Can I Make a Will Whilst in Coronavirus ‘Lockdown’?

The outbreak of the Coronavirus (Covid-19), will no doubt highlight to many the importance of having an up-to-date Will in place. However as it has become necessary for law firms to temporarily postpone face to face contact with clients and make arrangements for lawyers to work at home, this has had an impact on the ability of clients to make new Wills or review their existing Wills.

At JNP Legal we are committed to providing our clients with the best service possible and as such our lawyers in the Life Planning Department are on hand to offer Will appointments via the telephone or video call, during which we can take your instructions and answer any queries that you may have.

Our lawyers will draft your Will based upon your instructions and email or post a copy to you with an explanatory letter. If you are happy with the terms of the Will, we would arrange for it to be sent to you with clear instructions on how to sign and witness the Will to ensure that it is valid.

Under the current laws, you must sign the Will in the presence of two independent adult witnesses. The witnesses cannot be beneficiaries or married to a beneficiary of your Will.

In light of the unprecedented situation we find ourselves in and given the Government guidance on social distancing, the Law Society and the Ministry of Justice are looking into whether the rules surrounding the signing of Wills should be relaxed. We will update your further if any changes are introduced.

If you have any questions or would like to hear more about the services offered by our Life Planning Department, please email us at law@jnplegal.org