A new study suggests that millions of Britons are confused about the laws governing marriage and Wills in England and Wales.
According to research carried out by Macmillan Cancer Support, almost half (42 per cent) of Britons do not have a valid Will in place and, in many instances, the reason for this is due to a lack of understanding of the law when getting married.
In the UK, anyone who gets married will immediately have any Wills they have drawn up previously revoked. This means that they will need to draft a fresh Will in order for their wishes to be carried out in full when they die.
However, the study found that many Britons are unaware of this aspect of the law. Due to this, Macmillan estimates that, in total, approximately 1.5 million married UK adults are now living without a valid Will.
In most instances, those quizzed as part of the survey said that they had not updated their Will since getting married, while many more said that they were ‘putting off’ doing so, or ‘had not got round to it’.
This is despite the fact that children, grandchildren or other beneficiaries could be disinherited if a Will is not properly re-drafted following a marriage – which could lead to difficult misunderstandings and family disputes later down the line.
MFG Solicitors’ family team can advise on divorce, family disputes and all other aspects of family law. For more information about how we could help you, please contact us.
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