- - Stand inside your house or flat whilst your witnesses stand outside, watching you sign, and passing the Will through the letterbox and watching through the window as the witnesses sign, with the Will passed back through the letterbox.
- - Sit or stand near a park bench or camp table or car bonnet or similar with witnesses nearby, and rotating so each approaches the bench, table or car individually to witness the Will;
- - Get neighbours to witness and sign the Will from the safety of their own gardens (provided that you and each witness can see each other sign the Will);
- - Keep on opposite sides of the same room, but the safety of doing this depends on its size and the vulnerability of the individuals involved.
How do I get people to witness my will safely?
A Will is not valid unless it is witnessed correctly. A person creating a Will and two witnesses need to be in the same place and all sign the document to ensure it is legally valid.
Lockdown and social distancing restrictions during a lockdown make this a practical challenge, especially as witnesses must not benefit from the Will, which often rules out people living in the same household being able to be a witness. If one of them were to witness the Will, they risk losing any legacy or inheritance that is left to them in the Will.
These are our recommended options for Will signing and witnessing during any lockdown period, taking into account the Public Health England social distancing guidelines:-
Coronavirus has completely changed the world we live in, but this should not stop you preparing your Will and ensuring that it is properly executed – it is the only way to make sure that your wishes are carried out after you have gone.
The coronavirus pandemic in 2020 created a large spike in people making their Wills, as people were spurred into action to put their affairs in order.
Being purely online we are open for business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and are also available to answer any queries by email or phone 7 days a week.
There is no need to book an appointment with us - it takes most people ten minutes or so to create their Wills, so there is no reason to put it off.
We are here to help - and remember, in a world affected by Covid, to stay safe and stay protected as you write your Last Will and Testament.
