Our response to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation on wills

Association responds to Ministry of Justice consultation on storage and retention of original wills.

The British Records Association has submitted a response to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation paper on the ‘Storage and retention of original will documents’. His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) currently holds the original paper versions of wills proved since 1858. The Government’s proposal includes the digitisation of all such wills, and the corresponding destruction of the original paper documents, with exceptions made for wills of selected people considered to be of particular note.

The Association’s response to the proposal is available here.

The deadline for responses to the consultation is Friday 23 February 2024, with a response from the Ministry of Justice expected by the end of May.