Families at war over wills

Wills disputes have surged 61% in five years as relatives grow more willing to fight legal battles over larger inheritance pots

Ministry of Justice data obtained by TWM Solicitors shows 122 challenges to wills in 2024–25, up from 76 cases in 2020–21. Wills can be contested on the basis of mental capacity, undue influence, legal formalities or fraud.

According to TWM, the rise has been fuelled by later inheritance, dementia and complex family structures.

‘Just with a property involved, even a fairly modest estate can be worth over £500,000 to £1m,’ said Stuart Downey, partner at TWM.

‘With people living longer, inheritances often arrive when beneficiaries are already well into middle age and therefore have the resources to fund a legal claim. Growing family complexity is also a driver.’

Issue: 8137 / Categories: Legal News , Wills & Probate , Family

Families at war over wills

Wills disputes have surged 61% in five years as relatives grow more willing to fight legal battles over larger inheritance pots

According to TWM, the rise has been fuelled by later inheritance, dementia and complex family structures.

‘Just with a property involved, even a fairly modest estate can be worth over £500,000 to £1m,’ said Stuart Downey, partner at TWM.

Issue: 8137 / Categories: Legal News , Wills & Probate , Family

SourceURL:

Links:

E-newsletter Sign-Up

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Read All

NLJ Career Profile: Ling Ong, London Market FOIL

Ling Ong, partner at Weightmans and president of London Market FOIL, discusses her biggest inspirations, the challenges of AI and the importance of tackling unconscious bias

DWF—Imogen Francis

Director and head of IP team joins in Birmingham

Penningtons Manches Cooper—five promotions

Firm boosts partnership and costs practice with five senior promotions

NEWS

Read All

NLJ this week: Mazur and more—inside the litigation frontline

From blockbuster judgments to procedural shake-ups, the courts are busy reshaping litigation practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School hails the Court of Appeal's 'exquisite judgment’ in Mazur restoring the role of supervised non-qualified staff, and highlights a ‘mammoth’ damages ruling likened to War and Peace, alongside guidance on medical reporting fees, where a pragmatic 25% uplift was imposed

NLJ this week: Social media bans for children spark legal dilemmas

Momentum is building behind proposals to restrict children’s access to social media—but the legal and practical challenges are formidable. In NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood of Mills & Reeve examines global moves, including Australia’s under-16 ban and the UK's consultation

NLJ this week: Leasehold reform risks creating ‘forgotten freeholders’

Reforms designed to rebalance landlord-tenant relations may instead penalise leaseholders themselves. In this week's NLJ, Mike Somekh of The Freehold Collective warns that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 risks creating an ‘underclass’ of resident-controlled freehold companies

NLJ this week: Court of Appeal clarifies when a claim truly begins

Timing is everything—and the Court of Appeal has delivered clarity on when proceedings are ‘brought’. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains that a claim is issued for limitation purposes when the claim form is delivered to the court, even if fees are underpaid

NLJ this week: Split FDRs could ease pressure—and boost settlements

The traditional ‘single, intensive day’ of financial dispute resolution (FDR) may be due for a rethink. Writing in NLJ this week, Rachel Frost-Smith and Lauren Guiler of Birketts propose a ‘split FDR’ model, separating judicial evaluation from negotiation

Error message

Families at war over wills

MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Ling Ong, London Market FOIL

DWF—Imogen Francis

Penningtons Manches Cooper—five promotions