Step 1 - Ensure you are confident that there is not a valid will

If you cannot find the deceased’s will amongst their possessions, then you should try contacting:

1. The deceased’s solicitor. If you are unaware of who the deceased’s solicitor was then you may want to consider contacting local solicitors to make enquiries
2. The deceased’s bank (some people store important documents with their banks)
3. A will search company
4. London Principal Probate Registry

If a will is not located, then it is assumed that the deceased did not have a will when they died.

Step 2 - Notify the relevant institutions of the deceased’s death and collect information

You must notify all relevant government organisations that the deceased has died. Tell Us Once is a government service that allows you to report a death to the majority of government organisations in one go (you get a reference for it when you get the death certificate). You must also notify all the relevant institutions which the deceased was connected with, such as banks and building societies, utility companies, etc to determine what the deceased’s assets and liabilities are.

Step 3 - Apply for authority to deal with the deceased’s estate

You should refer to the Intestacy Rules to determine who has the authority to apply for the Grant of Letters of Administration, such as a spouse, children, parents, siblings, etc. There is an order of priority.

Step 4 - Ensure all of the deceased’s debts are paid and collect in their assets

Step 5 - Distribute the estate in accordance with the intestacy rules, which are as follows:

As shown by the diagram, your estate would be left in this order of priority if you die without a valid Will. Therefore, it could mean people you would want to benefit from your estate will not.