If there is a living husband, wife or civil partner
If the estate is less than £270,000 the husband, wife or civil partner will get all of the estate
If the estate is more than £270,000 and there are no living children, grandchildren or other direct descendants the husband, wife or civil partner will also get all of the estate
However
If the estate is worth more than £270,000 and there are children, grandchildren or other direct-descendants the following will apply:
The husband, wife or civil partner keeps all the assets (including property),up to £270,000 and all the personal possessions whatever their value.
The remainder of the estate will be shared as follows:
The husband, wife or civil partner gets an absolute interest in half of the remainder
The other half is then divided equally between the surviving children
If a son or daughter has already died, their children will inherit in their place.
If there is no living husband, wife or civil partner
If there are living children, grandchildren or other direct descendants (eg. great-grandchildren), the estate will be shared equally between the children of their descendants. If a son or daughter has already died, their children (the grandchildren of the deceased) inherit in their place
If there are no living children but the deceased parents are still alive, the estate is shared equally between them.
If there are no living children and no living parents but the deceased had brothers or sisters, the estate will be shared equally between them. If a brother or sister has already died, their children (nieces and nephews of the deceased) inherit in their place.
If there are no living children, parents or siblings but there are half-brothers or half-sisters, the estate would be shared equally between the half-brothers or sisters. If a half-brother or half-sister has already died, their children (nieces and nephews of the deceased) inherit in their place.
If there are no living children, parents, siblings or half-siblings but the grandparents are still alive, the estate would be shared equally between them.
If there are no living children, parents, siblings, half-siblings or grandparents that are still alive but the deceased had aunts and uncles, the estate would be shared equally between the aunts or uncles. If an aunt or uncle has already died, their children (the cousins of the deceased) inherit in their place.
If there are no living children, parents, siblings, half-siblings, grandparents or aunts or uncles but there were half-aunts or half-uncles, the estate would be shared equally between the half-aunts or half-uncles. If a half-aunt or half-uncle had died their children would inherit.