Make a will to avoid family distress?

Making a will could help individuals save their families unnecessary stress, as it is revealed one local authority demands relatives clear and clean council houses almost immediately after an occupant dies.

The Courier reports this means bereaved people in the Dundee area must deal with a residence within seven days, a time filled with many other emotional and organisational difficulties.

So making a will could be the best way to support family and loved ones at such a challenging time, as it will mean probate can begin and estate administration progresses as smoothly as possible.

Elizabeth McGillivray, vice-dean of the Faculty of Procurators and Solicitors in Dundee, comments: "There is a lot to do when someone dies … and to expect someone to clear a house or flat within that time is unrealistic and unfeeling."

An investigation by the Legal Services Consumer Panel is currently under way, examining people's experiences of will-writing firms with a view to possible regulation change.