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Genealogy
Original poster

Possible inheritance

19 replies

Greydaytoday · 04/11/2021 16:51

An in law of mine could possibly be the benefactor of a deceased estate.
We know the deceased name, date of birth, parents and place of birth. He died in 2019 or 2020, I think in Cumbria.
An inheritance would greatly help my in law but as they were estranged at the time of his death she was uncomfortable to look into it.
I offered to help her, I thought it would be reasonably straight forward to find his death certificate. I know realise that’s not the case.
I have searched on ancestry.com and similar but their records are just until 2005.
Any ideas on how I can help her?

OP posts:
LIZS · 04/11/2021 16:52

Have you looked on .gov.uk under Wills and Probate?

Original poster
Greydaytoday · 04/11/2021 16:56

@LIZS thanks for your quick response. Yes I have checked but I need the date of death to progress.

OP posts:
LIZS · 04/11/2021 17:00

You should be able to search with surname and each year. Often Probate is delayed into the next calendar year so look across a range of years.

Original poster
Greydaytoday · 04/11/2021 17:41

Ah I see what you mean… if I searched under name (fairly common unfortunately) and year there would be many listed as I’m not very sure where he died
Do you think I simply don’t have enough information xx

OP posts:
LIZS · 04/11/2021 17:45

It depends. You should be able to narrow it down by name, age, area. However if fairly recent the estate may not yet be settled.

Lovelydovey · 04/11/2021 17:53

What makes them think that they would be a possible benefactor? Do they think that they were mentioned in the will? Or that there was no will and they would inherit under the intestacy rules? Or that the estate was unclaimed? These are the only scenarios in which there is a chance of inheriting in England (I assume that they were not dependent on the deceased given the estrangement). I believe it is different in Scotland.

Otherwise I think you’re going to have to comb through the probate records, or get in contact with others close to the deceased to find out more details and narrow them down. Another option would be looking in the London Gazette or local press to see if the executors have placed a notice for creditors of the estate.

Original poster
Greydaytoday · 04/11/2021 18:40

@Lovelydovey, thanks for your questions. The information I have is from his ex wife, he has three children but as far as we know no other relatives.
We are not very sure where he last lived but we think Cumbria xx

OP posts:
Original poster
Greydaytoday · 04/11/2021 18:54

@LIZS I have has another look at gov uk over several years and I can’t see him. If he hasn’t made a will would be still be listed on there? What generally happens if there’s no will? As I suspect that would be the case

OP posts:
ohdeariforgot · 04/11/2021 19:00

Go to www.gro.gov.uk to see if you can request the death certificate from there.

picklemewalnuts · 04/11/2021 19:10

The executor of the estate should have contacted beneficiaries. Was your friend hard to find? Was she out of touch with everyone involved?

If there was no will, then the money would have gone to spouse or if single, descendants. Is your friend a spouse or child of the deceased?

Elieza · 04/11/2021 19:26

I take it you’ve googled his name and ‘death’?

If it was in the papers then it will say ‘peacefully at home on x date’ or whatever?

HollowTalk · 04/11/2021 19:27

Does anyone know why someone's will wouldn't be on that site? The death was over a year ago and probate has occurred and money has been paid out.

Payments were received about three months ago.

Original poster
Greydaytoday · 04/11/2021 21:22

Sorry just to make it clear. Without being too outing, although I wish I could share all the information.
He is the ex husband of my MIL, they had three children together. He left the family and married again. I knew his wife, she was wealthy but died many years ago. She had no other family.
His siblings and parents have died.
For various reasons we really don’t think he made a will, married again or had any other children.
He became estranged from his adult children many years ago and even if he had made a will he wouldn’t know their addresses.
We know he died a few years ago but don’t know where he lived at that time.

OP posts:
Muddytrainers · 04/11/2021 21:53

Caveat, I have no legal qualifications whatsoever ! According to the link below, marriage invalidates a will, so even if he didn’t make a new will, his old one leaving his assets to your MIL would be invalid. He may of course made a new will leaving assets to his children, or if no will they would inherit through intestacy rules.

www.co-oplegalservices.co.uk/media-centre/articles-may-aug-2018/how-does-marriage-affect-your-will/

Scroll down for intestacy rules
www.co-oplegalservices.co.uk/media-centre/articles-may-aug-2017/what-happens-if-my-husband-dies-without-a-will/

SunLovingMummy · 04/11/2021 22:17

Have you checked the electoral roll going back a few years to find out where he lived? With that data, you can then start to focus your search in an area where he lived, even contact neighbours etc.

Lovelydovey · 05/11/2021 12:59

Have you looked at the unclaimed estates list?
www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/unclaimed-estates-list

It sounds plausible that his children might inherit as part of intestacy rules? But unlikely that his ex wife would.

saleorbouy · 05/11/2021 13:14

Can you get a date by searching local papers website or perhaps church diocese news.
Failing that you will need to go to the registry office where the death was registered.

Partyforone · 08/01/2022 13:38

Just in case this problem isn't yet solved, try this site

www.carlisle.gov.uk/Residents/deaths-funerals-cremations

ArnoldBee · 08/01/2022 14:00

Just check the gro deaths.

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