Poole Alcock: Using The National Will Register to make wills easier to find

According to The National Wills Report 2025, half of UK adults haven’t told anyone where their will is stored – or even if one exists. While around 38% of wills are kept with solicitors, many are held at home or in less secure locations, often without clear records. This makes locating a valid will harder than it should be.

Poole Alcock, a legal firm with offices across Cheshire, recognised the implications of this. Clients would often assume that their family members would automatically “know” where their will was stored, but in reality, even small oversights in communication could cause significant complications. In response, Poole Alcock began registering their clients’ wills with The National Will Register, ensuring that each one could be located quickly and securely when needed.

At Poole Alcock, will registration is now a routine part of the estate planning process. Claire Ellis, Partner and Head of Private Client, explains:

“Being able to register our client’s wills on The National Will Register is so important as it ensures it can be easily located when needed, preventing delays and disputes. It also provides peace of mind that our client’s final wishes will be respected and legally upheld. And it’s so easy to do!”

Clients receive a registration certificate with their final documents, which reinforces the value of the service and helps them communicate their estate planning decisions to loved ones.

According to Selina Hollies, a solicitor in the Private Client team, this step has been well received:

“Our clients are generally very happy with this being included and great that it is part of the service we provide. Will registration adds value for them and is very rare that a client would opt out of this as its widely viewed as a positive thing.”

Beyond improving client experience, Poole Alcock has seen clear operational benefits. In several cases, a will search via The National Will Register has led individuals to wills held by the firm – connecting executors or beneficiaries to documents they didn’t know existed. These cases not only helped fulfil clients’ wishes, but also created probate opportunities the firm may not have otherwise accessed.

These outcomes align with wider trends in the legal sector. The 2024 National Wills Report highlights that two-thirds of wills are updated after their initial creation, and nearly 20% are revised with a different solicitor. As clients become more mobile, and as family structures and relationships shift, the ability to track the most up-to-date version of a will becomes essential.

For Poole Alcock, this means that will registration isn’t just about today’s client – it’s about ensuring continuity and clarity in the future. Whether a client updates their will with another provider or moves to another region, the existence and location of their registered will can still be confirmed by their family or executor.

This approach also helps reduce the number of estate disputes. Without a known will, families may default to intestacy rules or rely on outdated documents. Registering the will ensures that the correct version is discovered during probate, reflecting the true intentions of the deceased.

In addition, Poole Alcock has found that integrating The National Will Register into their client journey supports wider practice goals. It reflects a commitment to best practice and risk reduction – both important when working with complex estates or vulnerable clients.

Looking forward, the firm is exploring ways to make their estate planning services even more accessible. This could include introducing educational workshops around futureproofing wills, or encouraging younger clients to engage with will-writing earlier and register updates as their circumstances change.

Ultimately, Poole Alcock’s experience shows that addressing long-standing challenges in estate planning doesn’t require overhauling existing systems. Simple, proactive steps (like registering every will) can significantly improve outcomes for both clients and professionals. It ensures that wills can be reliably located and that the probate process begins with clarity rather than confusion.

The National Will Register offers legal professionals a tool to meet the evolving needs of their clients, reduce risk, and improve the quality of service. For firms like Poole Alcock, it’s become a straightforward and effective part of the estate planning process.