Wills’ time-bomb must be defused

Urgent action is needed to defuse a looming ‘wills’ time-bomb – warns the National Consumer Council (NCC).

New research reveals more than 27 million people in England and Wales do not have a will and those who need one the most are the least likely to have one.

Unmarried couples are most at risk of losing property, personal possessions and cash if their partner dies without leaving a will, as current inheritance laws do little to protect new family structures. Four out of five parents who have not yet made a will are gambling with their children’s future. Should both parents die unexpectedly, the courts may be left to decide who should look after their children.

Finding the will: a report on will-writing behaviour in England and Wales exposes how apathy is the primary cause of inaction. Most people say they simply haven’t got around to making a will, have never thought about it or don’t want to think about dying.


NCC is calling on government and industry to find new ways to encourage more people to plan for the inevitable.

Steve Brooker from the NCC explains, ‘Dying without leaving a will can leave all sorts of headaches for those left behind. It can create family feuds and leave relatives short of their inheritance.

‘One million people have already fallen through the safety net provided by the inheritance laws, or know someone who has. With family structures changing, government and business must act now before millions more suffer.’

The survey of more than 2,500 people in England and Wales highlights how:

More than four in five cohabitating couples have not made a will (83 per cent);

Almost four in five households with dependent children have not made a will (79 per cent);

Only 27 per cent of people on low-incomes have a will - compared to 70 per cent of higher earners;

Only 12 per cent of people from Black and Minority Ethnic groups have a will compared to 39 per cent of the rest of the population.

NCC recommends that the Ministry of Justice targets and encourages these vulnerable groups to make a will - using a social marketing approach. It is also calling on the Ministry to review whether current inheritance laws remain fit for purpose.

The report highlights the need for industry to take advantage of the £250 million untapped will-writing market, by finding new and innovative ways of encouraging people to think ahead.