Who inherits if there is no valid will? The rules of intestacy are a pre-defined order of who is entitled to inherit when someone has passed away intestate. As a company, we get queries about the rules of intestacy multiple times a day.
This slider document outlines the order or priority in intestacy cases for England and Wales. Only spouses or civil partners and close blood relatives (on a descending scale) can inherit under the rules of intestacy. This has been updated since we last shared it in July.
There are just eight specific classes of beneficiaries and there is no (legal) way of altering the order. Also covered by the rules are cases of partial intestacy, where a valid will is in place but does not deal with all of the deceased’s estate.
As noted in the document, back on 26th July 2023, a new Statutory Legacy (fixed net sum) of £322,000 became effective, increasing the sum from £270,000, meaning more will pass to the surviving spouse or civil partner on death. This is the second such increase in the last 10 years.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻.
This article was submitted to be published by Anglia Research as part of their advertising agreement with Today’s Wills and Probate. The views expressed in this article are those of the submitter and not those of Today’s Wills and Probate.
