Nearly 80% of people in NI have failed to make a will, says shock study by charity

ALMOST 80% of people in Northern Ireland have not yet made a will, new research has found.

The worrying figure makes us the top region in the UK when it comes to adults who die intestate.

A study by a charity will-writing campaign has discovered a dramatic 10% increase in the number of local people who haven’t prepared this vital documentation — up from 74% in the 2017 poll.

That’s much higher than across the UK as a whole, according to Will Aid, where 53% of adults have failed to prepare the essential paperwork, compared to 51% last year.

President of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, Eileen Ewing, explained that drawing up a will is “a simple and inexpensive process”.

“Making a will is one of the most important things we can do for our families and good causes,” she said.

“By making a will, you can be specific about how your assets will be dealt with.

“It will ensure that your wishes are followed at a difficult time for those you leave behind.

“It also gives you the comfort of knowing that the rewards of your life’s work will be distributed and managed according to your wishes.

“If you don’t leave a will, then the Rules of Intestacy will dictate what happens to all of your assets.”

She added: “Our advice is to go and make an appointment with a local solicitor today, so that they can help ensure that IT’S much cheaper to die in Belfast than in any other region of the UK, it has emerged.

A new report has found the average cost of a funeral here comes in at £2,950, but that’s still significantly lower than the UK average of £3,757.

But, notwithstanding the price tag, the cost of saying goodbye is a burden that hard-pressed consumers are finding increasingly more difficult to shoulder.

Following a 6% hike in funeral

your tomorrows are taken care of.”

Will Aid’s new findings also showed that some regions are far worse than others.

After Northern Ireland, the North East and North West of England fared the next worst, with 58% of people admitting that they don’t have a will.

In fact, only three of the 13 regions in the UK scored better than when people were polled in 2017 about ensuring that their wills are in order.

Peter de Vena Franks, campaign director for Will Aid, said fees over the last five years, Royal London’s latest national funeral cost index has revealed that debt has hit an all-time high of £131m.

It’s a shocking figure and it means that mourners have been taking on average debts of £1,744 in order to pay for their loved ones’ funerals.

Royal London’s funeral cost expert, Louise Eaton-Terry, said high funeral costs have left many families in difficulties after taking on “a mountain of debt”.

“More support needs to be offered to families struggling to pay for funeral costs, and as a result

Inexpensive process: Eileen Ewing being forced into debt,” she said.

“No-one should have to struggle to give their loved ones a decent send-off.”

In London, where dying is most expensive, burial costs have soared to almost £12,000 — that’s four times more than in Belfast, where the average cost of a burial will set you back around £3,050.

Cremation here is even cheaper, sitting at £2,851.

The figures provided by Royal London relate only to the cost of the burial itself and don’t account for additional costs.

the Northern Ireland figure “is almost 20% higher than the other nations within the United Kingdom”.

“To see that the percentage of people without a will increased this year is all the more reason to stress the importance of taking the time to make a will,” he said.

“Having a professionally drawn-up will is the best way to ensure peace of mind and make sure your family members are taken care of.

“Will Aid provides the perfect platform to complete this important task with the expert guidance of professional solicitors.

“Participating solicitors volunteer their time and expertise and waive their fee for writing a basic will, inviting clients to make a voluntary donation to Will Aid.

“If you don’t have a will, we encourage you to book an appointment with one of our participating solicitors for November.”

Will Aid Month, which takes place every November, encourages people to write a will with the assistance of a professional solicitor.

This is the 30th year of the campaign and solicitors are being urged to sign up to provide their time for free.

Law firms volunteer their time and expertise to write basic wills, waiving their fee, with clients being invited to make a voluntary donation to Will Aid instead.

Donations support the vital work of nine partner charities.

Last year, Will Aid raised more than £1.25m for ActionAid, Age UK, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, NSPCC, Save the Children, Sightsavers, SCIAF (Scotland) and Trocaire (Northern Ireland).

Those who wish to book a will can make their November appointments from September onwards via the website or by calling Will Aid on 0300 0309 558.

❝ Making a will is one of the most important things we can do for our families and good causes

For more information, visit www.willaid.org.uk