Experts concerned about Swansea’s disinterest in wills

South Wales law firm, David W Harris & Co. Solicitors, sorted 12 Welsh counties by Google search volume for “writing a will” in the past year. By comparing these figures against the population in each county, they pinpointed the top areas eager to draft a will.

According to the research, these areas rank as follows:

1. 1. Cardiff
2. 2. Newport
3. 3. Merthyr Tydfil
4. 4. Blaenau Gwent
5. 5. Wrexham
6. 6. Bridgend
7. 7. Caerphilly
8. 8. Neath
9. 9. Swansea
10. 10. Monmouth
11. 11. Carmarthen
12. 12. Conwy

Swansea ranks 9th with only 113,000 searches relating to will writing over the past year. Compared to neighbouring areas this is extremely low. Newport, which has fewer residents than Swansea, has almost 110,000 more searches relating to will writing.

Overall, areas in South East and South Wales proved to show more interest in will writing than areas in the West, such as Neath, Swansea and Carmarthen.

Research suggests that 59% of adults in the UK still do not have a will in place. With the national day’s emphasis on building financial resilience, Christopher Pridham, Partner at David W Harris, warns of the damage that can be left behind without one.

He says, “Families in Wales really need to consider the benefits of having a will; it’s never too early to put one in place, especially if you have children. Whether it’s unexpected events, health considerations, or ensuring the well-being of your dependents, an early Will reflects your foresight and bestows the gift of clarity upon those you hold dear.”

National Talk Money Week runs from 6th to 11th November and aims to encourage people of all ages to talk about their finances more openly with friends, family and experts so as to feel more confident in managing their money for the future, and building healthy relationships with money from the get-go.