One in three people intend to write a will but haven’t yet, and one in five say they have no intention of writing of will according to a survey of 2,000 adults in the UK.
The research found 54% of respondents did not have a will across all age groups. In the 55- to 64-year-old age bracket, the survey found 39% of respondents haven’t written a will.
The survey was commissioned by online lead generator Compare My Move whose research found the average cost of getting a will drafted was £163.57.
“It’s alarming to see that more than half of Brits haven’t got a professional will in place. It’s not just about protecting assets, it’s about providing peace of mind for your loved ones.
said Compare My Move co-founder and Managing Director Dave Sayce.
And when it comes to probate, despite the time it takes to issue a grant after the application has been submitted falling my over half in the last 12 months, the survey found people are waiting just under six months to receive their inheritance. Of the 2,000 polled 45% had been named as beneficiaries in a will; and of those, 15% said the process took three to four months, 14% received what they were entitled to in one to two months and 13% reported a wait of five to six months. The average wait is 5.78 months.
The Probate Registry recently released figures which show from January to March 2025 probate grants took around half them time they did in the same period in 2024, when the average turnaround was around 11 weeks. The first quarter of this year saw 65,099 applications for probate grants; 64,595 probate grants were issued in the same period.
.Being the beneficiary of a will can be a time of mixed emotions. While it may bring financial relief or opportunity, it also comes during a period of grief. Our survey highlights how vital it is to ensure your own affairs are in order, to avoid unnecessary complications for loved ones down the line.
concludes Sayce.
