Covid-19 and Wills - The Essential Guide

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a two-pronged impact on will making. On the one hand, the daily reporting in the media of an ever-increasing number of infections and deaths has undoubtedly galvanised people into putting their affairs in order, including by making a will. On the other hand, the imposition of a national lockdown and social distancing measures designed to slow the spread of the virus has made the mechanics of the will making process much more challenging. Although at the time of writing some of the restrictions are gradually being eased, it seems clear that it is going to take some time before it will be possible to make a will in the way it was before the pandemic. The purpose of this short guide is to consider some of the challenges which the Covid-19 pandemic has created for those in the business of will preparation, and some of the ways in which these might be overcome. The guide assumes some pre-existing familiarity with will preparation, as the basics will not be covered. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Edward Hewitt is a barrister at 5 Stone Buildings in Lincoln's Inn. He has a private client practice with a particular emphasis on inheritance and trust disputes. He is frequently asked to advise and represent clients in cases involving challenges to the validity of wills and codicils, and was counsel in recent leading probate cases including James v James and Kunicki v Hayward.