Compare · Solicitor or will-writer
Solicitor or will-writer? What cheaper really costs.
Both can draft your will. The differences that matter: regulation, insurance, what happens if something goes wrong, and when the cheaper route is fine.
Written by Aaron Johnson, Consultant Solicitor and TEP · Reviewed
In short
Both can write a valid will. Only one has a regulator behind it.
Solicitors are regulated by the SRA, carry compulsory professional indemnity insurance, must qualify through a degree or equivalent and a period of training, and are subject to an independent complaints process through the Legal Ombudsman.
Will-writers are not regulated by statute. Anyone can offer the service, and trade-body membership is voluntary.
For a straightforward single will below the inheritance tax threshold, a will-writer can be a reasonable budget option. For anything involving a trust, inheritance tax, business assets, a second family or an estate over the threshold, a solicitor is, in many cases, materially safer.
The detailed comparison
Nine rows. The prices are Safe Harbour’s; the rest is the law.
| What was compared | A solicitor | A will-writer |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory regulation | A solicitorYesRegulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, with ongoing supervision. | A will-writerNoNot regulated by statute. Trade-body membership is voluntary. |
| Minimum qualifications | A solicitorYesA degree or equivalent, the professional qualification (the Legal Practice Course or the Solicitors Qualifying Examination), a period of qualifying work, and ongoing training every year. | A will-writerNone set by lawTrade bodies set their own entry requirements for members. |
| Professional indemnity insurance | A solicitorYesCompulsory, at a minimum level of cover the SRA sets. | A will-writerNot mandatoryOnly where a trade body requires it. Cover levels vary. |
| Independent complaints route | A solicitorYesThe Legal Ombudsman. Free to use and independent of the firm. | A will-writerNo statutory ombudsmanA trade body’s internal complaints process if the will-writer is a member. Otherwise, the courts. |
| Can administer probate | A solicitorYesApplying for the grant is a reserved legal activity. A solicitor is authorised for it, and Aaron administers the estate himself. | A will-writerNot unless authorisedCannot prepare the probate application for a fee; that part is reserved to authorised persons. |
| Trust drafting | A solicitorYesA STEP-qualified solicitor drafts and advises on trusts, including the tax consequences. | A will-writerVariesNo qualification in trust law is required. Ask who drafts the trust and what training they have. |
| Inheritance tax advice | A solicitorYesCan advise on inheritance tax as part of the work. | A will-writerVariesNo tax qualification is required. Ask who will check the inheritance tax position, and what qualifies them. |
| Typical price for a basic single will | A solicitorFixed and publishedA single will at Safe Harbour is £350+ VAT(£420 inc. VAT). A firm that charges by the hour cannot tell you the total in advance. | A will-writerOften lowerThe document itself is often cheaper, and sometimes free. Where it is free, ask how the cost is recovered: a trust, storage fees or an executor appointment. |
| Home visit | A solicitorCommon with a small practiceAaron visits at home across East and North Yorkshire at no travel charge. | A will-writerVariesSome will-writers visit at home. Online services work by web form, phone and email. |
Sources: Legal Services Act 2007, section 12 and Schedule 2 (reserved legal activities); SRA Standards and Regulations; Legal Ombudsman. The full dated list is on the comparison page. Checked 1 September 2026.
When each makes sense
It depends on the estate, not the budget.
A will-writer can be enough when
- The whole estate is below the inheritance tax threshold, the nil-rate band.
- One marriage, no stepchildren, no second family.
- No business interests, holiday lets or property abroad.
- You want a budget option and are content with a template will.
A solicitor is materially safer when
- The estate is over the inheritance tax threshold, so tax planning matters.
- You have a blended family or stepchildren.
- You own a business or have business assets.
- You want a trust written into your will.
- You own property abroad or a holiday let.
- You want advice on inheritance tax or care fees.
Questions
The five questions people ask about this choice.
More on the questions and answers page. Terms are defined in the glossary.
Is a will-writer cheaper than a solicitor?
Often, for the document itself. A will-writer's headline price for a basic will is often lower than a solicitor's. At Safe Harbour a single will is £350 + VAT (£420 inc. VAT) and mirror wills for a couple are £550 + VAT (£660 inc. VAT), fixed and published. What differs is what stands behind the document: SRA regulation, compulsory professional indemnity insurance and an independent complaints route through the Legal Ombudsman.
Is a will-writer cheaper than a solicitor?
Often, for the document itself. A will-writer's headline price for a basic will is often lower than a solicitor's. At Safe Harbour a single will is £350 + VAT (£420 inc. VAT) and mirror wills for a couple are £550 + VAT (£660 inc. VAT), fixed and published. What differs is what stands behind the document: SRA regulation, compulsory professional indemnity insurance and an independent complaints route through the Legal Ombudsman.
Are will-writers regulated in the UK?
Not by statute. Will-writing is not a reserved legal activity, so anyone can offer it without a licence or a regulator. Some will-writers belong to a voluntary trade body such as the Society of Will Writers or the Institute of Professional Willwriters. That is self-regulation, and it does not carry the legal protection that SRA regulation does. Solicitors are regulated by the SRA.
Are will-writers regulated in the UK?
Not by statute. Will-writing is not a reserved legal activity, so anyone can offer it without a licence or a regulator. Some will-writers belong to a voluntary trade body such as the Society of Will Writers or the Institute of Professional Willwriters. That is self-regulation, and it does not carry the legal protection that SRA regulation does. Solicitors are regulated by the SRA.
What happens if my will-writer gets my will wrong?
It depends on who drafted it. An SRA-regulated solicitor carries compulsory professional indemnity insurance, and you can complain to the Legal Ombudsman, an independent body that is free to use. An unregulated will-writer may hold private insurance, but there is no statutory ombudsman, so the only route is usually the courts, which is slow and expensive. Often the mistake is only found after death, when the person who made the will cannot put it right.
What happens if my will-writer gets my will wrong?
It depends on who drafted it. An SRA-regulated solicitor carries compulsory professional indemnity insurance, and you can complain to the Legal Ombudsman, an independent body that is free to use. An unregulated will-writer may hold private insurance, but there is no statutory ombudsman, so the only route is usually the courts, which is slow and expensive. Often the mistake is only found after death, when the person who made the will cannot put it right.
When is a solicitor worth the extra cost?
When the estate is not straightforward. That includes a second family or stepchildren, business assets, a farm, a holiday let, an estate over the inheritance tax threshold, a trust in the will, property abroad, or a child who may need care for life. In those situations the legal detail goes well beyond what a template handles safely, and the cost of getting it wrong falls on the family.
When is a solicitor worth the extra cost?
When the estate is not straightforward. That includes a second family or stepchildren, business assets, a farm, a holiday let, an estate over the inheritance tax threshold, a trust in the will, property abroad, or a child who may need care for life. In those situations the legal detail goes well beyond what a template handles safely, and the cost of getting it wrong falls on the family.
Can a will-writer help with probate?
Not for a fee, unless they are an authorised person. Applying for the grant of probate is a reserved legal activity under the Legal Services Act 2007 (Schedule 2, paragraph 6): only authorised persons such as solicitors, barristers, licensed conveyancers and chartered legal executives may prepare the probate papers for payment. If a will-writer offers probate, ask who is authorised to do it. A solicitor-drafted will keeps the will and the probate in one regulated relationship.
Can a will-writer help with probate?
Not for a fee, unless they are an authorised person. Applying for the grant of probate is a reserved legal activity under the Legal Services Act 2007 (Schedule 2, paragraph 6): only authorised persons such as solicitors, barristers, licensed conveyancers and chartered legal executives may prepare the probate papers for payment. If a will-writer offers probate, ask who is authorised to do it. A solicitor-drafted will keeps the will and the probate in one regulated relationship.
Next step
A solicitor-drafted will at a fixed fee. Three ways to start.
Or call 01262 310 850. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm.
- 01No commitmentFind your plan and price
Sixty seconds of questions that end on a will and a fixed fee, with VAT. No call needed.
- 02A conversationBook a 15-minute call
15 minutes with Aaron, by phone or video, at no charge. Appointments are usually available within a few working days, including Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and home visits across East and North Yorkshire.
- 03Ready to goStart my matter
Give Aaron the details he needs and he confirms the fixed fee in writing before any work starts.