Struggling to find a will for your deceased friend or family member?
Simply carry on reading to discover who inherits if there’s no will in the UK from the professional team of solicitors at Freeman Jones Solicitors.
What are the rules for inheritance if there is no will?
So, if there’s no will who inherits? In the UK, the rules of intestacy determine the order of inheritance if the deceased doesn’t leave a valid will.
These rules vary depending on factors such as the location of the deceased’s permanent home, whether they have a living spouse or civil partner, and when they passed.
For a clearer idea of who inherits if there’s no will, it’s worth answering a set of questions put together by the government.
Alternatively, paying a visit to your solicitor can also help you to understand how their estate (money, possessions, and property) is likely to be divided.
Who inherits if there is no will in the UK?
With no will, who inherits? Typically, if the deceased has a surviving partner, such as a spouse or civil partner, their partner will receive a certain amount of their estate.
However, if the deceased has no children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren, the partner will inherit the rest of the estate, too.
If the deceased does have these surviving relatives, then the partner will only inherit half of the rest of the estate with the remaining half being divided between the deceased’s children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
What happens if you can’t find a will?
If you can’t find the will of a deceased loved one, then it’s important that you do your research before assuming there is no will.
First and foremost, you should look through the deceased’s home as many people will choose to keep their original will at home. You should also ask their friends, family, and colleagues in case they had any involvement in the deceased’s will or know they’ve written one.
You should also contact their solicitor (or if you don’t know who their solicitor is – try local solicitors and solicitors around where the deceased used to live), bank, and the Probate Registry.
If you’ve exhausted all these options are still coming up with nothing, then it’s worth trying out a will search company. For a fee, they can help you to track the original will down.
Contact Freeman Jones Solicitors today
Individuals that don’t leave a will can cause more inheritance disputes as their estate may not be divided in the way that they (or their family) wish.
To ensure the proper execution of the deceased’s wishes, it’s crucial that they write a clear and valid will – something that our experienced team of solicitors can help with.
If you’d like to find out more about how inheritance without a will works in the UK, please feel free to contact the expert team of solicitors at Freeman Jones Solicitors and book your free, 20-minute, no-obligation consultation today.
You can either give us a call on 01244 506 444, email your enquiry to info@fjsolicitors.co.uk, or reach out using our online contact form.
