Will writing service in Leeds
Protect your family with a will that reflects your wishes
Writing a will is one of those things that is easy to put off. It rarely feels urgent until it is. But a will is simply the clearest way to say what should happen to your home, your money, and your belongings, and who should look after your children, if the worst happened. Without one, the law decides for you, and it may not decide the way you would want.
Here we’ll explain what a will does, what happens if you do not have one, the main types of will, and how much it can cost to have. If you are in Leeds or anywhere across Yorkshire and would rather get it sorted with a bit of help, our team can point you in the right direction.
Why making a will matters
A will is a legal document that sets out what happens to everything you own after you die, known as your estate. It lets you decide who inherits what, appoint the people you trust to carry out your wishes, and, if you have children, name who should care for them. You can make a will yourself, but it is usually sensible to get help to make sure it is valid and does what you intend (GOV.UK).
A clear, valid will does three big things: it makes your wishes legally binding, it makes life far simpler for the people you leave behind, and it can help avoid disputes at an already difficult time.
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What happens if you die without a will?
If you die without a valid will, you are said to die intestate, and your estate is shared out according to the rules of intestacy rather than your wishes (GOV.UK). Those rules follow a strict order, and they can produce results that may surprise people. Here is the shape of it in England and Wales.
| Your situation | Who inherits under intestacy |
|---|---|
| Married or in a civil partnership, with children | Your spouse or civil partner gets all of the estate if worth up to £322,000. Anything over this, and the estate will be divided: up to £322,000 in assets, and half of the rest of the estate; your children will share the rest. |
| Married or in a civil partnership, no children | Your spouse or civil partner inherits all of the estate. |
| Unmarried partner (living together) | Your partner inherits nothing automatically, however long you have been together. They would have to make a legal claim. |
| Children, no surviving spouse | Your children inherit everything, shared equally. |
| Stepchildren | They inherit nothing under intestacy unless you had legally adopted them. |
Source: rules of intestacy, GOV.UK. Figures apply to England and Wales and can change, so they should be checked at the time.
For unmarried couples in particular, this is the part that catches people out. If you live together but are not married or in a civil partnership, a will is the only reliable way to make sure your partner is provided for.
What a will lets you decide.
A well-made will puts you in control of the things that matter most:
- •Who inherits your money, property, and possessions, and in what shares.
- •Who acts as your executor, the person responsible for carrying out your wishes and sorting out your estate (GOV.UK).
- •Who looks after your children if they are under 18.
- •Any specific gifts, donations or funeral wishes you want recorded.
Types of will, and what they cost.
For most people, a will is straightforward. A single will covers one person. Mirror wills are a pair of near-identical wills, usually made by a couple who want to leave things to each other and then to the same people, which is why they are popular with married couples and partners. More complex estates, for example those involving business assets or trusts, may need more tailored advice.
If you are a Feel Good Financial customer, we provide your basic will free of charge as part of our service. One of our advisers works through it with you, and it is then legally validated through our partner, The Will Place. For more complex wills, such as those involving trusts or business assets, a cost may apply, and we will always explain it clearly before you go ahead.
It is worth knowing that will writing is not a regulated activity in the way mortgages and insurance are, so it pays to use someone reputable and to be clear on what is included (MoneyHelper).
A will and your wider protection
A will works best as part of a bigger picture. Life insurance can make sure there is money for your family, a will decides where everything goes, and a lasting power of attorney lets someone you trust make decisions for you if you ever could not. Many people sort these together, so nothing is left to chance. If your employer offers the Feel Good Hub, will writing may be available to you as a workplace benefit alongside other financial services.
How Feel Good Financial can help.
Feel Good Financial has been helping people across Leeds and Yorkshire look after their families and their futures since 2012. Protecting the home and the people in it is at the heart of what we do, and a will is a natural part of that conversation. We can help you get your will sorted and make sure it sits sensibly alongside your mortgage and your protection, so the whole picture holds together.
As part of our service, we provide free basic wills for our customers, prepared with one of our advisers and legally validated through our partner, The Will Place. For more complex wishes that need specialist legal input, a cost may apply, and we will always be clear about it first.
When you speak to us, we start with your situation and explain your options in plain English, with no jargon and no pressure. If your wishes are more complex and need specialist legal input, we will tell you honestly and help you understand what to do next.
Thinking about making or updating your will?
Book a no-obligation chat with our Leeds team. We will explain your options clearly, help you get it sorted, and make sure it fits with the rest of your protection.
Will writing in Leeds FAQs
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If you own a home, have savings, have children, or want to make sure a particular person inherits, then yes, a will is the only way to be certain your wishes are followed. Without one, the rules of intestacy decide, and they may not reflect what you would have wanted, especially for unmarried partners and stepchildren.
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If you are a Feel Good Financial customer, your basic will is free as part of our service. One of our advisers prepares it with you and it is legally validated through our partner, The Will Place. A cost only comes in for more complex wills, such as those involving trusts or business assets, and we will always explain any cost before you commit to anything.
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A mirror will is one of a matching pair, usually made by a couple, where each leaves their estate to the other and then to the same people, such as their children. They are a popular, straightforward option for partners who want the same wishes.
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An executor is the person you name to carry out your will: gathering your estate, paying any debts, and making sure everything goes to the people you have chosen. It is worth picking someone you trust and asking them first.
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An online will can be fine for very simple situations, but it is easier to make mistakes that only come to light when it is too late to fix them. If your circumstances are anything other than simple, getting help is a sensible safeguard.
Important Information:
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Think carefully before securing other debts against your home. Changes in interest rates may affect your monthly repayments. Ensure you understand the terms and risks before proceeding, There may be a fee for mortgage advice. The actual amount you pay will depend on your circumstances. The fee is up to 1% but a typical fee is £695 for a purchase application and £300 for a remortgage.