Solicitor vs Will Writer
Which should draft your Will? An honest, factual comparison from a UK solicitor — regulation, qualifications, complaints route, and when each is appropriate.
In short
Solicitors are regulated by the SRA, carry mandatory professional indemnity insurance, must hold a law degree (or equivalent) and complete a training contract, and are subject to an independent complaints process via the Legal Ombudsman. Will-writers are unregulated by statute — anyone can offer the service. Trade-body membership is voluntary. For a straightforward single Will under £325,000, a will-writer can be a reasonable budget option. For anything involving Trusts, IHT, business assets, blended families, or property over the threshold, a solicitor is materially safer.
The detailed comparison
| Attribute | Solicitor | Will-writer |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory regulation | Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) | Not regulated by statute. Voluntary trade-body membership only. |
| Minimum qualifications | Law degree (or equivalent), Legal Practice Course, 2-year training contract, ongoing CPD. | None required by law. Trade-body members typically complete a short course. |
| Professional indemnity insurance | Mandatory minimum cover (£2m–£3m per claim) supervised by the SRA. | Not mandatory unless the trade body requires it. Cover levels vary. |
| Independent complaints route | Legal Ombudsman (free, binding). | Trade body internal complaints process if member. No statutory ombudsman. |
| Can administer Probate | Yes — reserved activity authorised by SRA. | No — administering an estate for fee is a reserved legal activity. |
| Trust drafting capability | STEP-qualified solicitors specialise in trust drafting and tax planning. | Most will-writers use template Trusts. Bespoke drafting is rare. |
| Inheritance Tax advice | Can advise on IHT planning as part of the engagement. | Tax advice is outside most will-writers' permitted scope. |
| Typical price (basic single Will) | £350–£550 (fixed-fee solicitors); £500+ (hourly firms). | £80–£200, sometimes free with hidden Trust fees. |
| Home visit available | Common with smaller / boutique solicitor firms. | Common — many will-writers operate primarily via home visits. |
When each makes sense
Will-writer can be enough when…
- Total estate is under £325,000
- One marriage, no stepchildren, no second families
- No business interests, holiday lets, or foreign property
- You want a budget option and are happy with template Wills
Solicitor is materially safer when…
- Estate is over £325,000 (IHT 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 foreign property or holiday lets
- You want IHT or care-fee planning advice
The hidden-cost question to ask any will-writer
Some will-writers offer free or very-low-cost Wills with a Trust component that locks the executor into using the will-writer's in-house Probate service when you die. Probate fees in this arrangement are typically a percentage of the estate (often 3–4%), which on a £500,000 estate is £15,000–£20,000 — many multiples of a fixed-fee solicitor Probate (typically £1,500–£3,000). Always ask: is there a clause appointing your firm as executor or trustee?
Frequently asked questions
Is a will-writer cheaper than a solicitor?
Sometimes — but not always. Many will-writers charge £80–£200 for a basic Will, compared with £350+ from a solicitor. However, solicitor firms with fixed-fee pricing (like ours, starting at £350) close that gap, and the protection you get is materially different: SRA regulation, professional indemnity insurance, and an independent complaints route via the Legal Ombudsman.
Are will-writers regulated in the UK?
Will-writing is not a reserved legal activity, which means anyone can offer it without regulation. Some will-writers belong to voluntary trade bodies (the Society of Will Writers, the Institute of Professional Willwriters), but membership is self-regulating and does not provide the same legal protection as SRA regulation. Solicitors, by contrast, are regulated by the SRA and supervised continuously.
What happens if my will-writer gets my Will wrong?
It depends on the will-writer. SRA-regulated solicitors carry mandatory professional indemnity insurance, and you can complain to the Legal Ombudsman as an independent body. Unregulated will-writers may have private insurance, but there is no central complaints body — your only recourse is the courts, which is slow and expensive.
When is a solicitor genuinely worth the extra cost?
When the estate is non-straightforward: blended families, business assets, a holiday let, a property over £325,000, anyone with assets over the Inheritance Tax threshold, anyone planning to leave assets in Trust, anyone with foreign property, or anyone with a child who may need ongoing care. In these situations the legal nuances are well beyond what a template-driven service handles safely.
Can a will-writer help with Probate?
No — administering an estate is a "reserved legal activity" that only authorised persons (solicitors, barristers, licensed conveyancers, CILEx fellows) can carry out for fee. If your will-writer offers Probate, they are working outside their permitted scope. A solicitor-drafted Will keeps everything in one regulated relationship.
Want a solicitor-drafted Will at fixed fee?
From £350 for a single Will, £550 for Mirror Wills. SRA-regulated, STEP-qualified, with a free 30-minute discovery call before you commit. No percentage-of-estate executor clauses, ever.