My stepdad passed away- no will?

[ssray]

Hi
My stepdad passed away yesterday, there is only my brother and myself left to deal with it, he lived in a council house, no savings as far as I'm aware
He requested that his stuff that was worth anything went to the hospice that looked after him-nothing written down

As far as I'm aware my brother can register the death because he was there.

I'm assuming that unless we find a will no matter how old (I don't think there is one) that anything left will go to the state/crown?
Thanks pH massive

[ApexCult]

Sorry for your loss.

I'm assuming neither of you were adopted and his has no other living relatives?

Judging by these pages it looks like it'll all go to the crown sadly:

https://www.gov.uk/inherits-someone-dies-without-w...

https://www.gov.uk/unclaimed-estates-bona-vacantia

https://www.gov.uk/unclaimed-estates-bona-vacantia...

[OutInTheShed]

ApexCult said:

Sorry for your loss.

I'm assuming neither of you were adopted and his has no other living relatives?

Judging by these pages it looks like it'll all go to the crown sadly:

https://www.gov.uk/inherits-someone-dies-without-w...

https://www.gov.uk/unclaimed-estates-bona-vacantia

https://www.gov.uk/unclaimed-estates-bona-vacantia...

Be aware that not all of those relatives are required to be 'living' to avoid the estate going to the Crown.

So if the deceased had e.g. a late brother, then e.g. a Nephew could inherit.

[ssray]

Thanks, I think there maybe a neice, we are going to go through paperwork when we can and take it from there

[Panamax]

Just google "UK intestacy rules".

For instance, https://www.pearsonlegal.co.uk/intestacy-rules/?gc...

[Slaav]

Panamax said:

Just google "UK intestacy rules".

For instance, https://www.pearsonlegal.co.uk/intestacy-rules/?gc...

THIS!!

It is the laws surrounding Intestacy that apply! It won’t go to the crown unless there is nobody to inherit.

Ps - were you ever adopted legally?

[QBee]

I have a wife (second time around for both of us) and my only other living relatives are my brother and my wife's daughter (ie my step-daughter).
I have no intention of leaving anything to my brother, he has plenty of his own resources, but wanted to leave my estate (well, the wing-mirror and the bike rack anyway) to my step daughter, as she has been my step-daughter for more than half her life and has brats offspring. So I made sure we both drew up wills in order to avoid just this problem occurring.

I wish more people were aware of this - writing a will isn't going to shorten your life, it really helps those near to you to carry out your wishes, and allows step-children to inherit, adopted or not.
There are more and more families these days with step-children. I for one have never even considered adopting a girl who was 17 when I first met her and whose natural father is a tosser and still living. She is named in my will and that's all that matters.