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Online Wills & Probate – Proud Supporters of HFM

Written by HFM News on 19th October 2026

Ask most people in Harborough when they last looked at their will and you’ll get a sheepish smile. Ask about a Lasting Power of Attorney and, more often than not, you’ll get a blank look.

That blank look is exactly what Phil Izzard wants to change. Known across the district as Phil the Will™, he co-founded Online Wills & Probate with solicitor Jane Morris-Rowlinson, and the pair run the business from Market Harborough.

“I’ve sat at too many kitchen tables with families who are grieving and then find out there’s no will, or that nobody has the legal authority to help Mum with her bank,” says Phil. “Most of that heartache can be avoided. It just takes a bit of planning while everyone is well.”

Phil Izzard AKA Phil the Will

Built by solicitors, not instead of them

Online Wills & Probate isn’t a cut-price stand-in for a law firm. It was built by people who practise law, to give families the expertise they need without the parts that put them off: the appointment, the jargon and the hourly rate.

Jane has spent more than 20 years as a solicitor. She built the firm’s DIY Probate Portal after watching executors, often grieving and juggling work and family, struggle through a process nobody had explained to them.

“Most executors have never done this before, and they’re terrified of getting it wrong,” says Jane. “The portal takes them through every stage in the right order, with the same care I’d apply myself.”

The portal is now featured in MoneySavingExpert’s probate guide. This year the firm was also Highly Commended for Innovation of the Year at the Probate Industry Awards 2026, which is quite something for a team based on the edge of the Welland valley.

Three things worth checking this autumn

Phil and Jane hear the same worries again and again. If you do nothing else after reading this, check these three.

Is your will up to date? Marriage cancels an existing will in England and Wales, and many people don’t know it. A new grandchild, a divorce or a house move is also a good prompt to look again.
Do you have Lasting Powers of Attorney? Many people assume their husband, wife or children can step in automatically if they become unwell. They can’t. Without an LPA, your family may have to apply to the Court of Protection, which takes months and costs far more. Phil puts it bluntly: “An LPA matters as much as a will, and for anyone over 18, not just older people.”
Are you an executor? If someone has died and you’re dealing with their estate, find out first whether you need probate at all. Online Wills & Probate’s free Probate Checker gives an answer in about two minutes. Worth knowing too: the government probate application fee rose from £300 to £526 in July 2026 for estates over £5,000.

Why HFM?

For Phil, backing the station was a natural fit. “HFM is the voice of this town. It’s how a lot of older people here stay connected, and that’s exactly who we want to reach,” he says.

So for every will, Lasting Power of Attorney or probate service arranged through HFM, Online Wills & Probate donates 25% of its fee to the station. Your paperwork gets sorted, and your local radio station gets a boost.

[HFM: embed Phil’s audio clip here]

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