Wills, Probate and Inheritance

As we observe Alzheimer’s Month this September in the UK, it’s a critical time to raise awareness not only about dementia but also about the importance of planning for the future. One essential step in this planning is setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). Kathryn Barnett, Associate Solicitor and member of The Association of Lifetime Lawyers (ALL)* explains. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, gradually impairs…

England has one of the highest dementia diagnosis rates in the world, according to figures released by the NHS. Laura Murphy, Associate Solicitor in our Wills, Probate & Inheritance team reports. The number of people being diagnosed with dementia reached a record 487,432 in June. The diagnosis rate of 65% is the highest since the start of the pandemic but still below the NHS target of diagnosing 66.7% of the…

The number of family disputes over Wills and probate rose by just over 5% in 2023, according to the latest family court statistics. Selina Gonzalez Associate Solicitor in our dispute resolution team reports. There are several reasons why this might happen. The increase in the number of second and even third marriages make life more complicated these days.  People making a Will may have to weigh up the conflicting interests of their children…

This week is Update Your Will Week (4th–10thMarch), an annual campaign hosted by The Association of Lifetime Lawyers. It aims to raise awareness around the risks of not having an up to date Will and encourages people to update their Will to ensure their wishes are carried out when they die. Why is it important to have an up to date Will? Having an up to date, well-drafted Will is…

The Channel 5 TV series, Inheritance, has been gripping audiences with its dramatic story of a family at loggerheads over a Will. Selina Gonzalez Solicitor in our dispute resolution team reports on the case featured in the show. The show features two sisters and a brother who expected to inherit their father’s estate, only to find that he had changed his will without telling them and left everything to his new wife.  They…

The High Court has settled a dispute between four siblings over the validity of their father’s Will. Stephanie Johnson, Senior Associate Solicitor, reports on this recent case. The court heard that the father had died on 11 September 2016. He had four children: the claimant and her three siblings (S1, S2 and S3). In a will found after his death, the father left his estate to his first wife, who…

The High Court has rejected a man’s claim that he was entitled to inherit his brother’s estate instead of the brother’s wife. Stephanie Johnson Senior Associate Solicitor reports on this recent case. The issue arose because in September 2002, the deceased had executed a will bequeathing his whole estate to his brother. However, following his marriage in 2010, he had instructed solicitors to draft a new will, but before executing it…

Three siblings have failed to overturn their stepmother’s will after she left everything to her biological son.  Rebecca Armstrong Associate Solicitor in our Will Claims team reports on this recent case. The son claimed that his mother had changed the will after the siblings’ father died so that he could look after her parrot.  The case involved 61-year-old Ian McLean and his siblings Sean and Lorraine, and their half-brother, a self-titled “Lord” Brett…

The trustees of a man’s will have been told they cannot put a time limit on his daughter’s right to bring a claim against them unless they provided all the facts that determined how the estate should be divided.  Stephanie Johnson Senior Associate Solicitor reports on this recent case. The case involved two siblings in dispute over the will of their late father.   The deceased owned an estate worth around £3.5…

The High Court has ruled that a man’s will that existed only in draft form on a computer, but which was signed by two reliable witnesses, should be accepted as valid.     Rebecca Armstrong Associate Solicitor in our Will Claims team reports on this recent case. Is a draft will legally binding in the UK? So, what of the question is a draft will legally binding in the UK? This is indeed a highly…