Where Should I Keep My Will?

Probate generally requires the original signed will, not a photocopy, so if the original cannot be found after death, it can create real difficulty. In some cases a copy can still be used to apply for probate, but this involves extra evidence and can take considerably longer, and there is always a risk the original will surface later, or that it cannot be proved the will was not deliberately destroyed.

Because of this, where a will is kept, and who knows about it, is just as important as making sure the will itself is properly signed and witnessed in the first place.

Keeping the original will at home is common and perfectly acceptable, provided it is kept in a fireproof and waterproof container, such as a small safe or a fireproof document box, and provided at least one trusted person, ideally an executor, knows exactly where it is.

It is important not to staple bank statements, photographs or other documents to the will, and not to remove any existing staples, paperclips or attachments from it. Courts sometimes ask questions if a will looks as though something has been attached and later removed, since this can suggest another document, such as a codicil, has gone missing.

Many solicitors and will writing services offer will storage, sometimes for a small annual fee, sometimes as part of the service. This can be a good option if you would rather not keep the physical document at home, or if you want a neutral, professional place your executors can contact directly.

There is also a fee based storage facility run in connection with the probate service, which allows a will to be deposited securely and retrieved when needed. Whichever route is chosen, executors need to know both that the will exists and where it is being kept.

Once a new will is made, the previous one should be destroyed, or very clearly marked as superseded and stored well away from the current will, to avoid confusion. Having several old wills scattered across different locations is a common and entirely avoidable source of delay and dispute during probate.

A short note kept with important documents, or shared with your executors, stating where your current will is held, is a simple habit that makes a genuine difference for the people who will need to find it.

Each storage option has different trade-offs worth weighing up. Keeping the will at home is free and gives you instant access if you want to review or update it, but relies on a fireproof, waterproof container and on your executors actually knowing where to look. Storage with a solicitor or will writing service is usually low cost or free, keeps the will in a neutral, professional location, and means executors can contact the firm directly, though it can occasionally involve a small delay in retrieving the document.

The probate service's storage facility offers a formal, fee based deposit system with a certificate confirming the will has been lodged, which can suit people without a family member nearby to hold the document or who want a fully independent option. Whichever route you choose, the deciding factor should be reliability and traceability rather than cost alone.

Simply making a will is not enough if the people responsible for carrying it out do not know it exists or cannot find it. At a minimum, tell your executors that a will exists, roughly when it was made, and exactly where the original is kept, whether that is a named solicitor, a storage service, or a specific safe at home.

It is also worth letting a second trusted person know the same information as a backup, in case an executor is unavailable, has moved, or predeceases you, and updating this information whenever you move the will or make a new one.