Is a Lasting Power of Attorney the same as a will?

No. A will deals with your estate after death. A lasting power of attorney is for lifetime decision-making if you cannot make decisions yourself. Bracton's LPA template covers either property and financial affairs or health and welfare decisions.

Do I need both an LPA and an advance decision?

They do different jobs. An LPA appoints attorneys to make decisions within the authority you give them. An advance decision records your own refusal of specified medical treatments in defined circumstances. If you use both, the relationship between them should be considered carefully and the product pages explain the relevant choices.

Can I use a codicil instead of making a new will?

A codicil can amend or supplement an existing will and must be signed with the same formalities as the original will. It is best for targeted changes. If you are changing several key provisions, replacing the will may be clearer than leaving future executors to read multiple documents together.

Is a letter of wishes legally binding?

No. It is a personal, non-binding letter that sits alongside the will. Its value is practical: it helps executors and trustees understand preferences, contacts, possessions, pets, digital assets, and the reasoning behind decisions that should not be written as binding will clauses.

When should I speak to a solicitor?

Use solicitor review for complex estates, blended families, vulnerable beneficiaries, disputed family relationships, overseas property, business assets, tax planning, doubts about capacity, or any situation where someone is likely to challenge the document. Bracton documents are a starting point; Blackwell Advisory can review fixed-fee matters where a template is not enough.

For England and Wales · Wills and estate planning

Wills, LPAs and planning documents for the people who matter.

Make a will, appoint trusted attorneys, record treatment refusals, and leave practical guidance for your executors — drafted by UK solicitors for England and Wales and explained in plain English.

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⚖ Drafted by UK solicitors · 📜 Built for England and Wales · 🖊 Clear signing guidance · ↩ Fourteen-day money-back guarantee

What estate planning covers

A will deals with your estate. Planning ahead also deals with decisions during life.

A valid will records who should administer your estate and who should receive your property when you die. Lasting powers of attorney appoint trusted people to make property, financial, health, or welfare decisions if you cannot make them yourself. An advance decision records specific treatment refusals for defined medical circumstances. A codicil amends an existing will without replacing it entirely, and a letter of wishes gives executors context that does not belong in the will itself.

Important guidance

Signing is part of the document

A will or codicil is not complete just because the wording is finished. It must be signed and witnessed correctly. LPAs and advance decisions have their own execution and practical registration or circulation steps. Each Bracton product page explains the relevant steps before you sign.

Start with the Last Will & Testament →

The documents

Built for wills and estate planning, drafted by UK solicitors.

Every document below has been drafted by Blackwell Advisory to meet the statutory formalities of the Wills Act 1837 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Each one is designed to be drafted by you, signed properly, and recognised when it matters. The documents are grouped by purpose: the four core documents every adult should have in place, the variations and updates that change a Will before or after death, and the supporting documents that explain the choices.

Core planning

Put the main decisions in writing

These documents set out who handles your estate, who can help with decisions if you lose capacity, and what medical treatment you refuse in defined circumstances.

Last Will & Testament

A will for individuals with assets in England and Wales, covering executors, specific gifts, the residuary estate, guardianship of minor children, and funeral wishes.

Appoints executors and optional substitute executors
Records specific gifts, legacies, and residuary beneficiaries
Includes execution requirements and attestation guidance

Why it matters: Without a properly signed will, the people who administer the estate and the people who inherit may not be the people you would have chosen. The will is the document that turns those choices into instructions your executors can use.

See the Last Will & Testament →

Lasting Power of Attorney

An LPA template for property and financial affairs or health and welfare decisions in England and Wales under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Choose property and financial affairs or health and welfare
Appoint attorneys and replacement attorneys
Includes certificate provider and registration guidance

Why it matters: A will only takes effect after death. An LPA is for lifetime decisions, so trusted attorneys can act if you cannot manage money, property, care, or health decisions yourself.

See the Lasting Power of Attorney →

Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment

A document for refusing specified medical treatments in defined clinical circumstances, with life-sustaining treatment wording for the cases where that is relevant.

Identifies the treatments refused and the circumstances in which refusals apply
Distinguishes binding refusals from non-binding preferences and values
Includes storage, circulation, review, and revocation prompts

Why it matters: An advance decision is most useful when clinicians and family can see exactly what has been refused, when it applies, and where the signed document can be found. Clear circulation is as important as clear drafting.

See the Advance Decision →

Updates and guidance

Keep the plan current and understandable

Not every change requires a full rewrite, and not every personal wish belongs in a legally binding clause. These documents help you update or explain the plan without confusing the will itself.

Codicil to a Will

A formal codicil to amend or supplement an existing will, signed with the same formalities as the original will.

Revokes or substitutes selected gifts or legacies
Adds new gifts or changes executors and guardians
Includes a dual witness attestation block

Why it matters: A codicil is useful for a targeted change, but it must be executed carefully and kept with the will. If the change is substantial or there are several changes, starting again with a new will may be clearer.

See the Codicil to a Will →

Letter of Wishes

A personal, non-binding letter to accompany a will, giving executors and trustees practical guidance on funeral wishes, possessions, children, pets, digital assets, and key contacts.

Explains personal wishes without changing the will
Covers funeral preferences, possessions, pets, and digital accounts
Helps executors understand the reasons behind decisions

Why it matters: A will should be precise and legally operative. A letter of wishes gives the human context: what you would like your executors to know, where to find things, and how you would prefer discretionary decisions to be approached.

See the Letter of Wishes →

Why Bracton

Three reasons estate-planning templates need careful drafting.

Drafted around the signing step

The words matter, but so do execution formalities. Bracton documents include signing, witnessing, registration, or circulation prompts so the document can be completed properly after it is generated.

Plain English choices

Estate planning often fails because people are asked legal questions without context. Bracton documents explain the choice being made, why it matters, and when a more complex family or asset position should be reviewed by a solicitor.

A solicitor on the other end

Some estates, family arrangements, capacity questions, overseas assets, and disputes need bespoke advice. Every Bracton document includes a route to escalate to fixed-fee solicitor review at Blackwell Advisory.

Common questions

What people ask before drafting a Will or an LPA.

The Bracton Last Will & Testament is drafted for England and Wales and includes execution requirements and attestation guidance. The practical point is that the document must not only say the right things; it must also be signed and witnessed correctly. If your circumstances involve overseas assets, a likely dispute, complex trusts, or capacity concerns, solicitor review is recommended before signing.

Reviewed by Connor Griffiths, Solicitor — Blackwell Advisory (SRA No. 821297)

Last updated: 1 June 2026

Ready when you are

Start with the document that controls your estate.

The Last Will & Testament appoints the people who administer your estate and records who should receive your property. Add LPAs, an advance decision, a codicil, or a letter of wishes where your plan needs lifetime decision-making, treatment refusals, updates, or personal guidance.

Start a Last Will & Testament Create a Lasting Power of Attorney

The four documents every adult should have in place

Drafted by solicitors, witnessed to statutory standards, recognised by the people and institutions that will need to act on them.