Karen and Paul met in their twenties, bought a house in Sunderland and raised two children. They never married. "We didn't need a piece of paper," Karen says. "Everyone thought of us as husband and wife."
Paul died suddenly at 52. He had no will.
What Karen found out
The house was in Paul's name only. He'd bought it before they met, and they'd never changed it. Under the intestacy rules, Karen, as an unmarried partner, inherited nothing. Paul's estate, including the house, passed to their two children. One was 16, so his share had to be held for him until he turned 18.
Paul's workplace pension had no nomination form, so the trustees had to decide who should receive it. Karen's own savings were small. She was living in a house she didn't own, with no clear right to stay.
What happened next
Karen's children wanted her to keep the house, but the younger one was too young to agree to anything legally. Karen had to consider a claim under the Inheritance Act, against her own children's inheritance, to secure her home. It took over a year and cost thousands of pounds in legal fees.
What would have helped
- Two simple wills leaving everything to each other, then the children.
- Putting the house into joint names.
- Pension nomination forms naming Karen.
- Lasting powers of attorney, so they could act for each other if either was ill.
Living together but not married? See what would happen to you with our intestacy calculator, or talk to a specialist.
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