Every year in the UK, around 70,000 older people are forced to sell their homes to pay for care. What most families don’t realise is this:
Over half of those sales — around 38,000 homes — could have been avoided with the correct will.
And the heartbreaking part? Most of these people thought they were protected because they had a will written by a high‑street solicitor.
The Hidden Problem: Mirror Wills After 60
High‑street solicitors typically offer only two types of wills:
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Mirror wills
Mirror wills are fine for younger couples (30–50). But for couples over 60, they can be financially devastating.
Here’s why:
With a mirror will, when one partner dies, the entire estate automatically passes to the surviving spouse.
That means the surviving spouse — now single, over 60, and statistically more likely to need care — suddenly owns 100% of the home.
If they later require care, the local authority can assess the entire property value. That’s how thousands of homes are lost every year.
A Simple Fix That Protects Half the Home Instantly
According to trusted-lawyers.co.uk, thousands of these losses could be prevented with one simple change to how your will and property are structured.
As we get older, the smart move is to stop everything passing to each other and instead structure the estate properly.
The safest, simplest step is:
- Change the property ownership to “Tenants in Common”
This divides the home into two separate 50% shares.
- Update the will so each partner leaves their 50% to the children in trust
Not directly — in trust, with a “right to occupy” for the surviving spouse.
This means:
- The surviving spouse can stay in the home for life
- The children legally own the first 50%
- No one can force the sale of half a house
- The council can only assess the surviving spouse’s 50% for care fees
- The children inherit the full property when both parents pass — often without inheritance tax because half the home was transferred earlier at a reduced value
This single change has saved families tens of thousands of pounds in care fees, probate costs, and inheritance tax.
Why High Street Solicitors Rarely Offer This
Most high‑street firms write only basic wills. They don’t specialise in later‑life planning, care‑fee protection, or trust‑based structures.
Estate planners do.
That’s why so many families end up with mirror wills that are completely unsuitable for their age and circumstances.
Living Trusts Can Protect the Entire Estate — But Even a Simple Will Fix Saves 50%
There are advanced options like Family Asset Protection Trusts that can safeguard the whole estate.
But for many families, just correcting the will and switching to tenants in common instantly protects half the home.
If You’re Over 60, You Should Not Have a Mirror Will
Last year alone, 38,000 homes were lost because couples didn’t realise this.
Later Living Helpline want to ensure no family is left vulnerable simply because they weren’t given the right information.
That’s why we’re directing all UK residents over 60 to a free will review provided by trusted-lawyers.co.uk.
Trusted-lawyers.co.uk will arrange for a professional estate planner in your local area to:
- Check whether your current will protects your home
- Explain how your will should be structured as you get older
- Show you what needs to be included to safeguard your estate
- Provide guidance even if you don’t yet have a will
This is expert, specialist advice — not generic high‑street guidance — and it’s completely free.
Later Living Helpline is simply signposting this service because too many families are losing their homes unnecessarily. The explanations and advice come directly from trusted-lawyers.co.uk, who specialise in later‑life estate planning and care‑fee protection.
A free review could save your children their inheritance. No couple over 60 should rely on a mirror will.
