The government has extended the legislation to January 2024.
The Ministry of Justice has announced that legislation on the remote witnessing of wills will be extended for a further two years.
Normally, two witnesses’ signatures are required in the physical presence of the testator. However, in July 2020, the UK government brought in measures to allow remote witnessing of wills by to make this easier during the pandemic.
This has been extended to 31 January 2024 to support people who are isolating, vulnerable or in case of further restrictions.
A recent Law Society survey found that only 14% of responding solicitors who drafted wills during lockdown utilised remote witnessing.
Law Society of England and Wales president I. Stephanie Boyce said: “Solicitors have bent over backwards to ensure their clients have been able to make valid wills despite the restrictions in place during the pandemic.
“Those who have used video witnessing have told the Law Society that it has been a useful option to have, to help vulnerable people set their affairs in order when making a will in the physical presence of witnesses is not possible.”
