Making a will at home: Coronavirus FAQs

How can I make a will at home?

Sorting your will from the comfort of your own home has never been easier. Using Octopus Legacy’s online will service means that you can write your will easily and in your own time. Our system is approved by solicitors and all wills are all checked by our experts.

It costs only £90 for a single will or £135 for a couple to each sort their will. In addition, our subscription service for £10 a year means that you get unlimited future updates, saving on any new wills you might’ve had to create if your circumstances changed.

The online option is completely valid and legal. With so many of us at home right now it’s becoming the go-to option for will writing. If you feel that you need help you can always call our wills team during the process or get in touch via our online chat.

How do I get people to witness a will when I’m self-isolating?

For a will to be legally valid, it must be signed in front of two witnesses. Without doing this your will is essentially just a piece of paper with your wishes on, and if you passed away you’d die intestate. It must be signed in front of two witnesses over the age of 18 who aren’t beneficiaries or married to beneficiaries.

Unfortunately, at the moment, the process can’t be done digitally and must be done in person. Given the current state of self-isolation this can be problematic. For those of us who need to get a will witnessed during isolation, it’s key to try not put it off.

Following government guidelines on self-isolation and distancing it’s possible to get a will witnessed through a closed window. As long as your witnesses can see you sign your will and then, making sure everyone adequately washes their hands, you can pass your will to them and watch them add their signatures. The key is to be sensible and take into consideration reducing the amount of contact between you and your witnesses.

Choosing witnesses right now

Finding people to witness your will may be harder right now, and you might want to take some of the following into account.

Think about how far the witness has to travel and whether it’s safe for them to do so. It could be better to pick someone in your household if possible, or at least someone nearby.

If you’re struggling to think of who you could ask to be your witness you could try:

• Local friends
• Neighbours

How can I find a will solicitor during coronavirus?

If you might need a complex will or want to speak to a will writer, face to face options are not really an option anymore. It’s also possible to try and create one over the phone.

This is something we can do if you feel the online will is not for you. Just give our wills team a call at 020 4525 3605 - they can help you get it sorted wherever you are based.

Looking for a simple will? Get it done online from the comfort of your own home. We’re on-hand to help if you need it.

Free will for the NHS

If you’re working tirelessly on the frontline helping in any way in the fight against COVID-19 then you are entitled to a free will. Simply register with your NHS email address and use the code THANK-YOU-NHS at checkout.

Know someone who might be able to use this offer? Please let them know for us.