More than three-quarters of unmarried adults living with a partner have no up-to-date will, new research by Will Aid has revealed.
The survey, conducted by the charity will writing campaign, found 76% of cohabiting adults either have no will or one that is out of date, including 67% who have never made one and a further 9% who admit theirs no longer reflects their wishes.
More than one in three (35%) wrongly believed their estate would automatically pass to their partner if they died without a will, an increase of 10% from last year’s figures.
According to the Office for National Statistics, 3.5 million couples in the UK were living together without being married or in a civil partnership in 2025.
Will Aid said more than a quarter (28%) of cohabiting adults believed their estate would be divided between family members, while 17% thought it would go to the Government. A further 14% admitted they did not know what would happen.
Peter de Vena Franks, campaign director at Will Aid, said: “These findings are deeply concerning. So many people are sharing their lives, homes and finances with a partner, yet three-quarters have no up-to-date Will in place to make sure their wishes are respected.
“But perhaps even more worrying is the misconception that (a) partner will automatically inherit everything… and the fact that this misunderstanding appears to be growing.”
The findings come as part of Free Wills Month, where people aged 55 and over can have a simple will written or updated free of charge by a participating solicitor.
The Law Society President Brett Dixon commented, following the Law Commission’s report in May 2025: “I would urge anyone without a will, or whose circumstances have changed, to take advantage of it.
“However, the law that governs how wills are made in England and Wales do need urgent updating. The Wills Act 1837 remains largely unchanged aside from some minor reforms, which included lowering the minimum will-making age from 21 to 18 and introducing temporary video-witnessing rules during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In May 2025, the Law Commission’s report Modernising Wills Law set out clear recommendations to bring the law into the modern age.
“Still, more than a year on the government has yet to give us its full response.
“Too many Law Commission reports have been left on the shelf for years. This one must not be. We urge the government to set out its plans without further delay so that the process of making a will can accurately reflect our lives and wishes.”
