A will makes sure your home, savings and life insurance go to the people you choose. Yet 56% of UK adults have not made a will, and 67% either have no will or one that no longer reflects their wishes [1]. Through our trusted legal partner, we can help you put this right alongside your mortgage and protection
| Your situation | Who inherits under the intestacy rules |
|---|---|
| Married or in a civil partnership, with children | Your spouse receives personal possessions, the first £322,000 and half of the rest; your children share the other half .[2] |
| Married or in a civil partnership, no children | Your spouse inherits everything [3] |
| Living together but not married | Your partner has no automatic right to inherit, however long you have been together.[3] |
| Single, no children | Your estate passes to parents, then brothers and sisters, then wider family [3] |
Each person has a nil rate band of £325,000 and, when a home passes to children or grandchildren, a residence nil rate band of £175,000. Both are frozen until 5 April 2031 [4]. A married couple can pass on up to £1 million free of Inheritance Tax where both allowances are available and the estate is under £2 million. Good planning makes sure you do not lose these allowances by accident.
[1] Will Aid survey of over 2,000 UK adults, published 15 November 2024: willaid.org.uk/news/two-thirds-uk-adults-without-up-to-date-will
[2] Statutory legacy of £322,000 for deaths on or after 26 July 2023, Administration of Estates Act 1925, s46 (as amended); Macfarlanes: macfarlanes.com/insights/102iloj/intestacy-statutory-legacy-increases-to-322-000
[3] GOV.UK, “Who inherits if someone dies without a will?”: gov.uk/inherits-someone-dies-without-will
[4] GOV.UK, Budget 2025: Overview of tax legislation and rates, para 1.13: gov.uk/government/publications/budget-2025-overview-of-tax-legislation-and-rates-ootlar
