Living Will
Overview
A Living Will to set out your wishes regarding life support and associated care.
- Set out your wishes regarding life support and care.
- Clear, plain english, Solicitor drafted template.
- Customise online, print and the document is ready to sign.
Your Living Will
A Living Will is a Will that only applies in certain circumstances, such as if you were to become mentally incompetent or otherwise unable to communicate. A Living Will sets out your beliefs and wishes in relation to medical intervention. For example, you may wish to die naturally and not have your life artificially prolonged and a Living Will will ensure that the correct people are informed of this when the time comes.
Under the Living Will you are able to appoint a personal representative to make decisions for you in circumstances when you cannot communicate. This person will have the power to make binding decisions on your behalf regarding your medical treatment and care.
When customising the Living Will template, we recommend that you bear in mind the prospect of new medical treatments and medicines that may be introduced or invented in the future. For peace of mind, you should ensure that a copy of your Living Will is available in your medical notes so that doctors and other medical professionals are aware of your wishes when necessary. You can submit a copy of your Living Will to your GP and any hospital that is treating you. A copy of your Living Will should be given to someone that you trust for safe keeping, such as your next of kin or the personal representative, so that they can enforce it.
As your wishes as to medical care and treatment are likely to change throughout your life as new treatments and procedures become available, you should consider reviewing your Living Will every so often.
Living Wills can make medical decisions easier for your family and reduce their stress at a time when they may not feel capable of making serious, life-changing decisions.
Using the Living Will Template
The Living Will document supplied on this site is a template designed for you to complete easily and quickly. A qualified Solicitor has created the document so that it is clear and reliable.
Clauses in the Living Will
The Living Will template contains clauses providing options for the most common arrangements requested by people in the circumstances envisaged by the Will. You can tailor the provisions further to reflect your own individual wishes.
Associated Documents
A Living Will can be entered into together with a Lasting Power of Attorney to ensure that all your property and welfare matters are dealt with by someone you trust or in accordance with your wishes, when you are unable to manage them yourself.
Further advice on the different types of Wills and Powers of Attorney in contained in our Guide to the Types of Power of Attorney and Making a Will guide. We also have information on Euthanasia, Terminal Sedation and Assisted Suicide and a Glossary of Common Will Words.
