Will Writing Edinburgh | Online Scottish Wills from £99

Edinburgh has more solicitors per capita than almost any other UK city. That is partly why a basic will from a high-street firm in the New Town or Morningside often costs £300 to £600+ overhead has to be paid for somewhere.

For most Edinburgh residents with a normal estate, that price is unnecessary. ScottishWill is a fixed £99 online will writing service, built specifically for Scots law, with every will reviewed by a real person before delivery.

If you simply want to start, you can make your Scottish will online here, the process usually takes around ten minutes.

Contents

• 1. Why Edinburgh residents are choosing online Scottish wills
• 2. How ScottishWill works for Edinburgh customers
• 3. Edinburgh solicitor wills vs ScottishWill , the honest comparison
• 4. Is an online will legally valid in Edinburgh?
• 5. When you should still see an Edinburgh solicitor
• 6. Quick FAQs , wills in Edinburgh

1. Why Edinburgh residents are choosing online Scottish wills

Three things drive most of the choice:

• Cost: Edinburgh solicitor fees for a basic single will are typically £300 to £600+. ScottishWill is £99 (or £149 for a couple). Same legal job, very different price.
• Time: no need to book an appointment two weeks out, travel into the city centre, find parking, and then go back for a second meeting to sign.
• Scots-law-specific: Edinburgh law firms know Scots law, of course. So does ScottishWill, but unlike some UK-wide online services, we are only Scots law.

For most Edinburgh families with a home, savings, perhaps some pensions, and a clear idea of who they want to inherit, that combination is enough.

2. How ScottishWill works for Edinburgh customers

The process is the same wherever you live in Scotland, Edinburgh, the Lothians, the Borders, or further afield.

Step 1: Answer the questions online. A guided form covers your family, your executors, your wishes, and any specific gifts. Most people finish in around ten minutes.

Step 2: We draft and review. Our team builds your Scots-law-specific Will Pack and a real person reviews it before delivery. No auto-generated PDFs going straight to your inbox.

Step 3: Sign at home with one witness. Your reviewed Will Pack arrives within two business days. You print it, sign every page in front of one witness (over 16 and of sound mind), and the witness signs the final page. That is enough for a self-proving will under the Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995.

You then store the signed original somewhere safe and tell your executors where it is. There is no need to register a Scottish will during your lifetime, your executors will use it after your death to apply for Confirmation through the Sheriff Court.

For the detailed signing rules, see our signing a will properly in Scotland guide.

3. Edinburgh solicitor wills vs ScottishWill – the honest comparison

For the wider price picture, see our Scottish will cost guide.

4. Is an online will legally valid in Edinburgh?

Yes. The law that governs Scottish will validity is the Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995, which applies across the whole of Scotland, Edinburgh included.

The 1995 Act says a Scottish will is valid if it is:

• In writing
• Subscribed (signed) by you on every sheet
• Signed by one witness who is over 16 and of sound mind

Nothing in the Act requires the will to be drafted by a solicitor or signed in any particular building. An Edinburgh resident can sign a fully valid Scottish will at the kitchen table, with one neighbour as witness, and it has the same legal force as a will signed in a solicitor’s boardroom.

For more on this, see our online wills validity guide.

5. When you should still see an Edinburgh solicitor

We are honest about the limits. If your situation includes any of the following, an online service is not the right answer.

• Significant overseas assets: property in Spain, France, or further afield. Foreign pensions. Cross-border investments.
• Complex trust arrangements: trusts for disabled beneficiaries, second-marriage protections, business succession structures.
• Substantial inheritance tax planning: if the main reason you are writing a will is to mitigate IHT on a sizeable estate.
• Disputed family situations: estranged children, contested marriages, blended families with potential challenges.

Our do I need a solicitor for a Scottish will guide covers the full trade-off.

Quick FAQs: wills in Edinburgh

Do I need a local Edinburgh solicitor to make a Scottish will?

No. Scots law applies the same way across Scotland. A will signed in Edinburgh, Glasgow, or Stornoway is governed by the same Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995.

How much does a will cost in Edinburgh?

Solicitor fees in Edinburgh typically run £300 to £600+ for a basic single will. ScottishWill is £99 (or £149 for mirror wills).

Where will my Edinburgh will be processed after I die?

Your executors will apply for Confirmation at Edinburgh Sheriff Court (or the appropriate Sheriff Court for your area within the Lothians). Confirmation is the Scottish equivalent of probate.

Can I sign my Scottish will at home in Edinburgh?

Yes. The 1995 Act does not require any particular location. You can sign at home, in a café, or at work.

What if I move from England to Edinburgh, is my old English will still valid?

It may be, but it was probably drafted under English law (Wills Act 1837), which differs from Scots law in several places. Most people who move to Scotland are best served by a fresh Scottish will. Our updating your will in Scotland guide explains why.

Ready to write your Edinburgh Scottish will online?

If your situation is reasonably straightforward and you want a fixed cost and a clear process, you can start your Scottish will online here. The process usually takes around ten minutes, and your completed Will Pack is emailed to you within two business days.

If you have any questions at all, you can contact us, we’re here to help.