Free Wills Month Exeter October 2026: How to find a participating solicitor - My Local Will Writer

Free Wills Month Exeter is back this October, with the city named on Mind’s list of participating areas alongside Plymouth and Torquay. Once the campaign opens, you’ll be able to check availability using the official Free Wills Month website and your own postcode. This guide explains how the scheme works locally, how to find a participating solicitor, and what to do if you can’t get an appointment or the scheme doesn’t suit you.

Is Exeter included in October 2026?

Free Wills Month Exeter October 2026 means solicitors in and around the city can offer appointments during the campaign, though it doesn’t guarantee a particular firm has space, and it isn’t a blanket offer covering every address in Devon. The scheme is generally open to people aged 55 and over, with an exception for mirror wills, where one partner can be under 55 if the other qualifies. For the full national rules, see our main Free Wills Month guide.

How to find a participating solicitor in Exeter

1. Open the official campaign website. Use this as your starting point rather than a general solicitor directory, since not every local solicitor takes part each year.
2. Enter your own postcode once the search goes live. Whether that’s a central address near the Cathedral and High Street or further out towards Heavitree or Topsham, it will show which participating solicitors are near you this October.
3. Contact a listed firm and mention Free Wills Month. Before you book, ask:
   • Whether they still have appointments available
   • Whether the meeting will be in person, remote or a home visit
   • What documents you’ll need to bring
   • Whether any extra work outside a simple will would carry a fee
4. Keep a note of the response. Record who you spoke to and what was agreed, and ask for confirmation before making travel arrangements.

If no current list of participating solicitors is available for Exeter when you’re reading this, use the official search rather than relying on a firm’s past participation, since involvement can change year to year.

Eligibility, simple wills and extra work

Free Wills Month is designed to cover simple, single wills. If your situation is more complex, perhaps you own property with others, have overseas assets or want to set up a trust, the solicitor may need to do extra work that falls outside the free scheme. This doesn’t rule out your local Exeter solicitor helping, but they should tell you upfront if anything beyond a straightforward will would be chargeable, and what that would cost, before you agree to proceed. Avoid ruling yourself out just because you own a home; let the solicitor assess the details rather than using property ownership as a shortcut.

Taking part in Free Wills Month doesn’t commit you to leaving a gift to charity. Many solicitors will mention the option, but it’s entirely your choice.

Booking questions to ask before you commit

Most Free Wills Month appointments happen in person, but some firms offer remote meetings or home visits, which is worth asking about if travelling into the city centre isn’t convenient for you. You should also ask when your actual appointment is likely to take place. Contact with a firm needs to happen during the campaign in October, but the meeting itself, and completion of your will, can sometimes follow afterwards. Being clear on this distinction avoids assuming you’re covered the moment you’ve made contact.

If the campaign does not fit your needs

If free will writing Exeter through this campaign doesn’t fit your needs, whether you’re under 55 without a qualifying partner or you simply can’t get an appointment, you have other options. Macmillan’s Free Wills Service runs year-round for people over 18, so it’s worth checking their current providers and terms. Will Aid runs in November and asks for a voluntary donation rather than being fully free, with suggested amounts around £120 for a single will and £200 for mirror wills. Alternatively, our guide for under-55s explains other routes, and our appointments-full guide covers what to do if local slots run out. A paid will-writing service is also worth considering if you’d rather not wait for the next free scheme.

Arranging your will through My Local Will Writer

If you decide a paid route makes more sense for you, whether that’s timing, convenience or wanting more flexibility than a single free appointment allows, My Local Will Writer offers a phone-based will-writing service covering England and Wales. We’re not part of Free Wills Month and don’t offer free wills ourselves, but we can help you get a solicitor-checked will in place without waiting for a campaign slot. If you’d like more detail on our local service, see our Exeter service page.

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Exeter Free Wills Month questions

Is Exeter taking part this October?
Yes, Exeter is on Mind’s list of areas included in this October’s Free Wills Month campaign, alongside Plymouth and Torquay. Check the official site nearer the time to confirm current participation, since participating areas and firms can change before the campaign opens.

How do I find participating solicitors in Exeter?
Use the official Free Wills Month website and search by your own postcode once the campaign opens on 1 October. This shows current participants rather than firms who’ve taken part in past years, so it’s worth checking again even if you’ve used the scheme before.

Can I ask for a remote meeting?
Some firms offer this, though most appointments are in person. Ask when you make contact, as it varies by solicitor, and confirm what a remote appointment would involve before you commit.

What if I can’t get an appointment?
Ask other firms returned by the official search, since availability varies by firm even within the same area. If nothing’s available locally, try Will Aid in November, look at Macmillan’s year-round service, or check our guide on what to do when local appointments are full.