Do I need a will?
If you don’t make a will then the government have already made one for you. These are known as the rules of intestacy – you are said to have died ‘intestate’ if there is no valid will at the time of your death.
For example, if you are married and die with a spouse and children then your spouse does not automatically get everything.
If you are not married, then you need to make a will. There are no automatic transfer of assets between couples who are cohabiting other than jointly owned assets, which would pass to the surviving owner on first death in law. All other assets could pass back to the deceased’s family under intestacy.
If you are separated a will should be written in view of the divorce going ahead as there is a possibility in law that, in the event of your death, your assets could pass back to your ex- partner.