A Letter of Wishes is not a legally binding document and does not follow a set template. It can be stored alongside your will and can give guidance on some of your end of life preferences. 

We've partnered with Hugh James Solicitors to offer a will writing service. Our will writing page has more information. Fees apply.

If you are a Premier customer your Premier Banking Manager knows you and your financial objectives and so is ideally placed to discuss your will-writing needs.

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If you are in the position of being appointed as someone else’s Power of Attorney, you can find more information on our caring for vulnerable relatives page. 

• How well do they know you and your wishes?
• How well do they manage their own finances and affairs? 
• How well will they be able to advocate for you in a challenging (e.g. medical) situations?
• Do you trust them to make decisions in your best interest?
• Will they be willing and available to take on this role?
• If appointing more than one attorney, will they make decisions separately or together?

Hopefully you won't need a backup, but it's a good idea to name a replacement Attorney in case your designated Attorney(s) cannot act on your behalf. 

You can think about how and when you want to share your healthcare wishes with your doctors or care team. Also consider when to include your family in these important healthcare conversations. 

Medical Questions:

If you have medical questions it can help to write down your questions ahead of time before asking your doctor. Some people want a clear picture of what to expect down the road, while others find that too overwhelming; you have the right to request the level of detail you are comfortable hearing from your doctors.

What you want communicated with loved ones:

Would you want to let your loved ones know if you are experiencing physical or emotional pain at the end of life? Or would you prefer to keep these feelings to yourself and your care team? 

Finally, consider whether you would rather receive news privately, or accompanied for support. 

Please visit the NHS website

When you take out life insurance, you pay a set amount of money – usually once a month – to your insurer for your policy. In return, they agree to pay your beneficiaries an agreed sum of money if something happens that's covered by your policy. 

Every life insurance policy is different, so how long you're covered, what you're covered for, and how much it costs will vary. When you take out a policy, it’s important to read the information you’re given or talk to your insurer about specific questions or concerns.

Find out more on our Life Insurance page

To protect a family home or property

If you passed away before paying off your mortgage, your surviving family or dependents would become responsible for the repayments. So if they couldn’t afford to make these repayments, they could be at risk of losing their home.  Life insurance could be used to pay off some or all of your outstanding mortgage in the event of your death. 

To provide supplementary income 

Some families rely heavily on the income of one person in the household. If you’re the main breadwinner, then your death could put a financial strain on your family at an already difficult time. Life insurance could help supplement lost income. 

To pay off debt

If you die with debts, then your loved ones may get stuck with a bill. Life insurance could help to cover your debts if something happened to you.

To leave an inheritance

The costs of retirement and healthcare are hard to predict, so working out inheritance can be tricky. Life insurance could help you to give money to your family after you die.

To cover end of life costs

Some people worry about the cost of their funeral and other end-of-life costs such as care homes putting a strain on their family. Life insurance could help to pay for these final expenses in the event of your death.