visit the official Free Wills Month website and search for participating solicitors in your postcode area. Once you’ve found a firm, you contact them directly to arrange an appointment. You then attend, usually in person, where the solicitor talks through your wishes and drafts the will. After that, you review and sign it to make it legally valid.

There’s no obligation to leave a gift to charity, although the campaign encourages it. That’s entirely your decision.

It’s a well-established process, but it involves several steps – finding a solicitor, making contact, booking a slot, attending an appointment, and potentially a follow-up visit. If you’d rather avoid the appointments and waiting, making a will online is a much simpler route. With My Local Will Writer, the whole process takes around 15–20 minutes from home, with solicitor checking included – no need to find a local firm or wait for a campaign window.

What Does Free Wills Month Include?

A standard Free Wills Month will typically covers:

• A simple single will, or mirror wills for couples
• Naming your executors
• Naming guardians for children, if applicable
• Distributing straightforward assets – your home, savings, and personal possessions

In short, it’s designed for people with uncomplicated estates and clear wishes about who should inherit what. For many people aged 55 and over with a relatively standard situation, that’s exactly what they need.

What’s Not Included

This is where the limitations tend to surface, and it’s worth understanding them before you book an appointment.

Free Wills Month generally does not cover:

• Complex estates involving multiple properties
• Overseas assets or property abroad
• Trust structures of any kind
• Inheritance tax planning
• Business ownership or partnership interests
• Agricultural land or farm succession
• Detailed arrangements for blended families
• Protective trusts for vulnerable beneficiaries

Does Free Wills Month cover trusts? In most cases, no – not as part of the free service. If trust arrangements or specialist tax planning are needed, the solicitor will usually offer to carry out the work separately at their standard rate.

A surprising number of people – roughly one in ten by some estimates – only discover that their will isn’t “simple” once they sit down with the solicitor. That can be frustrating, especially if you’ve waited weeks for the appointment. If it happens to you, you can move forward with an online will service that handles more detailed situations without waiting for the next campaign window.

The Availability Problem

Even if you meet all the eligibility criteria, getting an appointment can be a challenge. Free Wills Month only runs twice a year, and the number of participating solicitors in any given area is limited. Slots tend to fill up fast – particularly during the first week – and once they’re gone, they’re gone.

If you’re in an area with only a handful of participating firms, your window is even narrower. And if you miss it – whether because you didn’t book early enough, your local solicitors were full, or your will turned out to be too complex – you could be waiting six months until the next campaign.

That twice-a-year availability is probably the single most impractical aspect of Free Wills Month. The decision to make a will often comes at a specific moment – a life event, a health scare, a conversation with family – and being told to come back in six months can mean it doesn’t get done.

Rather than waiting for the next window, you can get your will done now. Start your will online here with My Local Will Writer – no booking slots, no campaign dates, no waiting list. Just a clear, guided process you can complete in around 15–20 minutes, with solicitor checking included.

The Alternative: My Local Will Writer

Free Wills Month serves a real purpose, and for people who meet the criteria it can be a good option. But for most people, making a will online is faster, more flexible, and available whenever you need it.

With My Local Will Writer, there’s no age restriction – whether you’re 25 or 85, you can make your will. There are no appointments to book, no limited slots to compete for, and no campaign windows to plan around. The whole process takes about 15–20 minutes from home, and every will is checked by a solicitor before it’s finalised.

You don’t need to search for participating firms, call around to find availability, or take time off for an appointment. You answer a series of guided questions, and your will is drafted, checked, and ready to sign.

It’s not a fallback for when Free Wills Month doesn’t work out. For most people, it’s simply the easier and more practical way to get their will done.

Getting Your Will Done Is What Matters

Whether you qualify for Free Wills Month or choose to do it online, the important thing is that you actually get your will in place. Too many people put it off because the timing isn’t right or they’re waiting for a free option that may not suit their situation.

If Free Wills Month works for you – use it. But if the age restriction, availability, or complexity limits mean it’s not the right fit, don’t let that become a reason to delay.

Start your will online here with My Local Will Writer. It takes about 15–20 minutes, it’s available all year round, and every will is solicitor-checked. Getting your will sorted shouldn’t depend on the calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Free Wills Month include?

It covers simple single or mirror wills written by participating solicitors during March and October for people aged 55 and over. Complex estate planning, trusts, and tax advice are not included in the free service.

What is the Free Wills Month age requirement?

You must be 55 or over to take part. If you’re making mirror wills as a couple, only one partner needs to meet the age requirement.

Does Free Wills Month cover trusts?

In most cases, no. Trust arrangements and more complex inheritance planning typically fall outside the scope of the free campaign and would require a paid service.

What if I’m under 55?

Free Wills Month isn’t available to anyone under 55. However, you can make a legally valid will online at any age through services like My Local Will Writer, without waiting for campaign dates.

What if my local solicitors are fully booked?

This is common, particularly later in the campaign. If you can’t get a slot, you can wait for the next campaign window in six months or complete your will online straight away with no appointment needed.