How to Update or Change a Will UK — Codicils, Revocation & When to Rewrite

If something significant has changed in your life — marriage, divorce, a new child, the death of an executor — your will may no longer say what you want. This guide explains the three ways to change a will in the UK, when a codicil is appropriate versus when you should start fresh, and the automatic revocation rules that catch most people off guard.

Most wills outlive the circumstances they were written for. The average adult's life changes substantially every few years — yet only a fraction of will-holders ever update theirs. The result: estates distributed in ways their owners never intended, executors who predeceased the testator still named in legal documents, and beneficiaries who are now ex-spouses.

When Do You Need to Update Your Will?

Any of the following should trigger an immediate review:

• Marriage or civil partnership — in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, this automatically revokes your existing will (see below)
• Divorce or dissolution — gifts and executor appointments to a former spouse are automatically voided, which may leave your estate partially intestate
• New children or grandchildren — if your will doesn't include them, they may receive nothing or trigger a contested distribution
• Death of a beneficiary or executor — if a named executor has died, your will still names them; probate can become complicated without a valid substitute
• Significant change in assets — acquiring property, selling a business, or receiving an inheritance can alter your estate substantially
• Moving between UK jurisdictions — a will made in England is valid in Scotland, but Scottish succession law (Legal Rights, Prior Rights) will apply regardless of what the will says
• Changed relationships — falling out with a named beneficiary, or wanting to add someone new
• Changes in tax position — inheritance tax thresholds, nil-rate band transferability, and residence nil-rate band allowances should all be factored in

If you're unsure whether your current will still reflects your wishes, take our free Will Readiness Assessment — it takes three minutes and flags any obvious gaps.

Three Ways to Change a Will

There are three legally recognised methods for changing a will in England and Wales. Each has a different scope, cost, and risk profile:

Method	Best for	Risk
Codicil	Minor, isolated changes	Low if properly witnessed
New will	Substantial changes, multiple amendments, cleaner record	Low — especially via online service
Physical destruction	Revoking without replacement (rare)	High — must destroy all copies with clear intent

In practice, a new will is almost always the right answer. It's cleaner, it leaves no ambiguity about which version governs, and — with an online service — it costs no more than a codicil drafted by a solicitor.

What Is a Codicil?

A codicil is a separate legal document that supplements or amends an existing will. It doesn't replace the will — it sits alongside it, modifying specific provisions while leaving the rest intact.

A valid codicil in England and Wales must:

• Be in writing
• Be signed by the testator at the end
• Be witnessed by two independent witnesses who are present when the testator signs (the same rule as a will — witnesses cannot be beneficiaries)
• Clearly identify which will it amends and which clause it changes

In Scotland, a codicil requires only one witness (same as the underlying will). The witness must be at least 16 and cannot benefit from the codicil.

When a codicil makes sense:

• Changing the executor but keeping all other provisions the same
• Adding or removing a single specific legacy (e.g., leaving a piece of jewellery to a specific person)
• Updating a beneficiary's address or name after marriage
• Making a minor charitable addition

When a codicil doesn't make sense:

• Multiple changes across different provisions — each one needs its own codicil, and multiple codicils become a legal minefield
• Changes that contradict or create ambiguity with the existing will's language
• After marriage or divorce — in these situations, either the will is revoked entirely (E&W on marriage) or the structure may need rethinking

When to Rewrite Instead of Using a Codicil

If you're making more than one or two changes, start fresh. A will with two or three codicils attached is a document waiting to be contested — probate registrars have to piece together what the testator actually intended, and lawyers charge accordingly.

Rewrite when:

• You're making changes to more than one provision
• Your family structure has changed substantially (marriage, divorce, new children)
• Your executor has died or become unsuitable
• Your assets have changed significantly
• You already have one codicil attached — a second one is a warning sign
• You're moving between UK jurisdictions (especially to or from Scotland)

Writing a new will automatically revokes all previous wills and codicils, provided it contains a standard revocation clause — which any reputable will-writing service will include. See our complete guide: How to Write a Will UK — Complete 2026 Guide.

Automatic Revocation Rules — What Most People Don't Know

This is the one that catches people out most often.

Marriage automatically revokes a will in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Under section 18 of the Wills Act 1837 (as applied in England and Wales), the moment you marry, any existing will is void. If you made a will in 2018, got married in 2022, and haven't written a new will since — you are currently intestate. Your estate will be distributed under the intestacy rules, not your 2018 will.

The only exception is a will made "in contemplation of marriage" — a will that explicitly states it is being made in anticipation of a specific upcoming marriage. This type of will survives the wedding. Most wills are not written this way.

What divorce does (and doesn't do): Divorce does not revoke the will. But under the Wills Act 1837 (as amended by the Administration of Justice Act 1982), any gift or executor appointment to a former spouse is treated as if they had predeceased you — automatically voided as of the date of the decree absolute. The rest of the will remains valid.

The practical implication: if your ex was your sole beneficiary and your sole executor, your will is now technically valid but functionally useless. You have a valid will that gives nothing to no one and names no one to administer your estate. Review it immediately after any relationship change. For more detail on what happens without a valid will, see our guide on UK Intestacy Rules and What Happens Without a Will.

Scotland: Different Rules That Matter

Scotland operates under a completely different succession framework — the Succession (Scotland) Act 1964, recently updated by the Succession (Scotland) Act 2024. Key differences:

• Marriage does not automatically revoke a will in Scotland. If you made a will before marrying, it remains valid after marriage. However, your spouse will be entitled to their Prior Rights and Legal Rights from the estate regardless of what the will says — these cannot be excluded.
• Prior Rights — a surviving spouse or civil partner has a first call on the home (up to £473,000), furniture (up to £29,000), and a financial provision (up to £50,000 if there are children, £89,000 if not). These figures are updated by Scottish Ministers periodically.
• Legal Rights (Legitim) — children have an automatic right to claim one-third of the moveable estate (one-half if there is no surviving spouse). This cannot be excluded by the will.
• The Trusts and Succession (Scotland) Act 2024 introduced significant reforms effective April 2024, including changes to executor appointment rules and modernisation of the law around capacity and undue influence.

If you live in Scotland or own property there, use a service that explicitly supports Scottish succession law. Read more in our dedicated guide: Scottish Wills — Complete Guide.

Northern Ireland: Similar but Not Identical

Northern Ireland follows broadly the same rules as England and Wales — the Wills and Administration Proceedings (NI) Order 1994 mirrors the Wills Act 1837. Marriage revokes a will; divorce voids gifts and appointments to the former spouse; codicils require two witnesses.

The main practical difference is in the intestacy rules. In Northern Ireland, the statutory legacy for a surviving spouse (the amount they receive before the remainder is split) is £450,000, compared to £322,000 in England and Wales. If you're domiciled in Northern Ireland, ensure any will you write is prepared with NI-specific provisions.

How Often Should You Review Your Will?

The standard guidance is every 3–5 years, and immediately after any major life event. But most people don't have a system — the will is signed, filed away, and forgotten until something goes wrong.

A structured annual review is the better approach. It takes 10 minutes. You're checking:

• Are all named executors still alive, willing, and capable?
• Are all named beneficiaries still the people you want to benefit?
• Has your estate changed substantially (property, pensions, investments)?
• Has your family structure changed?
• Are there any new tax planning opportunities (IHT thresholds, residence nil-rate band)?
• Have you moved or acquired property in a different UK jurisdiction?

ClearWill's Will Health-Check (£9.99/year) does this for you — a prompted annual review that flags anything needing attention and lets you update in minutes if required. It's the difference between a will that's current and a will that's a time bomb.

Common Mistakes When Updating a Will

• Crossing out sections or writing in margins. Legally ineffective — these alterations are not valid unless signed and witnessed with the same formalities as the original will. They can also cast doubt on the validity of the surrounding provisions.
• Not destroying all copies of an old will. If you revoke a will by making a new one, destroy every copy of the old one — the original, any solicitor's copy, any safe-deposit copy. A surviving original can be submitted to probate if the newer will can't be found, leading to exactly the distribution you wanted to avoid.
• Forgetting to update executor details. An executor who has moved, changed name after marriage, or died is a significant complication. Keep contact details current.
• Not re-executing after major changes. A will that has been materially altered but not properly re-witnessed may be challenged. When in doubt, start fresh.
• Assuming a codicil is simpler. A codicil still needs two witnesses present simultaneously. It's not simpler than a new will — just different. For anything beyond a single isolated change, a new will is less risky.
• Forgetting digital assets and modern accounts. If you have significant cryptocurrency, investment accounts, or digital intellectual property, ensure they're covered. These assets didn't exist when many older wills were written.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I just cross out sections of my will to change it?

No. Crossing out or writing over sections of a will does not constitute a valid amendment in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. Any alterations made after the will is executed are invalid unless they are signed and witnessed with the same formalities as the original will. The safest approach is always to execute a properly witnessed codicil or write a new will entirely.

Does getting married automatically revoke a will in the UK?

In England and Wales, yes — marriage automatically revokes any existing will under the Wills Act 1837. This means if you made a will before marrying and did nothing afterwards, you now have no valid will. In Scotland, marriage does NOT automatically revoke a will. In Northern Ireland, the rule is the same as England and Wales — marriage revokes any existing will.

What is a codicil and when should I use one?

A codicil is a formal legal document that amends a specific part of an existing will without replacing the whole thing. It must be signed by the testator and witnessed by two independent witnesses (one in Scotland) using the same formalities as the original will. Codicils are appropriate for minor, isolated changes — updating a single legacy, changing an executor, or adding a new beneficiary. For anything more substantial, writing a new will is cleaner and safer.

Does divorce revoke a will in England and Wales?

Divorce does not revoke the will itself, but under the Wills Act 1837 (as amended), any gift or appointment to a former spouse is treated as if they had died on the date of the decree absolute. So your ex-spouse loses their inheritance and any executor appointment — but the rest of the will remains valid. If your ex was your sole beneficiary and executor, this could leave your estate partially intestate. Review your will immediately after divorce.

How do I completely revoke a will I no longer want?

There are three ways to revoke a will in England and Wales: (1) Execute a new will containing a revocation clause — the standard approach; (2) Destroy the will by burning or tearing it with the intention to revoke — you must destroy all original copies; (3) Make a formal written declaration of revocation signed and witnessed with the same formalities as a will. Making a new will is by far the most reliable method.

How often should I review my will?

At minimum every 3–5 years, and immediately after any major life event: marriage, divorce, the birth or adoption of a child, the death of a beneficiary or executor, significant changes in assets or property, moving between UK jurisdictions, or a change in your wishes. ClearWill's annual Will Health-Check (£9.99/year) prompts you each year and flags anything that needs updating.

Related: How to Write a Will UK — Complete Guide | Intestacy Rules UK | Scottish Wills Guide