Martin Lewis points warning to 1 group of Brits as 47 areas participate in ‘important scheme’ this month
Martin Lewis’s MSE team warned that ‘it’s crucial if you’ve got kids, own property, or aren’t married to a partner,’ with March known country-wide as Free Wills Month
His team has issued a warning(Image: ITV)
Martin Lewis’s MSE team has issued a fresh warning to more than half of UK adults who are currently living without a valid will. The alert comes as a “vital scheme” launches this month, offering residents in 47 towns and cities across the UK the chance to have a professionally drafted will completed for free.
According to research highlighted by the team, a staggering 55% of adults either do not have a will or have one that is out of date. “Dying without one means the law decides who gets what, not you,” Martin Lewis’s MSE team warned. “It’s crucial if you’ve got kids, own property, or aren’t married to a partner.”
The “Free Wills Month” initiative, which runs throughout March, allows people aged 55 and over to book appointments with participating solicitors to draft a “standard” will at no cost.
While the service is free, the charities that fund the scheme – including Age UK, the British Heart Foundation, and Mind – hope that participants will consider leaving a gift in their will, though there is no obligation to do so. Martin Lewis’s MSE team stressed the importance of the scheme for those with straightforward affairs, noting that solicitors usually charge around £200 for this service.
“Solicitor-drafted wills give the best protection,” the team explained. “They are regulated and insured, whereas doing it yourself can be risky if you get it wrong.”
The warning is particularly aimed at those in “blended families,” unmarried couples, or those with dependent children. Without a legally binding document, the “rigid laws of intestacy” take over, which could see partners receiving nothing or the courts deciding who takes care of children.
The scheme is currently open for bookings in dozens of locations across England, Scotland, and Wales. However, the MSE team urged eligible Brits to act fast. “Bookings tend to fill up very quickly, so don’t delay if you want to take part,”
They advised. “You’ll need to sort your booking by the end of March, though the appointment itself can take place the following month or later.”
For those who do not qualify for the March scheme or live outside the participating areas, the team pointed out that a second leg of the scheme typically runs in October, covering different locations. Alternatively, the “Will Aid” scheme in November offers a similar service for all adults in exchange for a voluntary charity donation.
The full list of locations participating in the Free Wills Month scheme includes:
- Aylesbury
- Barnsley
- Bedford
- Belfast
- Birmingham
- Blackpool
- Bournemouth
- Bristol
- Burton on Trent
- Cambridge
- Campbeltown
- Cardiff
- Chelmsford
- Cheltenham
- Chester
- Chesterfield
- Coventry
- Darlington
- Derby
- Dundee
- Edinburgh
- Exeter
- Glasgow
- Gloucester
- Harrogate
- Ipswich
- Leeds
- Leicester
- Liverpool
- London
- Luton
- Maidstone
- Manchester
- Middlesbrough
- Milton Keynes
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Northampton
- Norwich
- Nottingham
- Perth
- Plymouth
- Portsmouth
- Reading
- Sheffield
- Southampton
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Swansea
