How long after death is a will read? UK timings explained
In England and Wales, there is no formal reading of a will. The executor named in the will can read it straight away, usually within days of the death. Beneficiaries are normally told what they will receive within a few weeks, although the estate itself takes months to settle.
Is there really a "reading of the will", like in films?
No. The gathering where a solicitor reads the will aloud to the assembled family, and everyone learns their share at the same dramatic moment, is a film convention. It is not a step in the legal process in England and Wales.
What people picture as a will reading is closer to an Agatha Christie novel than to modern practice. In reality, the executor simply finds the will, reads it themselves, and lets people know what they need to know. Here is the difference at a glance.
| What films show | What actually happens in England and Wales |
|---|---|
| The family gathers in one room | There is no meeting and no set occasion |
| A solicitor reads the will aloud | The executor reads it themselves, privately |
| Everyone learns their share at once | Each beneficiary is usually told separately |
| It happens right after the funeral | The will is read whenever the executor is ready, often before the funeral |
Knowing this matters, because the expectation of a formal event is exactly what leaves so many people waiting for a phone call that is never going to come.
How soon after death is the will actually read?
Usually very soon. The executor will often look for the will within the first few days, sometimes before the funeral, because it can contain the person's wishes about their funeral and burial or cremation. So the practical answer to how long after someone dies is the will read is normally a matter of days, not weeks or months.
People often ask how long after the funeral the will is read, which assumes the funeral comes first. It usually does not. The will is frequently read before the funeral, precisely so the family can follow any wishes it contains.
What takes longer is everything that comes after: applying for probate, settling debts and tax, and paying out what people are due. Reading the will is quick. Sorting out the estate is the slow part, and the two are easily confused.
Who has to make the first move?
This is the part that catches most people out, and it is worth being clear about. Nothing happens automatically. The process only begins when the executor acts.
The executor is the person named in the will to carry out its instructions. Until they step in, no one is notified, no copies are sent, and no clock starts running. If the will is being held by a solicitor, that solicitor may not even know the person has died, so they will not be in touch until someone tells them.
So if you are waiting and have heard nothing, the question to ask is not "when will the solicitor call me". It is "has the executor started yet". Often the honest answer is that everyone is waiting for someone else to move first. If you are the next of kin, it is worth finding out who the named executor is and gently prompting things along. If you would like help understanding what an executor has to do, our guide on the role of an executor of a will walks through it.
Where is the will kept, and how do the executors get it?
A will is usually kept in one of a few places: at home with the person's important papers, at their bank, or with the solicitor who drew it up. Family members are often told where it is, though not always.
If the will is held by a solicitor or a bank, the executor will normally need to prove who they are before it is released. That usually means producing a copy of the death certificate and some identification, and sometimes a written request. This is a sensible safeguard, not an obstacle, and a genuine executor should have no trouble meeting it.
Who is allowed to see the will before probate?
Before probate is granted, the will is a private document. In law, only the executor has the right to read it. Anyone else, including close family and named beneficiaries, has no automatic right to see it until later.
That can feel harsh when you believe you are named in it. In practice, good executors share what people need to know well before the formal stage, and there is no rule stopping them from doing so. But if an executor chooses to keep the contents private for now, they are within their rights.
When does a will become public?
A will becomes a public document once probate has been granted. From that point, anyone can obtain a copy, whether or not they knew the person. Two details are worth knowing, because they surprise people:
- Only the most recent will becomes public. If the person updated their will over the years, earlier versions stay private. Only the final valid will enters the public record.
- If probate is never applied for, the will never becomes public at all. Where everything was jointly owned and passes automatically, or the estate is small enough that no grant is needed, there may be no probate and therefore nothing added to the public record. Our guide on whether you need probate when there is a will explains when a grant is and is not required.
How to get a copy of a will
Once probate has been granted, you can get a copy of the will yourself, and you do not need anyone's permission. This is one of the most common things people search for, so here is exactly how.
You can order a copy of a will online through the government service, Search probate records for documents and wills on GOV.UK. It lets you check whether probate has been issued and order a copy of the record, including the will if there is one. Each copy ordered online costs £16.
Before probate is granted, there is no public copy to order, because the will is not yet held by the Probate Registry. If you need to see it at that stage and the executor will not share it, the next section explains your options.
When will beneficiaries be told what they are getting?
Once the executor has taken charge, they will usually contact the beneficiaries to let them know they are named and, in broad terms, what they will receive. So the answer to when beneficiaries of a will get notified is normally within a few weeks of the executor starting, often by letter or a phone call rather than any formal meeting.
Being told what you will inherit is not the same as receiving it. There is usually a long gap between the two. The estate has to be valued, debts and any inheritance tax paid, and a grant of probate obtained before money can be paid out. For many estates the whole process commonly takes somewhere between nine and twelve months, and sometimes longer where property has to be sold or the affairs are complicated. Executors also often wait around six months after the grant before making final payments, to allow time for any claims against the estate. If you want a fuller picture of the timings, see how long probate takes.
What if the executor will not show you the will?
Sometimes a beneficiary believes they are named, asks to see the will, and gets nowhere. If that is happening to you, there is a route open to you.
Before probate, you can ask the executor directly, and most will explain what you need to know. If they refuse and you have good reason to think you are affected, you can ask a solicitor to write on your behalf. In rare cases where an executor still will not act, a court application can be made that forces them to obtain probate, which then puts the will into the public record where you can see it.
These situations are uncommon, and most are resolved with a simple conversation. But if you are genuinely being shut out of an estate you have an interest in, that is when it is worth speaking to someone. Our page on contentious probate explains where disputes like this can lead.
Is it the same in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
This guide covers the law in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own separate systems, and some of the terms and steps are different. In Scotland, for example, the process is called confirmation rather than probate. If the person lived in Scotland or Northern Ireland, the timings and rules here may not apply to you, so it is worth checking advice specific to that nation.
Is there a formal reading of the will in England and Wales?
No. There is no legal requirement for a will to be read aloud to anyone. The executor reads it and shares what people need to know, usually without any meeting.
How soon after someone dies can the will be read?
Usually within a few days. The executor often looks for the will early, because it may set out the person's funeral wishes.
Who is allowed to see the will before probate?
Only the executor has the right to read the will before probate is granted. Beneficiaries and family have no automatic right to see it until it becomes public.
When does a will become public?
Once probate is granted. After that, anyone can order a copy. Only the final valid will becomes public, and if no probate is needed the will may never become public at all.
How do I get a copy of a will?
After probate, order one through the GOV.UK service, Search probate records for documents and wills. Each copy ordered online costs £16.
Does a solicitor have to read the will out to the family?
No. A solicitor does not have to hold a reading or read the will aloud. Their role, where they are involved, is to help the executor administer the estate correctly.
What can I do if the executor will not show me the will?
Before probate you can ask a solicitor to write on your behalf, and in rare cases a court application can force the executor to obtain probate, which makes the will public.
We are here if you need us
Losing someone is hard enough without a pile of questions about wills and probate on top of it. If you are an executor unsure where to start, or you believe you are named in a will and cannot get a clear answer, we are happy to talk it through.
We offer a free, no-obligation 20-minute chat, with no pressure and no jargon. As an SRA-regulated firm authorised to carry out probate work, we can guide you through what needs to happen and in what order. If you cannot easily travel to us, we can visit you at home, in hospital or in a hospice.
Call us on 0208 515 2790 or send us a message, and we will help you work out your next steps.
Author Bio:
Nasreen Akhter is the founding director of Ash Hill Solicitors and a private client solicitor with over a decade of experience in probate, wills, estate planning and elderly client care. Known for her calm, compassionate approach, she guides individuals and families through life's most sensitive legal matters with clarity and care.
Nasreen is also an accredited civil and commercial mediator, and is listed on the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) register. Outside of work, she's a dedicated mum and chairs Happy Orphans Worldwide, a charity supporting vulnerable children worldwide.
