According to data from the Ministry of Justice, Will disputes are on the rise.

In August, we published a blog on the changes being made to the Wills Act 1837, which prescribes how Wills are to be created in the UK. These changes are have now taken effect, so how do professionals feel about the amendment? They’re quite torn.

The importance of creating a valid Will has been a popular topic of conversation recently. After details of George Michael’s Will came to light, some popular TV and radio shows including Loose Women, This Morning and The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, took the opportunity to discuss the topic.

The Office of National Statistics has reported that there has been a 33% rise in the number of unmarried couples since 2005. Perhaps unsurprisingly, during this time there has also been a rise in the problems which result when an unmarried partner dies without a Will.

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.

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.

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.

Kings Court Trust firmly believes in the benefits of having a professional help draft a Will to ensure that everybody’s final wishes are made clear and carried out accurately. Drafting a Will and carefully considering what is to happen to our finances is not the most cheery of topics, but one that should be taken very seriously.

With recent research suggesting that half of the British public don’t have a Will, there is no doubt that many of us need to consider formally writing down our wishes on how our estate will be dealt with upon our death. However, it is important to remember that while a cheap DIY kit or some scribbled notes could be legally binding, a Will that isn’t professionally drafted substantially increases the chances of it causing problems after your death.