• Services
    • Catastrophic Personal Injury
    • Companies & Businesses
    • Commercial Property
    • Divorce & Family
    • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
    • Personal Wealth
    • Property Development
    • Residential Property
  • Sectors
    • CleanTech
    • AgriTech
    • Charities
    • Education
    • Farms & Estates
    • Leisure
    • Medical, Dental & Veterinary
    • Public Sector
    • Renewable Energy
  • Our People
  • Join us
  • About
  • Contact
  • Services
    • Catastrophic Personal Injury
    • Companies & Businesses
    • Commercial Property
    • Divorce & Family
    • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
    • Personal Wealth
    • Property Development
    • Residential Property
  • Sectors
    • CleanTech
    • AgriTech
    • Charities
    • Education
    • Farms & Estates
    • Leisure
    • Medical, Dental & Veterinary
    • Public Sector
    • Renewable Energy
  • Our People
  • Join us
  • About
  • Contact
01223 417200
Home Knowledge Base Wills, Probate, Tax & Trusts How to Sign a Will

How to Sign a Will

IMAGE: How to Sign Your WillThis article demonstrates the correct procedure for signing your Will, in 5 short steps. It is also in video format below.

  1. Find two appropriate Witnesses
  2. Sign Your Will in the presence of both Witnesses
  3. Witnesses Sign in your Presence
  4. Date Your Will on Front and Back
  5. Return Your Will to your Lawyer by Tracked Mail or Store it Safely

Step 1: The first step is to find two witnesses.

  • The witnesses should be at least 18 years old.
  • The witnesses should be independent and not members of your family.
  • The witnesses and their spouses should not benefit from your Will in any way.

You and the two witnesses must all stay together for the following steps 2, 3 and 4. You must all write using blue or black ink (including ballpoint), but not pencil.

Step 2: Sign Your Will

The second step is to sign your Will where indicated with your usual signature. You must sign your Will in the presence of both witnesses before they sign it.

Step 3: Witnesses Sign

In the third step, the witnesses both sign your Will where indicated (below your signature) with their usual signatures. The witnesses should fill in their full names, addresses and occupations below their signatures.

Step 4: Date the Will

The fourth step is to immediately write the date on which you have signed it in the spaces provided on the front and back pages of the Will.

Francis Durrant, Wills Trusts and Probate SolicitorStep 5: Return Will

The fifth and final step is to return your signed Will to your Barr Ellison lawyer by tracked delivery. Please ensure that the Will is kept unmarked and, in particular, that nothing is attached to it. For example, do not attach a covering letter to the Will with a paperclip, staple or otherwise.

Thank you for being a client of Barr Ellison Solicitors.

By Francis Durrant, Head of the Wills, Trusts & Estates team at Cambridge solicitors Barr Ellison

Disclaimer: While we do all that is possible in terms of ensuring its accuracy, this blog contains general information only. Nothing in these pages constitutes legal advice. You need to consult a suitably qualified lawyer from the firm on any specific legal problem or matter.

 

Other Wills & Probate Articles

Witnessing Wills Remotely

Witnessing Wills Remotely

Witnessing Wills remotely: when and how may this be done? When is it appropriate to witness a Will remotely?

5 Aug 2020
Read full article
HMRC Self Assessment: Deadlines for Online Tax Returns

HMRC Self Assessment: Deadlines for Online Tax Returns

Your HMRC self assessment online tax return deadlines - a brief overview how it works each year.

3 Feb 2020
Read full article
How to Sign a Will

How to Sign a Will

Five Steps to Signing a Will - giving reassurance that everything will be in order for our loved ones when we pass on.

18 Jan 2020
Read full article
Practical matters when arranging probate

Practical matters when arranging probate

Some of the more important actions to be taken during the period after someone has died as a pre-cursor to probate.

12 Jul 2019
Read full article
What is the new Residence Nil Rate Band?

What is the new Residence Nil Rate Band?

The introduction of the new Residence Nil Rate Band (RNRB) began in April 2017 and is ongoing. It is an additional inheritance tax allowance ...

7 Jun 2019
Read full article
Your Wealth, Your Future

Your Wealth, Your Future

Our Family Law and Trusts & Estates teams joined forces with Rathbones Cambridge during November to provide a wealth management seminar for our clients and partners.

19 Nov 2018
Read full article
Deputyships vs Lasting Powers of Attorney

Deputyships vs Lasting Powers of Attorney

You can apply for a deputyship for someone if they ‘lack mental capacity’. A lasting power of attorney is a way of giving someone suitable whom you trust the legal authority to make decisions on [...]

31 Aug 2018
Read full article
Contesting a Will on behalf of Minor Children

Contesting a Will on behalf of Minor Children

In the recent case of Ubbi v Ubbi 2018, the High Court has given useful guidance with regard to how the Section 3 factors under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 should [...]

10 Aug 2018
Read full article
Power of Attorney – Court fee refunds

Power of Attorney – Court fee refunds

Some applicants for Powers of Attorney may be due a small refund ...

2 Feb 2018
Read full article
Posted on 18 Jan 2020

Other Articles

  • Commercial Property
    • Landlord & Tenant
  • Community
  • Contested Wills Probate
  • Divorce & Family Breakdown
    • Alternatives to Court
    • Child Arrangements
    • Cohabitation Agreements
    • Collaborative Divorce
    • Divorce Finances
    • Nuptial Agreements
  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
    • Debt Recovery
    • Landlord & Tenant Disputes
    • Property & Boundary Disputes
  • Personal Injury
  • Property Development
  • Residential Conveyancing
  • Wills, Probate, Tax & Trusts
Legals
  • Cookies
  • Cyber Fraud
  • Disclaimer & Privacy Policy
  • GDPR
  • Gender Pay Report
  • Professional Status & Insurance
  • Terms of Service
  • Workforce Diversity Data
Where to find us
Parkside Office

39 Parkside
Parker's Piece
Cambridge
CB1 1PN

01223 417200

enquiry@barrellison.co.uk

Addenbrooke's Office

PO Box 196
The Concourse
Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ

01223 411315

enquiry@barrellison.co.uk

Copyright Barr Ellison LLP - all rights reserved