Regulation of will writers
Last updated: 25 April 2012
News and articles
- Probate and estate administration should be regulated
- Law Society warns that will writing and the handling of assets is open to abuse
- Law Society calls for regulation of will writers
- Issues with unregulated will-writers: call for evidence
- Unregulated will writers and building case studies – Gazette blog
- Panel calls for evidence over will-writing regulation – Gazette article
Information for solicitors
Consumer guides
The Law Society is concerned by the absence of regulation for will writing and the damage that the absence of such protection can have on the public. It has launched a campaign calling on the government to make will writing a reserved activity.
Latest developments
Will writing campaign boosted by LSB plans
Our campaign to make will writing a reserved activity has received a welcome boost with the Legal Services Board announcing plans to regulate all providers of probate and estate administration.
Read more about the LSB's announcement
Call for evidence
The Law Society has responsed to Legal Services Board's call for evidence for their investigation into will writing, estate administration and probate activies.
Read the response (PDF, 262kb)
Statutory investigation
The Legal Services Board has announced the start of a statutory investigation into how best to protect consumers in the will writing, probate and estate administration markets.
Legal Services Board press release (PDF)
Consumer panel calls for regulated will writing
The Legal Services Board's consumer panel has recommended that will writing services should be made a reserved activity. The Law Society is pleased that the panel has thrown its weight behind our campaign to ensure that all will writers should be fully regulated.
Read full press release
Tools and information
Sending us examples
We'd like to know about your and your clients' experiences of problems caused by unregulated will writers to give weight to our campaign.
Find out how you can help
Campaign booklet
Our Regulation of Will Writing campaign booklet sets out our key concerns about the damage unregulated will writers can cause and the compelling arguments for making will writing a reserved activity. It includes key findings from our survey and call for evidence, and sets out our proposals for reform.
Download the manifesto (710kb, PDF)
Campaigner briefing and model letter
This briefing explains the need for will writing to come under the regulatory remit of the Legal Services Board (LSB) to protect the consumer, with guidance on how solicitors and members of the public can contact their constituency MP to raise awareness of the potential risks of using an unregulated will writer.
Download the briefing (115kb, DOC)
Response to LSB consultation
Our response and further submissions to the LSB Consumer Panel's initial call for evidence on will writing is available online:
Read the response