Complete guide to professional estate planner training in the UK - courses, costs, what's covered, and how to choose the right training.
TL;DR Training Summary:
Estate planner training teaches you everything you need to start offering will writing, Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs), trust planning, and probate services to UK clients. Unlike solicitor training (5-7 years), estate planner training takes 6-8 weeks and costs a fraction of the price.
✓ Key Fact
Estate planning is an unregulated profession in the UK, which means you don't legally need any specific qualifications to practice. However, professional training is essential to serve clients competently, get professional indemnity insurance, and build a credible business.
Estate planner training is a professional development course that teaches you how to help families protect their assets, plan for incapacity, and ensure their wishes are carried out after death.
The training covers:
Good estate planner training is 60% practical and 40% theory. You learn by doing - drafting real documents, working through client scenarios, practicing consultations.
You need estate planner training if you want to:
✓ Start an estate planning business from scratch
✓ Add estate planning services to your existing business (accountant, financial advisor, etc.)
✓ Change careers into a flexible, meaningful profession
✓ Build part-time income alongside current employment
✓ Work flexibly from home with control over your schedule
Comprehensive estate planner training should cover these 5 core modules:
⚠️ Red Flag
If estate planner training doesn't include Module 5 (marketing), you'll struggle to get clients. Many courses teach estate planning law but not how to actually build a business. This is why so many people complete training and then never take a paying client.
Want more detail? Read our complete guide: What Does Estate Planning Training Cover?
Estate planner training costs vary widely depending on format, inclusions, and provider. Here's the honest breakdown:
| Training Type | Cost | Duration | Pros & Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget Online Course | £300-£600 | 2-4 weeks | ❌ No software ❌ No support ❌ Basic content |
| Comprehensive Online | £800-£1,500 | 6-8 weeks | ✓ Software included ✓ Ongoing support ✓ Marketing training |
| In-Person Workshop | £1,500-£3,000 | 2-3 days intensive | ✓ Face-to-face ❌ No ongoing support ❌ Expensive + travel costs |
| Professional Body Course | £1,000-£2,500 | 4-8 weeks | ✓ Recognized certification ± Quality varies ± Often theory-heavy |
The course fee isn't the only cost. Factor in:
💡 Smart Money Tip
Comprehensive training that includes software (2-3 months free) saves you £100-£300 immediately. Cheap courses without software actually cost more when you factor in the £50-£100/month software subscription you'll need to buy separately.
Read our cost analysis: Free vs Paid Estate Planning Training - Is Free Worth It?
Should you choose online or in-person training? Here's the honest comparison:
Best for most people
Good if you need structure
Our observation: Online students often outperform in-person students because they can revisit materials, practice at their own pace, and get ongoing support when real client questions arise (not just during a 2-day workshop).
Read the full comparison: Online vs In-Person Training - Which Is Better?
Not all estate planner training is created equal. Here's how to evaluate your options:
1. Is software training included?
You can't draft professional wills by hand. Software is essential. If training doesn't include it, you're learning to swim without water.
2. Do you teach marketing and getting clients?
Legal knowledge is useless if you can't get clients. Many providers skip this - then students complete training and never build a business.
3. What ongoing support is provided?
Your questions don't end when the course ends. Monthly support groups, email access, and community forums are essential for new estate planners.
4. Is the trainer a practicing estate planner?
Some trainers haven't taken a paying client in years (or ever). You want someone who does this work daily and knows current challenges.
5. What's the theory vs practical split?
Good training is 60% practical. You should draft multiple wills, complete LPAs, practice consultations - not just read about them.
6. Can I see the full curriculum?
If they won't show you exactly what's covered, that's a red flag. Vague "comprehensive training" promises aren't enough.
We created this training because we saw too many courses teaching legal theory without practical business skills. Our students needed real-world training from practicing estate planners.
Most estate planner training ends when the course ends. You know estate planning law, but not how to get clients. Then you're stuck.
We teach you:
Our average student gets their first paying client within 3-6 weeks of completing training.
This training comes from Project Will - an actual operating estate planning company. We take clients every week. When laws change, software updates, or new challenges arise, we know about them because we do this work daily.
That practical experience feeds directly into the training.
No formal qualifications are required. Estate planning is unregulated in the UK, so anyone can train. Most of our students come from unrelated careers - teaching, retail, HR, nursing, office work. If you can communicate clearly and have empathy for clients, you can become an estate planner.
Most comprehensive courses take 6-8 weeks studying part-time (10-15 hours per week). Intensive in-person workshops condense this into 2-3 days, but you'll lack the ongoing support and practice time. Read our complete timeline guide.
Yes. Most students keep their job while training. Online courses let you study evenings and weekends. You can even take your first few clients part-time before deciding to go full-time.
Your first 3-5 clients will generate £1,500-£2,500 in revenue, covering the training cost immediately. By month 6, most students have earned 3-5x their training investment. It's not an expense - it's an investment that pays for itself quickly.
Not legally required, but recommended. Bodies like IPW (Institute of Professional Willwriters) and SFE provide credibility, ongoing updates, and sometimes discounted insurance. Membership costs £100-£300/year.
No - over 40 is actually the sweet spot. Clients prefer estate planners with life experience. Our most successful students are 45-65. Read our guide for career changers over 40.
They're the same thing. "Estate planner" and "will writer" are interchangeable terms in the UK. Estate planning covers wills, LPAs, trusts, and probate - all of which good training should include.
Yes, if your training includes marketing guidance. Start with friends, family, and former colleagues who already trust you. Our students typically get their first 3-5 clients within 3-6 weeks of completing the course. These early clients give you practice and testimonials for attracting more clients.
More questions? Read our complete FAQ →
Comprehensive training covering wills, LPAs, trusts, probate, software, business setup, and marketing. Includes 2 months free Willo software and ongoing support.
£995 • Monthly Training Groups • Help Getting Your First Client