Finding A Will?

[lulu_bucket]

anyone know how you get hold of a Will back from 1972? My fathers. Seems to have made a codicil in the July and then died abroad in the October?

[Buenchico]

I going to write that it's 'dead easy' but then it occurred to me that there's a terrible pun there! However it really is incredibly simple. (I downloaded a relative's will just a couple of weeks ago).

Search for the will here:
https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate
(NB: There are lots of optional fields. Don't worry if you haven't got the info to enter into them; simply leave them blank).

Once you've located the will, you'll need to register for an account and fork out £1.50 for the download.

You won't get the download immediately though because someone will have to locate and scan the will for you first. In theory you should receive an email when the download is available but I didn't. (I checked my spam folder too). That shouldn't be a problem though because you can check if it's become available simply by logging into your account.

[lulu_bucket]

thanks for that. just tried, i have date of death and date of probate etc but says 0 documents returned?? Any idea

[Buenchico]

Sorry, I forgot that there's an extra step for wills issued before 31/12/95.

Look below where it says '0 results returned', to where it (hopefully) says '1 document page returned'. (There might be more than 1 page if it's a common name that you're searching for). Click on 'Click to Open Image and Order Document Form'.

Look through the information on that page to locate the person whose will you're seeking. Then carefully transcribe the information shown there into the righthand panel before clicking 'Add to basket'.

Note that that system only works where probate was sought in England or Wales. For Scotland, see here
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/wills-and-testaments
For Northern Ireland, start here:
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/public-record-office-northern-ireland-proni
If probate was sought overseas though, you might need to contact the relevant embassy, to enquire as to if/how the will can be retrieved.

[Peter Pedant]

thx chris
as you said
works perfectly and found the will I wanted