If you die without a will in England or Wales, a rigid set of rules decides who inherits — and the result often shocks families. Your spouse gets personal possessions plus the first £322,000 and half the remainder. Your children share the rest. If your estate includes a family home worth more than that, your spouse may need to sell it to release the children’s share.
The biggest gap: cohabiting partners inherit absolutely nothing under intestacy, regardless of how long you have been together. Step-children, close friends, and charities are also excluded entirely. Meanwhile, estranged relatives you have not spoken to in decades may inherit everything.
A valid will takes a few hours to arrange and lets you decide who inherits, who manages your estate, and who cares for your children. Without one, the law has already made those decisions for you — and you might not like the answers.