What happens if you die without a Will?

Your estate will devolve under the Intestacy Rules and your spouse or civil partner will only benefit if they survive you by a period of 28 days.

If you are married or in a civil partnership and your estate is worth less than £250,000 everything will pass to your spouse.

If your estate is worth more than £250,000 everything will pass to your spouse if you have no children or grandchildren.

If you leave a surviving spouse and children, your spouse will receive all your personal belongings, the first £250,000 and anything over that figure will be split equally between your spouse and children.

If you do not leave a surviving spouse and you leave surviving children your children will share your estate equally. If one of your children does not survive you and that child leaves surviving children of their own the deceased child’s share will be divided equally among their surviving children

If you do not leave a surviving spouse and you do not leave any surviving children or grandchildren your parents will inherit your estate in equal shares. If your parents have not survived you your brothers and sisters will share your estate equally and if any brother or sister has failed to survive you their surviving children will take their share and if one or more in equal shares. If you leave no surviving parents or brothers, sisters, nieces or nephews or their children your grandparents will share your estate.

If your grandparents have not survived you your uncles and aunts will share your estate equally and their children will take their share if an aunt or uncle has not survived you.

If you leave no surviving blood relative other than a blood relative further than a first cousin or their children your estate will pass to the Crown. In London and much of the south of England his is likely to be the Duchy of Cornwall which means everything you own will pass to HRH the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles. Elsewhere your estate would pass to the Duchy of Lancaster i.e. H.M. the Queen.

*Disclaimer: The information on the Anthony Gold website is for general information only and reflects the position at the date of publication. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be treated as such. It is provided without any representations or warranties, express or implied.*