A new report from LEAP Estates, part of LEAP Legal Software, finds that estate planning in the UK is becoming more complex, more strategic, and taking place earlier in life.
This is the first report of its kind, using anonymised data from the LEAP, LEAP Estates, and Willsuite platforms to analyse real private client activity in England and Wales during 2025. The findings are based on real data, giving a clear view of the industry now and where it is going in 2026, based on:
- 242,895 wills
- 176,277 lasting powers of attorney
- 87,833 wills containing trusts
This year’s Private Client Industry Report is grounded in observed behaviour, giving us a clear indication of what individuals are putting in place when engaging with estate planning, thus offering a more accurate picture of how social, economic and legal shifts will impact the industry in 2026.Andrew Hitchon – Head of Private Client – LEAP Estates
The data, taken from current legal cases, highlights four main areas:
- Demographic shifts in demand
- How longevity impacts trust planning
- An increase in blended families leads to exclusions
- Regulatory updates call for change
Key insights from the report
The report shows that estate planning is no longer just for later old age. More people are getting involved during late working life and early retirement to protect their assets, plan for incapacity, and handle more complex family situations.
Long-term changes in the UK population are also changing when people start estate planning and what they expect from it. With people living longer, reaching life milestones later, and facing cost-of-living pressures, many are planning earlier, often in late working life or early retirement. Estate planning is now seen as a way to provide protection, control, and certainty over a longer life, not just as a one-off task.
With people living longer and spending more years managing illness or reduced capacity, estate planning now includes long-term asset management and incapacity planning. The report notes a clear increase in trust planning as people live longer. In 2025, 36.2% of wills included at least one trust, showing a move toward long-term asset management.
Changes in family structures are also a key factor. The report finds that trusts are increasingly used to manage inheritance risks in blended families. Among wills with trusts, 72% of exclusions are due to estrangement, indicating that these choices are intentional. This means private client practitioners need to consider family dynamics as a regular part of estate planning.
Regulatory changes are also affecting the market. The Law Commission’s proposals from May 2025, along with updates to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, show that more changes are coming. Private client professionals will need to stay alert and flexible.
Private client: A growing market
The UK market for wills, probate, and trusts is already growing quickly, and this is expected to continue into 2026. This growth is driven by more complex estate planning needs, new laws, and changes in the population.
The report’s four main trends show that the sector is growing, getting more complex, and becoming more important. For private client firms, success will mean helping clients with longer lifespans, more complex families, and new regulations by offering earlier advice, deeper knowledge, and estate planning solutions tailored for a longer and more varied later life.
Download the 2026 Private Client Industry Report for all the insights.
