Many are surprised to learn that there is no such thing as a common-law wife. If your partner dies without making a will, does not provide for you in his/her will or does not make “reasonable financial provision” for you, you will have little choice but to rely on the generosity of those who did inherit or bring a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (the I(PDF)A ’75).
You must clear a few hurdles before you can rely on this useful piece of legislation:
The cohabitee/partner must establish the following:
The court considers practical matters such as the need to be separated for short periods due to working away, hospitalisation, or going into a care home. In Baynes v Hedger, it was found that the relationship needs to be publicly known or acknowledged.
Under the Civil Partnership Act 2004, same-sex claimants can rely on the IPFDA ’75 with the evidence required being whether they were living as if in a civil partnership.
Under the IPFDA ’75, the claim is as follows:
‘… that the disposition of the deceased’s estate effected by his will or the law relating to intestacy, or the combination of his will and that law, is not such as to make reasonable financial provision for the applicant.’ IPFDA ’75 s1(1)
In short, you have not been sufficiently provided for. But, in the case of a cohabitee and most other categories of claimants, the legislation goes on to say that the claim is for ‘… such financial provision as it would be reasonable in all the circumstances of the case for the applicant to receive for his maintenance.’ IPDFA ’75, s1(2)(b)
The court is not restricted by the word “maintenance”. It tries to achieve what is fair. For example, a property could be purchased for the claimant where there is a housing provision need.
Further relevant factors include the duration of the cohabitation, the standard of living enjoyed by the couple, the size of the estate (the smaller the estate, the harder it is to divide it up), the competing interests of claimants and beneficiaries and their respective financial needs and resources and the conduct of the claimant. All of these are weighed up and balanced by the courts.
It is worth noting that resorting to litigation is not always necessary. Many of these cases are successfully resolved at mediation or before trial. Where the estate is smaller, those involved need to take a particularly pragmatic view on the claim(s) as estates can be quickly eroded in legal fees.
If you think that you may have a claim, it would be worth speaking to a contentious probate specialist in the first instance to understand what your options are. For example, you may not be restricted to just a claim under the IPDFA ’75. There may be additional claims open to you if you contributed to the purchase price of a house or carried out improvements or if promises were made to you regarding property that you relied up on to your detriment.
Prevention is better than the cure. It is always best to have a conversation with your cohabitee/partner about what would happen to the other financially if one of you passes away.
If you make a will to benefit your cohabitee, it can be changed later if you break up. And remember that any will made is automatically revoked upon marriage unless you have a clause in it saying otherwise. This means that you may need to make a further will if you marry.