Creating a Will during lockdown

Written by Abigail Bird - 08.04.20

Creating a Will during the lockdown

Will writing is an integral part of the work our Legacy team undertake to ensure the legal wellbeing of our clients. Our head of Legacy, Abigail Bird will be your direct point of contact during the lockdown to guide you through the Will writing process.

Contrary to what many people assume, creating a Will does not have to be a longwinded process and is something we are able to offer remotely, respecting the need for social distancing at this time.

We will take your instructions and spend time understanding and discussing your wishes, face-to-face, via video conference using Zoom or FaceTime. Should you prefer, we can also run the process through email and phone calls.

Following the video call we plan to have your draft Will ready within 14 days together with an explanation of the contents of the Will and its clauses. We will make sure to schedule a follow up call to answer any questions and agree amendments - ahead of drafting your final version.

Once you are happy with your Will, Abi will send you the final version for signature together with a step by step guide for signing - including safe ways to do this whilst social distancing.

Once signed and witnessed, the Will can be returned to us for free storage and we will issue a Storage Certificate. We will also retain a scanned copy for ease of reference, should you need it.

From start to finish, depending on how much time you need to consider your wishes, the process should take between 2-3 weeks.

Your Legal Wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do, we would like you to feel reassured that we are still here to help and fully contactable via the details below.

Speak to a lawyer — you can reach our Legacy team on 020 3146 6312 or abigail.bird@lauruslaw.co.uk

If you require an expedited service, please just let us know and we will endeavour to meet your time scale.

Finally, we have been asked if it’s possible to leave a legacy to NHS Charities in response to the incredible work they continue to do during this crisis. The answer is yes. Many people like to recognise charities in their Wills and we are able to do this for you.

I hope this is of some help to you and, as ever, we welcome any questions.

Whatever your situation, we hope you are keeping safe and well, and wish you the best during this challenging time.