More than half of South West adults are without an up-to-date will, according to a national charity.

Will Aid’s poll, which surveyed more than 2,000 people across the country, found that 48 per cent of people in the South West have not made a will, and eight per cent admitted theirs did not reflect their current wishes.

Nationally, the figures showed 56 per cent of people have not made a will, with a further 11 per cent whose will is out of date.

According to the charity, financial pressures appeared to be holding people back - with 21 per cent citing the cost of instructing a solicitor as the reason for not sorting a will.

Other reasons included believing they had nothing worth leaving (27 per cent), never finding the time (18.5 per cent), feeling uncomfortable talking about death (16 per cent) and concerns about the process being too complicated (16 per cent).

Peter de Vena Franks, Will Aid Campaign Director, said: "Making a will is a final loving act for those you care about. It provides a clear plan and guidance for your family after you're gone.

“We know thinking about death is uncomfortable and considering your final wishes can be daunting, but not having one can lead to confusion and distress among family members and beneficiaries at an already upsetting time.”

The annual Will Aid campaign, which has been running for more than 30 years, sees participating solicitors across the UK waive their fee for writing basic wills in exchange for a voluntary donation throughout November.

For more information on Will Aid, visit www.willaid.org.uk.