According to the National Wills Report 2024, 23% of those with a will opted for DIY kits, online services, or other non-professional methods. Concerns remain over the quality of wills produced, including a common failure to account for complex family or financial situations and many DIY wills never been properly executed, rendering them invalid.

Recent data from the Ministry of Justice revealed that estates where assets have been left behind without a will have risen by more than 50,000 in the last year. The number of “intestate estates” rose 17% to 51,140 in the last year, a five-year high.

The Probate Registry has also recorded the highest ever number of applications in the last two consecutive quarters of available data with 2,879 applications in Q3 2024. The number of applications in the second half of 2024 (5,940) is 74% higher than in the corresponding period of 2019 (3,422).

“Fallouts amongst families over inheritance are hugely emotional and stressful, but they are becoming more common. Many people have become more dependent on inheritance, particularly those who have found it unaffordable to get onto the property ladder, for example, and whose parents or grandparents have amassed much greater wealth by comparison. It is also the case that increasingly complex and diverse family situations, as well as complications brought about by mental capacity issues have contributed to more frequent challenges.”