A valid Will is the best Christmas present for your family

Sussex law firm Griffith Smith Farrington Webb LLP is calling on the 30 million* UK adults who do not have a will to make legally drafting their final wishes top of the to-do list this Christmas. 

Griffith Smith Farrington Webb LLP is a member of the Law Society Wills & Inheritance Quality Scheme (WIQS), which provides a best practice quality mark for wills and estate administration advice that consumers can trust. 

Those with the most to lose if they die without a will include co-habiting couples who are not married or in a civil partnership. 

More than one million** unmarried couples with dependent children are living in the UK. Recent changes to the intestacy rules strengthened the position of married spouses and civil partners, but left the position of cohabiting couples unchanged. 

Intestacy is where the state decides who inherits if someone dies without a will. Only partners who are married or in a civil partnership can inherit under the rules.

Nadia Cowdrey, LLP Partner and Head of the Tax, Trusts & Estates Department said: 

“For many people, the festive season is all about spending time with loved ones. So we urge people to reflect on that this Christmas and think how they would feel if you died and they received nothing. 

“No one likes to think too carefully about their own demise, but ensuring your final wishes are made clear and legally recognised is the best gift for your family this Christmas. 

“You can return those awful socks and loud jumper to the shop and get a refund, but there’s no going back if you die without a will.

"Consumers need to be able to distinguish between those who are unregulated, uninsured and untrained, and solicitors who offer a quality service."

For more information please contact Griffith Smith Farrington Webb LLP at enquiries@gsfwsolicitors.co.uk or call 01273 324041. 

For more details on the Law Society Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme (WIQS), visit the website. 

*Law Society research
**ONS figures 

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk