If you die without having made a Will, you die Intestate. Intestacy laws differ for England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
This Video Covers: Intestacy, Death Without A Will if You Are Not Married or Civil Partners
The first thing to be aware of is that if you live with a partner and are not married or in a civil partnership, your ‘common law’ partner will only inherit assets that you jointly own e.g., land or property under joint tenancy or joint named bank accounts are automatically transferred into the sole name of the surviving common law partner.
Remaining Assets in Sole Name of the Deceased Are Distributed In Order of Succession (if Surviving You) As Follows:
England and Wales |
Scotland |
Northern Ireland |
100% to Children in equal shares and if no children onto the next level of successors as follows: |
100% to Children in equal shares and if no children onto the next level of successors as follows: |
100% to Children/Grandchildren and other ‘Direct Line’ descendants in equal shares and if no direct line descendants onto the next level of successors as follows: |
Parents |
50% to Parents and 50% to Siblings (if no full siblings, then half siblings) |
Parents |
Siblings (brothers and sisters) |
If no Siblings (or half siblings) then 100% to Parents |
Siblings |
Half Siblings |
Uncles and Aunts |
Grandparents |
Grandparents |
Grandparents |
Uncles and Aunts |
Uncles and Aunts |
Great Uncles and Aunts |
Closest Blood Relatives |
Half Uncles and Aunts |
The Crown |
The Crown |
The Crown |
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Don’t Delay Make A Will: It is advisable that we all make a Will to ensure that the people or organisations that we care about, inherit our wealth in the proportions that we would like.