Why make a will?

74% of people in the UK do not have a current Will that reflects their personal and financial circumstances at the time of their death. So, why make a Will?

Leaving a cohabitant with
or without children

Cohabitees have no right to benefit under the intestacy rules and will not receive a benefit from your estate. They are entitled to make a claim against a person's estate although a claim may not be successful.

If there are children of the deceased, they will receive everything absolutely under the intestacy rules.

If the deceased had no children then other blood relatives will benefit from the estate.

How you own property such as bank accounts or your home will also have an effect on what your cohabitant/spouse/civil partner receives on your death. Also see jointly held property.

Your estate may have increased as a result of the significant rise in property prices in recent years. Therefore your surviving spouse/civil partner could be left financially vulnerable under the intestacy rules. It is estimated that every year 9,000 widows and widowers are left in a position where they do not receive all if their spouse/civil partner's estate, forcing many to sell their homes.

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