How to Find a Will

Why finding the will matters

After someone dies, finding their will is one of the first priorities. The will names the executors and sets out who inherits. It may also contain funeral wishes that need to be found quickly.

If a will exists but cannot be found, the intestacy rules may have to be followed. Those rules may not reflect the deceased person's wishes.

Where to look

At home

Most people keep their will at home. Check:

• Filing cabinets and desk drawers
• Safes or lockboxes
• Among important documents (passports, insurance papers, property deeds)
• In a dedicated folder or envelope marked "will" or "important documents"

With their solicitor

If the deceased used a solicitor to make their will, the solicitor may hold the original. Check:

• Any correspondence with solicitors (letters, emails)
• Their address book or phone contacts
• Bank statements for payments to law firms

If you know which solicitor they used, contact the firm directly. If not, you can search the Law Society's "Find a Solicitor" tool or contact local firms in the area where the deceased lived.

At their bank

Some banks offer will storage services. Contact the deceased's bank and ask whether they hold a will on file.

With the Probate Service

The government's Probate Service stores wills for a small fee. If the deceased deposited their will, you can request it by writing to the Principal Registry of the Family Division.

Online will storage

If the deceased used an online will-writing service, the service may hold a copy. Check their emails and documents for any correspondence with will providers.

Searching the national will register

Certainty, the National Will Register, is a database where will writers and solicitors can register the existence and location of a will. You can search the register for a fee (currently around £100). It won't find every will, since registration is voluntary, but it's worth trying if other searches fail.

What if you find multiple wills?

If you find more than one will, the most recent valid will takes priority. Check the dates carefully. An older will is only valid if the newer one has been revoked or declared invalid.

Look for a revocation clause. Most wills begin with a statement revoking all previous wills and codicils. If the most recent will contains this, only that will matters.

What if you can't find a will?

If you've searched thoroughly and can't find a will, it may be that:

• No will was ever made: in which case the intestacy rules apply
• The will has been lost or destroyed: you may be able to apply for probate using a copy. You will need evidence that the original will existed and was not deliberately revoked.
• The will was deliberately destroyed: if someone intentionally destroyed their will (with the intention of revoking it), the intestacy rules apply

If you believe a will was made but can't find it, it's worth consulting a solicitor who specialises in probate. They can advise on the options, including whether a copy might be accepted.

Preventing the problem

The best way to make sure your will is found is to:

• Tell your executors where the original is stored
• Keep a note in an obvious place at home saying "My will is held at [location]"
• Register your will with the National Will Register
• Give your executors a copy (clearly marked "copy, original held at [location]")

Make sure the right people know that your will exists and where to find it. This is one of the simplest ways to help your executors.