- 56% of UK adults have not written a will, which equates to 29.6 million people
- 36% of the over 55s have no will, who are encouraged to take advantage of ‘free wills month’
- 8% of adults have written a will since the first pandemic lockdown in March 2020
New research1 from Canada Life reveals over half of UK adults, 29.6 million people (56%) do not have a will, including 36% of the over 55s. The over 55s can take advantage of ‘free wills month’ in March if their affairs are not complicated, by contacting a participating solicitor who will draw up a simple will or update an existing will at no cost.
The research also shows around one in ten people (8%) have written a will for the first time since the initial pandemic lockdown in March 2020, and a further 14% have changed or update their existing will in the last two years.
Andrew Tully, technical director, Canada Life commented:
“A valid will is an incredibly important part of your life plan and will ensure should the worst happen, your assets, whether they be financial or possessions, will be distributed in an orderly fashion to the right beneficiaries. A will is a very powerful document which will hopefully avoid legal wrangles and confusion over who will benefit from your estate. You can also leave a gift to charities of your choosing.
“If your affairs are not complicated, wills can be drawn up for relatively little cost, or if you are over the age of 55, you might be able to take advantage of free wills month to get your affairs in order.”
You can find out more details about ‘free wills month’ including which solicitors are participating in your area here - https://freewillsmonth.org.uk/
- Source and methodology: a sample of 2,000 UK adults aged 18+, with fieldwork by Opinium between the 4th and 8th March 2022. Results were weighted to nationally representative criteria.