You can store your Will with a Will storage company, a solicitor, a Will Writer, and the HM Courts & Tribunal Services (HMCTS). Or store it in a safety deposit box that helps you store a Will including other valuables in a safe, sterile, and secure environment.
Storing your Will where others can find them
Death is inevitable. Writing a Will has long remained a way to protect those who come so dear to our hearts. By making sure they get a fair share of what we have left behind.
A Will is the nuts and bolts that mean your wishes are fulfilled.
After writing one, you could keep it with a solicitor, store it yourself, and/or with the probate service where it can be easily found. But a lot could happen between when you write it and when you die, and this makes Will storage as important as making a Will.
For example, there are tales of people having multiple Wills that have left their beneficiaries with contestable assets. And in the UK, as with many other countries, there’s no compulsory central storage.
Why is securely storing a Will important?
An altered Will can raise questions and make it contestable or even void.
So wherever you choose to keep your Will, special attention should be paid to things that can alter the original condition of the document.
Special notes should be taken of extreme temperate conditions, such as being too hot, cold, or damp.
No important documents should be kept in an environment that could degrade the quality of the content.
Where do people store their Will?
Most people store their Will with the writer.
Others keep it in a bank safe, although this method is gradually going out of fashion as more banks close their secure deposit services.
The rest share between their homes, the probate service, or the National Will Register.
Storing your Will with a solicitor
A solicitor would generally be the first choice because they’re almost always present in our lives.
From when you buy your first home, and start a family, to when you start and run a business. They’ll also be there while planning for the future and possibly even if you get into trouble
When a solicitor writes a Will, they would normally offer free storage as well as a free update service.
You may however be charged a yearly storage fee of around £35 if you have written the Will yourself or outsourced it from a Will writer.
Pros
- Solicitors are regulated, so if your Will is damaged or lost, you can resort to the court.
Cons
- The free storage is an investment by the solicitor in the hope of doing your probate work.
Either way, for a seamless probate process, it’s good to check with your solicitor how and where they’re storing your Will. This can help manage expectations and simplify things for those you’ve left behind.
Storing your Will with a Will Writer
Some Will writers have a designated Safe where they store their client’s Will.
Others outsource their Will storage to fellow Writers who have such facilities.
The challenge is that Will Writers who outsource Will storage do not have a confident amount of control over the security and protection of their Client’s Wills. And may require an appointment before you can see your Will or add a codicil to it.
Will Writers who own Will Storage Safe, are not also immune to this challenge. ]
As a by-service, many do not have basic physical security like CCTV surveillance and security guards, like we do at Stonewall Vaults Will Storage.
In the case of fire, cold, or flood, reconciling with clients becomes even more difficult. Without a clear inventoried system also, testators may find it hard to develop a personal communication connection with their Will storage location.
Pros
- Most will offer you a free service update.
- They do not get involved in the probate service when you die thus no need to worry about huge probate payout.
Cons
- Will writing is not a well-regulated industry. Therefore you may be less protected. If in doubt, ask about their storage process and what happens if the Will is damaged or they go out of business. If in doubt, keep a copy
- Will writers will charge you from £20 to £40 to store your Will.
Both Will Writers and Solicitor practices are the most popular Will storage locations as they both come naturally as well as have some added advantages.
Storing your Will with the HMCTS Probate Service (United Kingdom)
You can use the probate service Will storage. The probate service Will storage is not very popular, and according to an estate planner, and Will Writer, Kamlesh Samji, people find the service very convoluted.
Some, online sources, state that only the testator (the one who makes the Will) can withdraw the Will from the probate service.
A recent update of the service allows the testator, with the original lodgement certificate and a safe custody reference number, to withdraw or access the Will while the executor will need a ‘letter of authority’.
Pros
- There is a one-off fee of £20.
- If the deceased dies in England or Wales, you would not need to provide the death certificate to access the Will, which you need if stored with a solicitor.
Cons
- You pay a fee for every lodgement and update.
- Like other public services, you would need to be patient. It takes 2 weeks to get your Will registered and the lodgement certificate sent to you, and 4 weeks to withdraw the Will.
Storing your Will in a safety deposit box
Most people store their Wills themselves in a Home Safe or lockbox.
The downside is that it may be vulnerable to infestation, loss, or even unauthorised access.
If you keep your Will yourself, consider renting a safety deposit box that allows you flexible access.
You can retitle your box in your trust, have joint access, or simply inform your beneficiaries.
When you have passed, they only need your death certificate to access your box, and/or any known joint owner automatically has access.
Pros
- You can store more than just a Will. Other estate documents can be securely stored without extra fees.
- Flexible access – update your Will as much as you want including other stored valuables. Once rented forever yours.
- In most cases, you get some complimentary insurance cover for your box contents.
Cons
- It will likely cost you more especially if you don’t have other valuable documents or items. See what you can store in a safety deposit box.
- If you’ve not retitled your box in your trust before you die and didn’t add other users to your box account, the centre would only allow access when your executor or beneficiaries provide your death certificate.
The golden rule with Will storage is to inform your executor and/or beneficiary where they can find your Will. Since there’s no central storage in the UK, you’re allowed to use any of the services.
Independent safety deposit box providers offer standardised, secure, and sterile storage.
Find out which safety deposit centre is close to you, and call Stonewall Vault’s customer experience experts to discuss your secure storage needs.
Store your Will at Stonewall Vaults Will Storage
We offer a Will storage service at Stonewall Vaults
Our Will storage Safe is located within a few metres from our Strong room and benefits from 24/7 stationed and CCTV surveilled security. With 8 hours of weekday access to your Will without an appointment.
Visit our Will storage page to protect your Will like many wealth managers and personnel like you do
Frequently Asked Questions about Will Storage
Do you have to register a Will in the UK?
No! There is no compulsory/central storage. However, the National Will Register is a brilliant service in that you can keep your Will somewhere like in a safety deposit box, for example, and register it there – making it easy for someone to access it in the future.
Where is the best place to keep your Will?
A safe place where your beneficiaries can access it without enduring legal wrangling. Such places offer a monthly fee to keep your Will. See how much it costs to store a Will in the UK.
Who should keep the original Will UK?
Any authorised party. From a solicitor and Will Writer to the testator and beneficiary, any one of these can be a registered keeper of a Will.