Martin Lewis has urged couples to sign up for the upcoming Will Aid scheme, warning that unmarried partners without a will could receive nothing if their partner dies. The personal finance expert spoke about the importance of wills on his ITV show, describing Will Aid month as “the biggest scheme of all.”
Will Aid scheme details
Will Aid takes place in November, and Mr Lewis advised people to book now. He explained that the scheme is for adults aged 18 and over, with solicitors across the UK drafting wills in exchange for a charitable donation. He suggested a donation of £120 for a single will and £200 for a mirror will, which he said is “way cheaper than you would normally pay a solicitor.”
“It’s not compulsory to donate,” Mr Lewis said. “And normally I’m all about playing the system, but this is for charity. So if you can afford it, don’t game it. You know, £120 for a single will is very cheap.”
Why a will is vital for couples
Mr Lewis highlighted that without a will, a person’s assets are distributed according to intestacy laws, which vary by UK nation. He said: “If you have assets, do a will, then you get to decide where they go. If not, what’s called the intestacy laws will decide where your assets go. It depends on which UK nation you’re in. Go on to Gov.uk and have a look at what the situation would be in your case, especially if you’ve got dependent children.”
He stressed that in most cases, if a person is not married, their partner will receive nothing. “In most cases, if you’re not married, nothing will go to your partner,” he explained. “If you don’t have a will or you have a blended family, you want to give money to your children from your first marriage. But it might all go to your current partner. Wills are important in all those cases. Plus, dying intestate can also slow down and complicate dealing with your estate.”
Intestacy and updating wills
An example shared on the show illustrated the delays intestacy can cause. A viewer said: “My uncle died intestate in 2022. It took 13 months for letters of administration to be granted. My parents left Wales last year, and probate took eight weeks.”
Mr Lewis also advised those with existing wills to check they are up to date, noting that getting married can invalidate a will in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. “Getting married can often invalidate a will,” he said. “Fascinating. Getting married can. Getting divorced doesn’t. But hey, that’s how it works. So you’ll need to do a new will.”
Pension nominations and booking
He reminded viewers that pensions are not covered by a will, urging them to keep their expression of wishes form up to date with their pension provider. “Pensions don’t go in your will, so you need to make sure you have an up-to-date expression of wishes or nomination form with your pension provider,” he said. “I hear too many cases where people haven’t updated it. They pass away. They haven’t changed it since they got divorced. It still says I want it to go to my ex-partner and that causes some real problems. While these expressions of wishing forms aren’t binding, they are what pension firms look at.”
To book a Will Aid appointment in November 2024, people can visit the Will Aid website to find a participating solicitor, call the Will Aid hotline on 0300 0309 558, or visit https://www.willaid.org.uk/lookup for more information.
