How to change a will

Many people want to change your will because there has been a change of circumstances. Changes should not be made by amending the original will after it has been signed and witnessed as any obvious alterations on the face of the will are assumed to have been made at a later date and so do not form part of the original legally valid will.

There are only two ways to change a will :-

•    a codicil to the will; or
•    a new will.

Codicils to a Will

A codicil is a supplement to a will which makes some alterations but leaves the rest of it intact. This might be done, for example, to increase a cash legacy, change an executor or guardian named in a will, or to add beneficiaries.

A codicil must be signed by the person who made the will and be witnessed in the same way. However, the witnesses do not have to be the same as for the original will.

Legally you can add many codicils to a will as you like, but they are only suitable for very straightforward changes ( but see comments below )

Making a new will

If you wish to make wholesale changes to a will you would be best advised to make a new will. A new will should begin with a clause stating that it revokes all previous wills and codicils. The old will should be destroyed. Revoking a will means that the old will is no longer legally binding.

If you require any advice on changing a will please speak to our Wills and Probate Team.