Find a Will Online UK Free - How to Search for a Will in the UK

Looking to find a will online in the UK for free? You can search official probate records to check whether a will has been proved after someone's death. However, finding a will and obtaining a copy are not always the same thing, and the rules differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

For England and Wales, the official probate search service allows you to search records for people who died from 1858 onwards. You normally need the deceased person's full name and year of death.

Can You Find a Will Online for Free?

You can search probate records online for free through the official probate search service.

The search can help you establish whether probate has been issued and whether a will is included in the probate record. However, obtaining an official copy of the probate record, including a will where one is available, currently costs £16 per document.

This means there is a distinction between a free search and getting a copy of the will.

How to Search for a Will Online

For someone who died in England or Wales, you will generally need:

• Their full name

• Their year of death

• An approximate year if you are unsure of the exact date

The official search allows you to look through probate records and identify whether a relevant grant has been issued.

If you find a record containing a will, you can then order a copy of the probate document.

What If the Person Died Recently?

A recent death may not immediately appear in the online probate records.

A new probate record is generally added online around 14 days after probate has been issued. If probate has not yet been granted, there may be no record to find.

This does not necessarily mean that the person died without a will.

The will could be held by a solicitor, family member or another person while the estate is still being dealt with.

What If You Cannot Find the Will?

Not finding a will online does not automatically mean that there was no will.

The official probate search only covers wills that have entered the probate system. A person may have made a will that has not yet been submitted for probate, particularly if the death was recent.

You may need to contact:

• The deceased person's solicitor

• Family members

• The executor

• The person's bank or professional adviser

• The organisation or individual who may have stored the original will

The National Will Register can also be used to search for registered wills, but will registration is not compulsory, so not every UK will appears in its database.

How Much Does a Copy of a Will Cost?

For England and Wales, an official copy of a probate record ordered through the government service currently costs £16.

The record may contain the will if the grant type indicates that a will is included. Not every probate record contains a will. For example, an administration grant does not contain a will.

Can Anyone Search for a Will?

Probate records become public once probate has been granted, which means you do not normally have to be a beneficiary or family member to search the published record.

However, being able to obtain a copy of a will does not necessarily mean you are entitled to receive an inheritance. The will itself determines how the estate is intended to be distributed, subject to applicable law and any valid challenge.

What About Scotland and Northern Ireland?

The standard GOV.UK probate search described above applies to England and Wales.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate systems for wills and probate. The National Archives confirms that Scotland and Northern Ireland have different procedures and records.

Therefore, someone searching for a Scottish or Northern Irish will should use the appropriate jurisdiction's records rather than assuming the England and Wales probate search will contain it.

Why Finding the Will Matters When Property Is Involved

A will can be particularly important when the deceased owned a house, flat, land or investment property.

The executor may need the will to establish who is responsible for administering the estate and who is intended to inherit the property.

Before selling an inherited property, the personal representative should establish the legal authority to deal with it. Probate may be required before the estate's property can be properly administered.

Finding a Will Before Selling an Inherited Property

If you are dealing with an inherited house, finding the will should generally be one of the first steps.

Once the relevant documents have been located, the estate can move forward with valuation, probate, property management, tax considerations and potentially a sale.

An empty inherited property can also require ongoing maintenance, security, insurance and inspections while probate is being completed.

How Fraser Bond Can Help With Inherited Property

Fraser Bond provides property sales, property management, refurbishment, maintenance coordination and wider property consultancy services across London and the UK.

If you are dealing with a property following someone's death, Fraser Bond can assist with assessing the property's condition, arranging maintenance, preparing it for sale and managing the practical property requirements while the estate is being administered.

For executors and beneficiaries, having the property properly managed can help protect its condition and value while the legal and probate process progresses.