Intestacy

When a person dies without making a valid will, they are said to have died 'intestate'. When this happens, the law sets out who should deal with the deceased's affairs and who should inherit their estate (property, personal possessions and money).
Where there is no valid will the court appoints a personal representative (known as an administrator). The administrator must distribute the estate according to the rules of intestacy.
The rules of intestacy are complex, but, broadly speaking, the bulk of the estate will go to a spouse (or registered civil partner) or, if none, to children of the deceased (whether or not they are adults) and, if none, to other specified blood relatives.






Order or priority of entitled relatives (Administration of Estates Act 1925 s. 46 & 47)



-   Husband or wife
-   Issue (children, grandchildren or their descendents)
-   Parents
-   Brothers and sisters of the whole blood, or their issue
-   Brothers and sisters of the half blood, or their issue
-   Grandparents
-   Uncles and aunts of the whole blood, or their issue (first   cousins or their descendents)