UK Wills & Probate Consumer Research Report 2025

Published in March 2025 (PDF format, 40 pages), The UK Wills & Probate Consumer Research Report 2025 analyses the findings from a consumer survey of 680 adults with a will and 270 adults involved in probate. It also asks a sample of adults without a will why they haven’t written one. This report follows similar reports in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024 and, where relevant, results from the latest survey are compared with the previous 3 or 4 years.

REPORT CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . 4

Overview.. 4

For the first time will ownership passes four-out-of-ten adults. 4

Law firms/solicitors are main source for wills advice but use is falling. 5

Largest percentage go back to a law firm they are familiar with. 5

Fixed fees paid by over eight-out-of-ten clients. 6

Use of, and interest in, related services is growing. 6

Just two will writing brands are known by 50% or more of those with a will 7

Slowdown in charitable donations but more interest in digital assets. 8

Most adults find probate simple but growing number experiencing delays. 8

Use of the MoJ probate portal continues to increase. 8

Fixed fees increasing their share. 8

No consensus on digital writing and witnessing of wills. 9

Some consumer confusion over will writing regulation. 9

Introduction . 9

Report coverage. 9

Methodology. 10

Background to the wills market . 11

Just over four out of ten adults have made a will 11

Those not making a will – most have just not got round to it. 14

Legal Advisers Used . 16

New will writing services have emerged and share of law firms is slipping. 16

Most shop around before making a choice. 19

Consumers turn to law firms/solicitors used before and recommendations. 20

The Will Writing Process . 22

Fixed fees models are ubiqitious, median fee £130. 22

Limited use of some related services. 26

Will Writing – Consumer Choices . 28

Increasing interest in services in related areas. 28

Increasing interest in charitable donations in wills, dealing with digital legacies. 30

W ill writing brands . 31

Cooperative Legal – the only brand recognised by a majority of consumers. 31

W ill witnessing and Regulation . 34

Mixed views on online wills witnessing and confusion over regulation. 34

Dealing with Estate Administration . 36

Probate is simple for a clear majority but delays suffered by one in four. 36

Increasing use of the MOJ’s online probate portal, with over half now using. 38

Fixed fees now account for a clear majority of all probate advice fees. 38