Will Writing Service from Hugh James - Employee Guide

Introduction 

Your employer, through Reward Gateway | Edenred, gives you access to Hugh James's will writing service - a straightforward, fixed-fee way to put a legally binding will in place, backed by an award-winning, regulated law firm.

Making a Will

It's easy to put off, but making a will means you get to decide:

• Who administers your estate and passes on your assets (your executors)
• Who acts as trustee for any ongoing trust set up in your will
• Who becomes guardian for any children under 18
• Who inherits your assets, and on what terms
• What happens to specific items - business assets, farming assets, jewellery, cars or collections
• Your funeral wishes

Without a valid will, your estate is distributed according to intestacy rules, which may not reflect what you would have wanted - this matters most if you are a co-habiting couple, own assets jointly with someone who is not your spouse or civil partner or hold assets outside the UK.

Online Service

You'll start by answering some short questions about your circumstances - this takes around ten minutes. Based on your answers, you'll be offered up to three service options. If an option isn't offered to you, it's because Hugh James has assessed that it isn't suitable for your circumstances.

Your Options

Do it Yourself - from £80.00 + 20% VAT

A non-advisory, self-serve option for straightforward wills. Suitable if you don't have a second marriage or children from a previous relationship, and ideal if you simply need to appoint a guardian for your children. Create an account, provide your instructions through the online platform, then receive a digital will with instructions on how to print, assemble, and sign it to make it legally binding.

Questionnaire - from £160.00 + 20% VAT

Recommended if you'd like Hugh James's legal team to write your will for you, or you want to include more specialized provisions. Complete a comprehensive online questionnaire; Hugh James's will writing team reviews your answers, drafts your will, and contacts you if anything needs discussing.

Consultation - from £240.00 + 20% VAT

Best suited to more complex family, business or personal affairs, or if you'd simply like to talk it through with an expert. Book an appointment with a will writing lawyer to discuss your circumstances, then Hugh James drafts your will based on that conversation.

Bespoke – priced on a case-by-case basis

Best suited for those who require more complex advice around tax and lifetime estate planning in addition to writing wills.

How long will it take?

• Draft wills are sent within 10 working days of receiving your final instructions and payment
• Amended drafts are sent within 5 working days of a request for changes
• Final wills are sent within 5 working days of you approving the draft
• Copy wills are sent within 2 working days of Hugh James receiving your signed, executed will

If your situation is urgent, tell Hugh James straight away so timescales can be adjusted.

Storing Your will

Once signed, you can choose to send your will back to Hugh James for free, secure storage - so it's safe and easy to find when it's needed.

Before you start, it may help to think about

• Who you'd like to act as your executors
• Who you'd like to inherit your estate
• Any specific gifts you'd like to leave
• Whether you need to appoint guardians for children under 18
• Whether any beneficiaries need extra protection
• Whether you own a business, foreign assets, or benefit from an existing trust
• Whether you own property jointly with someone else
• Whether you'd like to leave anything to charity
• A rough idea of your assets and liabilities
• Your funeral wishes

What is a codicil?

A codicil is a supplemental document that makes minor alterations to a will while leaving the rest intact. There's no limit on how many you can add, but codicils only suit very straightforward changes - for anything more complex, it's usually better to make a new will, or republish your will with the changes included, to avoid the original codicil being lost or misplaced.

Should co-habiting couples make wills?

Yes. Contrary to popular belief, there's no such thing as a 'common law spouse' with automatic inheritance rights. A co-habiting partner has no automatic entitlement to their partner's estate at all, so it's important to put arrangements in place - especially where there are children involved.

What happens to my will if I get married or divorced?

Unless your will was made specifically in contemplation of marrying a particular person, getting married automatically revokes it, meaning you'd be treated as intestate. Divorce doesn't revoke your will, but it does treat your former spouse or civil partner as if they died before you - so it's worth reviewing your will after either event.

What if I hold assets outside the UK?

This needs particular care - it depends on the nature and location of the asset and how it's owned. You may need more than one will for different jurisdictions, and Hugh James can help assess this and coordinate with legal professionals elsewhere if needed.

Does my employer see my will or my personal details?

Employee contracts directly with HJ.  The specifics of the transaction will be confidential between them.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

Employees can contact Hugh James by telephone 03450095368 , email willwriting@hughjames.com or via web form via the portal.