According to a YouGov survey, 96% of people who prepare their own Will say they do not need external advice, with 21% stating that fears over the cost of professional advice prompted them to do it themselves.

Earlier this year the Scottish Parliament passed the final stage of the Succession (Scotland) Act 2016. The Act means that any ex-spouse or civil partner will no longer be able to inherit under a Will following a divorce or dissolution, unless the Will makes specific provision for them.

Recent data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by Today’s Wills and Probate has shown the number of lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) granted annually has tripled between 2010 and 2015.

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) proposal will result in a sharp rise in probate fees and potentially significant cash flow problems for bereaved families, reports The Telegraph.

Three animal welfare charities have mounted an appeal to challenge a judge’s decision which allowed a woman’s estranged daughter to overturn her Will.

Government proposals unveiled this week could result in a hundredfold increase in probate fees for some families, reports The Financial Times. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has published its plans to reduce the £1.1bn annual cost of running the court system by introducing a revised probate fees structure in England and Wales.

The death of David Bowie last month caused a generation to mourn the loss of one of the world's most charismatic musical stars. The man associated with numerous wild and wacky on-stage personas was perhaps one of the last people you would associate with planning for his death and making sure that his financial situation was left in a highly organised manner.

Ordinary individuals inheriting assets from overseas could risk criminal charges if they miscalculate the tax owed, reports The Telegraph.

The public are in favour of Will writing becoming a regulated practice and are hoping the UK government will soon look to implement some form of regulation in the near future, according to the Law Gazette.