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Farra is a death administration assistant for UK families. Get step-by-step guidance for registering a death, applying for probate, notifying banks, and managing bereavement admin. From essential documents to practical checklists, Farra simplifies estate paperwork and funeral-related tasks so you can focus on what matters.

Dying Without a Will

When someone dies without a valid will, the intestacy rules determine who inherits their estate. The rules are strict and often produce outcomes the deceased would not have intended — particularly for unmarried partners, stepchildren, and blended families. Find your situation below.

21 guides

All guides

Dying Without a Will After Divorce and RemarriageAfter divorce, your ex-spouse loses all intestacy rights. After remarriage, your new spouse inherits. Children from the first marriage may be left with little. UK intestacy law explained.
Dying Without a Will as a Sole Trader: Business and Estate GuideA sole trader's business assets and liabilities form part of their personal estate. What happens when a sole trader dies without a will, and how to protect your business.
Dying Without a Will in a Care Home: Deprivation of Assets RiskWhen a care home resident dies without a will, their estate may face council scrutiny for deprivation of assets. How intestacy works and what families need to know.
Dying Without a Will With a Joint Mortgage: What Happens?What happens to a joint mortgage when one owner dies without a will? Whether the mortgage must be repaid, who inherits the property, and how to deal with the lender.
Dying Without a Will With Minor Children: Trustees and Court OversightWhen someone dies without a will and leaves minor children, the children's inheritance is held in a statutory trust. What trustees must do and why a will is vital for parents.
Dying Without a Will With No Surviving Relatives: Bona VacantiaWhen someone dies without a will and has no surviving relatives, the estate passes to the Crown under bona vacantia. What this means and whether family or friends can claim.
Dying Without a Will: Blended Families and Stepchildren Get NothingStepchildren do not inherit under UK intestacy rules — only biological and legally adopted children do. What this means for blended families and how to protect all your children.
Dying Without a Will: Brothers and Sisters as Next of KinWhen someone dies without a will and there is no spouse, children, or parents, siblings become the next of kin and inherit equally. UK intestacy rules for siblings explained.
Dying Without a Will: Children Only — How the Estate Is DividedWhen someone dies without a will and no surviving spouse, children inherit equally. How UK intestacy rules divide the estate between children, and what to do next.
Dying Without a Will: Estranged Children Still Inherit Under UK LawEstrangement does not affect a biological child's right to inherit under UK intestacy law. An estranged child has the same entitlement as a close child. What families need to know.
Dying Without a Will: Married With Children — Who Gets What?Married with children and no will? Your spouse gets £322,000 plus personal chattels plus half the remainder. Children share the other half. Full UK intestacy rules explained.
Dying Without a Will: Married With No Children — Who Inherits?If you die married with no children and no will, your spouse inherits your entire estate. How the intestacy rules work, what documents are needed, and next steps.
Dying Without a Will: Only Grandchildren SurviveWhen children predecease a grandparent who dies without a will, grandchildren may inherit by representation. How the intestacy rules work when only grandchildren survive.
Dying Without a Will: Parents as Next of Kin (No Spouse, No Children)When someone dies without a will, no spouse, and no children, their parents inherit the entire estate equally. UK intestacy rules for parents as next of kin explained.
Dying Without a Will: Protecting a Disabled or Vulnerable BeneficiaryIntestacy rules don't account for disability. A sudden inheritance can remove means-tested benefits. What families need to know and how a will can protect disabled loved ones.
Dying Without a Will: Rights of Long-Term Cohabiting PartnersLong-term cohabiting partners have no automatic inheritance rights in England and Wales. What the law says, what you can claim, and how to protect your partner.
Dying Without a Will: Second Marriage With Children From First MarriageWhen you have a second spouse and children from a first marriage, intestacy can leave your children with very little. How the £322,000 statutory legacy works and what to do.
Dying Without a Will: Separated (But Not Divorced) Spouse Still InheritsIf you separate but never legally divorce, your spouse retains full inheritance rights under UK intestacy law. What this means for your estate and how to protect yourself.
Dying Without a Will: Unmarried Partner Gets Nothing in England and WalesUnmarried partners have no automatic inheritance rights under UK intestacy law — regardless of relationship length. What happens to the estate, and what you can do.
Partial Intestacy: When a Will Doesn't Cover All AssetsPartial intestacy occurs when a will exists but doesn't cover all of the estate. How the intestacy rules fill the gaps, and how to avoid partial intestacy with a well-drafted will.
Your Partner Died Without a Will — What Happens If You Weren't Married?Under UK intestacy rules, unmarried partners inherit nothing — regardless of how long you lived together. Here's what the rules mean for you and what you can do.