The law and practice referred to in this article or webinar has been paraphrased or summarised. It might not be up-to-date with changes in the law and we do not guarantee the accuracy of any information provided at the time of reading. It should not be construed or relied upon as legal advice in relation to a specific set of circumstances.
If you or a member of your family thinks they should benefit from a person’s estate, we can advise on the type of claim which could be brought to try and secure your inheritance.
An Inheritance Act claim may be an option if there is a valid Will that excludes you or does not make sufficient provision for you. It can also be an option if the deceased did not leave a valid Will and their estate is being dealt with through the rules of intestacy.
People who may have grounds to make an Inheritance Act claim include:
- The spouse or civil partner of the deceased
- Someone who was cohabiting with the deceased
- A child of the deceased who is still in education
- Anyone who was dependent upon the deceased at the date of death
To make an Inheritance act claim you need to be able to show that the deceased did not make ‘reasonable provision’ for you. What constitutes reasonable provision will depend on the circumstances, for example, if you are a child of the deceased still in education, reasonable provision might mean covering the cost of your education and living expenses.