Before the time comes
Plan ahead, at your own pace.
The guides below cover the thinking. If you'd like the answers stored where your family will actually find them, on the day they need them, that's what Planning Mode is for: the will, the LPA, the funeral wishes, the executor's contact list, and the location of every important document, all in one place that survives you.
A two-minute overview
Wills & guardianship
Decide who gets what, and who looks after whom.
Estate Planning
18 minA practical UK estate planning checklist covering wills, power of attorney and funeral wishes, with costs and jurisdiction differences.
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Making a Will
16 minHow to make a will in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Costs, legal requirements, and what happens if you die without one.
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DIY Will vs Solicitor
14 minThe costs of DIY wills, online services, and solicitor-drafted wills compared, and when each option makes sense.
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Where to Keep a Will
12 minSafe storage options for wills and important documents, from the Probate Registry to solicitors - and how to make sure your will can be found.
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Naming Guardians
12 minHow to appoint a legal guardian for your children if you die. What happens if you don't, who can be a guardian, and how to make the right choice.
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Powers & advance decisions
Choose who can speak, if you can't speak yourself.
Power of Attorney
18 minHow to set up a lasting power of attorney in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Types, costs, and step-by-step process.
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Living Wills & Advance Decisions
16 minWhat advance decisions are, how they work, and what you need to know about living wills in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
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End-of-Life Planning
16 minA practical UK guide to advance care planning, DNACPR, ReSPECT forms, choosing where to be cared for, benefits, and having the conversation.
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Anticipatory Grief
12 minWhat the research shows about grief that begins before a death, why grieving early does not make the loss easier later, and what actually helps carers cope.
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Funeral wishes & costs
Record what matters to you, so the day reflects it.
Funeral Wishes
12 minHow to plan your own funeral and record your wishes so your family knows what matters to you.
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Prepaid Funeral Plans
18 minA practical guide to prepaid funeral plans in the UK. What they cover, what they cost, FCA regulation, and how to choose one.
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Water Cremation
16 minWater cremation is now legal in Scotland. What it is, how it works, what it costs, and when it will be available across the UK.
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Water Cremation: The Evidence
15 minA plain-English review of the research into water cremation: the science, the environmental claims, the effluent question, and where the law stands.
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Care, pensions & later-life finances
Tidy the practical things, before they become urgent.
Pensions & Inheritance Tax 2027
14 minFrom April 2027, unused pension funds count towards inheritance tax. What is changing, who is affected, and what families and executors need to do.
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When Someone Dies in a Care Home
14 minWhat happens when someone dies in a care home: the Medical Examiner system, registration, collecting belongings, fees, and what families need to do.
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Care Home Fees
16 minWho pays care home fees when someone dies, how Deferred Payment Agreements work, and how to make a retrospective NHS Continuing Healthcare claim.
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Inheritance Tax Planning
14 minA practical guide to IHT planning ahead of the April 2027 pension changes. Allowances, the spouse exemption, gifting rules, and what to review now.
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Further reading
A book that shaped our thinking.
For the wider reference
Advance care planning, in plain English.
DNACPR forms, ReSPECT, jurisdictional differences
How advance decisions sit alongside funeral and estate plans, and the legal status of each in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Open the wiki entry