Martin Lewis unleashed a stark warning for cohabiting partners about the severe consequences of lacking a will. Speaking on his ITV programme, ‘The Martin Lewis Money Show Live,’ he delivered the harsh reality, saying if they’re not married and one of them dies and there’s no will – the partner will potentially get nothing.
He spoke out as Will Aid month was starting, in which solicitors offer their services pro bono in return for charitable donations. Mr Lewis pointed out the urgency of drafting a will for those wanting control over the distribution of their assets post-mortem.
He said: “If you have assets, do a will, then you get to decide where they go. If not, what’s called the intestacy laws will decide where your assets go. It depends on which UK nation you’re in. Go on to Gov.uk and have a look at what the situation would be in your case, especially if you’ve got dependent children.”
He even highlighted the complicated dynamics that come with marriage and re-marriage: “In most cases, if you’re not married, nothing will go to your partner. If you don’t have a will or you have a blended family, you want to give money to your children from your first marriage. But it might all go to your current partner.”
“Wills are important in all those cases. Plus, dying intestate can also slow down and complicate dealing with your estate.”
Intestate means dying without a will and an example was explained to the show. In it, a viewer said: “My uncle died Intestate in 2022. It took 13 months for letters of administration to be granted. My parents left Wales last year, and probate took eight weeks.”
Mr Lewis explained: “People say I’m not doing a will because it will all go to my wife or partner anyway. But it actually speeds up the process when they’re already dealing with the grease. In many cases, if you’ve already got a will, check if it is up to date, especially if you’re recently married because in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, getting married can often invalidate a will. Fascinating. Getting married can. Getting divorced doesn’t. But hey, that’s how it works. So you’ll need to do a new will.”
Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis highlighted the benefits of Will Aid month, where solicitors recommend a donation of £100 for a single will or £180 for a mirror will – a bargain compared to standard rates. He urged: “If you can’t afford it, you can give less. But please don’t game it because it is set up to give money to charity.”
On the topic of pensions, he warned: “Pensions don’t go in your will, so you need to make sure you have an up-to-date expression of wishes or nomination form with your pension provider.
“I hear too many cases where people haven’t updated it. They pass away. They haven’t changed it since they got divorced. It still says I want it to go to my ex-partner and that causes some real problems. While these expressions of wishing forms aren’t binding, they are what pension firms look at.
“So make sure your expression of wishing on your pension is up to date because they don’t go in your will.”
To book a Will Aid appointment in November 2024, you can:
- Visit the Will Aid website from September onwards to find a participating solicitor in your area
- Call the Will Aid hotline on 0300 0309 558
Visit https://www.willaid.org.uk/ for more details.
