Wills & Inheritance Issues

Two thirds of people in the UK die before they get around to making a will. If you are cohabiting, you cannot afford to be one of them.

Most of us never make wills because we think we're too young or too healthy to worry about that yet, or because it seems too morbid to think about. Many of us also put it off assuming that if the worst did happen the law would ensure our belongings went to our loved ones anyway. But unfortunately this isn't true for cohabiting couples.

If you die before you make a will your unmarried partner won't automatically inherit anything from you, regardless of how long you've been together. Everything, right down to the gifts and cards your partner gave you, will go to your nearest blood relative. In fact, if you don't leave a will, the Crown is more likely to automatically inherit from you than your partner!

For more on why it's particularly crucial to make a will if you aren't married to your partner, and most importantly, how you make one - see our wills leaflet (534 KB).

Our wills leaflet (534 KB) also looks at what your rights are if your partner has died without leaving a will, and how, in certain situations, all may not be entirely lost.

Inheritance tax

Is inheritance tax something you and your partner should be thinking about? Like dying without a will, it is particularly a problem for cohabiting couples. Unlike married couples or civil partners, couples that live together potentially have to pay tax on anything that they inherit from each other. This includes your share of the home if you own it, which could force your partner to have to sell up to pay the tax bill if you died.

Get the lowdown on how much of a problem it is, and how you can avoid it - with the Inheritance Tax guide (337 KB). Tax has never been so interesting....

April 2007