BBC programme looks for farmers with will power

Have you got a valid will? If so, it may surprise you to find out you are in the minority.

Every day, over 1,500 people die in the UK, and more than 70% of them die without a legally valid will – a truly shocking statistic, which can lead to conflict amongst the remaining family.

Now one of the country’s leading businessmen, Sir Gerry Robinson, wants to help change that. Assisted by expert legal advisors, he will help people to write their wills for a BBC2 programme being filmed in Spring.

Sir Gerry is looking for readers who might be interested in receiving free, expert help.

There are all kinds of reason why people put off writing their wills. Sometimes they have large families, or children by different marriages. Sometimes they aren’t sure how to divide the family business, or how to make sure relatives with special needs are looked after. It can be a complicated business, requiring specialist help and advice.

But writing a will is important. If you don’t leave a valid will, your estate will become subject to Intestacy Laws, which are impersonal, and won’t necessarily leave your family properly provided for. Many people wrongly assume that if they die, everything will go to their spouse – not true. They often also forget just how many assets they have: insurance policies, cars, company pensions, and so on. And writing a will is the only way to name legal guardians for your children, if they are under 18 years old: otherwise, the State will appoint them. Without a will, all kinds of unforeseen and unwelcome consequences can follow.

In fact, this is a problem that is getting worse. Since 2004, disputes have trebled, according to one leading firm, Wedlake Bell, leading to estates being increasingly swallowed by legal fees.

"It shocked me when I found out how many people in this country haven’t written their will," says Sir Gerry Robinson. "I want to start raising awareness of this issue, and helping people put their estates in order." Even those who have written a will may find it is out of date. "If you wrote it twenty years ago, stuffed it in a drawer and forgot about it," Sir Gerry points out, "you may find that your circumstances have changed so much it no longer applies. And if you didn’t get it properly witnessed at the time, it isn’t valid anyway."

Sir Gerry has helped families before on the BBC. In two previous series, he gave free advice to family-run businesses. "My family is the most important thing in my life," he says, "but I know how complicated family affairs can be. It can be tempting to put off addressing issues like this. But in the long-run, that only stores up trouble. Would you rather write your will yourself, or have the government write it for you by default?"

The programme’s producers would like to speak to anyone who is having trouble writing their will, or knows someone who is – perhaps you know your own parents have been putting it off, and need help? Or a relative, or friend? All calls will be in strict confidence. Please call Ella Wells, the programme researcher, on: 020 7861 8068 or email her at: legacy@talkbackthames.tv