When clients telephone the office to discuss making a new Will, the comment we hear most often is “I’ve been meaning to do this for years!” The fact is most of us have not got a Will in place. A Will is one of the most important documents you will ever create during your lifetime, many of us have children, property, businesses, vulnerable beneficiaries, pets, collections of jewellery and other personal effects such as, cars, foreign property, and many other valuables which, without a Will, may not pass to our loved ones, or may not pass in the way in which we want them to.
Making a Will is becoming a priority
The Law Society has reported a ‘striking shift’ in the number of people making or updating wills since the beginning of the pandemic – although the ‘overwhelming majority’ of people are yet to put their legal affairs in order.
According to a survey conducted in June, 7% of respondents said they had made or updated their will during the first lockdown. When you consider how many people in the UK do not have a Will this is a big shift.
Furthermore, consumer expert Which? saw its Wills service orders more than triple in March, compared to the same period last year. In April, orders grew by 682% on the same month in 2019.
In a way it makes sense, none of us want to think about our own mortality; however, suddenly, we are hit with a Global Pandemic and our own mortality is brought to the forefront of our minds. The evidence shows that people are now becoming anxious to prepare Wills quickly and are concerned about the welfare of their loved ones.
Is it safe to make a Will during the pandemic?
Due to the increase in Will instructions and the ever-changing restrictions, we have implemented robust and efficient procedures to ensure that we can take your instructions in a safe and efficient way and bring each Will to conclusion, whilst complying with government guidelines.
Should you wish to discuss your Will, please do not hesitate to give us a call or complete our enquiry form and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.