Great British Wills
Estate Planning for British
Expats in the UAE
Clarity on what your will covers, what it doesn't, and what else your family may need — before they need it.
For British families living in the UAE, estate planning rarely fits a simple template. Assets accumulated over years of professional life may sit in England and Wales, in the UAE, and potentially in other jurisdictions. Each operates under a different legal framework. What a will governs, what passes outside it, and what documentation is needed where — the answers are different for every family. Most British expats in the UAE have given this less thought than they would like. Many assume their existing will — if they have one — covers everything. It rarely does. Great British Wills exists to provide clarity on that picture, and to ensure the right documentation is in place before it is needed.
Arrange an Introductory DiscussionWhat Great British Wills Provides
An English law will that properly covers your assets in England and Wales — drafted by someone who understands your situation as a British expat, not a generic document produced without reference to your life overseas.
A clear understanding of what your will does not cover — assets held in trust, jointly owned property passing by survivorship, and pension arrangements that pass via nomination rather than through your estate. Knowing what falls outside your will is as important as knowing what falls inside it.
Referrals to appropriately qualified lawyers for assets held outside England and Wales. The right lawyer depends on where your assets are held and what your circumstances require — a question answered at the initial conversation, not assumed in advance.
Guardianship — for families with children in the UAE, ensuring the people you have chosen to care for your children are properly named and legally documented, rather than leaving that decision to a court.
A connection to specialist financial planning where your estate planning reveals a UK inheritance tax exposure or a pension nomination review is needed — through Stuart Porter Financial Planning
Why This Matters
Your English law will is the document that reflects your lifelong intentions — built over years, updated as your family and circumstances evolve. For most British people, it is their will in every meaningful sense.
The documentation you may need as an expat is different in character. You may return to England and Wales before you die. Your UAE assets may have transferred or passed by then. In that sense, expat estate planning is less like a permanent arrangement and more like an insurance policy — something you hope your family never needs to use, but something that is invaluable to them if they do.
Having it in place costs relatively little. Not having it in place when it is needed can cost considerably more — in time, in money, and in the distress of a family navigating unfamiliar legal systems at the worst possible moment.
An introductory discussion is free, takes around 10 to 20 minutes, and carries no obligation. It is simply a chance to understand your situation and confirm what — if anything — needs to be put in place.
Arrange an Introductory Discussion