Intestacy rules state that if you are married or in a civil partnership and your estate is less than £322 000 then your spouse or civil partner will receive the whole estate. If your estate is worth more than £322 000 then your spouse or civil partner all of your personal possessions, the first £322,000 and 50% of any excess over and above the £322 000. The remaining 50% excess would be divided equally between any children you have. If you do not have any children the whole estate would be inherited by your spouse or civil partner.
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If you are not married or in a civil partnership then your estate will be divided in equal shares between family members ranked in the following categories:
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Your Children including illegitimate and adopted children but does not include step-children
Their descendants if your children have passed before you
Your Parents
Your Siblings
Their descendants if your siblings have passed before you.
Your Grandparents
Your Aunts and Uncles
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If any relatives are found in one of the categories then the whole estate will be divided among the members of that category whether there is 1 member or 100 members. Once a member is found in one category then no one from any of the lower categories will receive any inheritance.
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If no relatives are found in any of the categories then the whole estate will pass to the Crown.