Witness Of Wills During The Coronavirus Outbreak

Given the current guidance in relation to social distancing the government are urgently looking to change requirement in relation to the witnessing of wills. The current rules date back to the 1837 Wills Act and require the testator to sign a will in the presence of two independent witnesses.

The Law Society and the Ministry of Justice are exploring ways to relax the formalities for the signing of wills during this pandemic, and to make it quicker to register lasting powers of attorney (currently 12 weeks).

The coronavirus pandemic has seen an increase in people wishing to put in place a will and it will be necessary to overcome the practical difficulties in relation to  the execution of documents. Here at Russells our private client partners remain available for telephone and video conferencing appointments. Please contact Karl Dembicki – karl.dembicki@russells.co.uk for more information.