What does a trustee actually do? A UK guide to the role and duties
A UK guide to being a trustee - the legal duties under the Trustee Act 2000, personal liability, what trustees can and can't do, and the practical first 90 days.
Insights & guides
Plain-English guides to writing your will
Articles on choosing executors, leaving a legacy, inheritance tax, blended families and the practical nuts and bolts of probate.
When should you update your will?
A practical UK trigger list - the life events and changes that should prompt a will review, plus how to update cleanly.
How secure are digital will services?
Data security, document security and continuity for UK digital will services — what to look for, the realistic risks, and how online compares to traditional storage.
Which assets go through probate in the UK? A complete 2026 list
A UK guide to which assets need probate and which pass outside it - property, bank accounts, pensions, life insurance, joint tenancy, and the planning implications.
How much should a will cost in the UK? A 2026 price comparison
Online services, solicitors, charity will months, DIY kits and "free" bank wills compared - typical 2026 prices and what you actually get.
The Probate Registry: how to apply for a grant of probate in 2026
A UK guide to the Probate Registry - online vs paper application, the £273 fee, processing times, common rejection reasons, and DIY vs solicitor probate.
Can you update your will online?
Yes — most online will builders let you re-issue your will whenever life changes. Here is how online updates work, when an update is enough, and when you need a fresh will.
How long should UK executors keep estate records?
A UK guide to executor record-keeping - what records to keep, retention periods (12 years for most, 20 for IHT), the filing structure, and why it protects executors personally.
Can beneficiaries see a will before probate? UK rules
A UK guide to when beneficiaries can see a will - private before probate, public after, and the practical etiquette for executors and family in the in-between period.
Why DIY wills often fail
The recurring failure modes of UK DIY wills — bad witnessing, missing residual clauses, ambiguous gifts, no substitute beneficiaries — and how to avoid them.
Deed of variation: changing a will after death (UK 2026 guide)
A UK guide to deeds of variation - how beneficiaries can redirect inheritance after death, the 2-year deadline, the IHT and CGT read-back rules, and common uses.
10 common mistakes that can invalidate a UK will
From beneficiary witnesses to vague gifts and missed residual clauses, the avoidable errors that ruin a will - and how to spot them before signing.