The Code for Will Preparation in England & Wales lays out a set of ethical principles and includes a list of considerations that a will drafter must consider when preparing a will.

This includes that writers must be open and transparent in their dealings with clients, and guidelines when the drafter is unsure of a client’s mental capacity.

Will writing is not a regulated activity in England and Wales, despite requests from the Legal Services Board.

STEP president Geoffrey Shindler said: “The code ensures that if you go to a STEP member to draft your will, you can be confident that they are properly educated, operate to the highest professional competencies and to the highest possible ethical standards, both in the way they approach you and in the way they prepare your will.”