The government must act now to modernise wills, or
risk leaving many people's final wishes unprotected, the Law
Society of England and Wales has urged.
In May 2025, the Law Commission published its
report Modernising Wills Law* setting out key
recommendations to update legislation that
has remained largely the same since the
Wills Act 1837. Six months on and the government has
still not seized the opportunity to introduce necessary reforms
on wills that could affect everyone.
The report's key recommendations included amendments to reflect
current public attitudes, such as making electronic wills.
Law Society president, Mark Evans said: “Six months on
from the Law Commission's guidance to reform
wills, there has been no movement from the
government on updating this crucial law
that affects every single one of us. It
is imperative that the Wills Act
is brought in line with our times, or else the
government risks denying people access to justice and the
right to protect their last wishes.
“Robust safeguards for electronic wills are essential
to ensure the same level of trust and
security as paper wills.
“These safeguards must include effective protections
against undue influence and clear proof of mental
capacity to make a will freely.
“The time for the government to act is
now.”
Notes to editors
- *Read more about the Law Commission's review on
the laws on wills. The
review was published on 16 May 2025.
- The Law Society's response on
the 2023 consultation.
