In order for your Will to be valid, it must be executed by you in the presence of two independent witnesses. Your witnesses must both be present at all times when you are signing your Will. They do not need to read the Will or know its contents, although they should be told that it is a Will. They are simply witnessing your signature and acknowledging that you have signed the Will freely, and on the basis that the contents of the Will have been understood and approved by you.
Who can act as a Witness?
Your witnesses must be over 18 years old. They must be completely independent, and may not be related to you or anyone mentioned in your Will, either by blood, marriage or civil partnership. Please do not ask a beneficiary or their spouse or registered partner to witness the Will, otherwise any benefit to which they are entitled under the Will will be lost.
Signing your Will
In the presence of your two witnesses and in the space provided:
- Please sign with your usual signature on the signing page, whilst your witnesses watch;
- In your presence, ask your witnesses to add their usual signatures on the signing page together with their names, addresses and occupations; and
- Write the date clearly in full on (1) the signing page and (2) the cover page.
Corrections
If you need to correct your Will in any way, you should do so before it is witnessed and the amendment should be initialled by you and both of your witnesses. Please do not use correction fluid on your Will.
Please do not fasten anything to your Will, such as staples or paperclips
If the Will is not signed and witnessed correctly, it will be invalid, so it is very important to follow these instructions carefully.
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