Martin Lewis reveals how you could get a FREE will - but there is a CATCH

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Speaking on This Morning, Martin, 48, explained how over 55s can get a will without paying a penny.

He said: “Solicitor-drafted wills are the gold standard, and normally cost £120 or more.

“Yet if you’re 55 or over, this October is Free Wills Month, where solicitors in over 60 locations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will draft a will for you for free.

“Enter your postcode on the Free Wills Month website and call to book an appointment with one of the solicitors that are participating nearby.

“They tend to get busy so do this early, and you don't have to live in one of these areas to qualify, but you will be expected to travel to the solicitor's office for your appointment.

“This is a charity-back the scheme and they pay for the solicitors' time, so be prepared for your solicitor to ask you to consider making a bequest to a charity in your will (leaving the

charity something when you die).

“It's hoped you will in return for using the scheme, but you're under no obligation. Perhaps a good minimum is leaving enough that would cover the solicitors’ fees normally – though of

course more is fine.

“There’s a range of charities to choose from including British Heart Foundation, British Legion Mencap, Guide Dogs and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Whatever your age, if you've assets eg, a house, savings, or a business, and people or others you'd like to look after, consider making a will

“Whatever your age, if you've assets eg, a house, savings, or a business, and people or others you'd like to look after, consider making a will.”

Martin also urged viewers to check if they are entitled to certain benefits before the system changes.

He said: “The new controversial universal credit system is being gradually rolled out across the UK– it's already in place for all single, unemployed people without children – that will

replace the six existing social security payments (income support, jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance, housing benefit, child tax credit and working tax credit).

“Yet, if you haven’t been moved on to it yet, and you’re entitled to benefits which you’re not claiming, then you need to claim NOW – it’s thought around 1 million people entitled to working

tax credit do not claim it.

“That’s because for some the new system wins, for others the current one; yet if you’re already claiming benefits, and the universal credit payment will be lower, you’ll still get the higher

amount.

“And if you’re claiming benefits and universal credit turns out to be higher, you’ll be able to move to the new higher payment – so either way you’ll be better off. And the Institute for

Fiscal Studies has said it thinks over three million households will see lower entitlements from universal credit with an average loss of £1,800 a year.

“The only people who will lose out are those who’d get more on benefits, but don’t start their claim until universal credit has been introduced, in which case they’ll get the new lower

amount.

“So EVERYONE who thinks they’re eligible should check now – you can use a calculator from Entitledto, a company that provides online benefits calculators, to work out whether or not you

would gain under universal credit based on your circumstances.”

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